Preparations under way for Assembly, Council elections


The approaching general and local elections offer a key opportunity for Vietnamese voters to exercise their right to select the best candidates for National Assembly and People's Councils at various levels, Nguyen Phu Trong, Party Secretary General, NA Chairman and Chairman of the Election Council, told participants at a meeting in the capital city yesterday, Feb 10.

Photo: Vietnam+
"The election – which is scheduled to take place on Sunday May 22, is a key event this year, following the National Party Congress in January," said Trong.

He asked party committees and administrations at all levels, as well as the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, to ensure the elections would be a success.

It is important that all party members, people and armed forces thoroughly understand the special significance of the elections, of the roles, positions and functions of the National Assembly and the People's Councils, said Trong. "This is an occasion for the Vietnamese people to display their patriotism and to exercise their civil right and obligation to building and consolidating the socialist state ruled by law," Trong emphasised.

He urged the participants to do their best to make sure the election would take place in a democratic and fair atmosphere.

"We'll not tolerate any plot to undermine the Party's guidelines and the country's laws."

Tong Thi Phong, permanent vice chairwoman of the Election Council and a politburo member asked all party committees nation-wide to develop plans to make the polling day a truly festive event.

"In your plans, you have to arrange consultation meetings in order to encourage competent people to stand for the elections, and to arrange meetings for candidates to present their plans to voters," said Phong.

On May 22, 2011, all eligible Vietnamese voters will go to the polls to elect their representatives to the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the term 2011-16.

The meeting yesterday was part of the Party Politburo's instructions on preparations for the elections. Among participants attending the meeting were Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Truong Tan Sang and To Huy Rua, politburo and members of the Party Secretariat; and leaders from 63 provinces and cities.

In the afternoon, participants discussed further tasks relating to the upcoming elections which are scheduled for May 22, including the deadline for the nomination of candidates, the collection of voter opinions on the candidates and the duration of the polling day.

Closing the meeting, Trong asked all localities to seriously follow the Party Central Committee's guidance and documents to map out their own plans to ensure a successful election day. The entire political system must focus on the election and promptly address any ongoing problems, he stressed.


Viet Nam not involved in Thailand-based war games


Viet Nam neither joined nor sent observers to the 2011 Cobra Gold military exercise which kicked off on Monday in Thailand, a spokesman of the Ministry of Defence confirmed yesterday, Feb 10.

Major General Nguyen Thanh Tuan reiterated that Viet Nam had pursued a consistent policy of "not joining any military alliance".

The military exercise, which is hosted annually by Thailand as a bilateral effort between the US and Thai militaries since 1982, attracted the participation of the US, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.


Vietnam contributes to UN’s poverty reduction programme


Vietnam has reduced its poverty rate from 58.1 percent in 1993 to 9.45 percent in 2010, successfully achieving the United Nations Development Goals (MDGs), said Vietnam’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN. 

Ambassador Giang made the remark at the UN Social Development Committee’s 49 session in New York on February 10 concerning poverty reduction, interaction between social integration and employment and benefits for all.

He emphasised that Vietnam’s poverty reduction policy is aimed at increasing incomes for the poor and help them better access social services, such as health care, education and social integration.

Over the past year, Vietnam has made remarkable progress in generating jobs, promoting vocational training, providing loans with low interest rates and implementing healthcare insurance programmes. The country has built more houses for poor families, granted preferential loans for poor students, achieved a GDP growth rate of 6.78 percent, and quickly recovered from the global financial crisis.

The Vietnamese diplomat raised concerns about the growing number of poor people in the world. By 2015, hundreds of millions of people may still live in poor conditions even though many countries have achieved their poverty reduction goals.

He agreed with UN Secretary General on the need to access the results of implementing poverty reduction programmes, dealing with the unequal allocation of natural and human resources in society and coping with climate change.


VNN/VOV/VNS