Man prosecuted for sending illegal workers to China

The People's Procuracy of the Central Highland Dak Nong Province yesterday prosecuted and arrested a suspect for alleged involvement in sending 24 people to work overseas illegally.

The initial police investigation showed that the 20-year-old suspect Nguyen Xuan Manh, of Dak Nong Province's K'Rong No District, and his cousin returned to Viet Nam from China to look for people who wanted to work in that country.

The two men reportedly said they enticed 24 people to China for work. These workers were required to pay VND5 million (US$231,600) each.

The police caught Manh in mid-March, when he and eight others travelled to the northern Thai Nguyen Province to meet his cousin and then, head to China.

The police are expanding the investigation.

3-year-old's sudden death raises questions about hospital's role

A three-year-old boy died suddenly in central Ha Tinh Province's Loc Ha District after he was given an injection at the General Hospital last night, hospital Director Vo Viet Quang confirmed.

The boy was hospitalised at around 9 pm, as he was having difficulty breathing and contracting his respiratory muscles.

Doctors' diagnosed that he had suffered a respiratory failure because of pneumonia and decided to inject. The boy died about 20 minutes later.

Director Quang said the on-duty doctors had followed all the treatment guidelines correctly.

The boy's parents said that he had fever for the last three days, and on the way to the hospital he had eaten some corn.

The local police are investigating the case.

Marine police seize 135,000 tonnes of smuggled oil

The Marine Police Zone 2 said it discovered and seized a vessel carrying 135,000 tonnes of oil of unclear origin in the southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province's marine area.

On Monday, the police team, in charge of preventing and controlling smuggling and trading fraud, stopped a vessel belonging to the Thanh Chau Phat Company Ltd, for a routine check.

The police found 135,000 tonnes of oil in the vessel's tank. Ha Minh Thong, the ship's captain, and seven crew members failed to produce papers on the volume of oil.

The oil cargo was seized. The case is being investigated further.

Ha Noi to demolish apartment building's illegal construction

Inspector General Huynh Phong Tranh has asked the Ha Noi authority to promptly knock down the illegally-built 30th floor and other construction work at an apartment building in the city.

He made the request after meeting the citizens of the apartment building located at Ha Noi's 93 Lo Duc Street yesterday, in which they denounced the violations made by Kinh Do Capital Hotel Company Ltd in the management and operation of the building.

The company was said to have illegally constructed the 23th, 28th, 29th and 30th floors, and encroached on the passageway in the garage area, which was listed as common ownership of the tenants and landlords.

The company also built a gas storage unit at the rear exit of the building without the consent of the tenants.

In 2013, the municipal People's Committee had asked the company to resolve the problems, but it was not done so in a comprehensive manner.

Inspector General Tranh said the Ha Noi authority had not been strict enough, and asked it to quickly pull down the illegal construction work and report to the government before May 30.

Reforms help more firms to submit e-tax declarations

About 49,000 people did their personal income tax finalisation themselves last year, just half the number in 2013, the finance ministry reported.

The fall in number was due to the ministry's efforts to reform tax administrative procedures and measures to help taxpayers, Cao Anh Tuan, deputy head of General Department of Taxation, said.

He said taxpayers, especially employees, were encouraged to let their employers finalise their personal income tax declarations.

The move was a convenient one because 97.5 per cent of the enterprises submitted their e-tax declarations.

About one million persons pay personal income tax.

Law number 26/2012/QH13, that took effect from July 2013, and its legal guiding instruments issued in 2013 -- such as Decree No 65/2013/ND-CP and Circular 111/2013/TT-BTC (Circular 111) -- amend and supplement a number of new policies on personal income tax in Viet Nam.

Since July 2013, the new personal income tax threshold has been raised to VND9 million (US$410) per month from VND4 million ($185). In addition, the deduction for each dependent has been raised to VND3.6 million ($166) from VND1.6 million ($74). Consequently, a taxpayer with one dependent must give personal income tax if he has a monthly income of more than VND12.6 million ($583).

