All can be done online, shorter processing time
The government’s revamped one-stop system on licensing restaurants and eateries got off the ground yesterday, enabling businesses to complete all the required formalities online and obtain a licence in a significantly shorter time.
In general, the operations of restaurants and other kinds of eateries are licensed by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), except those in hotels which are licensed by the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
While restaurant or eatery licences are issued by the Municipal Affairs Bureau, various other public entities also participate in assessing the business applications for a licence, of which the Fire Services Bureau (CB) and the Lands and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) are the two key participants which are tasked with assessing fire safety installations and renovation/decoration projects respectively.
The newly-revamped licensing system is now operating on the government’s newly-launched Business & Associations Platform throughout the whole process, where businesses can submit all the required documents including architectural drawings, make appointments for fire safety inspections and acceptance and those conducted by other public entities, and check the latest progress of their applications’ assessments.
A press conference hosted by officials from various public entities was held yesterday at the IAM activity centre in the Patane wet-market municipal complex where details of the new licensing system were announced.
The government completed the amendments to its administrative regulation on its one-stop licensing of restaurants and eateries earlier this month, which took effect yesterday.
The press conference was addressed by Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) Director Ng Wai Han, IAM Vice President O Lam and IAM Administrative Committee member To Sok I, as well as officials from various other public entities.
The development of the government’s e-service campaign is carried out by the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau. Its Business & Associations Platform for business operators and community associations was launched earlier this month. Like its Macao One Account platform for members of the general public, the new Business & Associations Platform is also operated on a web version and as a mobile app.
Ng and O underlined that the newly-launched licensing system aims to make it easier for residents to launch a business to operate restaurants or eateries, by resolving the predicaments caused by the previous system, such as businesspeople having to wait a long time before they could launch their renovation and/or decoration projects.
O said that thanks to the e-government service’s continuous development, her bureau and the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau, in conjunction with the public entities involved in the licensing of restaurants, started to work early last year on the launch of the new licensing system.
Ng acknowledged that the previous licensing system was affected by three major predicaments. Firstly, businesspeople had to wait a very long time before obtaining a licence. Secondly, Ng said, the Fire Services Bureau was not part of the previous one-stop licensing system because of which a business operator had to make his or her own appointment for firefighters to carry out a fire safety inspection and acceptance of their future restaurant.
Thirdly, Ng said, business operators had to submit physical copies of their architectural drawings to IAM officials, who then had to send the copies to other public entities involved in the licensing formalities.
O said that the new licensing system now enables business operators to do everything online, without having to submit any documents in person.
Ng added that the new Business & Associations Platform accepts e-versions of architectural drawings accompanied with e-signatures made by the respective engineers, because of which the businesses can just upload the drawings onto the platform.
O and Ng also said that another main aspect of the revamped licensing system is that business operators can already start their renovation and/or decoration projects for their future restaurants after submitting the required documents including the respective insurance policy on the platform and paying the respective fees. Previously, they had to obtain a formal construction permit issued by DSSCU officials first before launching the projects.
O and Ng said that business operators can now use the Business & Associations Platform to make a booking for fire safety inspections and acceptance, as well as an appointment for the final survey inspection and formal acceptance carried out by DSSCU officials in conjunction with those from other public entities.
O added that the Fire Services Bureau can complete its formalities of fire safety inspections and acceptance as quickly as in just seven days
Representatives praise new system
Three representatives also attended yesterday’s press conference, namely veteran restaurateur-cum-lawmaker Andrew Chan Chak Mo, civil engineer-cum-legislator Wu Chou Kit, and civil engineer Chao Chi Kin, all of whom praised the new licensing system while speaking to reporters after the press conference.
Chan said that based on his experience, he believes that compared to the previous system, the new system can save up to two months for business operators applying for a restaurant licence as long as the respective shop unit meets all the official requirements.
Wu said that generally civil engineers have “warmly welcomed” the new system as they can directly submit the e-versions of their architectural drawings onto the platform.
Chao said that the platform enables civil engineers to save a lot of time when submitting architectural drawings compared to the past situation.
Two civil servants show reporters how those intending to run a restaurant can use the Business & Associations Platform when preparing to apply for a licence, after yesterday’s press conference. – Photos: Tony Wong
Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) Vice President O Lam (centre) speaks during yesterday’s press conference in Patane wet-market municipal complex as Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) Director Ng Wai Han (left) and IAM Administrative Committee member To Sok I look on.
(From left to right) Civil engineer-cum-legislator Wu Chou Kit, veteran restaurateur-cum-lawmaker Andrew Chan Chak Mo, and civil engineer Chao Chi Kin pose for photos before speaking to reporters.
