Effectiveness, Transparency of Fee to Protect Environment Questioned

Participants questioned the transparency as well as effectiveness of collecting environmental protection fees from miners at a conference held in Hanoi. The fee has been officially collected from individuals or organizations exploiting minerals since 2006 following the Decree No 137/2005/ND-CP approved by the Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Meanwhile, Irish historian and researcher Tim Doling, who is based in Vietnam, and has worked with the UN and other organizations in Vietnam, began a Facebook page a year ago called Saigon Heritage Observatory, as well as a website www.historicvietnam.com. They both contain detailed information about most historic buildings in the city as well as other places around the country. Doling also is an advocate for preservation of many of these buildings. (http://vietnamnews.vn/ Oct 26)