The use of short-term contracts by employers in the Kingdom’s garment industry is threatening workers’ rights and could lead to decreased productivity in the sector, researchers said at a meeting yesterday. Following the release of a report by Yale Law School last week based on <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/workers-face-contract-woes/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia has officially opened a stock exchange, which economists say will provide a chance for the development of the country and job creation. However, they warn that mismanagement of the bourse could also lead to economic woes. “When this stock market goes well, it will <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/economists-see-growth-potential-in-stock-exchange-2/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Ratings agency Moody’s changed its outlook on acleda Bank’s financial strength yesterday to “negative” from “stable” and downgraded its rating of the bank’s local currency deposits to Ba2 from Ba1. The rating downgrade was applied due to changes in shareholders at the bank over the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/moodys-downgrades-acleda-cites-risk/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A strike this morning At A gArment fActory locAted neAr the bend of A dirt roAd in BonAl SA-ith villAge in Sen Sok district underscores the need for enhAnced enforcement of lAbour legislAtion, the president of the Free TrAde Union sAid yesterdAy. CheA Mony Also sAid <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/brAnd-Aid-fAiling-workers/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Despite the recent downgrading of two of Cambodia’s major banks by ratings agencies Moody’s and Standard &amp; Poor’s, bankers said yesterday that profits are up, loan portfolios are growing at a fast tick and non-performing loans are shrinking. In Channy, president and CEO of acleda Bank, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/despite-downgrades-bankers-report-uptick/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A pAir of SAndAn district villAgers who pArticipAted in lAst week’s Prey LAng forest protest AgAinst illegAl logging, And two of the NGO workers who monitored them, were fAcing AccusAtions of incitement And destruction of property in complAints filed AgAinst them in the provinciAl court, <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/prey-lAng-protest-puts-foursome-in-firing-line/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Representatives from Cambodia and Thailand yesterday agreed to a 2013 completion date for a railway link from Phnom Penh across the Cambodia-Thailand border crossing at Poipet. Outdated agreements had delayed the project, Thai officials said. Insiders have also said disagreements over cross-border trade have kept the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/thai-rail-link-back-on-track/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Ly Yong Phat and his company LYP Group have been ordered to cease all dredging operations on the Tatai river pending a review of the effects by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology. LYP Group currently has a permit to dredge seven areas of <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/koh-kong-king-halted/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

60 some Angkor beer promoters Are going to hold A strike outside of the compAny’s Phnom Penh offices in order to drAw Attention to the lAbor violAtions And discriminAtion they’ve suffered. The strike is plAnned to be loud And colorful According to ChAm Rong, the <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/beer-girls-brew-Angkor-strike/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned again that economic land concessions granted to private companies will be withdrawn if the companies fail to resolve land disputes with villagers who have lived in their concession area for “a long time”. The premier ordered relevant ministries to <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/pm-issues-warning-over-elcs/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The National Bank of Cambodia has issued a commercial banking licence to a Taiwanese bank, while another banking licence is pending approval for a Chinese-Cambodian joint venture, central bank Director General and Spokeswoman Ngoun Sokha said yesterday. The central bank had licensed Taiwan’s Mega International <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/two-more-banks-setting-up-shop/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A MAlAysiAn firm on SAturdAy signed A joint AgriculturAl Agreement with property development compAny PArAgon CorporAtion CAmbodiA worth A potentiAl US$2 billion in exports of corn, rubber, coffee And other cAsh crops. Penned by PArAgon CorporAtion CAmbodiA And MArkmore Group MAlAysiA, the joint development project will <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cAsh-crop-deAl-to-Aid-kingdom/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Thirteen construction workers have filed a complaint against the Banteay Meanchey provincial branch of T&amp;P Co Ltd &ndash; the recruitment agency at the center of allegations involving illegal detainment of trainees &ndash; officials said yesterday. The workers, who had previously worked illegally as construction workers in <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/complaint-filed-against-tp-in-banteay-meanchey/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

As hundreds of villAgers belonging to the Prey Long People’s Network begAn A week-long cAmpAign to sAve Prey Long forest, Kompong Thom province militAry police intervened SundAy And prevented A group of About 80 villAgers from joining the cAmpAign, An environmentAl Activist sAid yesterdAy. Chut Wutty, <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/villAgers-cAmpAigning-to-sAve-forest-hArAssed-ngo-sAys/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Philippine government on October 28 issued a ban on its country’s citizens working in Cambodia only to suspend the ban a week later after Filipinos employed here complained, Philippine ambassador Noe Wong said yesterday. Cambodia was listed by the Philippines Overseas Employment administration (POEa) as <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/ban-on-filipino-migrant-workers-suspended/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A 54-yeAr-old mAn in KrAtie province’s Snuol district wAs crushed to deAth under trees felled on TuesdAy morning by bulldozers belonging to VietnAmese rubber compAny Dy NAm, An officiAl sAid. District governor Iv SAphum sAid thAt Khem KAn, A representAtive of 77 fAmilies involved in A <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/mAn-guArding-lAnd-crushed-by-bulldozer/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A mother whose fAmily fAce eviction from their home At Boeung KAk lAke wAs fArewelled At A funerAl on SAturdAy evening, hours After her body wAs found in the Mekong River. CheA DArA’s body wAs identified by fAmily members on SAturdAy in SAmrAong Thum commune, Kien <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/villAgers-sAlute-cheA-dArA/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday charged a businessman with fraud and forgery stemming from a complaint made by the director of Win World Trading Co. Ltd. over a deal involving the selling of rosewood logged in Laos to Vietnam. The provincial military police detained Sann Dichham <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/fraud-forgery-charges-over-rosewood-logging/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The International Labour Organisation’s Better Factories program is seeking funding for a campaign to prevent “future fainting incidents” at the garment factories it monitors, following the release on Friday of the results of its investigation into them, according to a document obtained by the Post. The <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/push-to-uncover-fainting-cause/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Seven union leaders representing garment workers will send a statement today urging the Ministry of Labor and the Garment Manufacturers association in Cambodia (GMaC) to decrease the use of temporary labor contracts, because they erode the rights of workers, union leaders said yesterday. Rong Chhun, president <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/union-heads-rally-to-end-short-term-contracts/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>