On Demand for Midwife
In relation to midwife issue, I would suggest if we could use similar incentive as we did in the area of tuberculosis. I remember that before it was covered by the budget from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, I covered the supplementary income for about two years. As is said here when we have announcement for a recruitment of 100 midwives and there have been only 60 applicants it tells us that there are not many people who likes to take up this career. I think the Ministries of Health, Public Function and Economy and Finance should altogether review the salary system – whether we offer a bigger salary for them than those in other areas in general medical application. As of now about 200 health centers are without midwives. I think we should encourage people for this career for it is relating to lives of mother and child, during and post delivery. I support the idea of working out an incentive system so that we could manage our human resources in this area.
On Traffic Accidents
Death caused from traffic accidents is on the increase. Injured people from traffic accidents have been a costly treatment – take for instance the need for blood, which is in great demand but in short supply for those to be operated. I wish to take this opportunity to declare a reform vis á vis the right-hand drive vehicles. About 30% of the vehicles in the country are right-hand drive vehicles. Most of the traffic accidents are also caused by these right-hand driven cars. What are we going to do with them? Our efforts so far have been in vain to capture those right-hand drive vehicles and force them to change from right to left-hand drive. They bought the car at 2000 or 2500 US dollars and the cost of changing from right to hand drive cost them another 500 dollars would not be a viable option for them. Using the police force to capture those vehicles, the police is also using the right-hand drive vehicles. Those driving the right-hand drive vehicle could not drive the car in confident manner as the car does not have a number plate, tax evading, etc. This means that we failed to make a profit on both sides.
I wish to send a message to our people and all related institutions and authorities to provide right-hand drive vehicles already in traffic in the country legal rights to circulate in the country by allowing them to pay tax and to get a number plate. What is the most important is the fact that we must cease by all means to allow imports of new right-drive cars. The right-hand drive vehicles would not last to after 2010 or 2015 if no further imports. Having done so we would be able to avoid to an extent the traffic accident and also collect more taxes as well. As far as tax payment is concerned we should think of an acceptable rate because if the car is bought at about 500 dollars and the rate for paying tax is set at 1500 dollars, they would not bring their cars to pay tax still. What is to be done is that the custom officers and the military police at the border do their duties to put a firm stop at import of more right-hand drive vehicles. From now on all vehicles have the rights to traffic in the country that no police or military police cause them any troubles or concerns while driving.
Last year I took the chance of being here to declare the legal or justice reform and this year I am taking the chance to rduce death and injuries that might be caused by traffic accidents. Recently the Phnom Penh Municipality have decided to accept the offer of right-hand drive vehicles for collecting wastes from Japan, and I think we must accept the offer. And when the Prime Minister approve the offer of right-hand drive vehicles means the Prime Minister legalize the traffic of the right-hand drive vehicles already. The Khmer New Year is approaching and they may need the cars for traveling in families to their native villages, or tourist areas./.
EndItem.
