Rhino horn smuggling case busted in HCM City

The Police Department for Smuggling Prevention (C74) under the Ministry of Public Security on November 20 uncovered four kilograms of rhino horn smuggled from central Nghe An province to Ho Chi Minh City. 

The police detained Nguyen Duc Nguyen, from Nghe An, for further investigation. 

Earlier, on November 18, Nguyen was arrested just after he got off the flight at the Tan Son Nhat Airport. 

Checking Nguyen’s luggage, the authorities discovered a big rhino horn weighing four kilograms worth some 4 billion VND (180,000 USD).

Vietnamese expats in Malaysia updated with East Sea issue

The staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese expatriates in Malaysia gathered on November 19 to discuss the regional situation, with the focus placed on the East Sea issue.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Pham Cao Phong said the talk is one of the embassy’s agenda, which aims to provide the most updated and exact information about the regional situation, including the East Sea, for the Vietnamese community in Malaysia.

Vu Hai Dang, First Secretary at the embassy, presented a number of contents such as disputes in the East Sea between China and the Philippines, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), the Philippines’ lawsuit against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), and Vietnam’s response to the case.

Dang also answered questions of the participants concerning the legal status of islands in sea delimitation.

Concluding the talk, Ambassador Phong called on the Vietnamese expats to actively take part in fighting for their homeland’s sovereignty, particularly in sharing their knowledge on the East Sea issue with international friends.

Office workers and students by day, good samaritans at night

Earlier this week, at 10:30pm, a motorcyclist stranded on National Highway 51 called Team 177’s phone number. The team immediately left for the scene. 

All in a night’s work for Team 177.  Members of the group, who work in offices or study at universities, can be seen helping victims of traffic accidents, motorbike breakdowns and even robberies at night.

Nguyễn Hữu Lợi, 25, a financial consultant, founded the team. “Each member of our team has faced accidents and risks, so they want to help people in vulnerable situations,” he says.

In addition to calling the police, people who face risks, accidents or attacks can call Team 177 at 0911 131 117.

After a day’s work, members of the team gather at a coffee shop near Tam Phước Industrial Park to talk to people who face risks of various kinds.

“Societal conditions will improve if everyone, in even small ways, tries to help others,” Lợi says.

Hoa Binh province marks 130th founding anniversary

The northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh held a ceremony in November 19 to celebrate its 130th founding anniversary and its 25th re-establishment.

Attending the event, Politburo member, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Dinh The Huynh lauded the province’s achievements despite difficulties.

He suggested Hoa Binh province make the best use of its geographical location close to Hanoi to supply farming produce and other services to the capital city and neighbouring areas.

Tremendous tourism potentials are also the strength of the province, he added.

Huynh recommended the local authorities to lead the economy toward a market economy and prepare for international integration, stressing that more attention should be paid to start-up enterprises.

On this occasion, on behalf of Party and Government leaders, he granted an Independence Order, first class, to the province.

At the ceremony, the local Muong ethnic minority group’s Mo ritual singing and gong performance were announced as national intangible heritage.

Spanning nearly 4,600 km2, Hoa Binh now consists of 10 districts and one city with a total population of more than 830,000.

In the past 25 years, the province has recorded an annual average growth rate of 8.7 percent and raised the agricultural output to above 360,000 tonnes per year. Income per capital in 2015 stood at 36.5 million VND, 50 times higher than that of 1991.

As part of its founding celebrations, Hoa Binh is hosting a gardening festival that will last until November 25.

Deputy PM vows to support IFRC’s operations in Vietnam

The Vietnamese Government will create best conditions for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to implement its humanitarian activities and joint projects with the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS).

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung made the promise at his meeting with IFRC President Tadateru Konoe in Hanoi on November 19.

He hailed the effective assistance of the organisation and its local member – VRCS – toward victims of war and natural disasters in Vietnam.

The Deputy PM talked about the suffering of the central region due to serious floods in recent months, hoping the IFRC will increase support to the central people by calling for more international aid.

Dung also expected the IFRC to help the VRCS improve capacity and form connection with humanitarian organisations in the world.

