CE ‘strongly rejects’ Land Law amendment

The Pearl Horizon project

The Chief Executive (CE) is against any attempt by lawmakers to change the Land Law to accommodate the interests of private developers who claim that the non-development of land was due to governmental inaction.

In a statement issued yesterday, the CE’s Office “strongly rejects” the proposal by appointed lawmaker Gabriel Tong to vote on an amendment to the Land Law.

The statement indicated that according to article 75 of the Basic Law, “lawmakers who wish to present bills to the Legislative Assembly (AL) involving governmental policies must obtain written consent from the Chief Executive.”

Article 75 also states that “bills which don’t involve revenues or expenses, the political structure or the government functioning can be presented, individually or collectedly, by lawmakers.” These norms strongly limit the autonomy of lawmakers to present bills.   

The CE’s firm stance comes days after a controversial plenary session at the AL, dominated by appeals for a revision to the Land Law. The session was attended by some of the owners of the Pearl Horizon project who applauded lawmakers’ appeals to “interpret” the law after the rental concession of land where the unfinished private housing project being developed by Polytex Corporation Limited was declared expired by the Court of Final Appeal in December. The project was expected to include 18 towers with over 5,000 residential units.

During the session, lawmaker Cheung Lup Kwan summarized the views expressed by other lawmakers, acknowledging that it was a mistake to approve the changes to the Land Law. “I believe that we made a mistake. I voted wrongly; I admit that like many others here,” he said. “We have to think how to solve this.”

Meanwhile, according to Pereira Coutinho, around 20 lawmakers – including all of the directly elected ones – have signed a letter requesting a meeting with the CE next week to discuss the issue.  PB

Nam Van to appeal

The director of the Nam Van Development Company, which is the concessionaire company of the C and D land plots of Nam Van lake, said that the company will go to court in order to challenge the reversion of the land plots located close to the AL. “It must be done, resorting to court,” Gilberto Gomes told Radio Macau. “But we need to wait for the government’s notice in order to see how we reply. We also need to analyze that in the General Assembly of the company. It must be decided by the shareholders.”