Saturday, April 26, 2008

Hanoi expansion plan slammed by Fatherland Front


The Hanoi government neglected public opinion when drawing up its plan to create a mega-metropolis in the north, state officials said Friday.
Under the expansion plan, Vietnam’s capital city – currently 920 square kilometers in size – will merge with Ha Tay Province, Vinh Phuc Province’s Me Linh District and four communes in Hoa Binh Province’s Luong Son District to become a 3,300 square kilometer behemoth.
At a meeting in Hanoi Friday, Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee (VFFC) Deputy Chairman Cu Hoa Van slammed the endorsement of the mega-city plan by the Hanoi People’s Council, the local legislature.
The VFFC is the umbrella organization for Vietnam’s social and political groups.
Van said the resolution had gone against the law and did not reflect public opinion because the council had failed to consult the people on the matter.
Nguyen Tuc, a member of the VFFC executive, said the timetable for adopting the Hanoi expansion blueprint was too short, as it was due to be implemented in July.
VFFC General Secretary Vu Trong Kim said he doubted the plan would be a long-term proposition as Hanoi had undergone similar mergers seven times since 1947.
Delegates to the meeting also voiced concerns over the administrative personnel restructure that would follow the merger, saying it would be an enormous task for authorities concerned

No comments: