VietNamNet Bridge – Most of retired officials are not short of money but they still work every day to retain their skills and knowledge. However, sometimes they did not expect that they could fall into unfortunate circumstances because of their post-retirement jobs.

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It is not new in the world and no longer strange in Vietnam when retired officials still work. In the UK, former Prime Minister Tony Blair is known as the most expensive speaker in the planet. In the US, former President Bill Clinton has become a successful speaker.

In Vietnam, this trend started a few years ago with the big names involved in businesses, such as former Deputy Minister of Finance Le Thi Bang Tam, who is Chairwoman of HDBank and former State Bank Governor Cao Sy Kiem as a member of the Board of Directors of the DongA Bank.

The Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ACB) last November established the Macroeconomic Research Team, led by former State Bank Governor Le Duc Thuy, with the task of making periodic reports on Vietnam's macroeconomics; proposing issues of concern to the ACB Board of Directors; and preparing recommendations to the ACB leaders to contribute to the Party and State on economic policy, as well as policies in the banking field.

Having experienced several important positions in the Government, upon retirement Mr. Tran Xuan Gia joined the ACB as an advisor, and was elected as ACB Chairman, in charge of the Human Resources Committee and the Board for Risk Handling.

The ACB Board of Directors also has the participation of Mr. Luong Van Tu, former Deputy Minister of Trade, former chief of the Vietnamese WTO Negotiation Delegation. He has been elected as the Vice Chairman of the ACB Board of Directors following the sad story related to the former CEO and former Chairman of this bank.

An official who used to be the Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, said that large corporations, businesses welcome retired officials because they want to take advantage of their relations.

"Businesses are very happy to recruit retired officials because they have knowledge, especially legal knowledge, and available relationships that can help them in business," he added.

Many officials said they work after retirement "not because of money nor the position." Former Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Cao Sy Kiem, who is a member of the DongA Bank Board of Directors and Chairman of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said he works after retirement to not forget his knowledge and to learn from young people.

Expert Pham Chi Lan was very happy and satisfied with her works after retirement in 2003. Since 2003, she was a member of the Prime Minister's Research Commission advisor for three years.

Lan said about her work with pride: "Members of the Research Commission identified income is not a matter because we already had a pension and also the Prime Minister's very little additional support. On this basis, we worked together very well and contributed a lot."

Former Chairman of the ACB Board of Directors - Tran Xuan Gia – is also a workaholic case after retirement. The story happened recently makes people pity and have compassion for him.

Prior to his retirement, he was the Minister of Planning and Investment, Head of the Research Department of the Prime Minister on economic, social and administrative policy reform. With contentment, happy family, being respected for his mind and talent, he lacked nothing before coming to the ACB.

A senior leader of the ACB said Gia was eager to work even when suffering from dangerous diseases. Some people recommended him to stop working to take care of his health, but he said: "I can not live if I stop thinking. If I do not work I shall be considered as dead."

After his cancer surgery, Gia went straight back to the bank to work and did not need to rest.

Expert Pham Chi Lan, who worked with Gia in the Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister, was sad to hear Gia was prosecuted.

"When I heard the story, I felt so sad and sorry for Mr. Gia. He told me that he just wanted to contribute to businesses to get actual experience. Moreover, ACB has been considered as a bank of good governance. I think there is also the contribution of Mr. Gia in ACB," Lan said.

Unlike other senior officials, who only play an advisory role, strategy consultant, Gia became Chairman of the Board, taking the legal responsibility for the operation of the bank when the bank set up the model Co-founder Council, which includes the real owners of the bank.

From the case of Tran Xuan Gia, selecting a safe "stop" for the retirement years has become a concern of many officials.

Referring to the pity case of Mr. Tran Xuan Gia at ACB, many leaders felt poignant and heartbreaking for their respectable friend.

An official who used to be a Minister, said: "The case of Mr. Gia is a regrettable accident at the end of his life."

Even though he supported retired officials to continue to participate in the work, the former Minister said that they need to carefully select the "stops" so as not to affect their own reputation.

Cao Sy Kiem said that working as an advisor for DongA Bank is a "moderate" and "safe" decision. The former Governor said, shortly after his retirement, he received offers of big corporations and banks but he refused.

"DongA Bank is not a big bank, but it has a long-term and stable strategy. I need to choose a secure plan to ensure that my contributions will be received, at the same time avoid affecting my reputation in the future", he explained.

Expert Pham Chi Lan said it is hard to know where is safe, where there is risk, but according to her, retired officials need to choose the place where they can promote their capacity and wisdom.

"Many businesses invite former senior officials to take advantage of their political positions, their relationships rather than their intellectual. Therefore, we should see the purpose of the invitation," Lan said.

In June 2007, the Government issued Decree 102 stipulating the period of not doing business in the field of management responsible for those who are retired officials and public servants.

The Decree divides retired officials into four groups who are dominated in the time from their retirement to the time they can participate in doing business at non-state enterprises.

The first group includes of public servants in the Ministry of Planning and Investment; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Commerce; Ministry of Justice; and the State Bank of Vietnam. Officials of these ministries are not allowed to involve in business for 12 to 24 months after their retirement. It is from 6-18 months for the remaining groups.

At a meeting of the Government last September, when being asked about his personal view about retired officials who still work, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Vu Duc Dam said: "I think a Minister or anyone is a citizen first. I also heard that in other countries, officials go to work after retirement. I think that it is normal. They can do things depending on their preferences, as long as compliance with the law. "

VNE
Translated by Tran Cham