Da Nang to reorganise ineffective agencies

The central city will streamline and rearrange over 100 overlapping and ineffective steering boards and councils with the aim of improving administrative reform, said,Vo Van Thuong from the Da Nang's People's Committee at a press conference yesterday.

Thuong said the city planned to complete the arrangement this month.

"We will dismiss ineffective boards or integrate different agencies. Some boards are overlapped with a surplus of personnel that waste time," Thuong said.

Over 100 steering boards, of which 58 were established under the central Government, will be reorganised or merged into other administrative agencies.

The city's home affairs department has been assigned to check 58 boards, 21 councils and two organisations.

"We expect to reduce over 160 meetings per year after the revamp. Boards that have the same function will be dissolved," said director of the city's home affairs department, Vo Cong Chanh.

"We will ask the city for approval on how many boards are needed at the end of this month. The arrangement would speed up administrative reforms and procedures," Chanh said.

Da Nang has seen the most rapid local development in Viet Nam due to its comprehensive reform of administrative management.

The city is in the top five for the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), with improvements to transparency, corruption control and administrative procedures.

In 2013, the department launched online public evaluations on administrative procedures in 56 communes, precincts and departments throughout the city.

According to the city's investment promotion centre, it took investors just five days to obtain a business licence.

Ministry proposes closer monitoring of caregivers

The Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs Ministry has suggested that localities should install equipment to monitor the care being provided in social welfare centres.

The suggestion followed an inspection by the HCM City's Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs Department on Tuesday, regarding reports that caregivers at the Linh Xuan Children Welfare Centre hit HIV-positive children and used slippers to force them eat.

The ministry reported the incidents at this centre to the government and proposed several solutions to rectify the operations of social welfare centres across the country.

The ministry also proposed that the government should direct the Peoples' Committees in cities and provinces to strengthen inspection centres for monitoring the care provided to disadvantaged people, and promulgate ethical standards for caregivers at social welfare centres.

In addition, the ministry has asked the labour sector in localities to review the work quality of caregivers at care centres, and to organise courses to help them have better skills in caring for disadvantaged people.

HCM City authorities on Tuesday suspended the director of the Linh Xuan Children Welfare Centre.

Five caregivers involved in the reported abuse were also suspended.

Vehicles to pay tolls on expressway

Cars, trucks and coaches have to pay tolls of VND10,000 to VND180,000 (US$0.5-$8.5), each time they travel on the Phap Van–Cau Gie Expressway from May 23.

This follows a new circular issued by the finance ministry.

The toll depends on the size and load capacity of the vehicles, the circular said.

The vehicles will be offered monthly and quarterly passes.

The Phap Van–Cau Gie BOT Joint Stock Company, the investor of the expressway, has finished the construction of four toll gates in Dai Xuyen, Thuong Tin, Van Diem and Km188.

Experts raise concern on private monopoly at Vietnam airports

Several experts have expressed concerns about the emergence of a possible monopoly when Vietnam's airports are opened to private investment, and suggest measures to prevent the problem.

The Transport Ministry’s policy to sell operation rights at airports and to mobilise private investment to develop the country’s airport infrastructure have been much discussed recently. The aviation authority said it was studying the issue and will set up legal frameworks for investors who are interested in the programme.

Truong Van Phuoc, vice head of the National Financial Supervisory Commission, said this is the right path to go for the economy. "The problem is we will sell the rights to whom, how and how much. What are our regulations going to say?"

Le Manh Hung, the general director of the Airport Corporation of Vietnam, said Vietnam needed detailed regulation to maintain fair competition.

"A monopoly may hinder the business of airlines, preventing them from effective use of airports and restricting the number of passengers," he said.

The head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, Lai Xuan Thanh, wants the Finance Ministry involved in the setting of service fees to ensure they are fair to airlines.

Thanh said the state budget and bonds accounted for five percent of total investment at airports in 2001-2014. From 2015 to 2020, the estimated investment to upgrade the infrastructure is more than VND230trn, while the state budget is limited. Thanh said opening airports to private investment is necessary.

