Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon has pledged that the government is aiming to reduce the total construction cost of its youth adventure camp project near Coloane’s Hac Sa Beach to a level lower than its preliminary estimate of 1.4 billion patacas. 

The policy secretary underlined that in any circumstances the government will ensure that the project would not cost more than 1.4 billion patacas.

Cheong reaffirmed that the project aims to provide a large-scale venue for young people of different age groups to engage in adventure activities.

Cheong made the remarks on Friday during a presentation session where he and several Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) officials briefed lawmakers about the government’s large-scale youth adventure camp project, which was first announced last month. Friday’s presentation session, which was open to the media, was held in the Legislative Assembly (AL) building.

The government first held a press conference on July 18 to announce details of its youth adventure camp project, when IAM officials said that the project was then budgeted at around 1.6 billion patacas.

The government convened a follow-up press conference on July 24 about the project, when Cheong said that the government would ensure that the project’s construction cost would not exceed 1.4 billion patacas.

The government first planned in 2020 to develop a large plot of idle land between Hac Sa Beach and the nearby hillside into a recreational area, which was then planned to cover seven hectares, i.e., 70,000 square metres, with a budget of 229 million patacas.

During Friday’s presentation session, Cheong underlined that the government has decided to upgrade its original 2020 plan to a new proposal to build a large-scale youth adventure camp there, covering 10 hectares, i.e., 100,000 square metres, with the aim of providing a base for young people to improve their physical strength and flexibility, as well as a venue for the organisation of team-building games.

Cheong said that the government aims to make better use of the large area near Hac Sa Beach because of which the government has decided to add more adventure elements to the project’s original plan.

Cheong noted that the large area between Hac Sa Beach and the nearby hillside is the city’s only location that will enable the construction of a large-scale youth adventure camp.

Cheong also pointed out that the area includes previously illegally occupied plots that were repossessed by the government in 2018. Cheong noted that construction waste was dumped on the plots when they were illegally occupied, adding that the Municipal Affairs Bureau only began to green the area on a temporary basis after the government repossessed the illegally occupied plots.

Consequently, Cheong said, the youth adventure camp project will not be a measure destroying green areas. Cheong said that green areas would cover around 70 percent of the camp.

Moreover, Cheong noted that the initial 229 million patacas was merely a rough estimate back in 2020 when still no basic design plans had been drafted, while the 1.4 billion patacas is now merely a preliminary budget estimated by the youth adventure camp project’s design company.

Cheong said that the government will hire a third-party company to assess and verify the preliminary budget with the aim of ensuring that the project’s construction cost would not exceed 1.4 billion patacas.

Cheong underlined that he was confident that the project would not cost more than 1.4 billion patacas.

Cheong said that the government is even striving to further reduce the project’s construction cost without compromising the camp’s design layout and the quality of its facilities. Cheong also said that the government would be able to come up with the camp project’s final construction cost after the outcome of the future public tenders.

Cheong said that he did not agree with the view that the project’s current version was a luxury one.

IAM officials said during Friday’s session that the government now aims to get the camp project off the ground next year after completing its final design at the end of this year, adding that the government expects the camp to start operating in phases in 2025. 

This artist’s rendition released by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) last month shows an area for aquatic games in the future youth adventure camp near Coloane’s Hac Sa Beach.

Flanked by officials such as Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) Vice President Lo Chi Kin (second from right), Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon (second from left) speaks during Friday’s presentation session for Legislative Assembly (AL) members about the government’s youth adventure camp project. – Photo: GCS