Bus companies to reduce trips

Passengers board the yellow bus which runs from Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport to the city centre in HCM City. 

Bus companies in HCM City are planning to reduce the number of trips because of lower subsidies from the state and a lack of contracts with the city’s Public Transport Management Centre

The owners of nine of 13 bus units have told local authorities that their expenditures had exceeded their financial abilities. They said they would stop several new routes because of the continued losses.

Some of the owners said they would seek investors to buy their new buses.

In response, the Public Transport Management Centre paid expenditures for the first six months of the year to five bus unit owners who had signed contracts with the centre.

As usual, they will receive a subsidy by the end of the year after filling out all necessary forms. 

For the remaining eight bus units, the city will pay a part of the subsidy even though the units have not signed contracts.

The Transport Department has proposed increasing the bus subsidy this year, but the Finance Department and other authorities must first review the financial activities of subsidised buses.

The Public Transport Management Centre has asked all bus unit owners to reduce the number of trips and submit detailed plans to ensure public bus travel in the city.

Bus owners must operate at least 12 hours on each route each day.

Rubber growers chop down trees as price dives

A lot of rubber trees in A Rom Village, Hồng Hạ Commune, are being chopped down by growers to get rubber wood due to the decline in prices. — Photo baothuathienhue.vn

A series of rubber forests in central Thừa Thiên-Huế Province were cut down for rubber wood and growers have switched to other trees after a period of over-supply and falling prices in recent years, local media reported.

Many growers in Nam Đông, A Lưới and Phong Điền districts and Hương Trà and Hương Thủy townships recently chopped down rubber trees to plant other short-term crops such as cassava and acacia.

According to statistics from the People’s Committee of Hồng Hạ Commune in A Lưới District, one of the largest rubber cultivation areas in the province, more than 400 households have cultivated 224ha of rubber trees since 2015.

At least 13ha were cut down for selling timber and planting cassava and acacia, five hectares of which were cut down since the beginning of the year, said Hồ Viết Lương, chairman of People’s Committee of Hồng Hạ Commune.

According to local authorities, the price of rubber latex dropped sharply, down to only VNĐ12,000 (US$0.52) per kilogram.

Because of the low price, farmers do not have adequate financial incentive to cultivate crops and have to cut down trees to make money from rubber wood to compensate for their losses.

Farmers were also forced to cut down a lot of old rubber trees because those trees died when rubber latex was extracted improperly.

A Moong Tỵ, an officer of Hồng Hạ Commune People’s Committee, said rubber trees bring high economic value to people here, especially in mountain areas. However, in recent years, rubber growers have faced many difficulties in production.

The People’s Committee of A Lưới recently held a meeting with leaders of the Communal People’s Committee and rubber growers to listen their opinion and aspirations in order to encourage them to maintain the rubber cultivation.

Hồ Văn Ngưm, deputy chairman of A Lưới District, said rubber trees were the main tree contributing to the local socio-economic development.

The local authorities have also strengthened guidance about methods in caring for the trees and harvesting rubber latex as well as offering loans with low interest to help them continuously plant rubber trees.

Due to falling prices in recent years, rubber growers in Nam Đông District, the largest rubber cultivation area of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province, have switched to fruit trees such as oranges.

Phan Gia Điền, chairman of Hương Hòa Commune People’s Committee, Nam Đông District, said the whole commune had over 350ha of rubber when the price was up to VNĐ50,000 per kg. Over 10ha of rubber trees were chopped down, he added.

Hồ A Rực, a rubber grower in Ka Tư village, Hương Phú Commune, said many households did not extract rubber latex because of the low price. The growers would lose a lot of money if they hired two or three labourers to take latex.

Thousands of households in Thượng Quảng, Hương Hòa communes and Khe Tre township have also fallen into dire straits due to the decline of rubber prices, Pháp Luật (Law) newspaper reported.

Hồ Thị Ôi, a grower in Hương Hòa Commune, said that her family also borrowed money from the bank to plant 2ha of rubber trees.

In previous years, she earned VNĐ5-7 million a month. But now, the price of latex was too low, not enough to pay wages for workers, she said.

Trần Quốc Phụng, chairman of Nam Đông District People’s Committee, said they encouraged the local rubber growers not to cut down trees and to wait for the price to increase.

Deputy director of the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Department Hồ Vang said that under the direction of the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry, the province also guided and mobilised rubber growers in the province to try to take care of rubber plantations and minimize the cutting of trees to switch to other purposes. 

Campaign to popularise measles vaccine

The Ministry of Health has approved a campaign to provide two-in-one vaccines against measles and rubella for children aged 1 to 5 in high-risk areas. 

The Ministry of Health has approved a campaign to provide two-in-one vaccines against measles and rubella for children aged 1 to 5 in high-risk areas, with the aim of increasing immunisation coverage.

As of September 17, about 1,000 incidences of measles had been recorded in 37 provinces and cities nationwide so far this year.

The campaign’s first phase, which starts next month and ends in December, will take place in 156 high-risk districts in 20 provinces and cities.

