Asia’s largest cruise ship docks at Phu My port

The Asia’s largest cruise ship Ovation of the Seas with 4,300 passengers on board docked at Phu My Port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province on June 14.

This is the first time Ovation of the Seas cruise has visited Phu My Port and the second time the newest super cruise has docked at the port, after Quantum of the Seas last year.

Passengers from the US, UK, Australia, Canada and Singapore will join Saigontourist tours to discover Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City.

A Saigon tourist representative said the company constantly welcomed world’s leading cruise ships like Star Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Royal Caribbean International. Around 91 ships with more than 120,000 visitors from the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia have visited Vietnam since early this year.

Close to 2,000 trade fraud cases brought to light in Hanoi

The Hanoi Departments of Public Security and Industry and Trade have coordinated in handling nearly 2,000 cases of trade fraud and counterfeit products in the city.

Deputy Director of the industry and trade department Chu Xuan Kien revealed the information at a conference in Hanoi on June 13.

He said the two departments commenced criminal proceedings against 20 cases and 35 violators, adding that close to 87 billion VND (3.9 million USD) was collected for the State budget.

After more than one year of collaboration, the two sides have defined fields targeted by trade fraud and smuggling of fake goods as well as crime hot spots, thus building prevention and combat plans.

Deputy head of the Hanoi Market Management Sub-department Nguyen Cong San said despites the efforts, there are shortcomings in the field due to a lack of staff and loopholes in the export business.

The two sides will increase regular information exchanges on administrative punishment against violators in the coming time, while promptly disseminating legal documents on crime prevention and combat to agencies and businesses, and building plans to crack down on major trafficking rings, he added.

Kien Giang: Khmer people without arable land to get support

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has offered support to Khmer minority ethnics who have no lands for farming, as part of its efforts to improve local ethnic livelihoods.

According to Dang Tuyet Em, Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Council, the province allocated production land for over 2,000 Khmer households, gave preferential loans to families without arable land to shift to other jobs, while providing jobs for over 10,180 labourers.

However, some 7,870 Khmer families still lack arable farming land as they mortgaged their fields and are not able to redeem their land from buyers.

The province has paid heed to reallocating agricultural land, ordering the withdrawal of land inefficiently used by organisations and enterprises, as well as reclaiming cultivable wastelands into arable land in a bid to provide more production areas for those in need.

In addition, agricultural and non-agricultural vocational trainings have been given top priority to ensure stable jobs in industrial parks for ethnic people without production land.

Kien Giang province is home to more than 216,850 ethnic Khmers, accounting for 12.5 percent of the provincial population. Most of them reside in remote and border areas such as Chau Thanh, Giong Rieng, Go Quao, Hon Dat and Giang Thanh districts and Ha Tien town.

Northern, central regions to experience heat wave

The northern region and the central coast will continue to experience high temperatures in the next 3-4 days, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The highest temperature during the daytime will hover at around 35-37 degrees Celsius. Some areas will experience temperatures of 38-39 degrees Celsius, including Hà Nội.

The temperature will stay above 35 degrees Celsius for 11-17 hours per day, the centre said. The northern and central coastal regions have been baking in the hot weather for the past several days, with the temperature increasing to around 36-37 degree Celsius.

Earlier this week, outdoor temperatures were recorded at 40 degree Celsius at noon in some places.

Hanoi prepares for scorching temperatures

Hanoi People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung has called on agencies to prepare for a long hot spell as temperatures in Hanoi are forecast to rise to 40 Celsius on June 14.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, the heat wave will cover the northern and central regions with Hanoi and Hoa Binh City's temperature continue to increase by one to two degrees to reach 39 Celsius on June 14. Outdoor temperatures at noon may top 40 Celsius.

With humidity of around 45%, Hanoi will remain hot from 7am to 8pm.

On June 13, Chairman Chung issued an official document on the local government response to the long hot spell. The Department of Health was asked to implement necessary measures to prevent diseases and increase inspections on food hygiene.

