Authorities in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai will investigate a 13,000 square-metre villa owned by the family of the provincial Director of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Sy Quy.

The 13,000 square-metre villa owned by Pham Sy Quy's wife

The decision was made following the public concerns over how Quy’s family could have such a big land plot. The case has made the headlines these days.

The plot located in Yen Bai City’s Minh Tan District, which includes a big house, a stilt house, a suspension bridge and a lake along with gardens, now belongs to the ownership of Quy’s wife Hoang Thi Hue.

According to local newspapers, on July 20, 2015 alone, Nguyen Yen Hien, vice chairman of Yen Bai People's Committee issued six consecutive decisions to turn a 13,000 square-metre forest land plot into housing land for Quy’s family.

On June 9, the provincial People’s Committee decided to find out whether the land and house owned by Quy’s wife is legal or not.

Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Party Secretary of Yen Bai Province, said when the inspection results will be announced to the public later.

Quy said that the land plot was his wife’s private assets, adding that she was running her own business activities.

According to Quy, the land plot transfer carried out in 2015 was totally lawful.

Regarding the issue of six consecutive decisions in one day by provincial authorities for the land transfer, he said that, as he knew, Vietnamese law does not stipulate how many documents and decisions issued in one day and this will be clarified by provincial authorities later.

Quy, 46, was appointed as Director of Yen Bai Province’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment from September 9, 2016. Earlier, he worked as the department deputy director and director of the provincial land fund development centre.

He is younger brother of Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Party Secretary of Yen Bai Province.

Public doubts also grew when the winners of a land auction plot in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai all turned out to be senior local officials. To date, six large houses have been built on this 2,700-square metre land plot, covering between 400-600 square metres each.

dtinews