The clearance and relocating of the Sat market: It is a necessity to listen to the ideas and wishes of the small traders

    The report of Bien Hoa Department of Economics says that the existing Sat market relocated from the spontaneous market at the T-junction (Park 30/4) in 1978. At first, the market was constructed out of bamboo as a temporary shelter. However, due to its poor fire safety, the market burned down in 1983. For that reason, the People's Committee of Tan Bien ward called for business-owning households’ capital contribution to the building of a four-compartment market building to facilitate their business affairs. Since then, the market has been repaired and extended. It has attracted more and more business owning households. The construction area of the Sat market building is 1,879 square meters including a covered area of 667.44 square meters and a prefabricated building of 1,211.74 square meters. Currently, there are more than 400 business owning households here. However, most market stalls, from one to three square meters, are in a bad condition and fail to meet the requirements for hygiene, environment and fire safety, which spoils urban aesthetic and affects business activities.

A large number of the small traders participate in the meeting

    According to the Decision no. 2204/2005/QD.CT.UBND on market network planning dated June 20, 2005, which the provincial People’s Committee made, the existing Sat market is not in accordance with the market network planning of the province and the city. Therefore, the provincial People's Committee has okayed the adjustment of the planning within Tan Bien ward of Bien Hoa city in order that Tran Quoc Toan primary school will be extended and will meet the standard for national school area according to the Decision no. 1353/QD-UBND dated April 24, 2008.

    Particularly, the small traders of the Sat market will get compensation and support costs for relocating and hiring new stalls at the Tan Bien market, whose main investor is Tin Nghia company from the Municipal People's Committee so that they can stabilize their business activities. However, during the implementation period, many problems come up because the small traders haven’t agreed with the relocating.

    This time, the meeting listened to eighteen ideas from the small traders. The ideas revolve around four issues: the piece of land where the Sat market is was cleared by small traders – stall rental costs at the new market are too high – the planning of Tran Quoc Toan primary school is not necessary – and small traders wish to continue trading where the old market is.                         

Mr. Nguyen Phu Cuong responds to the enquiries of the small traders

    As for the enquiries of the small traders of the Sat market, Mr. Nguyen Phu Cuong said: “The Municipal People's Committee is very sympathetic to your difficulties in relocating to a new market. So we have already had a support method for you. The Committee will consider your ideas and write a reply to your enquiries. In terms of the piece of land where the Sat market is, Bien Hoa Municipal Inspection Board will carry out a close investigation into its origin and write a reply to you all at the earliest time.” Cuong added that if the small traders of the Sat market did not want to relocate, the Municipal People’s Committee would send their wishes to the Municipal Party Committee and had a discussion with the provincial People’s Committee to work out a solution.

    On behalf of the Government Inspector, Mr. Vo Van Dong also expressed his sympathy for the difficulties that small traders have encountered in the relocation process. Dong suggested that Bien Hoa Municipal People's Committee listen to the enquiries of the small traders, consider their enquiries and then find solutions.

    Also, Mr. Dong stressed that not only the Sat market but many others throughout the country have the same problem. The Party and the State are focusing on developing the economy in all aspects. The planning includes the Sat market. The building of Tran Quoc Toan primary school is a right decision for the future of the young generation. Therefore, small traders are required to have a full awareness of the above issue and collaborate with the government in implementing the government’s policies successfully.

(Reported by N. Thuong, Translated by Duy Minh)