Budget execution assessment concluded with several remarks

Cheang Chi Keong (right)

The Third Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly (AL)’s analysis of the 2015 Budget Execution Report was concluded yesterday afternoon in a meeting of the Committee’s members at the AL.

Without providing much detail into the remarks of the Committee and from a total of 14 questions to the government requesting clarifications, the president of the Committee, lawmaker Cheang Chi Keong highlighted that “works run in a smooth manner.”

The Committee stressed there was a growth in the budget execution rate from the 80 to 85.9 percent in 2015, although its members still voiced some concerns. One of them is related to the law 122/84/M, which regulates the acquisition of goods and services from the departments and bodies of the administration, which was labeled outdated in 2014. According to the Third Standing Committee, it is taking too long for the law to be reviewed.

The Committee also addressed questions on fairness and overspending to the government.

One question related to the low renumeration granted to the government by Nam Yue, the company of the wholesale market which is allegedly “prospering, growing and without competition.” Apparently in 2015, the government only received in total a little over MOP291,000.

The government replied by citing the contract with the body that states from July 2014 to May 2019 the company will pay 1 to 1.5 percent of its annual income from market revenue to the government.

Another of the concerns related to “major projects,” and the Hong Kong- Zhuhai-Macau bridge warranted a special note questioning the Committee on the MSAR’s participation in the budget of the bridge.

The government replied that from 2010 to 2015 it has invested a total of MOP2.3 billion in the project.

The Public Investment Plan (PIDDA)’s programs which have been in development over one year were also a subject of discussion. The AL found it difficult to address these questions however, as there is no requirement for a global execution report of PIDDA. Ultimately, the government noted that these questions would be resolved when the new Budget Law enters into force.

Little was added to the conclusions drawn-aside from the acknowledgment that both the budget execution and its report were done according to the Basic Law.

The report will now be sent to the plenary of the AL for final approval.