Artist rendering of the development on Koh Puos Island (Drawing by KPIG)Monday, 09 June 2008
Neth Pheaktra
The Mekong Times
A Russian company held a ground-breaking ceremony Saturday for a US$300 million island resort project off Cambodia’s southwest coast, despite one of its partners now being in jail for sex crimes. Political opposition has alleged that the government was involved in “serious corruption” during the bidding process of the island purchase.
Prime Minister Hun Sen presided over the ceremony marking the start of work on a 900 meter bridge that will link Koh Puos (Snake Island) with a coastal beach in Sihanoukville. Koh Puos Investment Group (KPIG) has a contract to develop and manage resorts on the island for 99 years.
At the ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen said he considered Sihanoukville a “multi-pole economy including tourism, ports and Special Economic Zones.” The premier called the area the “dragon’s head” of Cambodia’s economic growth, inviting other investors to develop Cambodian islands.
Sun Chanthol, minister of public works and transport, said the Koh Puos Bridge – built 32 meters above the ocean to allow cargo ships to pass underneath – will “play a key role in the transport system linking Sihanoukville and other areas to Koh Puos, serving the tourism sector and increasing jobs.”
The bridge will cost about US$31.3 million and be completed at the end of 2010, he added, saying it will help develop Koh Puos “into a world-class resort.”
Chepa Alexey, president of KPIG, said 20,000-25,000 jobs would be created by the project.
However, dark rumors surround KPIG, run by a group of Russian businessmen, according to its website.
One of the group’s partners, Alexander Trofimov, was sentenced in March by a Cambodian court to 13 years in prison on charges of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl.
Trofimov was arrested last October over allegations that he had abused as many as 19 girls since 2005, but was charged only in the case of the 14-year-old. He has protested his innocence.
Opposition Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian Son Chhay alleged that island developments have been granted to firms with no experience or resources for development through non-transparent bidding. He requested the government should require development plans before granting permission to any firm to invest.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An rebutted Son Chhay’s allegations in a lengthy letter. “A case of lease is different from that of sale,” he wrote. “Usually, leasing does not involve bidding. It is necessary to carefully select investors, because some islands are located near borders.”
Prime Minister Hun Sen stressed at the groundbreaking ceremony that Cambodia does not sell islands, echoing Sok An’s clarification of the difference between sale and lease. “Cambodia does not sell islands but allows investment concession like in other countries … such as for islands in Thailand and Malaysia,” he said.
Son Chhay was unconvinced, alleging that the leasing process was also dubious. “The clarification is clearly indicative of serious corruption in leasing the islands to foreigners,” he said. “We are still concerned about investment in islands if there is no clear information about the [development] plans and no environmental impact assessment.”
Prime Minister Hun Sen presided over the ceremony marking the start of work on a 900 meter bridge that will link Koh Puos (Snake Island) with a coastal beach in Sihanoukville. Koh Puos Investment Group (KPIG) has a contract to develop and manage resorts on the island for 99 years.
At the ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen said he considered Sihanoukville a “multi-pole economy including tourism, ports and Special Economic Zones.” The premier called the area the “dragon’s head” of Cambodia’s economic growth, inviting other investors to develop Cambodian islands.
Sun Chanthol, minister of public works and transport, said the Koh Puos Bridge – built 32 meters above the ocean to allow cargo ships to pass underneath – will “play a key role in the transport system linking Sihanoukville and other areas to Koh Puos, serving the tourism sector and increasing jobs.”
The bridge will cost about US$31.3 million and be completed at the end of 2010, he added, saying it will help develop Koh Puos “into a world-class resort.”
Chepa Alexey, president of KPIG, said 20,000-25,000 jobs would be created by the project.
However, dark rumors surround KPIG, run by a group of Russian businessmen, according to its website.
One of the group’s partners, Alexander Trofimov, was sentenced in March by a Cambodian court to 13 years in prison on charges of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl.
Trofimov was arrested last October over allegations that he had abused as many as 19 girls since 2005, but was charged only in the case of the 14-year-old. He has protested his innocence.
Opposition Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian Son Chhay alleged that island developments have been granted to firms with no experience or resources for development through non-transparent bidding. He requested the government should require development plans before granting permission to any firm to invest.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An rebutted Son Chhay’s allegations in a lengthy letter. “A case of lease is different from that of sale,” he wrote. “Usually, leasing does not involve bidding. It is necessary to carefully select investors, because some islands are located near borders.”
Prime Minister Hun Sen stressed at the groundbreaking ceremony that Cambodia does not sell islands, echoing Sok An’s clarification of the difference between sale and lease. “Cambodia does not sell islands but allows investment concession like in other countries … such as for islands in Thailand and Malaysia,” he said.
Son Chhay was unconvinced, alleging that the leasing process was also dubious. “The clarification is clearly indicative of serious corruption in leasing the islands to foreigners,” he said. “We are still concerned about investment in islands if there is no clear information about the [development] plans and no environmental impact assessment.”