For his part, Konoe said the current visit to Vietnam offers him an opportunity to see the growth of the VRCS after 70 years of operation with great support from the Vietnamese Government.

He stated that the IFRC will continue assisting the VRCS in launching humanitarian aid in the country, particularly in response to natural disasters.

Seminar seeks ways to enhance Vietnam-France ties

Officials, diplomats and experts from Vietnam and France gathered at a seminar in Paris on November 18 to discuss measures to enhance the bilateral strategic partnership signed in 2013.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, Senator Catherine Deroche hailed positive changes that Vietnam has made to develop itself into one of the most dynamic economies in the Asia-Pacific, as well as the extensive development of bilateral ties via effective projects.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Ngoc Son, for his part, said since 1993, France has been the second largest bilateral donor of Vietnam, behind Japan, promising 3 billion EUR (4.2 billion USD).

With 3.4 billion USD worth of total investment, France is now the third largest European investor in Vietnam and ranks 16 th among countries and territories investing in the country. Last year, two-way trade hit 4.3 billion USD.

The success of the “France-Vietnam Cultural Exchange Year 2013-2014” has made France the second popular destination chosen by Vietnamese students.

Currently, France is the 15th biggest importer of Vietnamese goods and the 13 th largest supplier of commodities to Vietnam. Statistics last year showed that the volume of French goods in Vietnam remains modest, accounting for nearly 1 percent, behind Germany and Italy.

According to the ambassador, the annual high-level economic dialogue affords a chance for both countries to touch upon strategic trade and investment issues and remove trade hindrances.

The opening of the Business France bureaus in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City also makes it easier for French enterprises to access Vietnam, he said.

In his speech, Ambassador Christian Lechervy, French Permanent Secretary for the Pacific, underlined Vietnam’s important role in multilateral organisations such as the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He also mentioned the peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sea to ensure an environment conductive for cooperation and development.

Participants also attended two round-table discussions themed “Economic cooperation and sustainable development” and “France-Vietnam strategic partnership”, during which they proposed initiatives and measures to deepen bilateral ties.

Vietnamese students in Czech Republic honoured

The Vietnam Embassy in the Czech Republic on November 19 awarded 55 Vietnamese students who have recorded outstanding achievements during the 2015-2016 academic year.

The students have obtained excellent academic results, with many of them winning local, national and international competitions on mathematics, physics, languages, music and chess, among other subjects.

At the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Truong Manh Son lauded efforts made by the younger generation of Vietnamese expatriates to secure top places at various competitions.

He thanked their parents for educating such a bright generation, saying this will help the Vietnamese community enhance their position and contribute more to the European country.

On behalf of parents at the event, Le Hoai Trung, whose two son were awarded, stressed that despite difficulties, Vietnamese expats have always prioritised the education of their children and reminding them of their roots.

PM expects VNU-HCM to rank among top Asian universities

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has expressed his hope that the Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) will achieve its target of ranking among top Asian universities and becoming a source of brainpower and start-up incubation. 

During a working session with the VNU-HCM staff on November 20 on the occasion of the 34 th anniversary of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day, PM Phuc said the university must successfully exercise self-reliance mechanism in line with international practices, as well as pay attention to accountability and social responsibility. 

As the VNU-HCM is building a modern university urban area, the first of its kind in the country, on an area of 643.7ha in Thu Duc-Di An – a gateway to the northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, the PM requested greater efforts to complete site clearance as soon as possible, which has so far reached 73 percent. 

He also encouraged the VNU-HCM to attract social resources for its development and further expand ties with foreign partners to improve the quality of teaching and learning. 

The government, ministries, agencies and localities, including Ho Chi Minh City and the neighbouring province of Binh Duong, will provide all possible support to the university during the process, he said. 

The VNU-HCM groups six member universities; including the University of Technology, the University of Science, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Ho Chi Minh City International University, the University of Information Technology, the University of Economics and Law; the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources; and the Faculty of Medicine along with more than 30 affiliate members. 

In the QS university rankings this year, the VNU-HCM was listed among the top 150 universities in Asia for the first time, ranking 147 th , up five places from 2015.

