Kien Giang - Great Prospects for Aquaculture and Tourism
VIB Forum interviewed Chairman of Kien Giang People's Committee, Bui Ngoc Suong
Can you outline the socio-economic developments of the province in first half and the plan for the last months of 2004?
Kien Giang has recorded fine achievements in the first half of 2004. Total production value increased by 10.23 per cent. Agro-forestry-aquatic production increased by 6.42 per cent: 1.6 million tonnes of food, 144,000 tonnes of aqua-products by fishing and 8,550 tonnes by raising including 4,078 tonnes of shrimp (an increase of 8.75 per cent). The handicraft industry continued to grow at a rate of 14.8 per cent: 10.58 per cent in State sector, 19.91 per cent in non-State sector and 18.21 per cent in the foreign invested sector. Total investment capital in the province is VND2,769 billion, up 71 per cent. The province continues to invest in infrastructure, using land resources as investment capital for the development of roads, urban areas, commercial centres and rural markets. The service sector developed at a rate of 15 per cent with the number of tourists increasing by almost 11 per cent, tourism revenue 55 per cent, export value 22.8 per cent, commodities transport 22.8 per cent and passenger transport 10.9 per cent. Progress has also been made in socio-cultural fields, education and health services have been upgraded, political and security conditions strengthened.
The province will focus on important projects for future economic growth such as industrial shrimp raising, aquaproduct processing, a clinker plant of 450,000 tonnes per year. the expansion of Ha Tien cement plant 2 by 1.2 million tonnes/year, tourism development in Phu Quoc island, urban developments in Rach Gia, Ha Tien, U Minh Thuong, road networks linking Chau Doc - Ha Tien, Rach Gia - Ca Mau and Rach Gia - Vi Thanh facilitating the development of investment, tourism, trade and services.
What is the orientation of the province and how will you achieve it?
The province calls for investment in its potential areas namely: tourism, aquaculture, agro-aquatic processing for export, labour-intensive industries, infrastructure for tourist centres and industrial zones, urban and commercial centre development and rural markets. The key tourist centres are Phu Quoc, Ha Tien, Kien Luong, Rach Gia, Hon Dat, U Minh Thuong and offshore islands. Phu Quoc island will develop high quality eco-tourism for the whole region. Industrial shrimp raising will be developed in Kien Luong, Hon Dat, Ha Tien and Ca Mau peninsular. Aquaculture will also be developed in rivers, lakes and rice fields. The industry will focus on the processing of aqua-products, rice, pine apples, pepper, coco nuts, pork, chicken and ducks for export and domestic consumption. Labour-intensive industries include garment and footwear. The province will continue the land reclamation project to build new urban areas in Rach Gia and Ha Tien, build U Minh Thuong town and industrial zones in Chau Thanh, Ha Tien, Go Quao, resettlement areas in all districts especially in Rach Gia, Phu Quoc, Ha Tien, Kien Luong, upgrade commercial centres and markets. Meanwhile the province will improve planning, investment incentives and preferential treatment to attract more investors.
Could you give some more details on the project of expansion to the sea in Rach Gia?
The project of land reclamation to build a new urban area in Rach Gia is under construction. The area is 420 hectares and divided into five sections with a total investment of some VND800 billion for building sea walls, ground levelling, road networks, water supply and drainage, power supply and vegetation. A State-owned enterprise of the province is the investor, a management board under the Construction Department is in charge of the project and the province manages and controls the budget. The project has already developed three sections, and the two remaining sections will be built in 2005. It will be a new urban area with some 9,000 foundations for housing, 50 hectares for green parks, 20 hectares for public utilities (offices, schools, kindergartens, hotels, recreation centres). So far, land rentals for 4,296 foundations for housing are already at VND428 billion, the total will be over VND1,000 billion. The project is efficient in both social and economic aspects and the first project of this kind in
Vietnamese