The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs must ensure good conditions at children’s homes and elderly care centres and heighten awareness over swimming in dangerous areas. Meanwhile, the Department of Construction is responsible for fresh water supply as well as the green spaces in the city.

Electricity Vietnam was asked to ensure that there should be no power outages during the peak of the hot spell. The chairman also asked Fire Department and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to raise people's awareness and make fire prevention plans.

Health experts take more phenol contaminated fish for testing

The Department of Food Safety in the central province of Quang Tri and police officers yesterday took more fish from a batch of 30 tons of Phenol contaminated frozen mackerel scads for testing

The frozen fish were found contaminated with phenol last week and reported to the province People Committee by the province Health Department.

The batches were sealed on June 11. Inspectors divided the batches into five parts and took five samples each 1.5 kilogram for testing. Testing will be carried out in standard laboratories. Before, authority in Quang Tri Province has taken samples aquatic products in the province.

The batches of 30 tons of frozen mackerel scads were reportedly bought by store's owner Le Thi Thuoc soon after fish began to die on mass in the central region.

Phenol, or carbolic acid, is primarily used to synthesize plastics and related materials. The substance may cause harmful effects on the central nervous system, heart, liver and kidney, resulting in dysrhythmia, seizures and coma.

Perfect development planning critical to Can Tho: PM

The completion of the development planning is the focal task of Can Tho city as it is the capital of the whole Mekong Delta region but also the one most vulnerable to climate change among the big cities in Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made the remark at a working session with municipal officials on June 13.

He applauded Can Tho’s performance in maintaining fair growth over the last decade, especially in industry and agriculture, despite economic difficulties and serious climate change impacts. It has also ensured social welfares, created jobs, and alleviated poverty, helping to enhance people’s trust in local authorities.

The city should step up agricultural restructuring and other aspects while making the best use of natural features as well as opportunities brought about by climate change to improve farmers’ income.

It needs to become a start-up hub, especially for hi-tech companies, and encourage scientific – technological application in business and production activities, the PM noted.

He told Can Tho to beef up cooperation with foreign businesses to expand markets, improve officials’ capacity and attract skilled personnel, particularly Vietnamese expatriates, to help with national development.

Meanwhile, it should foster partnership with other provinces and cities in Vietnam, in the region and the world to learn from their experience and tap into their potential.

The Government leader said more open mechanisms are necessary for the city to make breakthroughs, adding that authorities at all levels there to promote their renovation while performing their duties.

At the working session, local officials reported that Can Tho has advantages in agriculture, aquaculture along with geographical location, which is favourable for developing urban and transport facilities, hi-tech agriculture, processing industry, tourism and support industries.

In the first half of 2016, Can Tho recorded the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) at over 28.75 trillion VND (1.29 billion USD), up 6.82 percent year on year. Production and business indexes were also relatively high compared to the same period last year.

It ranked 14th of the 63 provinces and cities in terms of the provincial competitiveness index. The number of businesses in the city increases by 9.12 percent a year.

Also on June 13, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Rice Research Institute, which is based in Can Tho.-

HCMC Department of Transport proposes ads on buses

The Department of Transport in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday proposed to the city People’s Committee a plan allowing advertisement on 40-seater buses in a bid to increase income and reduce governmental subsidizes on bus operation.

The Department launched a pilot plan in April on 171 buses collecting over VND14.6 billion (US$654,000), exceeding the department's original expectations by 40 percent. After implementation of piloted time, many companies registered to put advertising on buses.

It is predicted that the city will collect an amount of VND170 billion (US$7,643) a year if it allows a mass advertising on 2,344 40-seater buses. The collected amount is expected to reduce state subsidizes on bus operation.

In 2015 the government spent VND927 billion (US$41.6 million) on subsidizing bus operation. In 2002 and earlier, bus enterprises allowed placing advertising on bus and they enjoyed the payment. Since the government subsidized bus operation from 2002 now on, advertising on buses halted.