Vietnamese students in UK join business strategy competition

Vietnamese students left an unforgettable impression during a business strategy competition held at Queen Mary University in London on November 18. 

Seven teams competed in the event, each grouping six members, mostly second and third-year students. 

They were assigned to present a SWOT analysis on the status of a television producing company, including strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, based on which, they must answer whether the company should develop computer-generated imagery technology or resort to outsourcing, and which strategy it should take to achieve set goals. 

After three-hour discussions, each team presented its ideas within six minutes and answered questions from employers such as Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Navigos Search, Nexia STT, UHY, Zuellig Pharma and Kaplan. 

At the end of the competition, MTN team became the winner and its member To Tong Minh Hoang was honoured as the most impressive presenter. 

The competition was hosted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Teachers’ Day cement teacher-student bonds

Vietnam Teachers’ Day on November 20 is celebrated nationwide.

On November 20 Vietnam’s education sector honors teachers and enhances the bond between teachers and students. The celebration reflects a long Vietnamese tradition of respecting teachers and education.

“Teachers’ Day is a day to honor our teachers’ merits. To repay their service, we’ll strive to be good students in order to become useful citizens", said Ngo Thuy Tien at Marie Curie secondary school in Hanoi. 

The commitment of teachers to delivering good lectures and training students has been central to education sector reforms. Nguyen Van Gioi, a teacher at from Phuc Tho High School in Hanoi, said giving lectures to students is a matter of teachers continually improving their own morality and knowledge.

At a meeting on Teachers’ Day, Ho Chi Minh City authorities pledged to reform teaching methods to improve education.

“Teachers have a profound responsibility because students spend much of their time at school. Teachers should be as wholeheartedly devoted to their students as their parents are", said Vice Rector of Tan Phong High School in district 7 Le Quang Dat.

Teachers have contributed to national education reform by adapting their teaching methods to training high quality human resources for national development and integration.

More than 3,000 applicants set for Korean language exams

More than 3,000 applicants have registered to set for the Korean language exams on November 19-20, passage of which is a prerequisite for becoming a guest worker in the Republic of Korea (ROK).

The exam is administered by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Service of Korea in Nghe An Province.

Applicants must undergo two rigorous rounds of exams designed to test their fluency in the Korean language. If any applicant is caught cheating they are automatically disqualified and banned from retaking the exam for two years.

Curriculum vitae of contestants who successfully score passing grades on the exam will be forwarded to  employers for further screening. Around 1,300 applicants will have the opportunity to work in the ROK next year.

Previously, in early October, more than 21,000 workers sat for the Korean language exams in their quest to secure a manufacturing job in the ROK, which offer salaries around US$1,000-1,500 per month. 

Aussie robbed by men disguised as flirty women in Saigon

Police in Ho Chi Minh City arrested two robbers dressed as women who flirted with an Australian man and snatched his phone in the backpackers’ area on November 18.

The men, 29 and 41, drove a motorbike and approached the victim, who was walking on Pham Ngu Lao Street in District 1 early in the morning, police said.

One of them started walking alongside the foreigner, groped him and then snatched the phone from his pocket.

Two men arrested in Ho Chi Minh City on November 18 for allegedly snatching a phone from an Australian man.

The duo quickly fled on their motorbike, but they were caught by police soon later.

Both admitted that they had used the same trick on many male tourists walking in the area.

Ho Chi Minh City is a popular destination among foreign visitors. While the city is generally believed to be safe, street crimes targeting foreigners have remained an issue.

Foreign arrivals to Ho Chi Minh City increased 12.2% from a year ago to more than 2.43 million in the first six months, according to the city’s tourism department.

A September survey by MasterCard named the city among 20 fastest-growing tourist cities in the world since 2009, with 9.22% annual growth.

Ca Mau preserves coastal protective forests

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the southernmost province of Ca Mau has taken measures to effectively protect coastal protective forests. 

Accordingly, the department has urged the provincial Forest Management Department and sub-departments of Ngoc Hien, Nam Can, Dam Doi and Phu Tan districts to launch activities to raise local people’s awareness of protecting protective forests and aquatic resources. 

