By chance, while surfing Facebook, I saw an article on the electronic newspaper Lao Dong Viet Nam about Dien Lam Eco-tourism Area in Dien Chau district, calling it a place to experience the full range of life (“Muong Thanh Dien Lam Eco-tourism Area: A place to experience the full range of life” – laodong.vn August 5, 2018).
Curious, I typed in the keyword Muong Thanh – Dien Lam on Google and saw “thousands” of articles in newspapers and electronic information sites with praise, contributing to promoting this place. Even the website of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) has an introduction article, with the title “Come to Muong Thanh Dien Lam Eco-Zone to enjoy the green space all four seasons”.
Having visited Muong Thanh Dien Lam Ecological Zone several times, the information in those countless articles is not excessively complimentary. It is even regrettable that no author has taken the time to dig deep enough to tell the story of conception, birth, nurturing, and development so that Nghe An - with hot Lao wind in summer and heavy rain in winter - can have a "green space in all four seasons", "a place to experience the range of life".
That is true, because for a very long time, Dien Lam was a place where “dogs ate stones and chickens ate gravel”. The image of Dien Lam in the past was of bare hills, pale fields, old, desolate residential villages…, a place where people’s lives were the most difficult and miserable in Dien Chau district.
However, since the appearance of Muong Thanh Group with the enthusiastic leadership of Mr. Le Thanh Than, Dien Lam has really changed. Especially since the day Muong Thanh Dien Lam Ecological Zone created a "four-season green space", becoming a "place to experience the range of life", creating a push for the entire "dogs eat stones, chickens eat gravel" Dien Lam area to change, up to now, it can be said that if you have not been there, it will be difficult to imagine.
Reading what people write about Muong Thanh Dien Lam Ecological Zone, I feel happy that the province has a destination that attracts tourists. But thinking more deeply about the changes in Dien Lam land, I feel sorry for Nghe An, when there are many famous landscapes, landscapes, and relics that can attract investment to promote their value, contributing to promoting socio-economic development, but they are still left open and unexploited.
At the 17th Session of the 18th Provincial People's Council, many delegates also mentioned this issue, earnestly proposing to find solutions to exploit the potential for Nghe An to develop its tourism economy, one of many goals stated in Resolution No. 39-NQ/TW of the Politburo on building and developing Nghe An province to 2030, with a vision to 2045.
Even because of their passion and responsibility, at the discussion and question-and-answer sessions of the above meeting, some delegates talked about a major reason, which is that there are too many projects associated with tourism development but they are "suspended", behind schedule, or even break the planning, affecting the natural landscape.
That was delegate Trinh Van Nha - Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People's Committee, mentioned the Tea Island Eco-tourism Project to investor Cienco4. This is a highly anticipated mega-project, but 6 years have passed since the planning announcement, and to date the investor has not yet implemented it.
That is delegate Tran Phan Long in Cua Lo town, very concerned about the information about the coastal urban area of the province where there are too many projects occupying large land, favorable locations for business investment but for many years the investment has been patchy, slow progress, violating planning, or not investing leading to slowing down development. And recommended that the competent authorities of the province pay attention and urgently come up with a solution to handle it thoroughly.
Talking on the sidelines of the meeting, the delegate who is the Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Chuong district exclaimed that as long as he has not found a way out for the Tea Island Ecotourism Project, he will feel guilty towards the officials and people of his district. Mr. Trinh Van Nha said: “The people of Thanh Chuong district are very impatient and upset about the situation where the investor lacks cooperation and “suspension” of the Tea Island Ecotourism Project. The local Party Committee and authorities are very sad and worried because this planning is at risk of being disrupted, affecting the local economy and society. Therefore, with my own responsibility, I must give my opinion on this matter, and will continue to give my opinion until there is a change…”.
If we compare the former Dien Lam land with the Thanh Chuong tea island, or with the coastal urban area of Cua Lo, it is really lame! But for that reason, we need to ask: Why has Muong Thanh Group built the Muong Thanh Dien Lam Ecological Area, a "four-season green space", a "place to experience the range of life" on the land of "dogs eating stones, chickens eating gravel" Dien Lam; while the tea islands, the coastal urban area of Cua Lo, and many other lands associated with majestic nature, scenic spots, and famous relic complexes of the province lack large-scale, dedicated investors?
I think we need to be firm with suspended projects, projects that are behind schedule, projects that violate planning… and we need to find an answer to this question to make changes. Otherwise, we will continue to be guilty of wasting resources!
