will the gate be open?

4 years of having no decisions

On the morning of March 8th, 2020, the Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, together with the Government’s working group, the Ministry of Transport, ministries and central sectors, in a check of the project of Trung Luong- My Thuan emphasiezed : "it is only with determination the express way to Can Tho can be completed. Together with the expressway from HCMC – Trung Luong, the whole expressway of HCMC- Trung Luong- My Thuan- Can Tho will be completed in 2021”.

Four years ago, on March 21st, the PM agreed the policy of investing in the project of My Thuan- Can Tho Expressway with the document no.463/TTg-KTN.

Until August 28th, 2017, the Ministry of Transport approved the project; on April 3rd, 2018 approve the file for preselecting biding and assigned Thang Long Administration Board to carry out. On June 29th, 2019, the result of preselecting biding was reported to the Ministry of Transport. On July 17th, 2019, the Ministry nullified the result. On October 8th, 2019, the Ministry approve the adjustment of the project. On March 24th, 2020, the Ministry had a decision to assign Cuu Long Corporation for Investment Development and Project Management of Infrastructure to be the investor for the preparation investment phase, replacing the Thang Long Project Administration Board.

March 8th, 2020, the Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, together with the Government’s working group, the Ministry of Transport, ministries and central sectors, in a check of the project of Trung Luong- My Thuan

So, 4 years after the project had been approved by the Government, the Ministry of Transport has still been in the preparation investment phase and 2 years after the project approval, the choice of investor and ground clerace work have not been carried out although there is capital from the Government’s budget allocated.

Quality of suggestion, development plans of the transport sector by the Ministry of Transport have always have a question mark hanging over. And it is not very difficult to see. For example, in the bidding of the North- South Expressway, international bidding was carried out in spite of warnings of risks from foreign enterprises; then the result was nullified and local bidding was carried out; and with obstacles from credit capital, the Ministry suggested changing to form of PPP…

If the project of My Thuan- Can Tho has no feasible solutions and having progresses as Trung Luong- My Thuan previously, there will be problems in term of precedures, time will be lenghtend and it is impossible to open in 2021 as guidance from the PM.

Will the gate be open?

Luu Xuan Thuy- the Deputy President of the Board of Administration of the Deo Ca Group- affirmed

besides having to carry out the project of Trung Luong- My Thuan Expressway on schedule: to be finished in 2020 and open in 2021, BOT Trung Luong- My Thuan JSC has summited to the PM the project of extending Trung Luong- My Thuan Expressway by adding a sector of 23km from My Thuan- Can Tho to the project. The People’s Committee of Tien Giang Province will have the rights to adust and extend the project, and the People’s Committee of Vinh Long and Dong Thap will carry out land clearance works in their own areas.

“If we are believed and assigned to implement the project, we will apply the administrative executive model and mobilize existing equipment and staff at the site to carry out, ” said Thuy.

A representative of Deo Ca Group said the capital structure of the express way section of My Thuan- Can Tho includes VND 2,400 bn from the Government’s budget and the rest from other enterprises as BOT Trung Luong-My Thuan JSC, Deo Ca Group and others partners. And Deo Ca Group together with other investors and contractors in projects of Deo Ca Tunnel, Bac Giang- Lang Son- Huu Nghi Expressway and Trung Luong- My Thuan will mobilize owners’ capital and other legal sources to meet the construction progress.

Based on calculations and particular suggestion Thuy confirmed the expressway from HCMC to Can Tho will open in 2021, and finish in 2022 to shorten the feecollecting time for the project payback from 14 years and 8 months to 12 years and 6 months (2 years and 2 months shorter). The project has had agreements from provinces the project going through as Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Can Tho. However, whether it is implemented or not depends on the governing body- the Ministry of Transport.