Oceanis Park developer prepares to appeal

Fong Chi Keong

Former lawmaker Fong Chi Keong, who is also a member of the board of Chong Va-Entretenimento, Limitada, said that the company’s lawyer is handling the lawsuit against the government regarding the announcement of the former Oceanis Park land plot’s expiration.

Last week, the government declared the expiration of the concession of a land plot located in Taipa, next to the Estrada Almirante Marques Esparteiro and in front of the Regency Hotel.

With an area of 134,891 square meters, the land had been approved for the construction of a theme park named “Oceanis Park.”

However, the concession was declared expired because the concessionaire had failed to make use of it within the period stipulated in the concession, the government said. The concessionaire was given 30 days after the announcement of expiration to launch an appeal.

The Oceanis Park land plot was first outsourced in 1997, with the land utilization period expiring in 2001.

Last week, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, said that the expiration is similar to that seen in other cases, and that the government does not know when it can complete land recovery procedures.

Last week, Fong also said that his company had paid the government MOP800,000 every year, and that it had also delivered the government plans to change construction. Furthermore, the company had tried to contact the government several times but never received a response.

Fong believes these are the reasons why the land has not been developed until now.

The former lawmaker also expressed doubt that Macau had ever had a project which had not exceeded the given development period. He mentioned the island medical complex as an example.

According to Fong, the government required the developer keep its original development plan, including the reservoir.

“What’s the use in keeping the reservoir? […] Look at the scale of Zhuhai’s Chimelong. Do you still want to leave that reservoir there?” asked Fong, according to a report by All About Macau.

“What is the reason for hundreds of developers applying for land but [the government] never allowing them to develop the land?” Fong questioned, further claiming that Hong Kong has a “green channel” for discussions between the government and developers, whereas Macau does not.

Fong considers Macau’s political atmosphere to have problems, according to All About Macau.

“There is a reservoir, and there are one hundred fish inside it. [When] some fish are sick, you will kill these sick fish. But when the one hundred fish all die, the water gets problems, the environment gets problems, and the social and political atmosphere get problems,” said Fong.