Tracking down abandoned projects

Being assigned by the agency’s leaders to find out information about investment projects that are behind schedule and not implemented according to regulations and progress in the province, I felt a bit pressured. Having to find things that others want to hide is not an easy task. However, I was still willing to accept the job and considered it a task to challenge myself.

For a reporter who has just approached the planning and investment sector like me, learning about delayed projects is not very convenient. Difficulties range from identifying the project name, project location to project information and documents. Abandoned projects often have sensitive issues and no agency or management unit wants to "name" the project in the press because of the related responsibilities. Therefore, when learning about projects, there are projects that I can meet directly with the relevant agencies and local authorities to get information, but there are projects that I have to find information from other sources.

There are projects that have been abandoned for many years, through many terms, changes in officials and civil servants in charge, so the information is incomplete, even with discrepancies between the parties. Therefore, I have to be careful and thorough in researching documents and records. To facilitate propaganda, I often learn from the bottom up instead of from the top down. That is, when I have an accurate grasp of the project's delay, I will go to the actual site, record the sharing and reflection of the people and local authorities. Then I will work with the authorities and project owners to request the provision of records and handling plans.

There are projects that have been abandoned for decades, dozens of hectares in size, surrounded by grass, and no one is seen all day, so going there alone to "explore" is a challenge for a female reporter like me. Sometimes I have to ask my colleagues to help me to ensure safety.

Thanks to proactive research and efforts to overcome difficulties, I have been able to produce many news and articles reflecting on projects that are behind schedule and have violated regulations during implementation. These include articles such as “Nearly 20 years of waiting for DELTA International Hospital”, “The ecological area project in the east of Hai Duong City is still overgrown with weeds”, “The 45-hectare project next to National Highway 5 of Dong Tam Northern Joint Stock Company is unfinished”, “More than 7 hectares of land in Cam Phuc commune are abandoned and wasted”, “After the implementation period, the new residential area project in Cao Thang commune (Thanh Mien) is still overgrown with grass”… and many other news. These press works have condemned and warned about the situation of land encroachment, the weak capacity of investors and the difficulties and limitations in attracting investment in the project, and are important information channels that help the province take timely action.