Decision No. 264/2005/QD-TTg Approving the Socio-Economic Development Program for Con Dao District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province until 2010

DECISION

Approving the Project on Socio-Economic Development of Con Dao District,

Province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau until 2010

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Considering the proposal of the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province at Report No. 7370/TTr-UB dated December 24, 2004 and Circular No. 5779/UBND-VP dated October 10, 2005;

Considering the proposal of the Ministry of Planning and Investment at Circular No. 1032 BKH/TĐ&GSĐT dated February 21, 2005 and the opinions of relevant ministries and agencies,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approving the Project on Socio-Economic Development of Con Dao District, Province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau until 2020 with the following viewpoints, objectives, tasks, solutions, and development orientations:

1. Viewpoints on Development:

- Building Con Dao into a high-quality economic and tourist service area linked with the preservation and enhancement of the special revolutionary historical site of Vietnam and the improvement of the value of Con Dao National Park.

- Building Con Dao commensurate with its strategic position, contributing positively to the process of opening up and international economic integration, ensuring national defense and security, and closely linking with the development of the entire southern region of the country.

- Developing Con Dao must have a long-term vision, aiming for modernity and stability, sustainability, effectiveness with appropriate steps, creating breakthroughs from the initial stage, and creating conditions to fully utilize the potential and advantages of Con Dao.

2. Objectives of Development:

a) Developing Con Dao into a modern, distinctive economic and tourist area at the regional and international level.

b) By 2020, striving to achieve:

- A population scale of about 50 thousand people.

- Average domestic income (GDP) per capita reaching approximately 900-1000 USD/person by 2010; approximately 1800-2000 USD/person by 2020.

- Expected number of tourists reaching approximately 200-250 thousand people/year by 2010; approximately 500-700 thousand people/year by 2020.

3. Tasks and Main Solutions:

a) Maintaining, protecting, restoring, and upgrading historical relics:

- Establishing a Branch of the Vietnam Revolutionary History Museum.

- Forming exhibition rooms for historical artifacts, photographs, models of typical prisons, places where revolutionary fighters were detained during various periods of French colonialism and American imperialism within the prison complex area.

- Preserving and maintaining the Hang Duong Cemetery and other historical revolutionary sites and evidence of Con Dao.

b) Developing high-quality marine tourism with diverse eco-tourism areas and cultural-historical tourism zones.

c) Protecting and promoting the value of Con Dao National Park. Emphasizing the protection and maintenance of existing greenery, transplanting suitable tree species to be planted in Con Dao, encouraging residents to plant scattered trees to create green, clean, and beautiful areas serving tourism development.

d) Constructing infrastructure, especially infrastructure serving tourism development. Building tourist routes between the island and the mainland, domestic tourist destinations, and neighboring countries.

đ) Developing industry:

- Developing high-end seafood processing industries serving tourism and export; mechanical repair services for ships and transportation vehicles, construction machinery.

- Exploiting decorative stone and construction stone at levels that do not harm the island's landscape and environment.

e) Developing marine products and agriculture:

- Developing special marine aquaculture; focusing on pearl farming and cage fish farming for daily life, export, and tourism.

- Harvesting high-value seafood for export while building fishing ports and anchorage areas for vessels.

- Developing diverse agriculture with representative products: specialty livestock breeding, fruits, vegetables, fresh flowers for local consumption and tourists.

g) Developing trade and services:

- Vigorously developing trade between the island and the mainland.

- Developing market systems in Con Son Town, Ben Dam Area, and Co Ong Area.

- Building facilities to make Con Dao a Marine Service Center, Search and Rescue Center.

h) Developing infrastructure:

- Transportation system:

+ Roadways: Upgrading cross-island roadways; constructing a ring road around the island; building a connection between Co Ong and Dam Tre; constructing new and improving urban road networks in Con Son Town.

+ Waterways: Upgrading Ben Dam Fishing Port; constructing a commercial maritime service port and oil and gas service port at Ben Dam; building a tourist port at Con Son Bay; passenger transport terminals on the islands.

+ Airports: Completing Co Ong Airport.

- Water supply and drainage:

+ Water supply: Constructing a water supply system with a capacity of 5,000 m³/day by 2010. Constructing reservoirs in suitable locations.

+ Drainage: Improving the drainage system in the central area of Con Dao and constructing new drainage systems for various regions.

