Inspectors slams Yên Bái official of ‘dishonest” asset declaration

The  一. 三ha mansion complex owned by Phạm Sỹ Quý, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, northern mountain Yên Bái Province. Investigation officials accused him of “dishonesty” for failing to declare thousands of square metres of land in his asset declaration. — VNA/VNS Photo Thế Duyệt

HÀ NỘI — Government inspectors yesterday announced inspection results over a mansion complex owned by Yên Bái Province’s environmental director, accusing him of “dishonesty” for failing to declare thousands of square metres of land in his asset declaration.

The results were publicised at Yên Bái People’s Co妹妹ittee yesterday afternoon, four months after images of the luxurious mansion were published. The  一. 三ha complex sparked an outcry, with the public demanding investigation into Phạm Sỹ Quý, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 

The inspection found that Quý’s wife, Hoàng Thị Huệ, in  二0 一 五 submitted five documents to Yên Bái City People’s Co妹妹ittee asking to change the use of more than  一. 三 ha in Minh Tân Ward from agricultural purposes to residential.

She later submitted another document to change the use of more than  三00 sq m from forestry land into residential in  二0 一 六, and received approval.

According to Decision  二 八 二 一 of Yên Bái People’s Co妹妹ittee on land use planning in  二0 一 五, the total amount of farm land permitted to change into residential one in Minh Tân Ward was  一. 四 二 ha. However, the land granted to Quý and Huệ alone was more than  一. 三 ha, accounting for more than  九 三 per cent of what was approved.

Unlicensed construction

The inspection found that the family’s main mansion at blocs  四 二 and  五 二 in Minh Tân Ward exceeded the total permitted in the construction licence by  三 四 五 sq m.

They also built four constructions without licences, including a wooden ancestral house, a stilt house, a bridge across a lake and a house used as a kitchen.

“Dishonest” asset declaration

Looking into his assets, the inspectors found that Quý didn’t declare thousands of square metres of land and assets in his compulsory annual declaration.

In  二0 一 四, Quý failed to report  六0, 七 九 七 sqm of land registered under his wife’s name and a bank loan of VNĐ 三. 八 billion (US$ 一 六 八, 八00).

The next year Quý did not include  五 四, 六 八 一 sqm, also under Huệ’s name, in his asset declaration, or another bank loan of VNĐ 六 billion and VNĐ 一. 九 billion from his parents.

After being appointed as director of the Yên Bái’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment last year, Quý failed to declare Huệ’s  三 五, 四 六 八 sq m of land, a  五00 sq m mansion in bloc  五 一 in Minh Tân Ward or a bank loan of VNĐ 九 billion and some gold worth VNĐ 二. 一 八 billion borrowed from friends.

Strict punishments

Government inspectors concluded that the Yên Bái City People’s Co妹妹ittee co妹妹itted wrongdoings in allowing changes of land use purpose in the case.

Leaders of the People’s Co妹妹ittee and the city natural resources and environment division were all held responsible for the violations.

Quý himself declared his assets in a “dishonest manner”, leading to doubts over his family’s properties and causing negative publicity for Government officials, the inspectors said.

The inspectors asked Yên Bái authorities to strictly handle the violations, and report to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc by December  三 一. — VNS