Vo Tri Thanh, vice president of the Central Institute for Economic Management, said the government should put competitive pressure on investors.  

Dong Nai Bridge toll station causes traffic chaos

Buses, container trucks and other vehicles got stuck in lines of around one kilometer on New Dong Nai Bridge and nearby areas on April 8 when the toll station started operations.

Vehicles moved inch by inch for toll payment before leaving the tollgate for localities in the southeastern and central regions. Congestion worsened in peak hours when many people went to and returned from work.

Le Hong Son, general director of Dong Nai Bridge Construction Investment Joint Stock Company in charge of toll collection, said as on April 8 was the first day of toll collection for New Dong Nai Bridge, both collectors and drivers were unfamiliar with payment procedures. In addition, many drivers parked trucks on the road to buy monthly and quarterly tickets, causing traffic jams.

Son said the firm had to halt toll collection for around 20 minutes on April 8 to ease the chaos. When drivers have purchased monthly and quarterly tickets, traffic around the area could improve, he added.

Many drivers told the Daily that as the toll station is located near the foot of the bridge and Vung Tau Intersection, which is plagued by chronic congestion, traffic chaos at the area is inevitable.

Lao man arrested for drug smuggling

A Lao man has been arrested along border area of the central Ha Tinh province for illegally transporting 200 tablets of methamphetamine from Laos to Vietnam.

Thao Chom, 44, admitted to purchasing the narcotics from Thao Vi in Kham Cot district, in Laos' Bolikhamsay province, and then planned to transport them to a Vietnamese person by accessing the Cau Treo international border passage.

If successfully delivered, he stood to receive 5,000 Baht (US$154). Vietnamese and Lao authorities are currently investigating the matter fully.

Fourteen provinces vulnerable to forest fires

The Forest Ranger Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has urged local authorities in the central, Central Highlands and southern regions to take measures to prevent forest fires.

They warned of the risk of serious blazes across 14 provinces nationwide including An Giang, Binh Phuoc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Dak Lak, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, Kon Tum, Long An, Ninh Thuan and Tay Ninh – all of which are experiencing prolonged drought.

Specific warnings have also been put out over 10,000 hectares of forest in the southern Kien Giang province, stretching across Phu Quoc National Park, Giang Thanh, Hon Dat and U Minh Thuong.

Since the outset of the current dry season, Kien Giang province has suffered 16 forest fires, damaging nearly 93 hectares of forest.

To deal with the risks of fire, the province has implemented a number of precautionary programmes including around-the-clock patrols and logistics planning.

3 Bulgarians arrested for investigation into fake ATM cards

Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested three Bulgarian men suspected of using fake ATM cards to withdraw money from local banks, after security guards caught one of them in the act.

Guards at the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) in District 1 caught Venisislav Danchov, 40, on April 7 after watching him withdraw money with various cards at different ATM booths.

They stopped the 40-year-old at a booth on Thi Sach Street in District 1, and he had resisted and run but failed, the guards said.

Police found 20 ATM cards in his bag, which they suspected to be fake, together with more than VND80 million (US$3,700) and some foreign money.

They arrested Milen Dauranski and Simeon Simeonov, allegedly his accomplices, after checking his hotel room in the city.

Website launched for Vietnamese women living abroad

Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) has officially launched a website on Vietnamese women living overseas (http://pnvnnuocngoai.vn) with the aim of providing them with useful information.

It has nine categories and 30 sub-categories. It has a user-friendly interface and is visually appealing, with many pictures, audio clips and videos.

It includes links to connect closely to other websites of VWU’s branches in cities and provinces across Vietnam, as well as linking to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, the Centre for Women and Development, the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and women’s organizations in foreign countries,

Speaking at the event launch, Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, VWU Chairwoman, said that the website hopes to connect Vietnamese women in foreign countries, helping them stabilize their lives, preserve Vietnam’s traditional heritage, contribute to women’s movements, and assist national development within Vietnam.

Establishing a website of this kind is necessary since more than 2 million Vietnamese women are living overseas in 100 countries and territories across the world, Hoa noted.