The department also joins hands with the Forest Management Board, local authorities, border guards and relevant agencies to increase patrols to prevent deforestation and illegal exploitation of forest products.

Ca Mau is also paying special attention to improving the efficiency of forest management. The province has banned local farmers from illegally residing in and near the protective forests. 

Head of provincial Forest Management Department Le Van Hai highlighted the stable forest management and development of Ca Mau as violating cases dropped over years. 

The mangrove forest of the Ca Mau National Park, which was damaged severely during 2012-2013, has improved with tight management, he added.

However, illegal forest exploitation and coal cellar building still exist in some areas of the province, along with forest product trafficking.

Over the last five years, Ca Mau province has reported more than 1,300 cases of forest product transport and deforestation. In the first 10 months of 2016, local authorities handled 196 forest protection violations.

Employers must be sued over insurance debts: officials

One of enterprises that have delayed or avoided paying social insurance for their employees have been brought into court although labour unions, on behalf of the employees, have the right to sue them, the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) said yesterday.

Speaking at a conference about measures to crack down on insurance debtors yesterday, VGCL Vice Chairman Mai Đức Chính said that labour unions were given legal tools in January to take enterprises to court.

Việt Nam Social Insurance and the VGCL even signed a co-operation agreement to provide data and ensure the rights and benefits of employees.

The VGCL had required localities to sign commitments to strengthen debt collection and press suits if necessary.

However, 16 localities had not yet signed their commitment and none of the debtors have been sued so far, he said.

As regulated, every enterprise with more than 10 employees was supposed to jointly pay for workers three types of insurance, namely social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance.

However, many intentionally ignored, delayed or refused to pay, according to the official.

Việt Nam Social Insurance reports show that accumulated social insurance debt in the past ten months was some VNĐ9.55 trillion (US$382 million). Debt of more than three months total VNĐ6.8 trillion ($272 million), accounting for 72 per cent of the total.

The total deb for the three types of insurance was VNĐ14.2 trillion ($568 million), an increase of 0.2 per cent compared to the same period last year.

 By November 15, only 78 per cent of total debts had been collected, seriously affecting employee benefits.

Under the Law on Social Insurance, employers must pay 17 per cent of their employees’ monthly salaries and employees pay six per cent. With this cover, employees can enjoy financial support when they are sick and unable to work.

Nguyễn Trí Đại, Head of Việt Nam Social Insurance’s Social Insurance Department, said enterprises avoid paying insurance either because they are in financial troubles or because they are unaware of their legal duty.

Lax management of social insurance companies in localities also contributes to the problem, he added, citing a company in southern An Giang Province as an example. The company failed to collect debts for more than 60,000 local beneficiaries of social welfare since early January last year.

Representatives of cities and provinces say a shortage of human resources, complicated suing procedures and a shortage of guideline on suing were the main reasons that labour unions hesitate to sue on behalf of workers.

To solve the problem, vice chairman of the VGCL Chính asked labour unions to hasten the completion of suits and relevant documents over insurance debtors and transfer them to the people’s courts.

Any difficulties during the procedures must be reported to the VGCL.

He requested each locality to get between five to ten lawsuits to the people’s court by the end of this year.

Việt Nam Social Insurance would co-operate with VGCL to set up teams to supervise implementation of the task in localities, he said.

State-owned firms with large numbers of labourers, especially in the fields of transport, mechanics and textiles and garments, have been guilty of violations. Strong measures such as fines of up to VNĐ30 million ($1,650) do not seem to deter the debtors: many would rather pay these low fines than their social insurance debts. – VNS

Hà Nội to curb health facilities overspending

The Hà Nội’s Department of Health, in co-operation with the city’s health insurance fund, will inspect about 50 health facilities overspending their health insurance funds in the past nine months.

The inspectors will determine why the cost and frequency of treatment at certain facilities have increased. Prescriptions and other medical regimen will also be monitored for abuse or profiteering from the health insurance fund.

According to the city’s health insurance fund, the overspending of the fund was 1 per cent. As many as 73 hospitals exceeded the fund by a total of more than VNĐ200 billion (US$8 million).

