The Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Mitsuo Sakaba has proposed that HCM City ’s authorities step up the implementation of projects using Japanese ODA capital.
The Japanese diplomat made the statement at a meeting with the Secretary of the municipal Party’s Committee Le Thanh Hai on Jan. 11.
Ambassador Sakaba told his host that his government is considering adding extra capital to the city’s East-West Highway project and the first phase of a project to improve the quality of the water in the Tau Hu-Ben Nghe-Doi Te canal.
He said he was also interested in the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro project.
“These projects have taken longer than they should have,” he said, adding that all the concerned parties should closer work together to remove obstacles in procedures and funding.
The slowness can be attributed to hikes in the prices of building materials and the costs associated with adjusting the Vietnamese dong-Japanese yen exchange rate, said the city’s Party official.
The municipal Party’s Committee and authorities are anxious about these projects as they are closely related to the city’s socio-economic development and people’s everyday lives. The high cost of the projects will result in local people paying more, he said.
Hai noted that the municipal Party’s Committee has asked the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the city and all related agencies to ask the Ministry of Finance to introduce different methods of payments for those concerned.
The city’s Party’s Committee and authorities have used the capital effectively, he said, stressing that this has been brought about by the strong strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan.
In another meeting with the Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, Le Hoang Quan later the same day, Ambassador Sakaba said that many Japanese businesses and investors have stated that they are determined to return to HCM City and the southeastern province of Dong Nai after the recession due to the global economic crisis.
For his part, Mayor Le Hoang Quan asked the Japanese diplomat to ask his Government to increase the capital for the East-West Highway and the second phase of the water improvement project and to remind the Japanese contractors to ensure the pace and quality of these projects./.