Until 2015 in many meetings with the Economic and Budgetary Committee under the city People’s Council, representatives from related agencies said that tardiness in advertising on buses caused loss to compensate state budget which had been spent on bus subsidizes.

In bus advertising, buses and their related infrastructure are used by advertisers to reach the public with their message. Usually, this takes the form of promoting commercial brands, but can also be used for public campaign messages.

Prime Minister urges efforts to expand health insurance coverage

The Prime Minister has assigned the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to promptly make a list of underprivileged coastal and island communes which are subjects to free health insurance during 2016-2020.

The list must be submitted to the PM for approval before June 30, he said, asking the Ministry of Finance to partner with the Ministry of Health to build a mechanism and a roadmap for health insurance coverage sourced from the State coffer.

The Vietnam Social Insurance (VSI) was tasked with drawing up suitable mechanisms, policies and solutions to speed up the expansion of health insurance.

It was also requested to launch a network of distributors in charge of collecting health insurance premiums paid by organisations and units, and streamline administrative procedures to make it easier for people to take out insurance.

The Government leader called for efforts to accelerate communication work to encourage the widespread participation of health insurance under the form of households.

At the same time, the People’s Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces should allocate their State budgets and mobilise all resources to support people in joining health insurance.

The Health Ministry was urged to swiftly roll out a plan adjusting prices of health care services in order to ensure equality between health insurance card holders and others.

Regarding the computerisation of health check-ups and treatment and payment, the PM asked the ministry to build, issue and update a set of codes for medical services jointly used by modern and traditional medicine, technical services and medical materials.

Medical centres must update all information about health check-ups and treatment for those covered by health insurance on the national e-network no later than June 30, he said.

Vietnamese woman taken in for sending workers to China illegally

Border guards in Thai Binh Province in northern Vietnam have arrested a local woman for allegedly running a trafficking gang that smuggled people into China to work illegally.

Nguyen Thi Thuy, 32, was taken in for questioning after her human cargo of 32 workers was found on June 9.

Police have opened a case to investigate her for sending people to work in China illegally.

They were on a bus to Lang Son Province to cross the border.

Eighteen of these people were returning to China after a home visit while the rest were going for the first time.

The workers look for jobs on their own.

It is not known how much Thuy charged each for transporting them.

Few projects in HCM City recieve criticism from scientists

Only a very small number of projects in HCM City has been put forward for science-based criticism, according to a top scientist.

According to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Giao, President of the Union of the HCM City Science and Technology Associations, said the number of projects getting consultation and criticism from scientists is too small in regard to the number of projects being implemented in the city.

Some big projects belonging to the city’s overall planning have yet to have the participation of the union, Giao said, adding that the criticism of projects should be institutionalised with specific criteria such as scale, capital and affected population.

In order to make criticism effective, scientists said the union has to get involved in a project from the beginning, while the city needs to have systematic and science-based instructions and a financial reform mechanism for scientific research activities.

Dinh La Thang, Secretary of the city People’s Party Committee, said the city has real demand for social consultation, criticism and appraisal as the city heads towards a higher level of development.

Thang appreciated the union’s contribution to the city’s development and stressed that the city would continue creating favourable conditions for scientists to make their contributions.

Centrally-run cities to halt analogue terrestrial TV broadcasting

The broadcasting of analogue terrestrial television is scheduled to cease in centrally-run Hanoi, Ho Chi Chi Minh City and Can Tho on June 15, and in Hai Phong city on August 15.

It will be replaced by digital terrestrial television, which will provide a greater number of channels and better quality of picture and sound.

The move is in line with a national project approved by the Prime Minister in 2011 to digitise terrestrial television broadcasting throughout the country. The four-phase project aims to switch to digital terrestrial television broadcasting across the country by the end of 2020.

Writing contest marks Vietnam-Denmark diplomatic ties

The Danish Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnam – Denmark Friendship Association presented awards to winners of the writing contest “Denmark in Your Eyes” in Hanoi on June 13.

