U Min Min Oo, Minister of Mon State, has stated six projects within the state, suspended during the tenure of the erstwhile U Thein Sein government, will resume should they be found to be of public benefit.
“No decision has been made yet as to whether [these projects] will resume or not; they’ve been suspended for now. If these projects are found to be evident of clear public benefit, then they will resume,” said the minister.
Three union and three state-level projects were earmarked for implementation during the previous government term, but upon announcement of suspending of the three union-levels projects, the state-level projects subsequently followed suit.
A sugar refinery in Bilin Township; a foreign investment project to distribute water purified from the Attaran River to Mawlamyine; and an initiative to construct a highway bus terminal in Mudon with a BOT system, are the three union level planned projects.
While, affordable wooden housing in Mawlaymine’s Mandalay Ward; a project to upscale Mawlamyine’s hotels; and a high-rise housing project in the state capital’s Bogone Ward, are reportedly the state-level projects which have been suspended.
“We’ve had offers from construction companies in regard to the timber housing project. But, this issue wasn’t ever included in government cabinet meetings; it was always left out,” laments U Min Min Oo. “That said, we will make construction of affordable housing for government staff and the homeless within Mon State, in the same manner as has been completed in other states and regions around the country, a priorityduring our term in office.”
Despite vehement public objection, the erstwhile government implemented a series of projects, such as the MCL concrete factory in Kyaikmaraw; the sucking up of sand from the Thanlwin River on the outskirts of Mawlamyine for export to Singapore; and the rock producing initiatives in Paung Township’s Oakthada village, without prior public consultation; only informing them upon project completion. As such, Dr Min Kyi Win, Minister of Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation for Mon State, has expressed the current government have been left to pick up the pieces.
“Foreign investment has poured into Mon State. Projects to be implemented within Mon State during this new government administration need to carried out with utmost transparency with the local residents concerned,” said the minister.
Domestic and foreign organizations have held talks with new Mon State government, but the government has, to date, reportedly not yet permitted the conduction of any project activities.
Source: Myitmakha News Agency
