Law on “Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation” took effect today (August 13), and from midnight, the Cross-departmental Working Group mounted a citywide operation and searched premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and conducted inspections in the streets. Till now, seven premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally were cracked successfully. Acting Director of MGTO Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes expressed that the operation has delivered initial results and such enforcement actions will continue. All staff from MGTO’s Inspection Division, together with additional manpower from other subunits, joined force with the Public Security Police Force to take immediate action after the law took effect and swooped in districts with higher density of premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally, conducted inspections in the streets and seized touts. In the first round of operations, 25 premises were checked, with 18 unanswered doors. 7 premises were temporarily sealed, 3 suspected offenders were seized including two operators (also working as touts) and one managing staff. 26 occupants were detained. Following the operation, MGTO began sanction proceedings on involved operators, managing staff and touts and adopted provisional measures to cut the supply of water and electricity to the above premises and sealed the doors. Directors and concerned department heads of MGTO also took on-call duties around the clock to give command and coordinate operations to combat the malpractice. To enforce the law on “Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation”, office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture guided the operation planning. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U chaired a Cross-departmental Working Team meeting attended by directors of concerned departments before the law took effect, where he stressed the determination of the government in combating illegal accommodation. The Cross-departmental Working Team also held meetings to discuss operation planning while MGTO met with Public Security Police Force frequently for co-ordination work. In line with the newly implemented law, staff of MGTO are equipped with trainings provided by the Judiciary Police to enhance techniques and skills in inspecting, searching and obtaining evidence, inquiring and questioning and compiling cases. At the same time, additional staff have been deployed internally and MGTO has also started recruiting more inspectors to cope with the long-term operations. As the law has also added new measures to cut the supply of water and electricity, MGTO also held meetings with Macau Water Supply Co. Ltd and CEM to discuss the related procedures and arrangements. Directors and concerned department heads also met with legislator, representatives from General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau and committees of affected apartment owners to introduce the measures against the malpractice as well as to exchange and collect opinions on enforcement of the new law.
