The Prime Minister decided to give State budget priority to key projects in Ly Son island district in the central province of Quang Ngai, while encouraging local and foreign investors to get involved in State-funded infrastructure projects applying the build-transfer (BT), build-operate-transfer (BOT) and public-private-partnership (PPP) mechanisms.

According to the PM’s decisions on mechanisms and policies to support development in Ly Son for the period 2015-2020, priority will be given to unfinished State-funded projects and other key investment projects on the island. This includes the Ly Son port (phase II), a road through the southeastern part of the island (phase II), and water supply in the district’s centre.

The PM also prioritised the provision of capital for new projects in line with the State budget, including ring roads and embankments on large and small islands, sea dyke systems, Ben Dinh port, hospitals and preventive medical centres, water supply (phase II), a fisheries information centre, and main roads.

In addition, investors operating on Ly Son island will be provided with the highest level of support in accordance with legal regulations.

Furthermore, projects in the fields of production and business will benefit from preferential access to credit for investment and export, as stipulated by the law.

Ly Son district lies 18 nautical miles off the Vietnamese coast and covers an area of 10km2. It includes three communes: An Hai, An Vinh and An Binh.

The island district has a population of approximately 2,100. The majority of residents earn a living from fishing and farming garlic and spring onions. Ly Son district is striving to become a maritime economic centre by 2025, with a focus on tourism and aquaculture.

Archaeologists found relics of Sa Huynh culture on Ly Son Island dating back to 3,000 years ago. Starting in the 16th century, a number of ethnic groups migrated to Ly Son from the mainland and have inhabited the island ever since.

The island boasts numerous forms of intangible cultural heritage, such as traditional boat races and the Hoang Sa Soldier Feast and Commemoration Festival, which was recognised as a national heritage in April, 2013.-VNA