Vietnam Register (VR) on March 7 reported that 62 registration centers nationwide have closed their doors. In Hanoi, only seven centers with 10 inspection lines are still operational, while the other 24 centers are not open.

With the capacity of 70 cars per inspection line, the operating inspection lines in Hanoi can inspect 500 cars a day and 11,000 cars a month. 

Meanwhile, the number of cars due to be inspected in March is 75,680. The figure doesn’t include the number of new cars and cars left over from previous days. 

This means that registration centers can satisfy only 20 percent of demand. 

Amid the serious labor shortage, VR predicted that congestion may become even more serious when the number of cars to be inspected in April increases to 83,720.

In such conditions, seeking more officers for registration centers is a must. The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to hire workers until registration centers employ enough civil servants as required.

VR’s leaders said that the recruitment will serve both short- and long-term operations.

VR is considering signing contracts to hire specialists who are retired experienced registrars so as to amend legal documents and train inspection operations. 

This aims for more effective solutions on improving the quality of inspection, and preventing corruption and wrongdoings.

VR is negotiating with some retired officers who have many years of experience. Many of them have agreed to help VR in the current difficult period. 

However, VR is still awaiting the nod from appropriate agencies, because there is no legal document on recruiting and paying a salary to these people.

As for people who have not been recognized as registrars, VR plans to sign contracts with them so they can start the training process immediately and soon become registrars.

“We need to prepare human resources for the future right now, or we will see a labor shortage in the future,” said an official of VR.

Nguyen Huu Duc, a transport expert, noted that what has happened in the last few days shows the high demand from people and businesses. 

Vietnam does not lack machines and equipment for inspection, but lacks registrars, which has caused congestion for many days. 

The police have filed charges in 42 cases, searched 63 registration centers and 4 sub-registration centers, and filed charges against 400 suspects throughout the country.

N. Huyen