- Electricity: Developing power supply networks; initially from the central area to Ben Dam and Co Ong areas; along the tourist route around the island.

Expanding the diesel power plant to three times its current capacity. For dispersed residential areas, develop solar power grids. When there is oil and gas, study the possibility of building thermal power plants on the island.

- Postal and Telecommunications: To ensure communication between the island and the mainland and activities at sea, over the next ten years, the focus of postal and telecommunications development on the island will be: upgrading equipment at the three post offices (central, Ben Dam, Co Ong) to ensure convenient international communication. Developing telecommunication systems for distant fishing operations, search and rescue services. Building a television relay station with a power of 300W.

i) Developing culture and society:

- Expanding and developing primary schools on the island according to population growth. Consolidating schools and classrooms to meet national standards.

- Establishing a combined military-civilian medical center with modern equipment, doctors, nurses, midwives, health workers, medicines, etc., to serve the people.

- Setting up two additional cultural centers in Ben Dam and Co Ong; libraries, sports centers, stadiums.

- Building an electronic information system.

k) Organizing Economic-Social Space:

The organization of space must be oriented towards creating green, open, and modern spaces that meet both immediate and long-term requirements. Develop three areas: central, Ben Dam, and Co Ong in a way that forms urban zones reasonably connected with residential points. Strictly manage and rationally utilize land funds to meet the requirements for economic and social development in Con Dao.

l) On environmental resource protection:

In the process of socio-economic development, especially high-quality tourism development, it is necessary to have solutions to protect resources and the environment for sustainable development. Investment projects in Con Dao must comply strictly with the provisions of the Law on Natural Resources and Environment, properly handle solid waste, particularly hazardous waste and hospital waste; wastewater before discharge must be treated to meet standard B. The province needs to invest in building wastewater treatment plants and waste disposal facilities, striving to recycle some waste into items serving production and daily life.

m) Strengthening national defense and security:

- Effectively implement Decision No. 107/2002/QD-TTg dated August 12, 2002 of the Prime Minister approving the overall planning for the deployment of national defense combined with socio-economic development until 2010.

- Maintain national defense and public order and safety in Con Dao under all circumstances.

Article 2. Staged investment development

1. From now to 2010:

- Focus on constructing infrastructure works and historical sites according to the plan.

- Build tourist areas, entertainment and leisure zones, and implement marine service projects.

2. From 2011 to 2020:

Complete the main construction projects as planned for development.

Article 3. Administrative management model and policy mechanism for Con Dao

1. Administrative management:

The selection of the management model for Con Dao should aim at a modern urban management model, in two stages: initially, a county-level administrative management model directly managing to community levels; when conditions are met and there is a need to apply an administrative management model for urban areas: the entire island is a large urban area, below which are wards.

2. Policy mechanism:

- Allow Con Dao to apply existing preferential mechanisms and policies in Vietnam.

- Study special mechanisms and policies applicable to Con Dao.

- Regarding investment capital: The Government prioritizes investment from the state budget, ODA funds, credit funds, especially in the early stage. Measures should be taken to attract foreign direct investment and other economic sectors to participate in developing Con Dao.

Article 4. Implementation

1. Entrust the People's Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province to organize the implementation of the Project; coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to complete within the years 2006 and 2007 the establishment, review, adjustment, supplementation, and submission for approval by competent authorities of the following main plans:

- Comprehensive socio-economic development plan for Con Dao District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province until 2020.

- Comprehensive plan for construction and spatial architectural organization of Con Dao District; Detailed plan for the three areas of Co Ong, Central, and Ben Dam.

- Tourism development plan for Con Dao.

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to review the plan, propose solutions to protect and enhance the value of Con Dao National Park.

- Other important sectoral plans for Con Dao District.

Permit the People's Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province to invite foreign experts and consulting organizations to study and establish the construction and architectural plan for Con Dao.

2. Entrust the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to organize the establishment of the comprehensive plan for the conservation, renovation, and enhancement of the value of the historical site of Con Dao, including Hang Duong Cemetery and other cemeteries; permit inviting foreign experts and consulting organizations to participate in establishing the plan.

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall transfer the management responsibility for Hang Duong Cemetery and other cemeteries to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

3. Entrust the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance to cooperate with the People's Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province to urgently balance and allocate funds to implement the Project.

Article 5. This Decision takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 6. The Chairman of the People's Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province and the Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, and Heads of government agencies are responsible for implementing this Decision./.