The Ho Chi Minh City Treasury has enough money to support residents displaced by the Thu Thiem Project as promised, an official said, rejecting speculation that payment delays have been caused by fund shortages.
Hua Ngoc Thao, director of the compensation board in District 2, told Thanh Nien yesterday that the city government grants his board VND50 billion (US$2.86 million) everyday to pay land compensation to displaced residents.
The board has so far given out a total of VND528 billion ($30.2 million) for compensation claims by 169 households forced to move by the urban development project as well as additional support money for 166 of the cases, he said.
Under a new decision by the city government, displaced residents are provided additional support funds, apart from land compensation, to help cover their expenses when buying new homes or land.
But while 166 displaced District 2 households have been given the extra money, up to 3,000 have been promised the funding. Scores of people wait at the board's office everyday for answers about the delays.
The total extra funding yet to be disbursed is the largest amount of such funds ever set aside in HCMC.
Hong Mien from Thu Thiem Ward said she and other displaced residents have waited to claim their support money for more than a month.
"They keep promising [to pay] the next day and then the next day, instead of telling us when exactly we can get the money," she said. "It's a waste of time."
Displaced resident Nguyen Van D, who wished not to have his full name mentioned, said all the displaced residents know the city has budgeted a large sum of compensation and additional support money for the Thu Thiem project.
"So if [the board] runs out of money now, they just need to explain that to us and give us an exact date to come back for our money.
"They should not give one reason after another."
Nghiem Linh Cat, a former Binh Khanh Ward resident who now lives in District 10, said he was officially promised the additional money on February 4 and was supposed to receive it within 10 days at the latest.
"But nobody called me to pick up the money. I've gone to the office several times a week only to be told to wait. "I don't know how much longer I'll have to wait."
Thao admitted that there were delays in paying compensation and additional support money to displaced residents. But it was because the process had to be carried out carefully to avoid any wrongdoings, he said.
He said cases involving disputes over land use rights could not be handled by his board until a consultation with the city's Department of Justice. Thao said the priority now is to grant land clearance compensation for displaced residents first and then provide support funds later.
The support funds for the first group of displaced residents, who were promised the money on February 4, like Cat, would be handed out by the end of this month, he said.
Mai Van Nguyen from the District 2 People's Committee said the city government planned to give the district another VND2 trillion ($114.38 million) to pay residents displaced by the Thu Thiem project.
The Thu Thiem Project in District 2 occupies 657 hectares in five wards - An Khanh, Thu Thiem, An Loi Dong, Binh An and Binh Khanh. It is estimated that more than 10,000 families must move from the site of the new township-to-be.
Vietnam does not allow formal land ownership but grants land use rights only.
Hua Ngoc Thao, director of the compensation board in District 2, told Thanh Nien yesterday that the city government grants his board VND50 billion (US$2.86 million) everyday to pay land compensation to displaced residents.
The board has so far given out a total of VND528 billion ($30.2 million) for compensation claims by 169 households forced to move by the urban development project as well as additional support money for 166 of the cases, he said.
Under a new decision by the city government, displaced residents are provided additional support funds, apart from land compensation, to help cover their expenses when buying new homes or land.
But while 166 displaced District 2 households have been given the extra money, up to 3,000 have been promised the funding. Scores of people wait at the board's office everyday for answers about the delays.
The total extra funding yet to be disbursed is the largest amount of such funds ever set aside in HCMC.
Hong Mien from Thu Thiem Ward said she and other displaced residents have waited to claim their support money for more than a month.
"They keep promising [to pay] the next day and then the next day, instead of telling us when exactly we can get the money," she said. "It's a waste of time."
Displaced resident Nguyen Van D, who wished not to have his full name mentioned, said all the displaced residents know the city has budgeted a large sum of compensation and additional support money for the Thu Thiem project.
"So if [the board] runs out of money now, they just need to explain that to us and give us an exact date to come back for our money.
"They should not give one reason after another."
Nghiem Linh Cat, a former Binh Khanh Ward resident who now lives in District 10, said he was officially promised the additional money on February 4 and was supposed to receive it within 10 days at the latest.
"But nobody called me to pick up the money. I've gone to the office several times a week only to be told to wait. "I don't know how much longer I'll have to wait."
Thao admitted that there were delays in paying compensation and additional support money to displaced residents. But it was because the process had to be carried out carefully to avoid any wrongdoings, he said.
He said cases involving disputes over land use rights could not be handled by his board until a consultation with the city's Department of Justice. Thao said the priority now is to grant land clearance compensation for displaced residents first and then provide support funds later.
The support funds for the first group of displaced residents, who were promised the money on February 4, like Cat, would be handed out by the end of this month, he said.
Mai Van Nguyen from the District 2 People's Committee said the city government planned to give the district another VND2 trillion ($114.38 million) to pay residents displaced by the Thu Thiem project.
The Thu Thiem Project in District 2 occupies 657 hectares in five wards - An Khanh, Thu Thiem, An Loi Dong, Binh An and Binh Khanh. It is estimated that more than 10,000 families must move from the site of the new township-to-be.
Vietnam does not allow formal land ownership but grants land use rights only.
Thanhnien News
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