Pham Tam Dan, a ninth-grade student at Nguyen Sieu private school, won first prize with a two-week scholarship programme at Niels Brock business school in Copenhagen.

Chairman of the Vietnam-Denmark Friendship Association Tran Hong Ha highlighted the contest as a practical event to celebrate 45 years of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.

Most of the candidates do not have opportunities to visit Denmark, but they have rich knowledge about the Danish culture, people and life.

He described the youngsters as the best diplomats for cooperation between the two nations, especially in the fields of energy, environment, climate change and green growth.

Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Charlotte Laursen said she was very impressed by the imagination of the Vietnamese students.

Pham Tam Dan’s performance really touched the jury board for successfully capturing the mutual trust of Danish people, she added.

This contest, the first of its kind, drew 50 entries from students in Hanoi.

Contestants collected pictures from different sources on Denmark and enclosed with them an essay in English explaining why the pictures inspired them, what it was about the European country.

A similar event will be continue to be held in the future, the Ambassador said.

The Danish Embassy in Vietnam took this occasion to announce the establishment of a network for Vietnamese and Danish students, which will host culture, education and business events.

Central Highlands looks to vegetables, fruit trees amid water shortage

Farmers in provinces in the Central Highlands region have shifted to growing vegetables and annual fruit trees on areas that have been facing water shortages in 2016, according to the Central Highlands’ Steering Committee.

As many as 7,200 hectares of rice cultivation have been replaced with other crop so far this year.

Of which, Dak Lak province alone accounts for 2,570 hectares, which are now growing corn, French beans and watermelon instead of rice.

According to the committee, the change not only reduced the effects of the damage caused by drought, but also boosted incomes for ethnic minorities.

Illegal drug transport cases detected in Tan Son Nhat Airport

Several illegal drug transport cases have been discovered at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City recently, according to the airport customs division.

The latest case involved a man, 32, from South Africa, on a flight from Doha, Qatar’s capital city, to Tan Son Nhat, who illegally transported 1.7 kilograms of cocaine.

According to initial confessions, the man said he transported the drug in return for 3,500 USD.

Further investigation into the case is getting underway.

In recent times, the airport customs division has discovered 1.2 tonnes of ‘khat’ leaves containing cathinone from Africa, three kilograms of heroin intended for Australia, three kilograms of methamphetamine, and two kilograms of cocaine hidden inside the abdomen of an eagle from South America.

Workshop boosts fresh lychee exports via Lang Son border gates

A workshop was held on June 13 to boost lychee exports to China via border gates in the northern mountainous province of Lang Son.

The event, the third of its kind, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese provinces of Bac Giang , Hai Duong and Lang Son, and the Chinese town of Pingxiang in Guangxi.

Vice Chairman of the Lang Son People’s Committee Nguyen Cong Truong said the province has instructed the Management Board of Dong Dang Border Gate Economic Zone , and the Van Lang district authorities to work with relevant Chinese bodies to facilitate lychee exports to China.

Efforts include expanding customs clearance hours and delivery storage sites in a bid to ease the load in the key border gates of Tan Thanh and Coc Nam.

Additionally, relevant bodies are asked create favourable conditions for enterprises to ship their lychees via the local border gates during ha r vest time.

According to the management board, comprehensive infrastr uc ture facilities have been developed in local border economic zones and border gates to meet storage demands.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Lang Son province Customs Department Vy Cong Tuong called on enterprises to connect with farmers to ensure lychee quality and supply for exports.

He also underlined the need to establish an association of lychee exporters to support the sector.

According to the Bac Giang province People’s Committee, the total output for the province in 2016 is expected to reach 130,000 tonnes of lychees, a fall of 30 percent from 2015.

Some 60 percent of the output is estimated to be consume d by the domestic market. China is the major importer of Bac Giang lychee s , mostly via border gates in Lao Cai, Ha Giang and Lang Son provinces. Hai Duong province has a mere 11,000 hecates of lychee trees, producing 50,000 tonnes. Between 25-3 0 percent of the volume is shipped abroad.