Drone cameras banned at major festival to pay tribute to Vietnam’s founders

The organizers of an upcoming major festival, which is scheduled for later this month to pay homage to the country’s founding kings, have said they will not allow visitors and journalists to use drone cameras during the event for safety reasons.

A group of people operate a drone camera in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tuoi Tre The organizing board of this year’s Hung Temple Festival, set to run in northern Phu Tho Province from April 23 to 28, has just imposed a ban on the use of such drones by pilgrims and journalists, according to Luu Quang Huy, director of the Hung Temple Relic.

The usage of the device – which is a stabilization mount for a video camera enabling smooth, steady, and aerial shots – has gained in popularity at Vietnamese festivals and events, and has produced gorgeous videos which usually cannot be shot with conventional cameras.

Huy explained that as usual, the Hung Temple Relic, which is nestled on mountains, will be filled to the brim with some one million visitors each day.

Drones may drop onto visitors’ heads, panicking them or even causing them injuries.

The equipment buzzing overhead can also easily spook those who have never set eyes on it before.

“We’ll request visitors and journalists to put the gadgets away if we detect them,” he noted.

The Hung Temple Complex, located in the province’s Viet Tri City, is a cluster of temples built in tribute to the Hung Kings.

The complex is the venue for the Hung Temple Festival, one of the country’s major events, which runs from the fifth to the tenth of the third lunar month, or around April each year, to honor the kings and their massive contributions in founding and ruling the country.

The 18 Hung dynasties are legendarily believed to reign over the country from 2,879 BC to 258 BC.

The annual event draws influxes of tourists and pilgrims, including overseas Vietnamese.

According to the organizers, up to 1,000 members of the local police force, army, and security teams will be deployed to ensure order and safety at this year’s fest.

The 2015 event will feature incense offerings to the Hung Kings and Lac Long Quan and Au Co – who are traditionally believed to be the kings’ parents – as well as palanquin processions.

Festive activities will include exhibitions of worship photos, a cultural camp, and performances of the province’s signature “xoan” folk songs, among others.

The organizers will make public their hotline numbers, 0210.3860026 and 0210.6551666, on boards to be erected around the festival venue so as to receive tourists’ feedback and tips-off about rips-off and service.

The organizers have also requested owners of food and service stands within the venue to pledge that they will not turn on music with high-capacity speakers in an attempt to ensure the festival’s order and solemnity.

Local office workers are expected to have a six-day public holiday lasting from April 28 to May 3.

The holiday combines the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary on April 28; Reunification Day on April 30; and Labor Day on May 1.

Vietnam province offers to buy tips-off about corruption from home, abroad

An internal affairs commission in southern Vietnam has offered to buy information on corruption both from home and abroad at prices subject to its value in a new effort to combat the misconduct.

Ngo Quang Huong, head of the Commission for Internal Affairs of the Party Committee of Kien Giang Province, said on Wednesday that the commission has issued a statute on buying corruption-related information from home and abroad.     

Accordingly, all individuals and organizations, both in Vietnam and foreign countries, are encouraged to report, directly or indirectly, to the commission useful information, materials, and evidence related to corrupt acts that are recorded in the province and committed by people in positions of power.

Such information can be sent to the commission via phongchongthamnhungkg@gmail.com or reported over the phone at (+84) 919 166 442.

“Depending on the quality and value of the information, we will determine how much its provider will be paid. Corruption whistleblowers will also be commended and rewarded, and their identification will be kept secret,” Huong said.

This commission is a local unit of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs, which is assigned to make recommendations on legislative work, especially in the fields of internal affairs and corruption fighting and prevention.

The central commission is also tasked with guiding, monitoring, examining, supervising, and accelerating the implementation of the policies of the Party and State in internal affairs and anti-corruption.

Last month, the Government Inspectorate and the Ministry of Home Affairs issued Joint Circular 01 stipulating that people who denounce corruption and help the government of Vietnam recover from a corruption case an amount over 600 times the common minimum wage will get a reward of up to 3,000 times the common minimum salary applied at the time of denunciation.

