On the lawmakers’ agenda

NATURAL GAS  Lawmaker Kwan Tsui Hang has lashed out at the government for not following up on the concession agreement signed with the power supplier Sinosky Energy (Holdings), which has failed to provide the region with a stable supply of natural gas at a reasonable price. Earlier, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, noted that the authorities could repeal the partnership if no consensus was eventually reached. Kwan believes that there should be a specific deadline for the bilateral negotiations, and that the government may have to take a decisive stance. As the region’s sole natural gas provider, Sinosky Energy not only supplies CEM with power, but also provides natural gas to Nam Kwong Petroleum and Chemicals Co. Limited to distribute across the region through its grids.

TRAFFIC TROUBLES Amid growing public resentment against ongoing roadworks, lawmaker Zheng Anting has suggested that the government refer to other cities’ practices and adopt underground mutual pipelines at main traffic avenues across the city so as to avoid projects being continually conducted on the same roads. He also suggested that projects be carried out at nighttime in order to minimize impact on traffic users, and advocated for flexible working hours within local companies to account for inconvenient traffic circumstances.

SWIMMING POOLS   Following a recent suspension of operations at two local swimming pools, triggering public concerns over water quality, Lei Cheong I has said that the government should draw up specific regulations for private swimming pools. The lawmaker bemoaned the fact that some private housing or resorts lacked personnel to maintain their pools, consequently posing a threat to swimmers there. Conducive to this, the region currently has no laws regulating hardware or hygiene at private swimming pools, which puts their users at risk. The lawmaker urged the administration to set up a licensing regime, through which the authorities could oversee the operation of public and private swimming pools as a whole.