VietNamNet Bridge – The head, the deputy head, and many employees of the Binh Ferry in the northern port city of Hai Phong were dismissed or disciplined, after some ferry employees asked for money to carry the cars of Hai Phong’s Party Secretary and other officials cross the Cam river.



On the afternoon on November 13, Director of the Hai Phong Department of Transportation Dam Xuan Luy said he had self-reprimanded himself for letting his mobile phone running out of power during the storm Son Tinh.

The Department’s Deputy Director Mai Xuan Phuong also admitted reprimand for having advised Hai Phong’s officials to not cross the river by ferry but by the Kien Bridge to inspect the flood and storm activities.

Mr. Vu Tien Dung, Director of the Hai Phong Road Company and Mr. Tran Van Phuc, deputy director of the company, which manages the Binh Ferry, claimed self-reprimand.

Mr. Tran Minh Hoang, Director of the Binh Ferry, was dismissed. Mr. Vu Dinh Toan, deputy director of the Ferry also lost his post. The ticket cashier at the Ferry was transferred to another job while three ferry workers were fired.

According to Dam Xuan Luy, on the afternoon of October 28, Hai Phong Party Secretary Nguyen Van Thanh went to Thuy Nguyen district to inspect the storm and flood control activities. At around 6.30pm, Thanh left Thuy Nguyen district back to the inner city of Hai Phong.

At the Binh Ferry, as Thanh and Hai Phong’s officials used cars with civil number plates, the ferry workers did not know that they are officials who were on business trip. The ferry staff refused to run the ferry, reasoning that in storm and strong winds of level 5, the flow of water was in excess of 2m/s and it was unsafe for operating the ferry. Moreover, the ferry ticket seller returned home. The ferry only worked after ferry workers received “tips.”

That time, Hai Phong Party Chief Nguyen Van Thanh called Dam Xuan Luy, director of the Department of Transportation but he could not contact Luy.

The Party chief also phoned deputy director Mai Xuan Phuong. In order to ensure the safety of people and vehicles across the Cam River, Phuong advised leaders of Hai Phong city to cross the river by the Kien Bridge.

Mr. Luy claimed that his phone was out of battery because he received and made a lot of phone calls that day. Particularly, he had to guide the rescue of two ferries at Dinh Vu wharf.

After the successful rescue of the two ferries, Luy charged his phone and saw the missed calls of the Hai Phong Party Secretary. He immediately called back. Then, he and Hai Phong’s officials together directed storm control activities in districts of Hai Phong.

NLD