[Vnbiz] CD/DVD about Tan Hoa Lo Gom project

[Tran Dinh Hoanh]

Dear chi Dieu Anh & CACC,

It is real fascinating to read your summary of the project.  Of
course, I've known about it a bit from talking to you over the years.
But reading about it again, I still feel fascinated.  It is really a
very challenging and difficult project, considering the comprehensive
approach it has taken.  It is more than relocation of dwelling place.
It is a rebuilding of lives.  And many lives at once.  It is
incredible.  No wonder you said had your staff known about the
difficulties before starting, no one would have taken the job.

I really want to know some of the valuable management experience
you've gained.  If you just could take time and post some of them in a
series, that would be great for everyone.

I am glad to see that the project will be duplicated nationwide.  I
would try to tell the new cities to try to win some folks from your
staff to help run their projects.  This kind of experience is very
hard to find.

To begin with, if I am a mayor of a city who is thinking about a
similar project for my city and I ask for your advice, what would be
the three most important things you would want me to pay attention to?

Thanks a million, chi Anh.

Have a great day!

Hoanh
________

On 1/4/07, LeDieu Anh <a.ledieu at gmail.com> wrote:
> [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
>
> Dear chi Thu,
>
> Compared to you I am junior in the field of ODA. I started to work as
> consultant for some ODA projects since late 90s. I used to work for
> ODA Partneship before coming to this project. I also work as
> consultant for ODA projects and NGO projects, too. So now we have
> something in common to share with each other.
>
> I will send the project CD/DVD to the address you gave. In the CD
> (both in E and VN) you can find evaluation reports of our pilot
> projects: solid waste, social work/activities, resettlement project
> and wastewater treatment, and a final report, a kind of overall
> project evaluation. These are end-of-project evaluations rather than
> post-project ones. I mentioned in my note to vnbiz about a follow-up
> study on resettlement housing in coming 18 months, which will be a
> kind of the post-project evaluation.
>
> Yes, it is the fact (and pity) that [ODA] PMUs are dissolved after
> projects finished. This issue has been discussed in many workshops
> here in HCMC. In case of my project, we are now in the phase of cost
> finalisation with the government. After we get the approval of
> finacial report, our PMU will close. Most of my technical staff
> already left the PMU after June 2006. The city government encourages
> PMU staff with its experience in project implementation and
> familiarity with ODA, to continue to work in other ODA projects here
> in Saigon. However, as you know, the remuneration for PMU staff is
> low, while the workload is huge with clear deadline. No where in the
> government system like in ODA PMUs, staff are pushed to meet deadline,
> since there are two 'bosses': government and donor. Almost all of my
> staff said, when looking back at the work done, that they cannot
> imagine, what a tough road was, fighting with all kinds of obstacles
> in many areas, to come to the final today. If they knew that before,
> they would not dare to join the project. It was a half-joking,
> half-serious feeling, but it is true. Therefore, for the time being,
> even if the government does not close PMU, its (good technical) staff
> would not stay to work, and this is the fact.
>
> You also mentioned about post-project evaluation of other projects. I
> share the same concern because we can learn many from other projects.
> I think chi Tanh An, thu Trang of MPI in vnbiz can contribute to this
> also. The evaluation reports that you will find in my project CD/DVD
> will give you some results and some evaluation of 'technical' aspects
> of the project only. I have said in an workshop on evaluation of VN
> Urban Upgrading project, organized by MOC rcently, that any evaluation
> need to identify clear intended users of evaluation report. Otherwise,
> the evaluation is simply a step in project management to complete
> only, and therefore meaningless.
>
> Just a few lines to share with you. When you come down to SG and are
> interested in discussing it with a cup of coffee, I would love to do
> so :-)
>
> Keep in touch, chi Thu nhe.
>
> Have a great day,
> Dieu Anh
>
> PS. Sorry I reply to your private email with a cc to vnbiz, since i
> think some CACC might like to chip in.
>
> --
Tran Dinh Hoanh, LLB, JD
Attorney of Law
Washington DC