HCMC leader efforts ongoing to settle Thu Thiem planning issue

Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said he would arrange another meeting with District 2 residents next week after he have had two meetings with them to solve issues about Thu Thiem new urban area planning. 
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong talks to Thu Thiem residents on November 7 (Photo: SGGP)
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong talks to Thu Thiem residents on November 7 (Photo: SGGP)
The meetings have been held to listen to residents’ opinions and complaints to seek a common voice to completely solve complaints relating to the new urban area.
At the second meeting on November 7, Mr. Phong committed to doing his best for legitimate rights of residents in Thu Thiem new urban area and have compensation policies to resolve disadvantages for them at a dialogue with people affected by the planning.
Attending the meeting was 35 households in Binh An ward, District 2.
At the meeting, the representative of an inter-agency group of the city pointed out ten contents in need of being changed in the compensation, assistance and resettlement policy for Thu Thiem residents to ask their opinions.
Right after the representative finished reporting, some people immediately responded saying that the Government’s inspection conclusion 1483 has not fully referred to their complaints and they proposed to thoroughly consider the urban area project.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha from Binh An ward said that the conclusion  determined the 4.3 hectares in Quarter 1 to locate outside the new urban area’s boundary while residents’ complaints and denouncement say that up to five quarters in three wards Binh Khanh, An Khanh and Binh An are outside the boundary.
Therefore, the municipal authorities should not use only Conclusion 1483 to solve all complaints in the area.
Another resident expressed disappointment about responsibility evasion and push in solving the complaints in Thu Thiem new urban area. 
A resident even proposed to launch criminal prosecution against individuals breaking regulations while implementing the new urban area project to completely solve long lasting complaints for residents.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Diep, head of Central Citizen Reception Board, said that Thu Thiem residents have complained for over 20 years and he has sided with them for nine years.
According to Mr. Diep, during the implementation of Conclusion 1483, residents have the rights to complain about unsuitable and wrong contents.
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong pledged to fully record residents’ opinions. Because the case is beyond the competence of the city so HCMC People’s Committee will work with the Government inspectorate to clearly report residents’ opinions and wishes and propose the inspectorate to solve.
Mr. Phong said that the city has organized meetings to listen to residents’ opinions. He informed of residents of how their complaints will be solved, Mr. Phong emphasized.
Answering residents’ questions if the chairman has real regard for solving Thu Thiem problem, he said that if he did not want to settle the issue, he would have not organized meetings to listen to residents’ opinions.
Solving Thu Thiem problems is not only to ensure residents' rights but also for the city’s development, he added.
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said that he will have the third meeting with people in the remaining three wards next week to further to listen to their opinions and improve compensation and resettlement policies.
The city has required working groups to give ten problems surrounding compensation and resettlement problems to get residents’ opinions.
The working groups are urgently reviewing problems in the 160 hectare resettlement site of Thu Thiem new urban area and clarify responsibilities of relevant individuals.
“The Party does not abet corruptions and harassment harmful to residents’ benefits,” Mr. Phong stressed. He committed to doing his best for legitimate benefits of Thu Thiem residents and have legitimate compensation policy to solve residents’ disadvantages.
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said that conclusion 1483 has pointed out wrongdoings during the implementation of Thu Thiem new urban area planning. The city has taken the initiative in working with ministries and agencies to implement the conclusion.
In respond to some opinions saying that the conclusion does not fully reflect problems in Thu Thiem new urban area and it is needed to launch a comprehensive investigation over the area planning, Mr. Phong said that the Government inspectorate is improving the conclusion.
Talking about wrongdoings during the process of land acquisition as per residents’ opinions, Mr. Phong affirmed that the city will require relevant sides to specific reports to handle.

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