HRP concerned about land price increase

Monday, May 12, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The HRP expressed its concerns that future generations of children of civil servants, soldiers, police officers, workers and the majority of poor people will face homelessness because of the skyrocketing price increase of lands and housings, whereas salary remains low, thereby (a larger number of people) will not have enough money to buy houses. Because of its concerns, the HRP issued a statement at the end of last week, calling the government to provide government housing at low rent, or to sell affordable housing where civil servants and poor workers can pay off their debt to buy these houses according to their salary. The Mekong Times indicated that this call was made at a time when the HRP views that the price of land in Phnom Penh currently increases from $1,000 to about $2,000 per square-meter. Row houses now cost between $40,000 and $90,000. The HRP concerns were considered as untrue by Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman. Khieu Kanharith said that this statement was raised because (the HRP) does not know the actual situation in Cambodia. He said that (the HRP) is far worse than the people.