By Kay Kimsong and Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The Societe Concessionaire des Aeroports will manage the Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and soon-to-open Sihanoukville airports until 2040 as part of a 20-year contract extension granted by the Cambodian government, SCA spokesman Khek Norinda said Friday.
The agreement modifies the terms of SCA's original contract that called for the firm to hand over to the government the running of Phnom Penh International Airport and the Siem Reap International Airport in 2020, he said.
SCA's contract for Sihanoukville airport was signed in June; and its terms cannot be disclosed, Khek Norinda said.
He said, however, that Sihanoukville airport will reopen in early 2007 and that SCA plans to invest $200 million in it by 2040.
"If passenger levels at Sihanoukville reach a certain target before then, we would give [management] back to the government" Khek Norinda said.
The airport, which now spreads over 120 hectares, will likely double in size—it could become the country's busiest air hub, he said.
"Sihanoukville is not just about tourism," he said, adding that with multinational companies exploring for oil off the Cambodian coast, the airport could become an important freight facility.
Asked whether there had been a bidding process for the Sihanoukville airport contract, the SCA spokesman said no.
"If you go to someone at the World Bank they will probably say it should have been opened to competitive bidding," Khek Norinda said. Nevertheless, he said, "It makes sense for the government to choose the operator that has proven itself in the running of the other two airports."
Some airline officials have complained in the past that giving the running of the country's three major airports to SCA could inflate fees by giving the firm a monopoly.
"Without a competitor, SCA can increase the price of airport tax as much as it wants," Eurasie Travel Managing Director Moeung Sonn said Friday.
Khek Norinda said such fears were unfounded.
"Navigation, landing, lighting fees are all set by the government. The only charges we have are ground-handling fees," he said. "It is difficult to say that fee increases are caused by the SCA monopoly."
Because of its new investment SCA will act as an adviser for the development of a Sihanoukville master plan next year, Khek Norinda said.
Sam Rainsy Party leader Sam Rainsy said he welcomed SCA's deal and was sure that as a subsidiary of French giant Vinci group, it followed international procedures in acquiring the concession.
He also said that SCA's role in planning Sihanoukville will be a boon for Cambodia.
"This is a real opportunity for Cambodia to avoid the kind of anarchy that has developed in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh," he said. "This is a chance to do it right from the beginning."
The agreement modifies the terms of SCA's original contract that called for the firm to hand over to the government the running of Phnom Penh International Airport and the Siem Reap International Airport in 2020, he said.
SCA's contract for Sihanoukville airport was signed in June; and its terms cannot be disclosed, Khek Norinda said.
He said, however, that Sihanoukville airport will reopen in early 2007 and that SCA plans to invest $200 million in it by 2040.
"If passenger levels at Sihanoukville reach a certain target before then, we would give [management] back to the government" Khek Norinda said.
The airport, which now spreads over 120 hectares, will likely double in size—it could become the country's busiest air hub, he said.
"Sihanoukville is not just about tourism," he said, adding that with multinational companies exploring for oil off the Cambodian coast, the airport could become an important freight facility.
Asked whether there had been a bidding process for the Sihanoukville airport contract, the SCA spokesman said no.
"If you go to someone at the World Bank they will probably say it should have been opened to competitive bidding," Khek Norinda said. Nevertheless, he said, "It makes sense for the government to choose the operator that has proven itself in the running of the other two airports."
Some airline officials have complained in the past that giving the running of the country's three major airports to SCA could inflate fees by giving the firm a monopoly.
"Without a competitor, SCA can increase the price of airport tax as much as it wants," Eurasie Travel Managing Director Moeung Sonn said Friday.
Khek Norinda said such fears were unfounded.
"Navigation, landing, lighting fees are all set by the government. The only charges we have are ground-handling fees," he said. "It is difficult to say that fee increases are caused by the SCA monopoly."
Because of its new investment SCA will act as an adviser for the development of a Sihanoukville master plan next year, Khek Norinda said.
Sam Rainsy Party leader Sam Rainsy said he welcomed SCA's deal and was sure that as a subsidiary of French giant Vinci group, it followed international procedures in acquiring the concession.
He also said that SCA's role in planning Sihanoukville will be a boon for Cambodia.
"This is a real opportunity for Cambodia to avoid the kind of anarchy that has developed in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh," he said. "This is a chance to do it right from the beginning."
1 comment:
But accordig Xinhua "Cambodia, an underdeveloped country just pacified from years of war and turmoil, is short of professional capability to run its airports in accordance with international standards. Therefore it awarded their management to SCA from France, who colonized the kingdom for years during the past century.
Source: Xinhua
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Fuck man! I can't believe what I am reading here! The Societe Concessionaire des Aeroports (SCA)want to extend their fucken contract to another 20 years until 2040 because Cambodia lack of professional capability to run its airports in accordance with international standards? So it took the French 20 years just to teach Cambodian people how to run a fucken airport? Man! Cambodian people must one dumb race! For 20 years it took Cambodian people to learn how to do something? I don't think the French is a good teacher any for Cambodian people! During, the colonial,the French never want Cambodian people to learn anything and they even look down on Cambodian people as being stupid and lazy! The French never want Cambodia to progress at the same level as the Vietcong! The French love the Vietcong more than Cambodian people so much and that is why the Vietcong kicked their ass out from Indochina! ahahaha!
In United States, If a worker can perform their fucken job in 6 months and they will be let go! It is too bad that you can learn shit in 6 months!
Folk! Cambodia was never lack of any professionals skill! It should take an average people to learn a new skill in a trade school in 2 years and it should take 5 years to be very proficient at what you do on the job! It should 4-5years to get a bachelor degree and another 2 years to get a master degree..
This is laughable for me to read about the French train Cambodian people for 20 years! ahahahahaha!
In this case, it the teacher that is stupid not the student!
Any dumb teachers who took 20 just to teach me shit and they can kiss my ass good bye!
(Just a wisper: Cambodian are just too smart for that. The reason the French want to extend their contract for another 20 years because they can make more money from corrupted government under AH HUN SEN! The SCA will have total monoply in collecting fee in the million and million of dollars!
Why are there so many secrecy surrounding this airport contract?
I am sure the French will say: You Cambodian people are too stupid why should I.ahahah)
Oh well! Let have some red wine and barbecued rib!
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