VietNamNet Bridge – Offices in many parts of the country remained deserted during the first working days after Tet as people instead visited pagodas or met friends.   

Deserted offices

On the first working day after Tet on February 18, several one-door state offices in Hanoi remained almost deserted despite the need for administrative procedures.

Several one-stop offices almost deserted after Tet.

While most office staff follow normal working hours, in some places the staff did not appear at their workplaces.

Notary Office 2 in Long Bien District served only three members of the public on the first working day after Tet.

“People often apply for notary services for trading, leasing and mortgage procedures before the end of the lunar year. During the first working day after Tet people only visit for less important issues,” a staff member at the office said.

Only a few people filed for business registrations at the municipal Department of Planning and Investment at Cat Linh Street after Tet. Normally the office suffers from serious overcrowding.

While several desks remained empty, only one person was sitting in the waiting room on the afternoon of February 18.

“Normally the offices receive hundreds of dossiers from people. The number tumbled on the first few days of the new lunar year,” Tran Minh Quang, head of Busines Registration Office 2 at the department said.

The same situation was replicated at several other one-stop offices at ward and district people’s committees citywide.

“We’ve requested all one-stop staff to arrive at work on time. However, only a few people file procedures on the first working day after Tet,” Nguyen Tiet Cuong, Chairman of Hoang Van Thu Ward People’s Committee in Hoang Mai District noted.

Only two staff were at their seats at Dong Da District’s Taxation Office on the afternoon of February 18 while almost all other seats remained empty.

A staff member named Tuan said while leaders were busy with New Year greetings, many staff were happy to go elsewhere as too few people coming for transactions.

Many state offices in Danang City also experienced the same situation.

Only one vice chairman of Tan Chinh ward’s people’s committee and one staff were on duty on the morning of February 18.

One staff member said only a few people had come for transactions since the beginning of the day.

Nguyen Minh Tam, vice chairman of the ward people’s committee said that all staff had come and attended a morning meeting. Some were busy doing the cleaning and others had disappeared.

“We often receive from 30-40 dossiers a day normally but only a few people have wanted to be served in the first working day after Tet,” Tam commented.

Only a few people came for transaction at one-stop office in Chinh Gian ward of Thanh Khe District and Hai Chau 2 Ward in Hai Chau District.
 
Dang Ngoc Phong, a staff member from Hai Chau 2 Ward office said they often received between 50 and 60 dossiers per day, but the figure fell to about a dozen in the first working day after Tet.

Crowded pagodas

After the Tet holiday, it seems few people have not regained their enthusiasm for work.

A vocational school in Hanoi’s Cau Dien area remained deserted, until some teachers came in later in the morning of February 18 to meet colleagues and visit the pagoda.

“We don’t want to work after a long Tet holiday. Many students have yet to return to school, so we’ve decided to go to the pagoda to pray for good luck for the whole year,” one teacher said.

A state office on Dai Co Viet Street in Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung District was full of staff, but they were too busy with meeting and parties.

“In the first working day after Tet we came to office for a meeting. Some went to the pagoda while others went on the internet or meet friends,” one staff said.

In contrast to deserted offices, several temples and pagodas around the capital city were seriously crowded. Overcrowding was a problem at Tay Ho Temple, Ha and Phuc Khanh pagodas and Kim Liem Temple.

Serious traffic congestion around the sites was also a problem.

Some companies and state offices even arranged tours to go to pagodas of Bai Dinh, Yen Tu and the Huong Pagoda to pray for good luck.

Nguyen Thinh Thanh, head of office of Hanoi municipal People’s Committee said the city’s leaders have requested leaders of departments, offices and agencies in the capital city to direct their staff to restart work right after the Tet holiday in order to ensure meeting the socioeconomic targets set for this year.

“Strict punishments will be applied to any cases of violation, especially those who organise tours or use public vehicles for their staff to go to festivals or pagodas during working hours,” Thanh added.

Source: DTriNews