The second phase from January to February will occur in 262 high-risk districts in 37 provinces and cities.

Children who received vaccinations less than one month before the start of the campaign do not need to be vaccinated.

The campaign will be carried out in kindergartens, nurseries, and health stations in communes and wards.

The ministry said the number of measles in Việt Nam this year increased by 22.3 times compared to last year. Of these, one patient died.

Hà Nội and Lào Cai, Thanh Hóa, Sơn La, Quảng Ninh and Điện Biên provinces had the largest number of measles cases.

Although the coverage rate for the vaccine against measles is high, it has not reached 95 per cent.

Even with a rate of 90 per cent, the risk of contracting measles is fairly high.

To eliminate measles, the rate should be 95 per cent of children under two years old.

This year, the ministry has added the two-in-one vaccine against measles and rubella in 33 high-risk districts in six provinces of Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Thanh Hóa, Lai Châu, Điện Biên and Sơn La, leading to a higher coverage rate of more than 95 per cent.

In HCM City alone, Nguyễn Hữu Hưng, deputy director of the Department of Health, told Vietnam News Agency that the city had 34 more incidences of measles from October 5-11, rising to 181 this year.

Three clusters of measles outbreak occurred in the city’s districts of 9, Bình Thạnh and Tân Phú.

The department has instructed health stations in wards and communes to carry out the measles campaign in the city.    

The city has also more patients with hand-foot-mouth disease and dengue fever in the last several weeks.

Between October 5 and 11, the number of children with hand-foot-mouth disease was more than 2,860, an increase of 25 per cent compared to September, raising the city’s total to nearly 25,000.

The figure increased by 5 per cent against the same period last year.

The incidences of dengue fever from October 5 to 11 totalled 1,447, an increase of 40 per cent compared to last month. 

Trust Bank case defendants call for trial appeal

Defendants shown at the last trial. 

HCM City People’s Supreme Court on Monday heard the trial appeal for the economic mismanagement and misappropriation case at Trust Bank leading to the loss of VNĐ6.3 trillion (US$271 million).

Previously, on May 31, 28 former officials of Trust Bank (Đại Tín Bank – now known as the Việt Nam Construction Bank) were sentenced to between three and 30 years in prison by the city People’s Supreme Court on charges of “abusing trust to appropriate property” and “intentionally violating State regulations on economic management and causing serious consequences” after a three-week trial.

11 of the 28 defendants appealed the court’s verdict.

The key defendant Hứa Thị Phấn, former senior advisor of the management board of Trust Bank, and former chairwoman of the management board of Phú Mỹ Investment and Development JSC, appeals the entirety of the first-instance judgments. In her letter of appeal, Phấn said that the first-instance judgments adjudicated unfairly for her and did not consider all evidences. Phấn received the highest sentence of 30 years in jail.

In addition, 15 of 214 people involved in the case called for a trial appeal. The Việt Nam Construction Bank (CB Bank) asked the court to reconsider civil responsibilities regarding the credit loans between CB Bank and Phương Trang Company, as well as the legality of the sale of the house at 5 Phạm Ngọc Thạch Street in Ward 6, District 3, HCM City.

According to the first-instance verdict, taking advantage of her majority shareholder status (at the time she controlled 84.92 per cent of Trust Bank’s charter capital), Hứa Thị Phấn took over management of the bank.

She wrongfully inflated the value of her house on Phạm Ngọc Thạch Street to sell it to Trust Bank, leading to financial loss of over VNĐ1.1 trillion ($48.5 million). She was also alleged to have violated the accounting law, causing a loss of over VNĐ5.2 trillion ($223.6 million) to the bank.

Phấn was asked to pay compensation of more than VNĐ 6.3 trillion ($271 million) to CB Bank. The judge panel asked Phương Trang company and other enterprises who co-operated with Phương Trang company to pay back VNĐ6.4 trillion ($280 million) to the bank. 

Năm Roi grapefruit garden in Vĩnh Long damaged by tide

Nguyễn Chí Lâm picks up grapefruit that have fallen into the garden from trees that were damaged during the tide. — Photo baophapluat.vn

Many southern specialty Năm Roi grapefruit gardens in Bình Minh Town in the southern province of Vĩnh Long are damaged after being submerged by the highest tide seen in the last 40 years.

“Tree roots have rotted, growers must cut off their fruits and sell them at the price of VNĐ1000/kg fruit against the common price of VNĐ40,000-VNĐ50,000,” said Nguyễn Chí Lâm, 57, living at Mỹ Thới 1 Village, Mỹ Hòa Commune of Bình Minh Town.

“The high tide passed on 10 days ago, and over 30ha of Năm Roi grapefruit in Mỹ Thới Village is wilted, fallen and dying.”

The Năm Roi grapefruit variety in Mỹ Hòa Commune is well-known throughout the country. Farmers have relied on the strength of this special fruit for economic development.

Lâm’s family has 9,000sq.m of grapefruit garden and expects to harvest pomelo in the next seven days. Lâm said the fruit garden was submerged for several days and grapefruits fell off the trees, so damage was about VNĐ100 million.      

