Will this lead to a more efficient, revenue-generating, long-term wiser use of the richness of LPDR's land?




Formation of land, natural resource commission proposed

Vientiane Times, 17 Feb 2010

Officials are considering forming a national committee to strengthen
coordinated action on land and natural resource research information
between various organisations.

A proposal to form the national committee in charge of land and
natural resource networking research information and its sub-
committees is currently being shaped and will soon be submitted to a
high-level body for consideration and revision, an official said
yesterday.

The move is the outcome of a meeting held last week at the Lao-
Japanese Training Centre supported by the Swiss Agency for Development
and Cooperation, said the official of the meeting's secretariat, who
wished to remain unnamed.

It is anticipated the committee would enhance coordinated action among
relevant organisations to make sure that information and research
relating to land and natural resources is exchanged effectively.

“The committee is expected to include deputy ministers and we hope it
will be chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister,” the official said.

The committee will also work closely to share research information
with the land issue working group which comprises more than 10
international organisations whose work involves land issues, he said.

It is hoped the proposed committee would also help to address the
problem of duplicated research carried out by government agencies.

Avoiding such overlaps will mean reducing research costs, the official
said, adding that this can be achieved by improving communication
channels between agencies.

The meeting agreed to store existing research information by setting
up a library, as well as publishing a magazine containing research
results.

Acting Director of the Centre for Research and Information under the
National Land Management Authority, Mr Chanthaviphone Inthavong, said
researchers from individual organisations have conducted research in
particular fields individually, which does not present an overall
picture of land and natural resource issues.

Consequently, decision makers could make misinformed decisions when
granting land concessions, he said at the meeting.

Hence, there is a need to formulate a mechanism to collect diverse
data that policy makers can access when drawing up development plans
for land and natural resources as well as issuing land concession
permits.


-- Edited by 2010 on Wednesday 17th of February 2010 09:31:07 PM