Gov’t explains status of Nam Van district land concessions

The Government Information Bureau (GCS) issued a statement yesterday revealing the current status of six controversial land parcels located at the Nam Van Lake area.
The statement explains that land concessions relating to Area C and Area D in the Nam Van district are being dealt with in line with the Urban Planning Law, which has been in place since 1 March, 2014.
In relation to the use of land parcels in Area C and Area D, Order No. 69/2001 of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works states that the concession for a plot identified as C7 is to expire on August 21, 2026.
Other plots in the area – namely C2, C15, C16, D3 and D4 – are reserved for public use, according to the statement. C2 will be used to house a temporary office of the Court of First Instance. For the remaining four land parcels, the government is currently reviewing its options.
The statement also notes that the construction company for the temporary office of the Court of First Instance took the initiative to request the use of the plots of surrounding land for the storage of construction material and equipment.
The concession holder of the C and D plots, the Nam Van Development Company Ltd., organized a seminar this week on the “Impacts of the Land Law to the Investment, Economy and Society of Macau.”
During the seminar, representatives from the company explained the reasons behind the non-development of the land parcels and presented several documents to support their statements.
One of the most active members of the discussion panel was Patrick Wong, the executive director of the Nam Van Development Company Ltd., who claimed that the company did all they could to develop the land in the given time frame.
“I never wasted one single minute in the development of my land. Why do I need to go to court?” he cried, adding, “this is called stealing!” Wong claimed that the company has always fulfilled its duties and cooperated with the government through the former Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Lau Si Io.