Muong Xen market is still empty
Although it has been completed and put into use for more than a year, and has gone through two bidding rounds, the function of Muong Xen market (Muong Xen town, Ky Son district) is still vacant. Meanwhile, traders have to set up tents around the market, spilling out onto the street to do business.
(Baonghean) -Although it has been completed and put into use for more than a year, and has gone through two bidding rounds, the function of Muong Xen market (Muong Xen town, Ky Son district) is still vacant. Meanwhile, traders have to set up tents around the market, spilling out onto the street to do business.
The project to build a new Muong Xen market in Ky Son district was approved by the provincial People's Committee for investment in 2008 with a budget of 11 billion 250 million VND from the State budget and benefactors. Up to now, the main items of Muong Xen market including the 2-storey main hall with 96 independent kiosks and 59 stalls have been completed along with other auxiliary items. It can be said that the Muong Xen market project is a highlight to help develop the face of the mountainous district center, gradually improving the living standards of the people. However, although it has been completed for more than a year now, after 2 bidding rounds, small traders are still not allowed to enter the market to do business.
Currently, small traders have scrambled to set up temporary tents and stalls around the market to do business, creating a messy and crowded scene, with the risk of fire and explosion very likely to occur. Since 2005, Muong Xen market has had 3 large and small fires, hundreds of small traders are still in shock and now have to accept living with the "fire lady" to make a living.
Goods are displayed in a mess outside Muong Xen market. Photo: X. Hoang
Muong Xen market has been abandoned for more than a year. Photo: PB
Ms. Huong, a small trader, was upset: “Until now, we still cannot enter the new market to do business. We have to set up temporary tents around to do business.” Ms. Huong is one of the long-term businesses at Muong Xen market. However, when the new market was completed, she wanted to rent a kiosk, but because the price was too high, she had to give up. In the first auction, the rental price of the kiosk jumped to nearly 400 million VND.
In addition, the quality of the construction is also a reason why many traders are hesitant. Some items such as doors and walls have shown signs of damage, the premises are shabby... "With no security, no electricity, and an unreasonable fire prevention and fighting system, we cannot spend a lot of money to do business and trade in the new market," said Ms. Van, a trader.
On the other hand, although the market has been put into use, the protection of the new market seems to be left unfinished. Mr. Cao Tien Lang, Acting Head of the Market Management Board, said that because the locality has not yet handed over the keys, the market has not been managed. Without strict protection and management, the messy and polluted situation is causing public outrage. On September 15, 2011, the Muong Xen market project items were handed over by Ky Son district to the town for management. Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc (Chairman of the Muong Xen Town People's Committee) said that the abandoned and messy market situation is because people have not paid all the bidding money. Currently, the district has only handed over some items but not the entire project. When we asked: When will the new market be handed over to the traders? Mr. Ngoc replied: Waiting for the traders to pay all the bidding money.
According to the traders, in the first bidding round, the rental price of a kiosk was too high, making it impossible for many traders to afford it. On April 7, 2011, the second bidding round was organized by the District People's Committee. However, the bidding process did not take place as in the approved bidding documents. The Bidding Council rented out all kiosks at the same floor price. Therefore, many traders once again "failed", and most of the kiosks fell into the hands of people who did not have the business function. Discovering the above violations, the Ky Son District People's Committee did not recognize the bidding results. And up to now, Muong Xen market is still "abandoned".
A billion-dollar project of the State and the kindness of benefactors for the poor people of the district are at risk of being wasted. Small traders are in need of a good place to do business, thereby promoting the development of the district's economy. Therefore, the People's Committee of Ky Son district needs to soon make a reasonable decision to put Muong Xen market into operation according to its function.
Pham Bang