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Probe ordered for foreign investment in forestry and fishery
An inter-ministerial mission will examine the granting of foreign investment licences for forestry and aqua culture projects throughout Vietnam and report its findings to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Dung has instructed provincial People’s Committees not to issue new investment licences or sign land rent contracts with foreign investors before the mission has completed its task.
The Planning and Investment Ministry will have responsibility for the inquiry with the support of the Agriculture and Rural Development and Natural Resources and Environment ministries and other relevant agencies.
The mission’s brief is to examine, inspect and assess the granting and use of foreign investment licences for forestry and aqua culture.
Foreign-invested forestry and aqua culture projects have helped create jobs and increase worker income, the PM said in the Official Letter 405/TTg-KTN.
But several aqua cultural projects had failed to meet their approved schedule and, as a result, had their licences revoked, the PM said.
Elsewhere, land rented to foreign investors impinged on land local farmers had been given the right to use.
Worse, parts of natural forest or sensitive zones had also been rented. These projects too have had their licences withdrawn.
Figures posted on the Government web site show that ten provinces have licensed foreign investors to grow forest on 305,353 ha.
But they have so far allotted only 33,824ha- equal to 11.1 percent of the total - to foreign investors and their joint-venture partners.
Rented land accounted for 15,664ha while land allotted to joint venture between Vietnamese organisations, households and individuals and foreign investors totalled 18,160ha.
vietnamplus
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