The Deputy Prime Minister, Sar Kheng says the government's power devolution plan is to give citizens ownership rights in shaping their destinies through responsible action. The centre will transfer some power and responsibilities to provincial governments while commune councils will assume local decision- making and administration. The change, to come into force with the local elections in January, also marks the full system change from the centrally planned to a market economy. The three-tier administration, Sar Kheng briefed last week's second national conference on the state's political programme, would contribute to people's participation in governance. Decentralisation is the most effective means of meeting the needs, improving living conditions and delivering the basic services at the local level.
Local needs differ from one place to the other according to special features of each area.
The minister explained that democracy is not participating in elections, but also fulfilling obligations with the authority given by the polls and ensure social development. He said therefore training at the local level would prepare the grass roots in participatory democracy using the bottom up principle. During the first term of elected commune councils, an inter-ministerial committee will help in the establishment of the management system for operation. There will also be redefining the sangkat and commune boundaries, but if they affect the number of councillors to be elected, the numbers will be adjusted in the subsequent election. Sar Kheng said that with decentralisation, provincial governments would need wider powers to link national and grass root level operations.