Two new laws finally approved by AL

The Legislative Assembly (AL) passed in the final reading the Urban Construction Legal Regime as well as a new Statute of the Staff of Security Forces and Services.
The new laws were approved in the final reading yesterday evening with votes in favor by all the lawmakers present at the plenary meeting.
During the short debate on specific details of the Urban Construction Legal Regime, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, emphasized that the new regime will enforce the responsibilities of unit owners towards a building’s general maintenance and repair works.
The bill also offers added guarantees for property buyers among its provisions, such as a 10-year warranty for the foundations and main structural elements of a building and five years’ warranty for other parts.
Sanctions such as fines will be also applied in cases where the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) finds that owners failed to comply with mandatory building inspection conditions and did not deliver the required report to DSSOPT.
Several lawmakers expressed concerns over the situation of illegal structures that exist on the rooftops of a large number of buildings in Macau.
On this topic, the government replied that it has been doing work on the matter and will continue to do so, but that due to lack of manpower in the bureau such matters have been taken care of on a case-by-case basis only, prioritizing urgent situations where risks are posed to others.
There are still two other bills currently in the possession of the AL standing committee that need to be discussed and approved by the plenary before August 15, when the sixth AL term ends. Otherwise, these bills will be dropped and must start from square one in the next legislative terms, following the September elections. RM