The Circular will take effect on May 1, 2015.

In addition, depending on their specific performances in anti-corruption activities, corruption whistleblowers will be honored with one of the three following commendation levels.

The first level is a Medal of Bravery from the State President while the second is a certificate of merit from the Prime Minister.

The third is a certificate of merit from ministers, heads of ministry-equivalent agencies, other agencies under the central government, the chairperson of the National Assembly Office, the chief of the Government Office, the chief judge of the Supreme People’s Court, the head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, and others.

According to the new circular, corruption whistleblowers will also be offered further rewards from the Reward Fund for Corruption Prevention and Control, which is managed by the Government Inspectorate.

Those honored with Medals of Bravery, certificates of merit by the Prime Minister, or certificates by other entities such as the above-mentioned bodies will also be given a reward that is 60 times, 40 times, and 20 times the common minimum wage, respectively.

National Traffic Safety Committee encourages parents to wear helmets on children

Vietnam's National Traffic Safety Committee and Emart Vietnam Company in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday signed a joint program to enhance information of wearing helmet for children.

The program will increase information as well as encourage people to comply with the regulation of helmet for children in the period from 2015 to 2020.

Khuat Viet Hung, deputy chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee said that there has been a paradox that for years people has obeyed strictly to the regulation of wearing helmet for adults but just a few people are aware of wearing helmet for their children on travelling in streets.

Accordingly, he hoped that people will be more aware of the importance of wearing helmet for their children.

At the signing ceremony, Emart Vietnam Company gave 1,000 helmets to students of Primary Nguyen viet Xuan and Hanh Thong in Go Vap District.

Vietnam Airlines to increase service for national holiday

National carrier, Vietnam Airlines, has announced its plan to add 545 domestic and international flights between April 25 and May 4, more than 17.8% over normal service,and up 82.9% from last year’s corresponding period.

The flight increase is designed to satisfy the increasing demand for travel during the upcoming Liberation Day (April 30) and International Labour Day (May 1) holidays.

Accordingly, the airline is expected to increase some “hot routes” including Danang-Hanoi (101 flights), Hanoi-Dong Hoi (48 flights), Hanoi-Phu Quoc (35 flights), Hanoi-Nha Trang (27 flights), Ho Chi Minh City-Phu Quoc (106 flights), Ho Chi Minh City-Danang (67 flights), and Ho Chi Minh City-Nha Trang (64 flights).

In addition, low-fare carrier Jetstar Pacific (JP) will begin service between Hanoi and Da Lat, with a flight each way (to/from) on June 1.

During this period, JP will also open a new Hanoi-Phu Quoc air route until September 6.

International trade fair to introduce advanced technologies

Advanced technologies, equipment, analysis solutions, biotechnology and laboratory technology and diagnostics will be showcased at an international trade fair from April 15-17 in Ho Chi Minh City.

At a press briefing on April 8 to introduce the Analytica Vietnam 2015, Deputy Director of the Department of Information, Science and Technology under the Ministry of Science and Technology Le Thi Khanh Van said high technology is crucial for controlling the quality of imported and domestic goods to boost exports.

She also highlighted the need to import a comprehensive equipment system for laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics to ensure high accuracy and efficiency.

Analytica Vietnam 2015 provides organisations, universities, hospitals, laboratories and businesses in the science and technology field with opportunities to access advanced technologies, new research studies and international development trends.

The event is also expected to accelerate the application of international advanced science and technology in domestic production and business operations.

The trade fair, part of activities for Vietnam Science and Technology Day (May 18) will include participants from 15 countries, including Germany, France, the UK, Japan and the US.

During the event, a number of workshops and seminars will be conducted to raise awareness and understanding among relevant bodies and individuals about laboratories meeting international standards and quality accreditation activities in Vietnam.

Lam Dong ushers in cooperative dairy farm

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is to set up Evegrowth, a Canadian dairy farm model, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Under a memorandum of understanding, Socodevi, a Canadian cooperation society for international development, will help Lam Dong build its own cooperative farm based on the success of a similar model implemented in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang.

