Prime Minister Hun Sen said more than $320 million was spent on the construction of infrastructure in Preah Sihanouk province to improve Cambodia’s image and drive economic growth.
He made the remarks in a speech given at the inaugural ceremony for 37 newly completed roads and three wastewater treatment stations in the province on December 2.
“This is the first time we have invested over $300 million at once into just one city. But this work is so necessary that we had to do it for infrastructure in Preah Sihanouk because we want the province to be built into a multi-purpose special economic zone and take the lead in driving Cambodia’s economic growth,” he said.
He added that construction of infrastructure for the province was an urgent necessity because many companies had already invested there and some had even begun construction on high-rise buildings in Sihanoukville.
The prime minister also praised Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Chea Sophara and his colleagues for their effort to build infrastructure in the province.
“This [infrastructure] is an achievement for all Khmer people that we accomplished without any technical assistance or budgetary assistance from abroad. We have done all of this ourselves. The people who will most enjoy this great success are Sihanoukville residents. They are the first beneficiaries,” Hun Sen said.
Sophara said the 37 roads were planned strategically to benefit all sectors of the province’s economy and improve the living standards of the people living there while also beautifying the area.
“The construction of this road made a substantial contribution to the realisation of the government’s vision set out in the ‘Preah Sihanouk Provincial Land Management Plan’ with a vision to develop the province by 2030,” he said.
The infrastructure construction project in the province started on November 16, 2019, and was originally scheduled for completion on April 1 of this year.