To curb overspending, the city has asked the inspection unit of health insurance funds at hospitals to strengthen operations and refuse to pay for costs failing to meet the fund’s requirements.

The city’s People’s Committee has required localities to reach health insurance coverage for 80 per cent of the population by the end of this year and 90 per cent by 2020.

HCM City university supports disabled students

Library staff at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities plan to develop audio and brallie books for students with visual impairments at the university.

The books are one of four initiatives chosen for be granted funds from a project designed to help university students with disabilities to access education carried out by the HCM City Disability Research and Capacity Development (DRD) Centre under the sponsorship from the Embassy of Ireland.

Bùi Thị Hằng, director of the Library and Information Centre at University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the initiative’s team leader, said that the university has 10 students with visual impairment.

Because of this disability, these students can not access documents at the library, Hằng said.

“Currently, they just learn and research by hearing and writing down what lecturers say. Moreover, they access the free source of documents on Internet, but many of them are not verified,” she told Việt Nam News.

Many of them take initiative in going to the library, but there are no audio and brallie books in the library to serve them, she added.

In the initiative, the library’s staff also will be trained to guide these students to use effectively the library’s documents, Hằng said.

It is expected that the audio and brallie books will be available next January, she added.

Another initiative of lecturers from the Education Faculty at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities that has been provided funds will provide psychological counselling and other assistance services in learning for students with disabilities at the university, Lê Thị Yên Di, its group leader, said.

At the Education Faculty, a counselling and assistance room for these students will be opened, she said.

Two other initiatives of lecturers and staff at the city University of Education include developing a brallie map for its students with visual impairment to know the way to classrooms and providing an assistant for students with disabilities at the university.

The project to help university students with disabilities to access education started at the two universities of Social Sciences and Humanities, and Education in January.

Later, the DRD centre aims to expand the one-year project to other universities throughout the city.

In the project, students with disabilities will raise their capacity to know and implement the rights of education and comprehensive development.

They are also provided learning aid devices or volunteers who are ready to support their learning.

It also aims to improve the awareness of university staff on providing necessary assistance to students with disabilities.

Moreover, students will get support in seeking enterprises for internships or jobs after graduating.

Lưu Thị Ánh Loan, the centre’s acting director, said that students with disabilities in the country still face difficulties in learning at universities and colleges.

For instance, infrastructure there is not accessible for them.   

According to the 2009 Population and Housing Census in Việt Nam, the country has 6.1 million people with disabilities age 5 and above, or 7.8 per cent of the total population.

Of them, less than 0.1 per cent study at universities or colleges.

Southern region tackles mounting power shortage

The southern region must speed up delayed power projects to ensure sufficient energy supply and use cutting-edge technologies to reduce energy waste, experts have said.

Southern Việt Nam, home to commercial hubs like HCM City and manufacturing clusters such as Đồng Nai and Bình Dương provinces, may face more power shortages next year.

Many power projects which do not belong to Electricity of Việt Nam (EVN) are behind schedule, according to EVN.

An official from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, who declined to be named, said that EVN would develop only 21 power projects with total power capacity of 14,610MW in the 2016-30 period.   

In addition, EVN will supply only 6.6 per cent of the region’s power demand in the 2021-2025 period and 13 per cent in the 2025-2030 period.

The rest would be provided by other power businesses, he said. But most of the power projects developed by other businesses are behind schedule.

For example, the companies have only completed 67.5 per cent of their assigned work in the 2011-15 period, which was one of the main causes of power shortages in the region in the period, according to EVN.     

Due to an annual power shortage of between 10 and 15 per cent of the region’s total demand, the region needs to receive power from the northern and central regions with a total capacity of 2,000MW every year.

Experts said this resulted in a considerable loss of power in Việt Nam due to the long distance of power transfer.     

Because the southern region has no power reserve, EVN at times has to use diesel to generate power, which is double the cost of coal-fired thermal power.

As a result, EVN lost hundreds of billions of đồng in the first half of the year.   

Dương Quang Thành, chairman of EVN, said EVN would expand capacity of a series of hydropower plants, including Hoà Bình, Ialy and Trị An.

