Gov’t says taxi policy to be revised

Macau’s government will begin a public consultation regarding a review of the current regulations on the taxi industry next week, according to the Secretary for Transportation and Public Works, Lau Si Io. Lawmakers will also attempt to produce a report on the issue within the current legislative session, and have urged the government to submit the relevant legislation to the Legislative Assembly (AL) as soon as possible.
After attending the meeting of the AL Follow-up Committee for Public Administration, Lau Si Io addressed the media and revealed that the administration has decided to conduct an overall policy review of the taxi industry. “We are going to have a public consultation, which should take place next week,” he said.
“We hope that, through legislation, we can resolve, from the root, many of the problems regarding taxis. [These include] the difficulties in getting a taxi and the minority [amongst the industry] who break the rules, which has contributed to some unhealthy trends in the industry.”
Lau Si Io said that there are two major directions in the policy review. The first is for the government to review the licensing regime, while the second is to strengthen supervision in the industry.
The Secretary did not promise that the legislation would be submitted to the AL this year, saying only that it was a priority. “We know that everybody, including the tourists and the residents, is very concerned with the taxi issue. We will make the bill our first legislative priority,” Lau insisted.
Moreover, the Secretary said they are will include the introduction of an entrapment operation in the consultation as well as several recommendations made by lawmakers during the meeting.
“In general, the government is open [to different opinions] as long as the current problems related to taxis can be resolved.
Lau acknowledged that stakeholders are going to have differing opinions. He expressed the hope that this legislation can be reached by a consensus between all involved parties.
The director of the Transport Bureau (DSAT), Wong Wan also attended the AL meeting. He said that, by drafting new legislation instead of merely amending the current taxi regulations – which is an administrative law – the government would be able to increase regulatory measures and change the licensing regime.
“For example, the entrapment operation that everybody is talking about or the installment of electronic [monitoring] equipment inside the taxis – these cannot be implemented through an administrative law,” the director explained.
He reiterated that the aim of the legislation is to introduce monitoring measures that are feasible, and which will be assisted by police authorities.
Some have questioned whether the introduction of an entrapment operation would be a disproportionate response to the severity of taxi-related offenses. However, Wong Wan argued that the taxi problem is a “major public issue” that justifies such measures.
The director insisted that the proposed introduction of an electronic monitoring system was intended to protect passenger and driver alike.
Furthermore, Wong Wan said that the government has considered various options with regards to the licensing regime, such as allowing more operators into the market. He stressed that the taxi industry should once again be viewed as a tool for the provision of services, rather than as an investment.
On the other hand, the AL Follow-up Committee president Chan Meng Kam said that Committee members have advised the government to increase the number of taxis, and to introduce new penalties and a point deduction system. However, he said that lawmakers have expressed different opinions on the issue.

João Pedro Lau