More support for fishermen affected by mass fish deaths

Fishermen in four central provinces affected by mass fish deaths will get aid equivalent to up to 70% of the value of fish which have been dumped over safety concerns, the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said.

According to the ministry’s Document 3441/BNN-TCTS, fish caught in the waters within 20 nautical miles off mainland Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces is now put under strict food safety surveillance. Meanwhile, fish caught offshore will be checked and certified if they meet safety criteria.

In case fish are found unsafe, they must be dumped and fishermen will get aid up to 70% of their total value.

Circular 187/2010/TT-BTC and Decision 49/2012/QD-TTg specify ways to help people affected by calamities and diseases.  

The Directorate of Fisheries said competent agencies launch an inspection into fish caught within the 20-nautical-mile waters every day and fish in farther fishing grounds every two or three days after mass fish deaths were found in the central coast in early April. At present, competent agencies have yet to decide when such inspections stop.

A source told the Daily that the ministry is drawing up a program to support affected fishermen in the four provinces. Two draft support schemes are being passed around for comment in the localities.

The first scheme would support fishermen to increase the capacity of their fishing ships or acquire new offshore fishing boats. Under the second scheme, fishermen would be assisted to find other jobs.

The final scheme would be soon submitted to the Government.

Vinatex to build VND100-billion factory in HCMC

Vietnam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) has got approval from HCMC to develop a fiber and garment factory in Tam Thon Hiep Commune in the outlying district of Can Gio.

The factory will go up on an area of 10 hectares and employ more than 1,500 people when it comes on stream. Vinatex is allowed to take out low-interest loans to finance the VND100 billion (US$4.45 million) project as it has been added to the city’s investment stimulus program.

The city government told Vinatex to put into operation the factory installed with modern equipment at the end of 2016. The project will comprise a kindergarten and an entertainment area.

Vinatex will work with local authorities over plans to survey the number of employees in the textile and garment sector and provide training for local people, including those moving out to make room for construction of the factory.

Vinatex has unveiled a plan to shift its production model from the cut, make and trim (CMT) to the original design manufacturer (ODM) to earn higher profit. The group expected to increase the ODM model to 20% by 2020 from the current 8%.

To raise local fiber supply, Vinatex has invested heavily in a number of projects, such as fiber plants in the northern province of Nam Dinh and in the southern province of Dong Nai with respective annual capacities of 4,770 tons and 6,000 tons. Other investments made by its affiliates include fiber plants Dong Van 1 in Ha Nam Province and Thang Binh in Quang Nam Province as well as textile and dyeing facilities.

Vinatex has made the investments to benefit from the free trade agreements Vietnam has signed and will sign, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and an FTA with the European Union.

Textile and garment exports fetched almost US$27.5 billion last year. This year’s target is US$30 billion.

Govt rules out power price stabilization fund

The Government has disapproved a Ministry of Industry and Trade proposal to establish a power price stabilization fund.

In a recent announcement, the Government detailed measures to stabilize the market and rein in inflation in the final months of 2016. In particular, the Government requested the ministries of industry-trade and finance to tell Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) to cut power generation costs, stabilize retail prices and draw up an appropriate roadmap for price adjustments.

The establishment of a power price stabilization fund was mentioned in Decree 69/2013/TTg providing a mechanism to adjust the average electricity retail prices. The fund would operate in much the same way as the operational fuel price stabilization fund.

Accordingly, a certain amount of money would be added to the planned power price stabilization fund for each kWh of electricity sold. When the average power price is lower than the production cost, power companies could subtract a certain amount of money from the fund to offset the differential.

The decree took effect three years ago but the power price stabilization fund has not been formally set up due to concerns over the operation mechanism and transparency of the fund.

The establishment of the fund was again proposed in the draft of Decree 69 prepared by the General Department of Energy under the ministry in late 2015. However, the Government ruled out the fund and bill payments by electricity consumers would not be used by EVN to offset the power production cost which has remained non-transparent.