27 comments:
When you lease an island to foreigner for 90 years, that mean Cambodian people will be die out after 90 years. Is it a good investment when no Cambodian people can benefit from this investment? This is a rather open Cambodia for foreign invasion !!!! Areak Prey
dont be so negative man, at least the next generation will, like Hong Kong island that lease to britsh for 100 years.
What Cambodia needs is a revolution, not one where innocent civilians are killed. But where corrupt politicians who rape and plunder our ancestral lands to foreigners pay with their lives.
estimate rich people in cambodia is 2,000,000 people. and the richer than the rich... 50,000... the supreme rich .. 50 .. including Hun Sen. and the people who live below poverty is 5,000,000. The rest are middle class.. LOL which group are you belong ??
I agreed with 12:12.
Everything is moving in the right direction. Just ignore Ah Spam Rainxy's and Ah Khmer-Yuon's exaggeration. If they don't like it, scram!
It is fully true that within another 100 year, Cambodia will be like Hong Kong without Cambodian race. Areak Prey
Well, the Hong Konger didn't complained about it, so why should we?
please look at the tragedy of eviction in Sihanoukville for this kind of investment.
no country in this region allow this kind of development. only some damn economists think it is good for people and the country. please read article "country for sell" in The Gardian newspaper.
1:56 PM are you being sarcastic or are you really stupid?
i think the country is moving at the right speed. we need to run , not walk. even 30 years from now , you will be surprised. when every khmer individual has the khnowlege to become the "Boss"
Hey, when people don't have job and money in the US, they'll sell their house and car too. Isn't that right, 3:59?
3:59pm
you have to understand that Cambodia is in different time frame of development. It's just like we are starting from 1970s. so you can't compare like that.
70"06pm you stupid son of ah Kwack they sell house and car but not the country! You father fucking PHD from Hanoi just goat's shit!
you will see after the developpment, the company will control everything and local people will not really take profit from it. they will only have no free beach to visit, like the case of Chhnee Sokha, next will be Chhee Ocheuteal.
WORST THAN LOST THE BEACH WE WOULD LOST WATER TO FISH!! mOTHERFUCKER AH CPP DESERVE TO BE HANGED!
Please take a look at this article in the link below, how the British journalist see the development of islands in Cambodian sea.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/26/cambodia
i think leasing is better than selling the land outright as cambodian law prohibits that. look at the example of hong kong; it was leased to the british for 99 years and look how it developped and then return to china. so leasing is ok as the agreement is to help develop cambodia in certain area of the country,of course. and agreement should be foreign investors must help train new skills for the cambodian people and hire cambodians to work so they too can make a living. i don't think cambodia is leasing all of cambodia to foreign developper, the gov't is just leasing some area for develop as long as that help the cambodian people gradually out of poverty.
there shouldn't be any fear that foreign will take over cambodia or something a long that line. just use hong kong as an example of leasing the island. leasing land has agreeement along with it, so i hope some of the agreement is to train and hire khmer people for the job created and to respect cambodian law as the supreme law of the land; so there's nothing to be afraid of losing cambodia to foreign like some people have voiced their concern. with proper law, cambodia is protected. it's good to hear from all khmers from all walks of life about this issue. god bless cambodia.
please be open-minded about the world. remember, cambodia can always kick out any foreign investors who don't seem to respect the local law and custom as well as those who violated any kind of contract or agreements. so don't be so paranoid thinking all foreigners are going to lease cambodia. this is why it take careful planning and studies before the go ahead with any leasing. god bless cambodia.
any leasing ought to be discussed in details in national parliament or natioanl assemble and study carefully before any decision by all lawmakers; so i think it is alright with respect to the cambodian law. i don't think anyone is doing it at their own free-will. hello!
The 99 years leasing term is very so long and no country in the Globe do like this. What kind of the leasing, wett or dry? Or give irland to someone? View of economist
Remember Government work for the people and for our Country,Please ask our people first.
God bless the kingdom of Cambodia.
THE CPP, can't engineer or construct it themself. so, they have to get foreigner to come and dictate what khmer people should spent, eat , and live.
dumbAzz cpp, no class, no character
no worries, just strengthen the cambodian rule of law is the key to social justice for all. and this everyone of us from all walks of life can contribute and help to make it possible for cambodia to have rule of law! it's not about the "me, me syndrome", it's should be about "us, we, the people of cambodia." god bless cambodia.
Well, some people can and some can't.
And in this you can't either.
please think about it, we all get to live only once. well, if you believe in the after live or reincarnation, that's another separate issue or topic altogether. that said, everyone on the planet only live once, that is just the reality. enjoy it while we can, and let the children take care of themselves. all parents can do is to help their children to get a good education. too much stress can shorten one's life. don't worry be happy! god bless cambodia.
We are the camdodian people, we have right to know more detail about the development. It is not only know when the deal is already done. and most of the case, it happens only direct negotiation between businessmen or their intermediate with the PM or HE Sok An in their private meeting. It is very common that the cabinet personnel can make a lot of money by facilitate the appointment.
Ask our people first.
Post a Comment