Socodevi is a network that shares its technical expertise with partners in developing countries in order to create, protect and distribute wealth.-

War remains found in Binh Duong

Remains of fallen soldiers were recently found buried together in Dinh Hiep commune of Dau Tieng district, southern Binh Duong province.

A ceremony to inter their remains is scheduled to take place on April 21.

During a battle in the locality 50 years ago, more than 100 soldiers from Regiment 3, Division 7 lost their lives and were buried on the spot.

Search efforts have thus far recovered bones and some belongings, including 35 rubber sandals, two wallets, and a silver ring.   

Phu Yen strives for 29,000 trained workers until 2020

The central province of Phu Yen has set a target to provide vocational training for 29,000 people, 80 percent of which will find jobs post-training from now to 2020.

To achieve that goal, the provincial People’s Committee has asked authorities at district and commune levels to investigate the local demand for vocational training, particularly in mountainous and ethnic minority areas, to help them choose suitable job training topics.

It has also requested 18 vocational education facilities coordinate with businesses in the training.

Additionally, the People’s Committee has decided to increase the number of jobs on the curriculum of training facilities from 68 to 127.

From 2010-2014, 22,274 locals received vocation training, 16,840 of which have since held sustainable jobs, representing 75.6 percent.   

VND45.42 billion allocated for housing support

In order to implement the Prime Minister's project on supporting those serving in the nation's defense, Ho Chi Minh City authority yesterday decided to support house for these special people in the city following the Department of Construction's proposal.

People's committees in districts will submit the list of families serving in the nation's defense which was checked by the Department of Labor, Invalid and Social Affair.

The city asked the Department of Finance to undertake project appraisal and consider the fund for building 1,030 houses of these special people. Total spending is expected up to VND45.42 billion (US$2,109,126).

At first the city will temporarily take the fund from the state budget to support the project on the occasion of 40th anniversary of the South Liberation Day on April 30 while waiting for the central government approval of the project and provide funding so that the project can be finished before April 15.

The city also ordered the Department of Finance to liaise with the city's Steering Board for Housing and Realty Policy, a part of the Department of Construction; the Department of Labor, Invalid and Social Affairs and people's committees in districts to implement the project as per the guideline to ensure the rate of progress.

The Steering Board for Housing and Realty Policy should work with related agencies to quickly implement the project on scheduled to submit to the Municipal People's Committee.

People in Hue, Hanoi buy watermelons to help flood-hit farmers

Many people in Hanoi and the central city of Hue are buying watermelons to help flood-hit farmers in Quang Nam Province.

Dozens of hectares of watermelons in Quang Nam Province were flooded in recent heavy rain, causing major losses for local households. A large number of watermelons were ruined, while those that could be saved were snapped up by traders at VND1,000-1,500 a kilogramme.

Young people in the central region of Vietnam launched a campaign to call on people’s support for the flood-ravaged farmers by buying their watermelons at better prices.

More than four tonnes of watermelons were transported from Danang City to Hue and were sold within hours at VND4,000 a kilogramme, which went to farmers to help compensate them for their losses.

In Hanoi on April 9, Quang Nam Province’s watermelons fetched even higher prices under a similar campaign.

Vo Thanh Son, who lives at Nam Do Urban Area in Hai Ba Trung District of Hanoi, said about 10 tonnes of watermelons was transported to the area, with six tonnes sold in the morning at VND7.000 a kilogramme.

A further 10 tonnes of watermelons transported to Hai Ba Trung Street sold out, Son added.

A watermelon stall on Nguyen Xien Street in Thanh Xuan District was crowded with customers wanting to help Quang Nam's farmers.

Da Nang moves to become green city

The central city of Da Nang has devised a number of concrete measures to bring a fresh, green and unique look to the city and attract a greater number of tourists.

In recent years, the “green-clean-beautiful Sunday” campaign has become a tradition in Da Nang, where locals voluntarily contribute their time to keep their neighbourhood clean.

