16 idle land plots excluded from gov’t recovery list

Raimundo do Rosário

One third of the 48 idle plots of land that were attributable to leaseholders have been exempted from the revocation of concessions by the government, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, revealed yesterday.
The secretary notified the Legislative Assembly (AL)’s Follow-up Committee on Land and Public Concession Affairs of the result when explaining the government’s progress on idle land recovery. However, he was unable to provide further information, as “they had already been handled with before he took office.”
The government has so far recovered a total of 18 idle land lots, and will soon announce the revocation of five additional lots, Rosario told media after the closed-door meeting. He also revealed that the previous administration had completed the procedures regarding another 16 idle lots; but regarding when and why the government decided to rule out those 16 from the recovery list, the new Secretary could only answer with “I don’t know.”
According to the Committee’s president, lawmaker Ho Ion Sang, the AL wasn’t aware that the government had “set the captive 16 idle plots free” either, until officials revealed the fact in the meeting yesterday.
“We were not told when those land plots were ‘set free,’ but it was certainly before the new Secretary’s term started,” he said, adding that the Committee’s stance is “whether the Secretary has changed or not, it is the government’s unavoidable responsibility to account for the situation and progress of land recovery.”
Lawmakers at the meeting have urged the government to give an explanation, as well as to provide information on those plots’ sizes and locations. In response, Rosario promised to gather more information and return to the AL to explain the matter by the end of this legislative session, ending August 15.
“Since the Land Law took effect in 2013, we have repeatedly requested that the government explain its land recovery progress. Unfortunately, the former Secretary was too busy to come to the AL to explain the work’s progress and to make it more transparent to the public,” said Ho Ion Sang.
The government began handling idle plots in 2009, which by definition are parcels of land granted to the private sector that haven’t been utilized properly within the statuary or contractual period of time, due to reasons attributable to the developer or leaseholder.
Ho explained that the procedure for handling an idle lot is complex, from “hearings regarding the leaseholder’s explanation, facts and legal analysis, procedures declaring the land concession invalid, case trials by the Chief Executive’s panel of legal experts, to the announcement of revocation in the Official Gazette.”
“That’s why we demanded an explanation as to which stage it happened in, whether the leaseholders provided adequate explanations in the hearing or there were other reasons for the decision,” he stressed, adding that the government still has a lot to improve in terms of fulfilling the public’s right to know and keeping in contact with the Committee.
Currently, there are still nine idle lots being analysed by the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) to identify whether the stagnation of their development should be attributed to the leaseholder or to external restraints. Meanwhile, at least ten of the 18 parcels that were announced to be recovered have either been appealed through formal objections or judicial cases by the leaseholders.
“There are a total of 113 plots that are not being utilized at an acceptable standard. These plots were intended for residential, industrial, office building and commercial purposes. The reasons why they are not being utilized enough can be divided into six categories. Apart from the 48 idle plots, 34 plots are not being developed due to urban planning restrictions,” revealed the lawmaker.