In this interview, Rodrigo Nascimento describes his role as architect and financial manager for the conversion and reorganization of Integrated Urban Service Units (PSIU) to Integrated Citizen Assistance Units (UAI) in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais since 2007. Upon his appointment to the team organized by Fernanda Girão to improve the PSIU, Nascimento took an active role in redesigning the infrastructure of the dilapidated units. He speaks about the culture of resistance to change embedded in the state that he and the team had to oppose to realize the goal of creating UAI to serve the citizens of Minas Gerais. Nascimento also outlines the state’s partnership with a semi-autonomous company, MGS, that is employed to fix and maintain the UAI, citing the increased efficiency of the company over state management, but also lauding the creativity and innovation of the state in bringing new tools to promote progress and efficiency in UAI even further. Finally, Nascimento comments on the PPP model employed at six units in Minas Gerais, and the goal of moving towards preventative, rather than responsive, upkeep of UAI units. The ultimate target, Nascimento outlines, is to make the UAI in Minas Gerais the best in the state for the service of citizens. He describes how involvement in converting the PSIU to UAI has been a fulfilling experience professionally and personally.
Key terms: Integrated Citizen Assistance Units (UAI), Integrated Urban Service Units (PSIU)
At the time of this interview, Rodrigo Nascimento was serving as Special Coordinator of Expenses for the UAI at the Secretariat for Urban Planning (SEPLAG) for the government of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. He joined the project to convert the Integrated Urban Assistance Units (PSIU) to Integrated Citizen Assistance Units (UAI) in 2007, where he worked first as an architect on designing new infrastructure, and later as a manager of expenses. Prior to his work at SEPLAG, Nascimento worked as an independent professional on several metropolitan projects in the state of Minas Gerais, particularly in the city of Juiz de Fora. Nascimento graduated from the Centro Universitário Metodista de Izabela Hendrix with a degree in architecture.