A wide range of activities have also been organised to collect thousands of tons of garbage, dredge channels and canals, plant thousands of trees and care for parterres and grassland.

In 2008, the municipal People’s Committee approved an action plan to make Da Nang an environmentally-friendly city.

The project aims to develop standards for land, water and atmosphere quality by 2020 in a bid to ensure safe and healthy conditions for local residents, investors and tourists.

Under the project, more than 90 percent of the urgent local environmental issues have been addressed and publicity campaigns have been launched to raise community awareness on the practical and long-term benefits of green development.

Green space-oriented facilities have been built across the city and along local beaches, such as new urban zones, resorts and office buildings, ultimately contributing to raising local living quality and tourist volume.

Between 2013 and 2014, dozens of practical and effective activities were conducted under a project on tree development implemented by the municipal Department of Construction.

Deputy Director of the Department Le Tung Lam said social resources play a key role in activities to improve living conditions and create public green landscapes.

Echoing Lam’s opinion on mobilising social resources in urban green tree development, other local officials affirmed trees hold a significant part in making Da Nang a green, active and modern city.

They also stressed the need to incite the active participation of all level authorities and residents alike in the work; expand public campaigns such as “tree planting festival” and “a green-clean-beautiful Sunday”, among others; and strengthen public supervision of relevant policies and regulations.

A GIS-based software has been developed at a total cost of around 250 million VND (11,700 USD) to facilitate the management of the local tree database.

Da Nang has received a number of international and domestic awards for its efforts, including the ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable City in 2011, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Low-Carbon Emission City in 2012 and one of APEC 20 Green-Clean-Beautiful Cities in 2013, and membership of the Rockefeller 100 Resilient Cities Programme in 2014.

Responsible tourism quiz attracts thousands of students

As many as 32,115 students from 1,726 high schools nationwide have thus far participated the “Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism” quiz, as heard at a press conference held on April 10 in Hanoi.

The three-round competition, jointly held by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Thanh nien (Young People) newspaper and the Saigon College of Art, Culture and Tourism, was launched on January 9.

It aims to encourage youth to explore environmentally and socially responsible tourism through the sustainable use of natural resources, cultural heritages and the national sea and island sovereignty.

Contestants can register online until April 30 at the websites of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism at www .vietnamtourism.gov, Thanh nien newspaper at www.thanhnien.com.vn and Saigon College of Art, Culture and Tourism at www.saigonact.edu.vn.

The first round of the competition poses 20 multiple-choice questions and an auxiliary query. The one hundred contestants with the highest points will enter the second round in May, during which they will have to answer 20 questions and write a 500-700 word essay related to the contest’s topic.

The top 20 respondents will compete in the final round broadcasted live from Ho Chi Minh City from June 8-15 for a total prize of 175 million VND (8,140 USD).

The top five contestants will also win a trans-Vietnam tour, and the top 100 participants from the first round will receive a full scholarship for a course at the Saigon College of Art, Culture and Tourism.

Farmers honoured at the Coconut Festival

Some 15 outstanding coconut farmers and 11 coconut exporters were honoured in a ceremony on April 10 in the Mekong Delta of Ben Tre, part of the fourth annual local Coconut Festival.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee lauded the tireless effort of local farmers to maintain coconut production even as coconut prices fell dramatically.

He encouraged the growers to continue developing the coconut industry by applying advanced technology in farming and boosting the values of coconut products, increasing their availability in international markets.

Ben Tre province is home to 163,000 households farming on 63,000 hectares of coconut trees. They produce 500 million of coconuts and ship about 200 million USD worth of coconut products abroad every year.

In the first quarter of this year, Ben Tre earned 35.2 million USD from exports of coconut products, a decrease of 16.9 percent year on year.-

Flood-proof housing programme to be extended

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has agreed to extend a programme to build flood-proof resident areas in the Mekong Delta region through 2020, housing over 8,400 additional households.

He urged the Ministry of Construction to work with other ministries and localities to review programme beneficiaries while continuing lending and extending payments for people living in poverty.

