Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, takes legislators' questions on government policy and social issues at a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly.
A public consultation on Macao’s first Five-Year Development Plan will be launched on Tuesday (26 April), said today the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. The Government will pay great attention to the opinions of residents regarding this important development blueprint for Macao, which covers a period from 2016 to 2020, he stated. Mr Chui made the comments this afternoon when he attended a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly to answer legislators’ questions on government policies and other social issues. The Government aimed to gather opinion on how to help transform Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure, and into a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries (collectively known as the “Centre and Platform” policies). The Chief Executive also gave more details regarding work relating to Macao’s maritime area. The Government was drafting a framework law on maritime management and other supplementary regulations. It was expected that the process would be completed before the end of this year. He disclosed the Government would sign an agreement in May with the General Administration of Customs on measures to strengthen security oversight of Macao’s waters and to enhance law enforcement. At present the Government was conducting a series of pieces of research on issues relating to the management of Macao’s waters and their conservation; as well as the sustainability of maritime development. The Government would work closely with mainland authorities in a bid further to strengthen Macao’s management role for its waters; an asset demarcated by the State Council last December. Regarding a question on the planned housing project at Estrada do Campo, Mr Chui reiterated that a permit for construction would still be required for such a project to go ahead. The Environmental Protection Bureau would provide in the near future more details about an environmental impact assessment relating to the project, he added. The Government strives for a balance between development and environmental conservation during the course of Macao’s economic progress. Macao did not have a single, coordinated plan on urban development: the Land Law, the Urban Planning Law, and the Cultural Heritage Protection Law provide the fundamental principles for the city’s development, said Mr Chui. The Chief Executive also gave an update on revisions to legislation relating to public housing. The legislative process concerning legal amendments on social housing – units rented by the Government at lower rents to low income families – would start by the third quarter this year. The revision will include amendments to the application procedure, management of social housing units and the introduction of a mechanism to retrieve flats from higher income families. Meanwhile, it was expected that a review of the Home-Ownership Scheme would be completed in the second quarter, he stated. The Government’s vision on housing policy – “homes for all in a contented society” – remained unchanged, said Mr Chui. The Government would spare no effort in ensuring the needs of the public housing sector did not come second to the development of the private housing market, he added. The Government had started planning work and coordination between its departments for the planned 4,600 public housing flats that had been announced in the Policy Address for the Fiscal Year 2016. The Chief Executive additionally highlighted three principles in public purchasing and outsourcing to the private sector concerning public services. They were: 1) revision of regulations relating to public procurement; 2) the strengthening of education on the rights and duties of leaders of Government departments; and 3) the establishment of a mechanism to evaluate officials’ performance. During the session, Mr Chui gave more details regarding: the application procedure for public housing; the benefits and conditions for civil servants; paternity leave; public administration and cross-departmental cooperation; protection of consumer rights; youth entrepreneurship; development of information technology; support for local small- and medium-sized enterprises; and the cultivation of professionals bilingual in the use of Chinese and Portuguese.