Committee reaches consensus to launch study on urban renewal

Raimundo do Rosário

The government will be conducting a study into the territory’s urban renewal needs through the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT), as mentioned by the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário.

The Secretary revealed on the sidelines of yesterday’s meeting of the Urban Renewal Committee that the committee had finally reached consensus on a study that the government will commission to a private company. According to the same official, such study will “draw the paths to be followed on the matters of urban renewal.”

The new study will pass through a public tender phase which Rosario said should be completed by “late April or early May [this year].”

After this process, the committee will analyze the proposals received and will then decide on the company that will do the job.

Rosario recalled that the Committee had earlier reached a consensus defining the scope and aims of such study. “Nevertheless, at the meeting two weeks ago, when our colleagues brought the tender dossier and the tender program, some members [or the Urban Renewal Committee] raised some other questions so it became necessary to proceed with a new round of opinions,” Rosário said. “With all this, we lost about six months, but I think it was [worthwhile] to spend such time so we could get  this [full] consensus on the work we are commissioning; its scope and aims, as well as the several phases of such work and the duration of each of those phases,” he added.

“I believe this will not take a long time now; we are ready to start sending the letters to the companies to announce the tender and receive proposals soon,” the Secretary said. Rosário advanced that at this stage it “is not convenient to reveal the content of the tender dossier and works to be done,” as “this will pass through a public tender and we want all companies to start with equal chances,” he added, noting that revealing details on the content at this stage could influence the results. “We will have news about this in a few months, certainly,” he concluded.