The government is intending to subsidise village administrations under a new policy requiring initial implementation in the 109 villages which fall under the Sam Sang  (Three Builds) pilot project.

Mr Bounnhang Vorachit.

The government plan was revealed at a meeting which began in Vientiane yesterday to disseminate Resolution No. 8 of the Politburo, a Prime Ministerial Decision on the improvement of administrative structure at the village level, and the payment of living allowances to civil servants at the grassroots level.

Vice President Bounnhang Vorachit presided over the meeting which continues today. Participants include core officials from line ministries, government bodies and agencies, provincial and district governors, and directors of departments involved in the Sam Sang project.

Mr Bounnhang, who is a Politburo member and Head of the Guiding Committee of the Sam Sang Pilot Project, told the meeting the Sam Sang project was improving in quality, while calling on the authorities involved to actively implement the scheme so that it achieves its goals.

“What was written needs to be realised and carried out in the right manner, so the Politburo has worked out the eighth resolution, which provides living allowances for staff at the village level who currently work without any salary,” he said.

The new policy will replace the former resolution of the Central Party Secretariat dated December 4, 2007.

Village heads and supporting staff have been working in administrative positions without receiving any payment.

The new resolution states that the payment of living allowances should be a factor in building up the enthusiasm and competency of village staff, and is in line with changes in the economy, livelihoods and living costs, while also approximating the basic salary paid to civil servants.

For village leaders the resolution defines the criteria for being appointed a village head as being that he or she should have leadership in a certain community, while also acting as chief executive officer, a civil servant at that level, and village developer.

The Politburo formulated the resolution to spur adherence to its Resolution No. 3 on the building of provinces as strategic units, districts as comprehensively strengthened units, and villages as development units.

Mr Bounnhang called on officials to study and understand the new resolution and begin its implementation in the 109 villages from the start of this financial year. This is to be followed by expansion into other main villages next year and to all villages throughout the country in the 2015-2016 financial year. He said the living allowances will be paid and improvements made to the political system and administration at grassroots level with a focus on the Sam Sang villages and conforming to state budget capability.

Today, the meeting will discuss the devolution betwe en provincial and district administrations regarding financial management, living allowances, bonuses and other benefits for village leaders and staff, along with investment projects at district and village levels and their management mechanisms.

Great idea

Beef Cake wrote on 3^rd Oct, 2013 at 9:00pm:

Building bullet train?

You from Thailand?

Buk Nut wrote on 19^th Jan, 2014 at 12:18pm:

No, I'm not from Thailand. I have lived there for many years though. I am half Lao and half American and I've also been to Laos but not as much as Thailand. I want to stay in Laos in the future.

Why does everyone think that being like the west is "progress" and "advancement;" "moving forward"?

Let me tell you something, we are all moving towards the same place one day, and that's death. There is no such thing as progress...Just live our lives the best we can without hurting each other.