The Pursat Provincial Administration will construct ‘collective administration’ facilities in the two newly arranged districts of Talou Sen Chey and Phnom Kravanh. The policy to centralise local public services will better enable their effective provision.
A provincial official who asked not to be named told The Post on December 17 that authorities had already prepared a plot of land for constructing an administrative centre in Talou Sen Chey district, covering 70ha located in Phteah Rung commune. Another site is located on nearly 20ha near National Road 55 in Phnom Kravanh district’s Samrong commune.
The official said the establishment of the two facilities is intended to centralise and coordinate management of public services under each district’s administration in order to improve implementation and efficiency. Construction was still in the early stages of preparing land and infrastructure.
“In the next step, a building will be constructed in order to provide services for the public. These two collective administrations will be the first of their kind and will serve as models for the other five districts in Pursat province,” he said.
The new district of Talou Sen Chey comprises the two communes of Talou, annexed from Bakan district, and Phteah Rung, previously part of Phnom Kravanh district. The district will construct a stadium and prepare a place for a ploughing ceremony as well as cattle racing.
According to the official, existing administrative facilities in Phnom Kravanh district are insufficient, but the new buildings will be conveniently located near the highway linking Battambang and Koh Kong provinces and the border with Thailand.
Phnom Kravanh district governor So Sahong said he did not know details such as the cost or schedule for the project, as that was the purview of the provincial governor, but his administration was standing by to facilitate the construction progressing smoothly.
“At the moment, the district has facilities to provide public services as usual, but space is limited. When we have a central administration building, we will be able to provide services more effectively,” he said.
Pursat provincial governor Mao Thonin could not be reached for comment.
Talou Sen Chey district governor Som Narith said that, as the district had just been created, there were not yet established sites for providing services to local residents. He did not have details of the planned facilities, but he was aware that the provincial governor had gone to inspect the location.
“As a public service provider to residents, we want to have spacious, accessible locations so that residents can come to receive services easily,” he said.
Affiliated Network for Social Accountability (ANSA) executive director San Chey welcomed the initiative to centralise and administer public services at the local level. Civil society organisations, he said, have lobbied for this development.
“We note that this transfer of responsibility to local authorities is in line with the [pertinent laws] in support of the sub-national level administrations,” he said.
