Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07HONGKONG2055
2007-08-07 23:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:
U.S. CASINO EXECUTIVES NOT PRESSURED TO HIRE LOCAL
how-toVZCZCXRO4053 PP RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC DE RUEHHK #2055 2192322 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 072322Z AUG 07 FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2511 INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HONG KONG 002055
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2032
TAGS: PGOV ECON EFIN ELAB PREL CH HK MC
SUBJECT: U.S. CASINO EXECUTIVES NOT PRESSURED TO HIRE LOCAL
SECURITY STAFF
REF: HONG KONG 01203
Classified By: Acting E/P Section Chief Jeff Zaiser; Reasons 1.4 (b, d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HONG KONG 002055
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2032
TAGS: PGOV ECON EFIN ELAB PREL CH HK MC
SUBJECT: U.S. CASINO EXECUTIVES NOT PRESSURED TO HIRE LOCAL
SECURITY STAFF
REF: HONG KONG 01203
Classified By: Acting E/P Section Chief Jeff Zaiser; Reasons 1.4 (b, d)
1. (SBU) On August 5, Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post"
(SCMP) carried a story and an editorial citing rumors that
"senior Macau government officials" have pressured executives
in the U.S.-owned Venetian Macau hotel and casino, currently
under construction and due to open on August 28, 2007, to
fill security positions from the local talent pool, rather
than expatriates, lest Western casinos risk the "goodwill" of
Macau. The SCMP also reported that Norman MacKillop, a
two-year veteran as the "head of security" for the Venetian
Macau, was dismissed in May, and that the Venetian rescinded
the contracts of two other decorated former Hong Kong police
officers in an apparent case of politically-motivated
discrimination. The reporter compared this alleged
anti-foreigner sentiment to the public resentment of job
losses to foreigners that played a role in the recent May Day
protest in Macau, during which police fired shots into the
air (reftel).
2. (C) In response to our inquiry, James Lisle (protect),the
director for corporate investigations at the Wynn Macau,
characterized the report as "utter nonsense." The
authorities in Macau rigorously screen all senior security
officials working in casinos in Macau, he said, including
those that are U.S.-owned, and issued each officer a "blue
card" (akin to a badge for private security work); thus, the
Macau government has direct control over the licensing of
each position. Lisle also said that if the Macau government,
which he characterized as historically "non-interventionist"
in the process, wanted to tamper with the ethnic composition
of Western casino security staff, it would have done so in
the licensing phase rather than resort to the relatively
tenuous approach of trying to coerce casino managers. Lisle
also told poloff, "off the record," that he frequently
socialized with Macau police and Commission Against
Corruption officers, and that they had ample opportunities to
"make their pitch over beer" but that they never expressed
concern over the presence of Western security officers.
Marut
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2032
TAGS: PGOV ECON EFIN ELAB PREL CH HK MC
SUBJECT: U.S. CASINO EXECUTIVES NOT PRESSURED TO HIRE LOCAL
SECURITY STAFF
REF: HONG KONG 01203
Classified By: Acting E/P Section Chief Jeff Zaiser; Reasons 1.4 (b, d)
1. (SBU) On August 5, Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post"
(SCMP) carried a story and an editorial citing rumors that
"senior Macau government officials" have pressured executives
in the U.S.-owned Venetian Macau hotel and casino, currently
under construction and due to open on August 28, 2007, to
fill security positions from the local talent pool, rather
than expatriates, lest Western casinos risk the "goodwill" of
Macau. The SCMP also reported that Norman MacKillop, a
two-year veteran as the "head of security" for the Venetian
Macau, was dismissed in May, and that the Venetian rescinded
the contracts of two other decorated former Hong Kong police
officers in an apparent case of politically-motivated
discrimination. The reporter compared this alleged
anti-foreigner sentiment to the public resentment of job
losses to foreigners that played a role in the recent May Day
protest in Macau, during which police fired shots into the
air (reftel).
2. (C) In response to our inquiry, James Lisle (protect),the
director for corporate investigations at the Wynn Macau,
characterized the report as "utter nonsense." The
authorities in Macau rigorously screen all senior security
officials working in casinos in Macau, he said, including
those that are U.S.-owned, and issued each officer a "blue
card" (akin to a badge for private security work); thus, the
Macau government has direct control over the licensing of
each position. Lisle also said that if the Macau government,
which he characterized as historically "non-interventionist"
in the process, wanted to tamper with the ethnic composition
of Western casino security staff, it would have done so in
the licensing phase rather than resort to the relatively
tenuous approach of trying to coerce casino managers. Lisle
also told poloff, "off the record," that he frequently
socialized with Macau police and Commission Against
Corruption officers, and that they had ample opportunities to
"make their pitch over beer" but that they never expressed
concern over the presence of Western security officers.
Marut