Contractor promises HCMC canal work despite chairman's arrest

In a Friday statement sent to the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Projects Management Unit, the company confirmed that it will fulfill its duties to renovate the canal, which stretches 32 km through seven districts.

The Hanoi-based company is in charge of building traffic routes and technical infrastructure for two sections along the canal.

Previously, the Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Projects Management Unit, which manages the canal renovation project, reported that Thuan An had halted its work, as the command staff and workers have not been present at the site.

To avoid impacting the project's progress, the unit on Thursday requested the company to provide an official letter clarifying its ability to continue the contracts for the two bid packages.

The canal renovation project, which started a year ago, is privy to a total capital of VND8.2 trillion (US$322 million) from the state budget.

Thuan An Corporation was established in 2004 with Nguyen Duy Hung as the chairman.

Hung was arrested Monday for "violating regulations on bidding causing serious consequences" and "giving bribes."

Thuan An operates in the fields of investment, construction of technical infrastructure projects, electricity and renewable energy trading, and real estate.

In recent years, the company has won dozens of construction and installation bid packages nationwide.

In Ho Chi Minh City, apart from the canal renovation project, the company is also working on the Ring Road No.3 project, and the Nguyen Van Linh – Nguyen Huu Tho interchange tunnel project at the city's southern gate.