In addition, the Ô Môn thermal power plant in Cần Thơ, the Duyên Hải thermal power plant in Trà Vinh Province and Vĩnh Tân thermal power plant in Bình Thuận Province plan to increase power supply for the southern region.

According to an official of EVN, EVN is building a thermal-power plant using liquefied natural gas (LNG), recommended by many experts as it can be imported easily.         

In addition, EVN and its partners plan to invest in solar power in areas such as the Central Highlands, south-central region and southern region.   

EVN will consider developing solar power projects on the surface of existing hydropower reservoirs and in hydropower plant areas or arid land to reduce site clearance costs.

To reduce costs, the projects will use workers who are now operating hydropower plants.   

EVN said it would develop a solar power project with a capacity of 200MW in the central province of Ninh Thuận. Investment procedures for the plant have been completed.

EVN will also give priority to solar power projects on islands such as Côn Đảo, Phú Quý and Lý Sơn.

In addition, any delayed power project must be sped up; otherwise, the projects’ investment licences will be revoked.

The Việt Nam Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) has submitted a proposal to the government to build coal-fired thermal power plants in Trà Vinh Province and across the Mekong Delta.

Recently, the government has given the go-ahead for more thermal plants in the Mekong Delta and gas-generated power plants in the central provinces of Quảng Nam and Quảng Ngãi.

Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng has urged the Ministry of Industry and Trade, EVN and TKV to join forces to minimise the risk of power shortages.

Việt Nam’s electricity demand is expected to grow 13 per cent annually in the next four years due to its fast-expanding economy.

American Center kicks off International Education Week in HCM City

The US Consulate’s American Center in HCM City on Monday kicked off International Education Week, a joint initiative of the US Department of State and US Department of Education.

The annual initiative, which ends on November 18, promotes understanding and support of international educational exchanges.

Education Week, which highlights programmes that prepare Americans to live and work in a global environment, also showcases programmes that attract future leaders from abroad to study in the US.

At a press meeting held on Monday in HCM City, US Consul General Mary Tarnowka said that Việt Nam was the sixth leading source of foreign students studying at US higher education institutions.

The number of Vietnamese students increased from 18,722 students in 2015 to 21,403 in 2016, according to the annual Open Doors Report, published by the Institute of International Education with support from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Of the 21,403 Vietnamese students studying in the US, 60 per cent are using personal and family funds.

Việt Nam also maintained its position as the top source country of students in Southeast Asia. The strong increase in Vietnamese students shows continued conviction by students and parents that a US degree is a sound investment in their future careers, the US Consul General said.

Thái Bình Province plans to grow 1,320 ha of coastal forest

Thái Bình Province aims to plant more than 1,320 hectares of coastal forests in the next five years and protect almost 4,000ha of forest.

The plan by the province’s authorities aims to recover lost forest areas, consolidate existing forest areas and grow new forests in coastal areas.

In addition, the plantation will bring much-needed benefits to the local populace, like creating jobs, generating additional livelihoods, and ensure national security and bolster defence.

VNĐ392 billion (US$18.7 million) is the estimated capital required to complete the plan, of which, VNĐ386 billion will be used to plant trees and build support components.

Land illegally encroached upon by industrial zones and urban areas as well as land used by ineffective seafood farms located near sea dykes will be reclaimed and converted to forests, thus enclosing the forest belt.

More technology will be used in forestry, including researching suitable plants for each type of terrain and researching new methods to control pests in mangroves, hence raising the trees’ survival rates.

In the next five years, Thái Bình Province will prioritise the implementation of some key projects, according to the province’s authorities.

The recovery and sustainable development of mangrove forest ecosystem project, with total investment of $2 million, was funded mostly by the South Korean government. The project to mitigate seawave impacts, stabilise seashores, and plant mangrove forests to protect sea dyke No 5 & No 6 will also be high on the agenda.

According to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, last year, the province finished taking inventory of its forestry resources and determined that province-wide, 9,160 hectares of land are reserved for forestry use - 3,700 hectares of which are woodlands, concentrated in two coastal districts Tiền Hải and Thái Thuỵ.