Chungdahm, Egroup partner to teach English in Vietnam

Chungdahm Learning, an education company based out of the Republic of Korea (RoK), has announced plans to partner with leading Vietnamese adaptive learning company Egroup to create English learning products.

“With Egroup we can develop advanced digital learning products that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of students, aged six to 14,” said Kim Young Hwa, president of Chumdahm.

“We plan to invest US$10 million in the joint venture and use Egroup to enhance our portfolio of products that students use both at home, in the classroom, and within after-school study programs.”

“We look forward to working with Chumdahm to create learning materials for students in Vietnam as well as the Asia Pacific Region,” said a representative of Egroup.

“We’ve witnessed a growing demand for adaptive learning technology among publishers across Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific and believe we can bring more personalized learning materials to more students.”

Founded in 1998, Chumdahm’s mission has been to fulfil the needs of 21st century learners. CHUNGDAHM develops digital learning solutions, including its CREO smart classroom solution and its digital curriculum solution for schools globally.

Chumdahm currently operates over three hundred learning centres throughout the RoK, specializing in mathematics and English language acquisition and has opened several educational centres in China, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, the US, the Philippines and Canada.

Commune officials accused of stealing public money

A VND 27 million small border dyke irrigation project in a poor commune in the central highlands province of Gia Lai was reported to have cost over VND 1 billion with local officials guilty of appropriating the difference.

Inspectors at Phu Thien District have recently uncovered substantial evidence of serious wrongdoings relating to finance management by former chairman of Ia Peng Commune, Nguyen Thanh Cuong.

Cuong, who is now deputy party secretary cum chairman of the neighbouring Ia Piar Commune, has been accused of appropriating VND 970 million (USD43,419) when carrying out a small dyke project in Ia Peng during 2013 and 2014 when he was head of this commune.

The dyke, which was only 20 centimetres wide and some hundred metres long, had 40% of its funding sourced from the district's budget, with the remainder funded by local residents.

The inspectors found out that the project cost only VND 27 million (USD 1,208) but the commune’s final account reported a total of VND 1.01 billion (USD 44,762).

Chairman of Phu Thien District's People Committee, Ro La Ni, has asked local police to prosecute and order Cuong to return all the appropriated money.

Meanwhile, Cuong told DTiNews on June 13 that he had submitted a resignation letter because he was so angry at the results from the inspectors.

"It was my fault for letting this happen but I didn't take the money," Cuong claimed. "My only mistake in this case was lack of responsibility because I did not supervise the project carefully."

Cuong explained that during that time his was not feeling well so he authorised the commune's vice chairman, Do Hong Son, to take over the work.

Rice research institute urged to develop rice varieties against climate change

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has suggested experts at the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI) develop varieties that are effectively resistant to climate change in the Mekong Delta.

The PM held a working session with the CLRRI in Can Tho on June 13 during his tour to the Mekong Delta provinces.

Speaking at the event, the government leader praised efforts by the CLRRI during its 40 year development with important contributions to turn Vietnam into one of the largest rice exporters in the world.

The institute has researched and put into production 165 rice varieties, including some with outstanding features. Among ten rice varieties commonly planted in the delta, eight have been bred by the institute, accounting for nearly 80% of the planting area.

The creation of new rice varieties has contributed to bring the Mekong Delta rice production from 4.2 million tonnes in 1976 to 25 million tonnes in 2015, up more than six times, helping the country's rice yield lead ASEAN (at the average yield of 5.8 tonnes/ha, 1.5 times compared to Thailand's rice).

It has also built 11 cultivation processes which are widely recognised at the national level and bringing high economic efficiency.

PM Phuc noted that the Mekong Delta is currently affected by a record severe drought and salinisation, requiring a high need for salt and pest resistant rice varieties to adapt to the situation.

He also required developing plans to improve Vietnam’s rice quality for both consuming and exporting and to be competitive in the economic integration process, while urging the institute to accelerate scientific research and technology transfer in association with market demand.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri