VietNamNet Bridge – Some 20 government officials have received penalties for slacking off in managing the activities of Muong Thanh Group, chairman of Ha Noi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung said.

An apartment complex of Muong Thanh Group in Linh Dam urban area in Hanoi with 36-41 storeys, which is some 10-20 storeys higher than adjacent buildings and charged with exceeding permitted heights. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Duong

The wrongdoings of Muong Thanh Group – one of the largest private hotel chains in Vietnam – and streamlining of Hanoi’s workforce were two major issues discussed at a meeting between chairman of the city’s People’s Committee and voters in Hoan Kiem District on Tuesday.

Answering voters’ concerns as to why investigations into Muong Thanh Group’s violations on land use rights were progressing slowly, chairman Chung said that after the city’s inspectorate framed charges against the group at the beginning of 2016, the city’s People’s Committee immediately transferred all legal documents to the police for further investigation.

The city’s Party Committee and People’s Committee constantly urged the police to collaborate with the Ha Noi People’s Procuracy to speed up the investigation so as to announce convictions and impose penalties, he said.

The city’s Party Committee has also conducted inspections to identify wrongdoings of officials at the ward and district levels in Thanh Tri and Hoang Mai districts, he added.

“City has applied strict administrative sanctions on 20 officials with management responsibilities of Muong Thanh’s activities,” he said. “Legal proceedings will be carried out if more serious violations are detected.”

Citizens should respect the investigation process, he added.

Four charges were framed against the Muong Thanh Group last year -- illegal constructions, building constructions with height exceeding permitted levels, building in areas that are not allowed and projects failing to meet fire protection standards.

Voters also voiced concerns over the slow workforce streamlining process at State-own agencies in the city, to which chairman Chung said the city has completed workforce planning and proposal of positions for all its departments, agencies and political organisations.

If the proposal is implemented properly, by 2021, the city will have cut off 2.5 per cent of its current workforce in accordance with the order from the Party’s Politburo, he said.

The city gives priority to those who wish to retire prematurely, he added. Those with fake qualifications will be laid off, he said.

“Performance, capability and qualification will be the foundation for workforce streamlining from now until 2021,” he said.

The city has cut off some 8,000 Government officials from the workforce since 2015. It aims to remove another 7,400 in 2018. 

Source: VNS