Facts and Figures #31: A review of 147 Trash Sites between 2014 and 2016 in P...Sokhret Sorn
Facts and Figures #31: A review of 147 Trash Sites between 2014 and 2016 in Phnom Penh
Efficient and effective trash collection has been a major public health concern in Phnom Penh for decades, but is expected to get worse due to continued urban expansion, and a population which is expected to hit the three million mark before 2017. Poorly managed trash collection attracts vermin, and causes disease to spread. It even reduces property value and impacts tourism. CINTRI – a private trash collection service – has had a monopoly in Phnom Penh since being contracted by the Government in 2002, but residents are sceptical that they can make (and keep) the city clean: “public expectations… have grown and developed beyond what the current model is able to provide”. Residents have been dissatisfied by CINTRI’s efforts since the start, but CINTRI claim they are “not to blame for the capital’s trash-strewn streets” and that the government is using them as a cover for their own inefficiencies. Nevertheless, CINTRI’s contract was reviewed and renewed in May 2016. The private firm held a target of achieving a “sustainable trash collection system” by 2015, but as this report displays, it is apparent this target was not met.
Facts and figures #29 the urban poor community s knowledge on the 2017 commun...Sokhret Sorn
KNOWLEDGE ON THE 2017 COMMUNE ELECTION
Phnom Penh’s urban poor are a marginalized group which has yet to be examined in terms of level of knowledge on voter registration. As such, this research seeks to fill this knowledge gap. It examines whether urban poor residents currently possess a Khmer Citizen Identity Card (IC) or intend to obtain one prior to the voter registration period. It also considers whether those who do not have an IC have the necessary documentation to be able to obtain one, and reasons why such residents may lack such documentation. This study also examines understanding of the pre-requisites for registration and the registration process. Awareness of the upcoming communal elections is also assessed.
237 respondents were interviewed from three urban poor communities in Phnom Penh, which were Village 23, Rolous Cheung Ek and Smor San. These communities were selected because they are typical of urban poor settlements in Phnom Penh, where community members are at risk of experiencing difficulties in registering to vote, and are subject to multiple vulnerabilities, including lack of access to municipal services and the threat of eviction. From these communities, one can draw generalizations about other urban poor communities in Phnom Penh.
The survey found that the majority (92%) of the respondents across the communities did possess an IC. For the minority without ICs (8%), 52% of the respondents claimed they would acquire one in time to register to vote. Furthermore, 77% confirmed they voted in 2012 commune election; 62% said they were aware of the upcoming 2017 commune election, and 97% said they would register for the upcoming 2017 commune election. However, none of the respondents were able to provide a complete answer to the requirements for voter registration. Most respondents could only name two requirements, being 18 years or older, or a being a Cambodian citizen. Ownership of electronic devices was also found to be high across the communities (85% own a TV and 48% own a smartphone), however when it comes to accessing information on the commune election, the village chief or village team leader is relied upon as the key source for the majority of community residents. For the respondents who did not possess ICs or another legal document, 45% said the key reason was due to being asked to ‘pay extra’. As reported by the respondents that were interviewed, extra payments are normally required to help complete application forms, or to overcome inefficiency.
Facts and Figures #31: A review of 147 Trash Sites between 2014 and 2016 in P...Sokhret Sorn
Facts and Figures #31: A review of 147 Trash Sites between 2014 and 2016 in Phnom Penh
Efficient and effective trash collection has been a major public health concern in Phnom Penh for decades, but is expected to get worse due to continued urban expansion, and a population which is expected to hit the three million mark before 2017. Poorly managed trash collection attracts vermin, and causes disease to spread. It even reduces property value and impacts tourism. CINTRI – a private trash collection service – has had a monopoly in Phnom Penh since being contracted by the Government in 2002, but residents are sceptical that they can make (and keep) the city clean: “public expectations… have grown and developed beyond what the current model is able to provide”. Residents have been dissatisfied by CINTRI’s efforts since the start, but CINTRI claim they are “not to blame for the capital’s trash-strewn streets” and that the government is using them as a cover for their own inefficiencies. Nevertheless, CINTRI’s contract was reviewed and renewed in May 2016. The private firm held a target of achieving a “sustainable trash collection system” by 2015, but as this report displays, it is apparent this target was not met.
Facts and figures #29 the urban poor community s knowledge on the 2017 commun...Sokhret Sorn
KNOWLEDGE ON THE 2017 COMMUNE ELECTION
Phnom Penh’s urban poor are a marginalized group which has yet to be examined in terms of level of knowledge on voter registration. As such, this research seeks to fill this knowledge gap. It examines whether urban poor residents currently possess a Khmer Citizen Identity Card (IC) or intend to obtain one prior to the voter registration period. It also considers whether those who do not have an IC have the necessary documentation to be able to obtain one, and reasons why such residents may lack such documentation. This study also examines understanding of the pre-requisites for registration and the registration process. Awareness of the upcoming communal elections is also assessed.
237 respondents were interviewed from three urban poor communities in Phnom Penh, which were Village 23, Rolous Cheung Ek and Smor San. These communities were selected because they are typical of urban poor settlements in Phnom Penh, where community members are at risk of experiencing difficulties in registering to vote, and are subject to multiple vulnerabilities, including lack of access to municipal services and the threat of eviction. From these communities, one can draw generalizations about other urban poor communities in Phnom Penh.
The survey found that the majority (92%) of the respondents across the communities did possess an IC. For the minority without ICs (8%), 52% of the respondents claimed they would acquire one in time to register to vote. Furthermore, 77% confirmed they voted in 2012 commune election; 62% said they were aware of the upcoming 2017 commune election, and 97% said they would register for the upcoming 2017 commune election. However, none of the respondents were able to provide a complete answer to the requirements for voter registration. Most respondents could only name two requirements, being 18 years or older, or a being a Cambodian citizen. Ownership of electronic devices was also found to be high across the communities (85% own a TV and 48% own a smartphone), however when it comes to accessing information on the commune election, the village chief or village team leader is relied upon as the key source for the majority of community residents. For the respondents who did not possess ICs or another legal document, 45% said the key reason was due to being asked to ‘pay extra’. As reported by the respondents that were interviewed, extra payments are normally required to help complete application forms, or to overcome inefficiency.
Facts and figures #28 phnom penh’s lakes where are they nowSokhret Sorn
Cambodia’s government has sanctioned the sale of Phnom Penh’s lakes and, as evidenced by the high profile case of Boeung Kak Lake, this has been linked with lake filling and loss of Phnom Penh’s water systems. This practice is understood – through news reports and anecdotal evidence from former residents of affected lakes – to be widespread, raising concerns about the impact on Phnom Penh’s natural drainage systems and flood risk. However until now there has been no comprehensive analysis of how urban development has impacted on Phnom Penh’s Lakes.
In 2015 STT’s Research Team undertook a study of the current status of 25 lakes in Phnom Penh. This study found that 15 have been filled in, representing a loss of 60% of Phnom Penh’s lake systems. A further eight lakes have been partially filled in, and another has become shallower as a result of waste water and garbage emptied into this area. Overall, this demonstrates that Phnom Penh’s urban development is having a significant impact on the water systems in this region.