Thua Thien – Hue races to pay compensation to fishermen prior to Tet

The central province has so far distributed more than VND260 billion (US$11.44 million) worth of compensation to over 14,000 coastal residents affected by the mass fish deaths caused by waste disposal by Formosa Ha Tinh steel company last year.

The sum is equivalent to 65% of the money local authorities received for the first phase of compensation.

Along with payment, local authorities have guided residents in how to use the money to restore fishing or switch to other occupations.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has examined additional damages in line with the Prime Minister’s Decision 1880/QD-TTg. To date, the amount has reached approximately VND270 billion US$11.88 million).

The volume of unsold seafood products across the province between April and August, 2016, were nearly 490 tonnes, of which 22 tonnes were considered unsafe and destroyed.

In late June 2016, Taiwan-invested Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Limited Company admitted responsibility for the environmental incident, which affected the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue. It pledged VND11.5 trillion (US$500 million) in compensation.

The Ministry of Finance transferred VND3 trillion (US$134 million) to the localities in the initial phase. Of the amount, Thua Thien-Hue got VND400 billion (US$17.6 million), Quang Binh VND1.1 trillion (US$48.5 million), Ha Tinh one trillion VND (US$44.1 million), and Quang Tri VND500 billion (US$22 million).