Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, speaks to reporters.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, stressed that adherence to the rule of law was the principle of governance in Macao, adding it was the principle by which issues relating to the land concession for Pearl Horizon would be handled. The Government was paying close attention to the question of the land concession of Pearl Horizon – an unfinished private housing project – and the rights of buyers of units in the project, Mr Chui told reporters on 13 December. Mr Chui detailed the reasons why the Government had decided to revert to the administration the land for Pearl Horizon when the concession expires on 25 December. The decision had been made after listening to a range of professional advice: that from a cross-departmental taskforce; from a team of legal professionals; and independent analysis by respectively the Public Prosecutions Office and the Commission against Corruption. Adherence to the rule of law was a fundamental value of Macao: the Government could not overreach the constraints of the law simply in order to respond to a specific situation, reiterated the Chief Executive. Regarding the project developer’s decision to lodge an appeal via the courts against the reversion of the land, Mr Chui said the Government would formulate a response in order to challenge the lawsuit via the courts. Commenting on suggestions by legislators that the current Land Law required revision, Mr Chui said the Government has been acting in line with the terms of the Land Law since it came into force on 1 March last year. He added his cabinet was available to explain to legislators in further detail the Government’s decision in relation to Pearl Horizon. The Chief Executive additionally stated that if legislators – in their role as members of the Legislative Assembly – proposed revisions to the Land Law, the Government would, as always, cooperate in administrative matters relating to such requests. Mr Chui also said he noted there were examples of other, already-implemented, laws being amended, or complemented via administrative regulation, in order either to improve such laws or to provide them with complementary competences.