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| Nuon Vesna became the second Cambodian-American to be elected to the city’s governing body on Nov. 8. (Photo: VOA Khmer) |
Monday, 14 November 2011
Im Sothearith, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC
“We need inter-racial communication within the community, especially cooperation with city authorities to establish after-school programs for students.”
A Cambodian-American who ran on a platform of public safety, education and economic development has been elected to the city council of Lowell, Mass.
“We need inter-racial communication within the community, especially cooperation with city authorities to establish after-school programs for students,” said Nuon Vesna, who became the second Cambodian-American to be elected to the city’s governing body on Nov. 8.
Students need a variety of activities to partake in, he said, “rather than playing around in the streets and forming gangs to cause trouble in our community.”
Cambodians in Lowell tend to cluster around their own areas, he said, but businesses need to reach out more widely. He plans to work with city authorities to review permits and licensing in the city.
Nuon Vesna, who is a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, said he hopes to work with like-minded elected council members to achieve his goals.
“They also want public safety, they want business people to expand their businesses to other places in the community,” he said. They also want the creation of a Cambodia Town neighborhood, he said. “Therefore we need to work cooperatively with them to make the project a reality.”
A committee has been working on the establishment of a Cambodia Town, which is looking at the one already established in Long Beach, Calif. However, he said, in some ways that model may not work for Lowell.
Nuon Vesna said he decided to stand for election to represent Cambodians, who are a quarter of the population in Lowell. He said he hopes to solve the community’s problems and be an active mediator between the community and the city’s leaders.
His election, he said, was a good sign that Cambodians in Lowell are actively going to the polls.
6 comments:
Did the VOA not know about Hong Net who was also elected as city council at large in the city of Lynn, Mass, a much smaller Khmer community on the same day???
Ah Noun Vesna make sure you don't take money and split Watt Triranaram like Ah Sar Thel, Ah Hul Narong, ah fired from Police Dept.
My hat off to this Khmer American. He very well deserved this honor. However, he may need to show more skills in mentoring the hot-head youngster brother to be as successful as he. The more Cambodians are on the Council Committee, the more leverage he has in implementing projects to boost up Khmer profile.
Please put aside Khmer ego and male pride toward Khmer Unity in helping those who suffered from discrimination.
Chea Sarun is in Lowell,MA.
I voted for Nuon Veasna.
I looked for Chea Sarun too.
I missed him so much.
From me,
to Chea Sarun.
Lowell City,MA.
This is what Khmere/American need to focus on to improve life in the US by participating in political system !!!!!
Don't try to create chaos in Cambodia, let Cambodian live in peace !!!!
Good job and good luck for Khmere/American !!!!
This guy name Nuon Veasna is/was theft like any other bad names who well known in Khmer Community in Lowell, Mass. such as Hul Narong, Sar Thel, Chak Chuon, Ta Benn, Akkarakthor, Sakal, Chandamoni ...
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