The Cleveland Daily Banner
by Special to the Banner
Cleveland and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, will formalize a sister
city accord as Mayor Tom Rowland and city leaders welcome His Excellency
Governor Kep Chuk Tema and a delegation from the Southeast Asian nation
at a civic dinner tonight.
“We look forward to spending a few
days with the governor and his entourage, introducing them to our city’s
governmental and business leaders, and familiarizing them with our
community,” Rowland said.
A delegation from Cleveland will pay a return visit to Cambodia at a later date.
The
13-member Cambodian group arrived Sunday and was met in Atlanta by
state Rep. Kevin Brooks, Dr. Fred Garmon, director of People for Care
and Learning, a Cleveland-based nonprofit organization presently engaged
in a major construction and poverty-reduction effort in the Phnom Penh
area, and others.
Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, has 1.5
million inhabitants. It is a federal district like Washington, D.C., and
also serves as the political, cultural and industrial center of the
country. Its chief executive is accorded the title of governor, on a
level with the heads of the 22 provinces of the nation. Governor Kep
Chuk Tema also serves as a principal advisor to Cambodia’s prime
minister, the national head of government.
The delegation will
spend two days in Cleveland, travel to Nashville for a reception hosted
by Gov. Bill Haslam, followed by a visit to Bristol to attend a NASCAR
event.
His Cleveland stay includes a reception at the
Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, tours of several local industries
and the official event sealing the sister city arrangement.
Tonight’s
welcome dinner will be hosted by Lee University president Dr. Paul Conn
and will include city officials, local business leaders, and People for
Care and Learning personnel.
Garmon became acquainted with the
governor in the process of planning the development of a new city in the
Phnom Penh region. The local group is building homes for about 8,000
Cambodians, including roads, water and sewage system, school, public
market, health clinic, vocational training center and a park. The new
town will replace temporary quarters for residents who were relocated to
make way for commercial development.
The group traveling with
the governor includes Phnom Penh’s director of administration, director
of finance, director of planning and investment, and other dignitaries.
His wife and daughter also accompany the delegation.
The Cambodian delegation expenses are paid by People for Care and Learning, the Phnom Penh government, and private donations.
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