The bars at the Nam Van Lake leisure area, pictured before the 2012 closure
The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, is expected to announce during today’s Policy Address presentation that the area lining the Nam Van Lake facing the government headquarters will include cafés with outdoor areas managed by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC). During a dinner with local media representatives, Mr Tam said that the region is in need of alfresco areas, revealing that the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) will provide students to work and train in the lakeside precinct.
Tam’s announcement comes after almost four years of stagnation in the area since the bars there were shut down against the will of their owners. In 2012, the proprietors of the six bars still operating there (eight had previously closed) defied the authorities’ closure order and said that they intended to stay on when the lease was set to end in May.
The landlord of the area was the Finance Services Bureau (DSF) before the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) took over management.
“The two departments are kicking us around like a football. DSF said they would hand over the issue to IACM on June 1, while IACM said the issue is not their concern before June 1,” a representative of the Nam Van bar owners, Cheung Wing, told the Times in May 2012. That month, bar owners handed a petition to the government in order to avoid the shut down, but their efforts were in vain. The bars shut down in August.
A development plan for the Nam Van Lake section was announced around that time. Raymond Tam, who was head of IACM by then, stated that the place is “designed to be a cultural and leisure district that will consist of an open theater, drama stage, café and the largest center in the city for book and magazine retailers.”
Aspect of the area after the renovation works conducted by IACM
Meanwhile, IACM confirmed to the Times on Monday that the renovation works at the space had been concluded. “The transfer of infrastructure management to the IC is scheduled. The use to be given to them and the opening date will be announced by the receiving service [IC],” the IACM replied. However, the institute didn’t answer all of our questions, choosing not to disclose the cost of the revamp works.
Alexis Tam is also expected to confirm this week that the House of Portugal (Casa de Portugal) will be invited to be part of a project to boost Taipa’s Carmo district, managing a restaurant and coffee shop in one of the Taipa Houses Museum buildings. The House of Portugal already manages the restaurant Lvsitanvs, which initially operated in the yellow building close to the Ruins of St Paul. This was before the eatery was forced to move when the lease expired, at which point it relocated to the association’s headquarters.
As the secretary mentioned recently during a visit to facilities managed by the association, the area is expected to become multicultural, citing the likely occurrence of daily cultural and entertainment events, including music performances and food festivals. Countries from all over the world will be invited to develop events there, with a special scope on Portuguese speaking countries.
During the dinner with local journalists, Mr Tam also said that some of the city’s museums will be revamped. Hence, the Grand Prix Museum will be expanded to occupy a larger section of the Tourism Activities Center (CAT). Currently located at CAT, the Wine Museum will be transferred to the IFT. The secretary recalled his infancy in Macau, when it was possible to go by boat from the A-Ma Temple to Taipa and Coloane. Those short-distance cruises are expected to be resumed now, targeting both tourists and locals.
health takes center stage
Health is expected to be one of the main topics discussed in Alexis Tam’s presentations at the AL today and tomorrow. The secretary is optimistic about the work developed under his watch, believing that health care has improved. He expects the future Taipa Island Hospital to be concluded within six years. The number of medical staff to be hired is expected to be around 2,000, including 500 physicians.
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