Vietnamese plans for a memorial to war widows sparked an outcry Thursday when it was revealed that the cost had spiralled to five times its initial estimate, according to dpa. A park is being built to house a statue dedicated to heroic mothers, a term used to describe women who lost husbands or sons in the country's wars against France and the United States. Critics have said the money would be better spent on welfare for the women themselves. Many live in poverty despite their sacrifices for the country. The cost of the 15-hectare park, buildings and 80-metre-wide statue in the central coastal district of Son Tinh was originally estimated at 3.9 million dollars when construction started in 2007. But the government said Thursday that it was now set to reach 19.7 million dollars, as the price of materials has increased at least fourfold, and gas, oil and electricity were as much as three times more expensive. Locals expressed dissatisfaction at the news.
