Dozens of City Offices Privatized
The government last month privatized more than a dozen department and commune offices in some prime locations around Phnom Penh, and will move many of them to Sen Sok district, according to documents and officials. A sub-decree dated June 27 and signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen changes the status of 14 offices covering more than 37,000 square meters of land from state public property to state private property, which clears the way for the government to either sell the land or swap it. In a swap, a private firm takes over the property in return for building the government new office buildings at another site. Critics paint the practice as a chance for well-connected firms to get their hands on prime real estate at a bargain. …
