AL PLENARY | IACM reshuffle and restructuring bill approved

IACM headquarters facing Senado Square

The bill regulating the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) reshuffle and service restructuring passed its first reading at yesterday’s Legislative Assembly (AL) plenary meeting. Some of IACM’s duties and functions will be reassigned to the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Sports Development Board, while 270 employees will also be transferred.
The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, guaranteed that the rights, interests and benefits of the 270 employees will be ensured.
“We always follow the principle of ensuring employees’ rights and interests. These IACM employees will be working under the Cultural Affairs Bureau and Sports Development Board, and we’ve already held meetings with them to provide them with further information,” said Ms Chan.
The Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) director, Kou Peng Kuan, said that they met with the 270 employees in order to hear their opinions. He added that his department has assessed possible issues arising from IACM’s reshuffle and indicated that they will adopt measures to protect employees.
Lawmakers have welcomed the government’s efforts to restructure IACM, but some have also expressed concerns regarding other possible overlapping services. Furthermore, they asked Ms Chan about when the government will begin working on the reshuffle and restructuring of other public services.
“This time the restructuring involves IACM’s recreational, sports and cultural areas. But doubts arise regarding other IACM duties that may overlap with those of other public entities,” lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho recalled. He urged the government to consider transferring additional IACM duties to other public services.
Ms Chan said that this year the government is focusing on restructuring IACM’s duties that relate to sports, culture and recreational activities. The restructuring plans of other public services are still under assessment, she indicated.
Lawmakers were also eager to know further details of the government’s plan, which was announced in this year’s Policy Address and will enable the establishment of a municipal body that holds no political power.
However, Ms Chan did not share any news on the subject, stating that they haven’t yet reached a decision. She said she would disclose further information when appropriate.
Other lawmakers questioned Sonia Chan about improvements to the licensing process for restaurants and bars. The Secretary stated that beverage establishments’ licensing process runs quite smoothly, while the licensing process for food establishments requires further work.
Amendments to the Affordable Housing Bill and the bill regulating claims arising from labor relations also passed second readings in yesterday’s AL plenary meeting. The Affordable Housing Bill amendments introduced changes to the drawing process for selecting applicants, altering the current process which involves first conducting a thorough review of all applicants’ qualifications.
The Housing Bureau will be allowed to conduct a preliminary evaluation of all applicants before starting the drawing process.
Lawmakers welcomed the changes, but called on the government to improve housing policies. Lawmaker Lei Cheng I said that there needs to be a clear and comprehensive plan for public housing. Wong Kit Cheng also commented that citizens are hoping that amendments to the law will improve efficiency. However, there isn’t “a long-
term view” on the subject, and nor does the public know when a new application process will take place.

compensation ceiling vetoed

The Public Services Labor Contract Bill yesterday passed its second reading, but one particular section of the law was vetoed. Lawmakers did not approve of two articles of section 13, which regulate compensation upon contract termination. The articles introduced a salary ceiling to calculate compensation. But lawmakers argued that it would be unfair to have a ceiling for sacked employees. Therefore, 12 lawmakers voted against setting a limit for compensation paid to civil servants who have been fired. The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, said that very few employees have been dismissed without a reason.

Lawmakers call for measures to regulate car parking

Lawmakers have raised concerns over an increasing number of cars circulating on Macau’s roads. Chan Meng Kam has called on the government to better regulate car-parking rules, including reviewing the monthly passes scheme that is employed across local car parks.
The government announced recently that it would be increasing car parking fees, while also deciding to stop issuing new monthly passes for public car parks.
However, lawmaker Chan believes these measures alone will not solve the problem. He urged the government to review public car park regulations to avoid social injustice. Those who currently hold a monthly car pass will be allowed to retain it.
Lawmaker Chan Hong also suggested that an increase in parking fees is far from a solution to Macau’s traffic woes. She urged the government to improve law enforcement and to hire more staff to inspect and issue parking tickets when needed.

on the lawmakers’agenda

ESCALATORS Lawmakers have demanded that escalators be more effectively supervised after several incidents involving escalators and lifts were reported in China, including one that resulted in the death of a young mother. Leong Veng Chai recalled that there have been incidents involving escalators in Macau too, namely at the Border Gate. “There are over 6,000 escalators in Macau and most are quite crowded (…) With so many people using escalators, this type of equipment is subject to huge pressure, and the consequences would be unimaginable if there were a serious accident,” he said. As more casino resorts come under development, equipment flaws could put citizens’ safety at risk. Kwan Tsui Hang shared a similar opinion, but went even further to suggest that current legislation fails to ensure regular inspection into escalators and lifts.

TOURIST CAP A Policy Research Office report on Macau’s demographic policies has captured the attention of lawmakers, who are concerned about how the region will cope with a predicted population of 750,000 inhabitants by 2025. The number of incoming tourists is another issue, according to Angela Leong, who yesterday urged the government to introduce a tourist cap as soon as possible. With the elderly expected to comprise16.3 percent of the total population by 2025, the lawmaker claimed that there existed a considerable gap between the government’s policies and the existing healthcare services provided to the elderly. Therefore, Ms Leong has called on the authorities to adopt effective measures to perfect Macau’s compulsory pension scheme. On the other hand, she urged the government to introduce measures that would encourage families to have more babies, as pricey homes and a rising cost of living may force young couples to think twice.

FOURTH LINK Ho Ion Sang has urged the government to submit a proposal on the fourth Macau–Taipa link. He recalled that this discussion has dragged on for ten years; meanwhile traffic woes during peak hours on the bridges linking Macau with Taipa have continued to deepen. Therefore, building a fourth link between Macau and Taipa is critical, he stressed. According to Mr Ho, the government is still deciding on whether to build a bridge or a tunnel, despite the fact that the tunnel option has already garnered consensus in society. The legislator also advised the government to grant the responsibility for the construction works of the fourth Macau–Taipa link to a trustworthy and experienced company. This would be in order to avoid delays and other issues that have previously arisen in major public works such as the LRT system.