Cambodia's PM says lessons on fiscal matters unnecessary

Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen liken lessons on managing unearned revenues to lessons on cooking a fish that was still in the water.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010
By Robert Carmichael, Phnom Penh
ABC Radio Australia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has told a conference on good mining practices the country does not need any more lessons on how to manage expected revenues from mining industries.

That comes ahead of a donor meeting next week where foreign nations will gather to decide how much to give the country for its budget.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was in combative form when he said foreign organisations must stop giving lessons on fiscal transparency in the extractive industries sector.

That comes after criticisms that millions of dollars paid in signing fees by French oil major Total and Australian mining house BHP Billiton failed to appear in the budget.

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