New body to administer Macau maritime area

The government has announced and officiated the commission of a special body to lead the management and economic development of the maritime area that comes under the responsibility of the MSAR.

The Coordination Commission for the Management and Economic Development of the Maritime Area was outlined in Executive Order no. 57/2017 published on Monday in the Government Gazette.

The responsibilities of the commission include the management of the city’s maritime area, the initiation of research for the creation of a master plan and policies for the economic development of the waters. It will also promote legislation for the economic development and utilization of the maritime area, and issue guidelines for its future use.

The commission is under the supervision of the chief executive (CE), who will also act as its chairman, while the five secretaries and the heads of various related departments will also join as members. Among these department heads are the directors of the Customs Service, the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, the Legal Affairs Bureau and the Macau Economic Services.

According to the executive order, the commission has the power to set up specialized task forces to undertake those works for which the commission is responsible.

Members of such task forces might include distinguished persons from Macau or further afield, including those from academic institutions and from public or private entities. These persons might also be asked to attend commission meetings.

The CE’s office will provide administrative, technical and logistical support to the commission, including the organization’s budget, which will be provided by Chui’s office.

On December 20, 2015, the State Council, via the Decree No. 665, approved a new administrative division map for the Macau SAR. According to the decree, 85 square kilometers of waters surrounding Macau, and an area of land where the Border Gate with Zhuhai is located, are placed under Macau’s management.