Architect says region’s role as platform could be enhanced

André Ritchie

Local architect and former deputy head of the Transportation Infrastructure Office, André Ritchie, voiced his support for the government’s five-year plan during a roundtable talk at the Portuguese Consulate on Friday.
Ritchie, who said he had read the entirety of the government’s five-year plan, believes that the plan is well thought out, particularly the section that proposes Macau’s function as a platform of communication between China and  Portuguese-speaking countries. “It is not new, this idea,” he commented.
Richie confessed that he used to joke about every VIP who came from Portugal, including the presidents and prime ministers, when they spoke about making Macau the bridge that would connect Portugal to China.
“I am not being skeptical, and in fact, I do believe in this. […] We are not only sharing the language [with Portuguese-speaking people] here, we are also sharing the way we live,” said Ritchie.
The Macanese architect believes that both Macau and the Portuguese-speaking countries are fundamentally “all [organized] the same way.”
“This is why I think the idea of the platform makes sense.”
The architect thinks that the human and urban landscapes are both crucial to enhancing the region’s role as a platform.
“The human landscape is […] what we need […]. We are very privileged, we have the resources, we have the money to build everything we want,” said Ritchie.
Ritchie believes that the government’s desire to make Macau such a platform is achievable.
However, he says that achieving this goal is “not about the exceptional people, but about the average people.” He pointed out that locals are key to making the five-year plan productive.
“There are many people [Macau residents] from Angola, or Mozambique. Perhaps they can offer their contribution to [the creation of] this platform,” Ritchie observed, adding that Macau needs to embrace innovations and incoming talent, while citing Hong Kong and Singapore as good examples.
He remarked that Hong Kong has a statutory system and an internationally-regarded legal system.
“Do we need to upgrade our legal tools? Personally, I think yes, we need to. But sometimes it is not just about the legal frame, it is also about the people,” Ritchie explained.
He posed another question about the implementation of this process: “Are the people and the decision makers willing to help?”
Ritchie concluded by saying that Macau can become greater by learning to accept change.
“I think it’s all about reaching our own limits, and accepting the changes. It’s all about our limits, and what’s acceptable to us.” Julie Zhu