Regional localities should consider the programme their key political task, he stated during a conference to review the programme’s second phase on April 10 in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang.

It is also crucial to listen to local feedback during the implementation of the programme to ensure social consensus as well as mobilising all possible resources for the programme, he urged.

Highlighting the special role and position of 13 Mekong Delta localities as a major economic region of the country, PM Nguyen Tan Dung noted that the region is prone to devastating natural disasters—especially floods, adding that the Mekong Delta is forecast to be one of the hardest hit areas by climate change.

Launched in 2011, the flood-proof residential areas building programme has produced a number of results.

In the first phase from 2011-2008, as many as 804 smaller projects to construct flood-resilient areas and dyke systems were implemented with an investment of 5.77 trillion VND (288 million USD), protecting 146,000 households in flood-prone areas of eight regional localities.

During the second phase, which is scheduled to finish in 2015, the programme aims to provide flood-proof houses for 56,000 more local households. So far, as much as 97 percent of the workload has been completed with as many as 27,185 of the planned 35,595 houses constructed.

As of the end of 2014, total capital disbursement under the programme mounted to nearly 2.86 trillion VND (132.3 million USD) sourced from the central budget, the Bank for the Development of Vietnam and the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies.

According to Minister of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung, thanks to the programme, human and material damage by storms and floods in the region was equal to less than 15 percent of the previous year’s figure.

The programme ensured safety for over 200,000 local households or more than 1 million people, most of who are impoverished, he noted.

During the conference, locality representatives proposed that new-style area building and other poverty reduction project investments be timed to ensure synchronic infrastructure in the flood-proof resident areas in order to enhance local living conditions comprehensively.-

FameLab kicks off in Vietnam

The British Council in Vietnam on April 10 announced the introduction of the FameLab competition in Vietnam.

FameLab is a science communications competition for young scientists, engineers and researchers and has attracted more than 5,000 young participants from over 25 countries. The FameLab final in Vietnam on 22 April 2015 aims to find a Vietnamese representative to attend the FameLab international final in London in June.

FameLab was started in 2005 in the UK by Cheltenham Science Festival and has quickly become established as a model for successfully identifying, training and mentoring scientists and engineers to share their enthusiasm for their subjects. FameLab contestants are required to engage and entertain the audience by breaking down science, technology and engineering concepts into three-minute presentations.

Since January this year, British Council in Vietnam has worked with the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU Hanoi), the top comprehensive multi-disciplinary academic and research centre of excellence in Vietnam, to organise FameLab locally. The competition targets lecturers, researchers and teachers as well as individuals with a passion for research and an interest in science. The 12 contestants with the best speeches from the qualifying rounds will attend a training course in science communications skills with Malcolm Love. Malcolm is a UK specialist in public engagement in science and is chief trainer for Famelab and Famelab International. The contestants will then compete in the final round on 22 April 2015.

The 2015 FameLab International Final will feature winners of FameLab competitions held in countries across five continents. The winner from Vietnam will join competitors from Australia, Benelux, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. All will be represented in the International Final at Cheltenham Science Festival in the United Kingdom.

In addition, two second prizes and a ‘most popular’ prize will be awarded at the final round. These contestants will receive a scholarship to a myClass course at the British Council in Vietnam. This is a new and flexible English course where students can choose class date, time, topic and teacher to best suit their interests and schedule.

The FameLab final will take place at Nguy Nhu Kon Tum Lecture Hall at VNU Hanoi, 19 Le Thanh Tong, Hanoi. In addition to its impressive architecture, the lecture hall has witnessed historic development of higher education in Vietnam. It has honoured generations of Vietnam’s leading lecturers, scientists, professors, doctors and scientific academics. The lecture hall is considered the ideal space for young scientists and young people to express their enthusiasm and passion for science.

Cherry Gough, Director of British Council Vietnam said: ‘The British Council is proud to have cooperated with Cheltenham Science Festival since 2007, to help FameLab go global to over 25 countries, and this year to Vietnam. 

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