INTERVIEW

Reform is not about talking, it is about action

e are not a Greenpeace party, says Mok Mareth, environment minister, We are a government body responsible for ensuring a balance is struck between economic development, conservation and sustainable development of the environment. Minister of the environment since the ministry was formed in 1993, Dr Mok Mareth has been known to make controversial comments on university students Testing times: the environment which include his 2007 claim that core face a tougher fight for jobs will zones of Protected Areas would not necessarily be off limits to economic development. Of course environmental impact assessments (EIA) are made before licences are granted to mining or to other development companies, he affirms. Our only policy is sustainable development with regard to the environment, this may mean losing some parts of our biodiversity. Responding to Country for Sale, a recent report by UKbased advocacy group Global Witness that charges the government of corruption in Flower power: Mok Mareth, environment the allocation of lucraminister, is optimistic about the environment tive mining rights in biodiverse rich areas, he says the group has little understanding of how Cambodia works and no appreciation of its economic situation and so has no right to criticise the country. As environment minister for over 15 years, he has seen Cambodia change rapidly and with it so must the ministry, he says. Responding to a call from the prime minister to make the government more efficient and effective, Mok Mareth says he will do what he can to prevent corruption and bribery and to improve transparency within his office. Reform is not only about talking, it must be about action, he says giving little away on how he plans to streamline his staff. With regards to alternative ways of tapping into the earning power of Cambodias forests, he says the government is interested in carbon credit trading but will wait for the US to take the lead.

Correction: In our last issue we mistakenly included NTC as an internet service provider (ISP) in difficulties. NTC provides bandwidth through one of the most advanced and reliable fibre-optic networks in the country. We apologise for the error.

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