Transport Bureau (DSAT) Director Wong Wan said Tuesday his bureau had received an expression of interest in taking over the bus service which was originally operated by Reolian but that is currently operated by the government after the local-French company went belly up.
However, Wong declined to provide more information about the potential investor, merely saying that there was “limited” information available right now.
According to The Macau Post Daily, Wong made the remarks after attending lawmakers’ Q&A session on the government’s work in the Legislative Assembly.
Asked by reporters as to how the government planned to deal with the public bus service, which was originally operated by Reolian, and who had shown interest in taking over the service, Wong admitted that his bureau has received an expression of interest.
Secretary for Transport and Public Works Lau Si Io said on Monday that “someone” had expressed interest in operating the bus service originally run by Reolian.
“We are working on the matter; however as there is a limited amount of information available we cannot say too much yet,” Wong said, adding that the bureau will announce any follow-up information about the matter as soon as possible.
Reolian’s demise came in October after providing bus services from August 2011, during which time it received numerous complaints from residents over its fleet, bus frequency and drivers’ behaviour in traffic, their attitude toward passengers and the company’s involvement in several high-profile accidents.
Consequently, the DSAT decided to freeze Reolian’s 23.3 percent increase in the government’s bus service provider payments, citing the need to evaluate the bus operator’s services first.
The company tried in vain to have the suspension lifted through legal channels and the company eventually filed for bankruptcy, blaming chronic labour shortages, rising wages and lack of income for its predicament.(macaunews)
