HAM THUAN BAC DISTRIC

POTENTIALS AWAKEN

I already visited Ha Giang: the north ernmost piece of Land of our country and had the opportunity to contemplate the splendor of nature and endless mountain chain. I already visited Ca Mau to have a feel of water in abundance and the hospitality of the southerners who are always nostalgic of the North. Even going to “the end of the world" I can not forget the unique culture of the Tay Nguyen people and I can not forget the quick tempo of Saigon's life, either. Particularly, I can not but remember Ham Thuan Bac- a northern mountainous district of the Binh Thuan province, where exists a hot of potentials and open: renovated an right policies. It is really an attractive place for investors lo jump in.

Tailing after a friend who is the investor of an industrial project in Ham Thuan Bac, I visited 15 communes and 2 towns of the district. Among them, 5 communes and towns are in the plain, 8 communes mountainous and 4 communes high mountainous. The Ma Lam town is the political, economic and cultural center of the district. It is 16 km off Phan Thiet city. The Phu Long town is the northeastern gate to Phan Thiet city, where trade, services, small industries and handicraft are quite busy. Due to its closeness to Phan Thiet city, the Phan Thiet - Ham Liem industrial zone locating in its territory, the North - South (trans Vietnam) railway, the national roads N^o 1A and 28 running through its land surface. Ham Thuan Bac has favorable conditions to expand trade with other places nation-wide.

Soon when national road N^o 55 linking the provinces of Ba Ria- Vung Tau, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong completed, Ham Thuan Bac will be considered, possibly, one of the trade gates between the “hot growing" southeastern Region and the Tay Nguyen economic Region", my friend smiled confidently

- “It means this land will be an ideal place for investors “to play".

“Right".

Then he told me, “non stop", about Binh Thuan Bac's potentials for economic development as though he was an “insider”. From his account I learned that Ham Thuan Bac was endowed by nature with rich natural resouces: forests, land, minerals and mountain scenery for development of tourism... It has a forest area of 62,185 ha, including 58,500 ha of natural forests and 3,685 ha of cultivated forests. The wood reserves is 1,500,000 cubic meters, with diverse precious and rare species. Moreover, waste land possible for reforestation is about 10.000 ha. Land is the district's most important and most valuable resource. This resource is quite diverse and distributed in different terrains suitable for agri-forestry as well as industrial, handicraft trade and Tourism development it sits on a firm and stable foundation, therefore it is cost- saving for construction.

From his account I also learned about the district's mineral resource with. construction stone, marble, glass-making sand, in abundance. The reserves of construction stone is great mainly granite and Riolte, concentrating in the Tazon- Ham Duc quarry, the Ach - Hong Lien mountain and the Xa Tho - Ham Tri mountain. The Ministry of Construction accepted to make planning for 9 quarry sites with an area of 657 ha in the communes of Ham Tri, Thuan Hoa, Thuan Minh, Ham Lien, Ham Chinh and La Da. There are quantities of marble in the Da Gia - Thuan Hoa mountain, of good quality for construction. The reserves of glass-making sand is over 20 million tons, of high quality and concentrating in the communes of Hong Lien, Ham Duc, Hong Son and Ham Nhon.

Due to its topography, Ham Thuan Bac has a river system with a water- current of 300 cubic meters per year. Large lakes like Ham Thuan, Da Mi, Song Quao and Suoi Da are exploited to develop agriculture and hydropower. In addition, a system of small lakes and ponds in communes is a favorable condition for aquatic cultivation and tourist service.

One of Ham Thuan Bac's great potentials, that my friend concerned himself with is human resource. People and labor force are pre-conditions for all socio- economic activities, creator for all technologies, producer of all wealth and directly influencing the socio- economic development of the region. In market economy, labor is considered a primary factor of production and businessmen may find its effective proportion to other factors like natural resources, capital, technical equipment to gain greater profit. Ham Thuan Bac's total labor force is 71,834 persons, accounting for 48% of its population. Agricultural workers are 54,594 person, accounting for 76% of the labor force. Non- agricultural workers are 17.240 persons, accounting for 24% of the labor force.

The labor force is young, abundant and educated, therefore, it is a favorable condition for human resource, technicians and skilled workers training to meet the demands of investors.

In recent years, implementing the renovation policies of the Party and the State, the district's party organization, administration and people have exerted great efforts to create profound socio-economic changes. Consequently, the economy of the district has grown considerably and stabile, the technical material basis has been built up, infrastructure has been improved and the people's life has been lifted. The District's average economic growth rate from 1996 to 2000 was 8.76%, in 2002 its economy increased by 9.7%. In 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, the district's economic structure changed. the percentage of agriculture and forestry in the district's gross production reduced gradual/y from 59.33% to 57 19% to 56.97% and 55.77% while that of industries, construction, trade and services increased gradually from 40.67% to 42.81% to 43.04% and 44.24% respectively.

