Poyi’s Journalism Portfolio

By Poyi (Natalie) Leung

Macau’s United Nations-listed world cultural heritage is at risk with the construction of a 126-metre residential building that would obstruct the view of the Mount Guia Lighthouse.

Speaking to the press at the Merry Court in Rua Nova a Guia last night, the Guia Lighthouse Protection Group said an appeal would be emailed to the UNESCO demanding its immediate concern into the matter.

Spokesman of the protection group, Tony Yuen, said the action resulted from the continuous negligence of the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) and the Cultural Affairs Bureau (ICM).

Four street campaigns were held in Rua do Campo, Iao Hon, Avenida de Horta e Costa and Mount Guia in Macau between September and last month by the protection group.

More than 5,600 signatures calling for a scale down of the 126-metre, 34-storey private residential building were collected.

The construction started at the end of last year in the south western slopes of Mount Guia, which is just outside the buffer zone of the 90-metre high lighthouse.

And once it is completed, Mr Yuen said, the complex will be the first architecture around the protection and buffer zones that exceeds the lighthouse’s height.

The appeal letter, which was addressed to director-general of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, requested for an urgent interference by sending an expert team to Macau to study the possible threat high-rise buildings could bring to the world heritage site.

Also, the protection group was asking for UNESCO’s assistance to push the local government to take action for a scale down and to suggest an expansion of the lighthouse’s protection and buffer zones, particularly on the south and south western borders.

In 2005, following the application led by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Chiu Sai On and the ICM director, Ho Lai Chun da Luz, the World Heritage Committee authorised the inscription of the historic centre of Macau into the World Heritage List.

The committee also recommended Macau “to make every effort to develop a management system in order to retain the existing structural and visual integrity, and to maintain the principal sightlines of the nominated area within its contemporary setting.”

According to Mr Yuen, however, director of the DSSOPT Jaime Carion said his department could not help with the matter as it was a non-government construction project.

Mr Carion also said the DSSOPT approved the height of the building because it was situated outside the buffer zone.

The ICM, Mr Yuen added, had never approached or responded to their request.

Mr Yuen said if the construction continued, the United Nations might put Macau into a watch list and ultimately disqualify and withdraw the region from the World Heritage List.

“A 360-degree vision of the Guia Lighthouse is still maintained at the moment, but it will soon disappear following the end of the construction, and this treasure and valuable resource of Macau will be ruined,” he said.

Resident from Nape, Chan Tak Shing, attended the press conference yesterday to speak up his concern.

He lives in Avenida da Dr Rodrigo Rodrigues where he said he could still see the entire lighthouse from his home.

“If the government is more inclined to the wish of the citizens and to preserve our tourism industry, they shouldn’t use ‘economic development’ as the excuse and only look at the money matter,” Mr Chan said.

Mr Yuen showed a loan document issued by Tai Fung Bank on October 17 to the press yesterday.

It reads San Va Construction and Property Limited, the construction company of the 126-metre high complex, has been granted a MOP203 million loan.

“The ICM reacted immediately to the closing of the Barra Temple but ignores our appeal and Mr Carion keeps defending his wrong-doing,” Mr Yuen said.

“If Chui Sai On also said the construction was okay, we would then keep our mouth shut.”