Red tape woes

REPRESENTATIVES from small and medium-sized firms and government officials yesterday raised concerns over the “complicated” nature of business regulations.

At a workshop in Phnom Penh, members of Cambodia’s private sector complained about complications caused by complex laws.

The owner of KT ice factory, who gave her name as Bory, said that difficult application forms were causing trouble for firms that did not understand how to meet legal requirements or process forms correctly.

“We request the creation of less complicated procedures for us,” she said.

Officials agreed that some protocols were complex, but said action was being taken. Meng Saktheara, director general of the Industry Department at the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, said: “Many existing regulations are so complicated. We will check again and we will keep the essential ones, but others that are not necessary will be reduced or annulled.”

He said the complaint was one often given by private sector business owners, as firms had to meet regulations from numerous different bodies.

“There is not one mechanism or a one-window service to get business application forms done all at once,” he said.