Tajiks are asked to give up month's salary to build a dam

‘Tajiks are asked to give up month’s salary to build a dam’
The Moscow Times
April 30, 2008
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1010/42/362431.htm

Summary:
The people of Tajikistan were recently asked to give up a month’s salary to help pay for a desperately needed dam. Unusually cold weather during the past months have caused many electricity shortages, so a new hydroelectric dam is needed. The mayor says that if all the residents give half of their salary for 2 months, more than $10 million could be raised. In addition, the government already has $40 million saved up, and in 2009 they should have double that. However, a week earlier, the president of Tajik said that the entire project will cost about $550 million. Having residents giving up their salaries should be voluntary, but people are concerned that they could be forced into it. Tajikistan is one of the world’s poorest countries, and the average monthly salary there is only $50.

Reactions:
- The article relates to the theme ‘Creation, expansion, and interaction of economic systems’ because it has to do with the fact that Tajikistan’s economy isn’t strong enough.
- A civil war in the 1990’s destroyed Tajikistan’s economy, and that’s the reason it is why it is today. Also, the construction of this new dam, called the Rogun project, started in the 1970’s, but nothing ever happened with it because of the Soviet collapse.
- The point of view is a member of the newspaper, which is Russian.
- The author doesn’t seem to be impacting how the issue was reported at all.
- A point of view missing is from a Tajikistan resident. It would show what the people think about this idea, and if they would actually be willing to give up their salaries.
- I don’t think that this plan will work, because most people probably wouldn’t be willing to give a month’s salary to the government. But if the dam is really important and would benefit all the people, then they should contribute some money for it. Considering that the average salary is only $50 a month, most families probably can’t afford to give any of it away. The government shouldn’t force anyone to participate.