VN localities pour money into modern administrative centers   A worker is seen at the construction site of the new financial center in Binh Duong September 21, 2013. Tuoi Tre   The new administrative office building of Da Nang is seen in Da Nang September 22, 2013. Tuoi Tre A number of localities across Vietnam are building new centers for their political, financial and administrative agencies, all of which are modern architecture projects costing trillions of dong. These cities and provinces all share the same scheme: having all of the said agencies transferred to one building or area, while selling their old facilities to get money to fund the construction projects. One of the most remarkable such projects is in the southern province of Binh Duong, which earmarked some VND500 billion from its budget for the construction of a new financial building in the Binh Duong New City, some 7km away from its current administrative hub in Thu Dau Mot City. The financial building will be part of a new politics-administrative center, construction on which began in November 2010. The US$140 million center will include a 21-story office building where most of the provincial agencies will be headquartered. These projects are due for completion in the next two months, while the agencies are scheduled to be transferred next year. The province’s construction department said it will auction or convert the function of the old buildings of these agencies to make up for the expenses for the new administrative hub. Binh Duong authorities meanwhile say they believe the new political and administrative center will boost the province’s development. Elsewhere, in the coastal province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau, a new administrative center in Ba Ria City was inaugurated in April 2012. The area cost the provincial budget more than VND1 trillion, while the province also auctioned some of its old administrative buildings to cover expenses. The coastal province too believes that its development will be fortified with the new financial – politics hub. In the central hub of Da Nang, the VND1.7 trillion 34-story office building intended to be the headquarters of the municipal agencies is also expected to reach completion by the end of this year, when all of the city’s agencies and departments will begin moving in. Da Nang also planned to fund this construction by putting a number of public offices on auction. But none of the auctioned offices have been able to find buyers so far, according to the municipal house management agency. Similarly, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is also struggling to auction some of its public office buildings to have money for a new administrative center that is expected to cost VND1.01 trillion. The province expected to gain some VND455 billion from the auctions, but no investors or buyers have ever shown interest, according to the Da Lat House Management Center.   TUOITRENEWS