Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. - Vientiane Times/ANN
VIENTIANE, Feb 12 (Vientiane Times/ANN): Laos Prime Minister has advised officials working in the natural resource and environment sectors across the country to follow lines of direction according to the country’s overall socio-economic development needs.
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone gave the advice when chairing the annual meeting of the two sectors on Friday. He expressed appreciation for work done in the past, which he said had been successful in many respects and pursued a productive development path.
He also highlighted areas of focus for the future, including building the professional capacity of staff to ensure that development activities were effective and carried out in ways that matched lines of direction being followed by the international community.
Officials were also advised to review legislation in relation to the private sector to ensure the content was appropriate and in line with the country’s needs.
Dr Sonexay stressed that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment should be diligent and conscientious in carrying out its work plans and formulate short- and long-term work plans that matched the vision, strategy and economic development plans in successive stages of development.
Officials should monitor and evaluate the results of their work to ensure goals were met. He emphasised the need to monitor state land lease and concession schemes and to overhaul the management of state land leases and concessions.
This should be done by re-evaluating parcels of land for which leases and concessions had been authorised. Land plots should be measured and regularly inspected, in accordance with the land allocation plan, to ensure the effective management of natural resources and the environment.
The Prime Minister also advised officials to work towards the goals outlined in the country’s socio-economic development plan, paying special attention to the resolution of issues relating to land use and ownership, delays in issuing land titles, duplication, types of land use, and the monitoring of experimental mining operations.
Impacts on the environment and the public caused by various activities should be carefully assessed and addressed, and corrective measures put in place to spur the development of green, clean and properly planned cities, he added. - Vientiane Times/ANN
