 Is it driving or dragging? A Vientiane resident said: "There are so many new developments happening in and around Vientiane. New roads are being constructed, exhibition centres and hotels are being built … many projects that are all about impressing people from outside the country. I don't think this is just because the government is budgeting more money for these projects, but because policies are changing to encourage this kind of development. I wish the Government would spend more time on projects that directly help the Lao people. But people should also be taking care of small projects themselves. Potholes are a good example. If they're near your house, fix them by putting sand in them instead of waiting for the road crews to come along - by that time the hole is usually a much bigger problem. Vientiane has a lot of very nice parks; but it would be nice to see them put to even further use. A lot of countries have mobile libraries in places like these, where you can check out a book to read while you're there and give it back before you leave. Experimenting with new ideas would definitely help or country develop." Mr Somsack Vongsay, 26, a resident of Huayhong village, said: "I would like to see the Government put more energy into agricultural development. We have an agricultural promotion bank for farmers, but it doesn't seem like agriculture is expanding or growing very quickly. We're still importing a lot of food from other countries. Most of Laos' agriculture is still focused on feeding individual families or communities, but not on creating products for export. I think if the government campaigns for more growth and effort in agriculture, we will see our economy grow. Or even if we can decrease our imports of meat, vegetables and other products, our cost of living will go down, and our economy will be stronger in the future." Mr Sonephong Saiyasone, 19, a resident of Hongkha village, said: "It's obvious that Laos is developing, with the expansion of bridges, main roads, public parks, etc... But I'd like to see the Government put more effort into developing popular tourist sites. Laos has many beautiful places to see like waterfalls, but it can still be very difficult to get to many of them. It seems like development has only been focused on areas where it's easy to collect money from vehicles that pass through. But if we improve access to other areas and do a good job of promoting them, then people will visit further than just the already popular places like Vang Vieng. Tourism is one of Laos' main assets; we should be working to maximise it." Ms Chansanith Phongvath, 18, a resident of Anou village, said: "Development is not just the Government's job. It's the responsibility of everyone who lives in the country. If everyone does just the small things it will add up to a lot. People have planted flowers in the public parks and roundabouts, but then people come along and steal them. Garbage is also a problem, especially in public places. If the Government puts money into new roads or parks, we have to be expected to help take care of them. Many people never think twice about eating something and then just throwing the garbage on the ground. This is the kind of thing that hurts Laos' image and we all suffer as a result. The Government can't always be expected to come along and clean up after us. We have to take care of ourselves too." A Vientiane resident said: "It seems like the Government's policies on development are improving. There's a lot of opportunity right now for foreign investment, which helps many sectors develop. There are many foreign companies that are investing in our country, like construction businesses, mining companies and others. I'm especially interested in seeing education develop, and it seems like that's happening also. Many foreigners are opening private schools which increases the competition and gives students the option to choose the best place to study. Education is a big factor in development because it extends into everyone's future." |
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