As already said. we visited 15 communes and 2 towns of the Ham Thuan Bac district. One surprise was the construction of infrastructure projects to serve the people and the economy. At present. the district has on its land surface 71 km of national roads, 65.2 km of provincial roads, 54.5 km of district and inter - district roads, 55 km of inter - communal roads. 59.7 km of sugar cane field roads and 326.6 km of field roads. Generally, Ham Thuan Bac communication network has been upgraded and expanded, creating favorable conditions ' for trade and socio- economic development. The national electrical network has reached communal and residential centers, 80% of the households have electricity. The telecommunication network has been modernized step by step and its efficiency has been improved. All 17 communes and towns have telephone lines. Water supply system is adequate. Generally speaking, infrastructure must take an earlier step compared to other socio - economic activities. The development of infrastructure in terms of scale, quality and technology is a sign of socio- economic growth and it paves the way for socio- economic activities.

In the tendency to integrate and grow and with its potentials. Ham Thuan Bac always welcome investors and businessmen both inside and outside Binh Thuan province to invest in the place lo enrich themselves and contribute to the local economic development at the same time. Promptly the district defined areas calling for investment. With respect to the area my friend chose, he told me that the local material sources relating to agricultural, forestall and aquatic products are rich and diverse. Therefore, investors have been encouraged to engage in processing industries.

With big reserves of stone and marble and existing quarries operating efficiently. The district invites investors to survey and develop further as quarry industry.

In regard to small industries and handicraft, Ham Thuan Bac has been restoring traditional specialized trade villages and building new small industries and handicraft clusters. It is the responsibilities of the Communication. Industries and Construction Bureau to facilitate economic sectors to invest in and guide the building traditional specialized trade villages to produce such products like rattan, bamboo and brocade in minority ethnic and Cham Communes.

The district encourages business men lo invest in these traditional specialized trade villages: Brocade knitting villages of Kuke - Thuan Minh. Đong Giang III and Lam Giang - Ham Tri bamboo and rattan weaving villages Da Mi. Dong Tieu, Dong Giang and La Da; sculpture and artifact working villages of Da Mi and Ham Thang; won working villages of Ham Thang.

In connection with Tourism. The province and the district are making plan to turn the Da Mi commune and Song Quao irrigation lake into tour sites. The virgin natural environment fresh air and easy communication of these 2 places are favorable condition for the development of different types tourism, such as sightseeing, picnicking environmental tourism, and creation.  My friend showed me the District's list of projects calling for investment suggested: "You choose me lo invest make a fortune, maybe". Taking a look, I found the list containing proposed projects in all areas:

Agriculture:

1. Decorative plants project in Ham Hiep

2. Decorative plants project in Da Mi

3. Clean vegetables project in Hiam Hiep

4. Clean vegetables project in Da Mi

5. Clean vegetables project in

6. Bamboo shoots for export project in La Da, Dong Ciang and Dong Tien, Industries, small industries and handicraft

1. Rice paper making village project in Ham Nhon

2. Brocade knitting village project in Dong Giang

3. Brocade knitting village project in Ma Lam

4. Bamboo and rattan weaving village project in Dong Giang

5. Bamboo and rattan weaving village project in Da Mi

6. Wood working village project in Ham Thang

7. Sand exploitation or glass- making project in Hong Liem

8. Sand exploitation or glass- making project in Ham Duc

9. Marble exploitation and cutting project in Thuan Hoa

10. Construction materials exploitation project in Ham Duc

11. Construction materials exploitation project in Hong Liem

12. Construction materials exploitation project in Thuan Hoa

13. Butchery and processing project

14. Footwear project

15. Dragon fruit processing or preservation project in Ham Hiep

16. Fruit processing or preservation project

17. Tapioca refining project in Ham Tri

18 Animal food processing project

Services and Tourism

1. Environmental Tourist project in Ham Thuan - Da Mi

2. Environmental tourist project in Song Quan

3. Infrastructure projects

- “What do you think ?

I know that my friend was kind but I an a “writer", business is foreign to me.

- “To me it is risky"

- “Nothing venture, nothing gain. But here you have every condition for success. It is gold field" “old man".

What my friend said is true. In Ham Thuan Bac most only exist potentials, resources and infrastructure but also open policies and quick administration processing, for investment. Furthermore, the district cooperates closely with investors to work with competent provincial institutions to solve issues and obtain project approvals. Within 60 days after project approval, land rent or transfer will be completed.

A major difficulty for project implementation is Land liberation and compensation. But in Ham Thuan Bac, the district creates every favorable condition to make land available for projects, coordinates with investors to accelerate land compensation, liberation and transfer lo the investor in shortest time after project approval.

Infrastructure projects for the districts planned industries, small industries and tourism development continue to be promoted, especially communication. electricity, water and telephone projects. For the investors' peace of mind. security, social order and safety are maintained and guaranteed.

The district People’s Committee is responsible for the timely settlement of he investor’s suggestions and requests on security incidents relating to project implementation. In addition, Ham Thuan Bac will quickly build a vocational training center or carry out cooperation projects with existing vocational training facilities inside and outside Binh Thuan province to train skilled workers for the district to meet the labor demands of projects.

It is a mountains district, but Ham Thuan Bac gathers sufficient factors for project's success. It has advantageous position and strength, favorable conditions and capability, opportunities and realization, potentials and proper policies. Maybe that is the reason why my friend devoted himself to his project in this place.

I left Ham Thuan Bac for Ha Noi. Shaking hands with me, the president of the district reaffirmed: “We always welcome and are ready to create favorable conditions for investors to implement successfully their projects".

I saw in my friend's eyes confidence and hope. I had a vision of Ham Thuan Bac in the near future./.

VIET TUAN