Thái Bình Province merely has protection forests and no production forests so legal logging activities are non-existent.

The province’s forest is part of the Red River Delta’s wetland biosphere and helps to mitigate the impact of climate change, resist saline intrusion, protect sea dykes, help conserve biodiversity, restore ecological balance and environmental protection.

The province implemented numerous projects to plant new forest area and to consolidate and protect existing forests in 2011-2015. Five hundred ha of coastal protection forest and millions of ‘scattered trees’ were planted.

HCM City uses waste to fuel power plant

HCM City People’s Committee yesterday gave the green light to the development of a power plant that uses waste to produce electricity.

The move aims to solve part of the city’s burden in waste treatment, as some 7,600 tonnes of solid waste is discharged in the city daily, but most of it is just dumped.

The Japanese Hitachi Zosen Corporation (Hitz) and the HCM City Urban Environment Co. Ltd. (Citenco) are allowed to jointly build the waste-to-power plant at the Phước Hiệp Waste Treatment Zone in Củ Chi District.

Under a pilot programme running from this year to the middle of next year, the plant is scheduled to handle 200kg daily, using organic waste collected from a waste classification programme in Bến Nghé Ward, District 1.

People’s Committee vice chairman Lê Văn Khoa said the city would expand the waste-fuelled power plant programme if the pilot project proved effective.

VNĐ14 billion trade centre now a cow shelter

A VNĐ14 billion (US$636,000) - invested trade centre in the central Nghệ An Province has been unused for six years and become a free straw store for locals.    

Unused kiosks in Rộ Market trade centre, at Thanh Chương District, have become stores for agricultural equipment, straw and wood. The surrounding area of the trade centre turned into a cow shelter. 

Trần Văn Kỳ, chairman of Võ Liệt Commune People’s Committee said the Rô Market trade centre, inaugurated in 2010, aimed at creating jobs for locals and developing the local economy.

However, the trade centre was unused as local people didn’t like trading in the closed trade centre, preferring the traditional flea market. Local authorities have urged the trade centre’s investor to change the architecture of the centre to include outdoor kiosks familiar to locals.

Replacing a degraded old market, Nghệ An Province People’s Committee approved building the centre in 2007 on a 30,080sq.m area. The Northern Investment and Trade Joint-stock Company, located in Hà Nội, was the main builder.

The trade centre included a big market temple, kiosks, rest room, restaurant, power station, and water supply station. 

Hai Phong active in legal knowledge dissemination

Vietnamese and international legal regulations on seas and islands have been disseminated to residents in islands and border areas across the northern port city of Hai Phong during 2013-2016.

It was reported at a conference held in Hai Phong on November 15 to review a related project, jointly carried out by the Hai Phong People’s Committee and the Border Guard High Command. 

Colonel Dao Quang Thuc, deputy director of the project, said communicators have creatively made serious contents of legal documents practical and memorable. 

The documents focus on a number of topics, including the resolution of the fourth Party Central Committee (10 th tenure) on Vietnam’s maritime strategy towards 2020, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). 

Another content that more closely related to local fishermen was the Prime Minister’s Instruction 689/CT-TTg issued in May 2010 on measures to reduce the number of arrested fishing boats and fishermen at sea. 

Communications campaigns on law compliance in Hai Phong between 2013 and 2016 have contributed to reducing the number of violations during the period by 364 cases compared to that of the 2009-2012 period. 

Hoang Thi Hong Luan, Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee in Cat Hai district said the population of her area is not stable due to the movement of migrant workers, thus communications activities must be specifically designed for smaller groups of people. 

According to Luan, to facilitate the information dissemination, Cat Hai has set up musical troupes in various localities and created a TV programme on legal education for every Saturday broadcast. The district concentrated on matters that attract public concern, such as maritime resources protection and land law. 

Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee Le Khac Nam stressed the need to continuously implement the project, requesting relevant agencies to closely work together and improve their communications human resources. 

Hai Phong is one of 28 coastal cities and provinces in Vietnam. It consists of 15 districts, 8 of which have sea border areas.

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