Up to now, more than 80 per cent of the total 1,200ha grapefruit garden in Mỹ Hào Commune has decayed.

Nguyễn Văn Phi, chairman of Mỹ Hòa Commune, said that immediately after the incident of submerged orchards, the local authorities and farmers urgently tried to consolidate and upgrade dykes to protect the orchards.

"Some of the dyke banks are overflowing and the local authorities have mobilised local people and the social forces to repair it," Phi said.

Worse still, local farmers are worried about the upcoming tide. Farmer Lê Quốc Sĩ said the 0.6m-high wall couldn’t protect his orchard during the last tide. “I heard the information about the next tide so I have spent millions of đồng on upgrading the wall.”       

The hydro-meteorological forecasting agency predicts tide will reach the peak of 1.95-1.97m in the Hậu River and 1.94m-1.97m in the Tiền River on October 26-27, threatening the fields in Cần Thơ, Vĩnh Long and Bến Tre provinces. 

PM approves project on sustainable poverty reduction

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recently approved a project on assisting hamlets and villages in border, mountainous, coastal, and island areas with new-style rural area building and sustainable poverty reduction for the 2018-2020 period. 

Specifically, the country will strive to have all communes meet at least five criteria on new-style rural areas. The rate of poor households is to be reduced by at least five percent under the multi-dimensional poverty reduction standards for the 2016-2020 period. 

By 2020, the income of local residents in communes under the project is estimated to expand by 1.6-1.8 times compared to the figures in 2015. 

Hamlets and villages have set goals of establishing either effective manufacturing and trade or community-based tourism-cultural village models, as well as basically fulfilling the construction of key infrastructure for daily use such as water and power supply facilities and rural roads. At least half of the hamlets and villages in the project are expected to meet the new-style rural area building criteria adopted by the provincial People’s Committees. 

The project will benefit 3,513 hamlets and villages in 363 poor communes that currently meet less than 10 of the set criteria across 36 provinces, including 564 hamlets and villages in 52 communes that meet below five of the set criteria. 

It will help build and spread concentrated manufacturing models in line with the “One Commune, One Product” programme; develop community-based cultural and tourism village models; offer training courses on community development to rural development committees and prestigious persons in communities, as well as vocational training to rural workers; and build and upgrade key infrastructure for manufacturing and daily use.

Kien Giang province has new city

An overview of Ha Tien town (Source: hatien.kiengiang.gov.vn)

Ha Tien town in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is about to become a city, Ha Tien city.

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee recently issued a resolution to make the town of 81,576 people a city.

The resolution has also created a new ward, namely My Duc, which covers

16.96 sq.km and accommodates 9,108 residents of My Duc commune. 

The ward borders Cambodia to the east and the north, Dong Ho ward to the east and the south, the Gulf of Thailand to the west, and Binh San and Phao Dai to the south.

The new Ha Tien city has a total area of 100.49 sq.km.

It borders Giang Thanh district to the east, the Gulf of Thailand to the west, Kien Luong district to the south and Cambodia to the north. 

The city encompasses Binh San, Dong Ho, My Duc, Phao Dai and To Chau wards, and Thuan Yen and Tien Hai communes. 

The resolution will take effect from November 1, 2018.

Dak Lak’s forest coverage decreases

Forest coverage in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak has shrunk to 505,076ha – down 10,533ha – according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

There are over 461,300ha of natural forests, down 10,198ha from 2016 – partly due to illegal logging in recent years, mostly in the districts of Ea Sup, Buon Don, Krong Bong, Ea Kar, M’D’rak, Ea H’leo, and Yok Don national park; as well as Ea So and Chu Yang Sin Natural Reserves. 

Ea Sup district has lost the most natural forest area, with 9,300ha destroyed. 

The province’s forest coverage has reduced 0.81 percent to 38.49 percent, if the area of rubber and fruit trees is counted. Excluding those types of plantation, the forest coverage is only 36.6 percent. 

As well as speeding up forest plantation, Dak Lak has asked localities to form inter-sectoral inspection groups to deal with violations of the Law on Forest Protection and Development; and promptly prevent deforestation and forest transgression, as well as illegal exploitation, transportation, and trade of forestry products. 

Individuals and organisations in charge of forest protection will also be held responsible in the case of potential future violations.

UNESCO and Coca-Cola use arts to raise recycling awareness

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has announced a new partnership with Coca-Cola Vietnam and its development partners in Hanoi with a view to reduce plastics and solid waste in Vietnam for a “World without Waste”.

Hosted in the Green One UN Building, the event was a special occasion to link up all active UN agencies, government bodies and relevant development partners, private sector, local NGOs and young Vietnamese activists and students with collective actions.

During the event, representatives from UNESCO and British Council shared their new initiatives in recycling and waste management in collaboration with Coca-Cola, particularly in tackling plastics pollution from a cultural, educational, creative and artistic point of view.

The partnership between UNESCO and Coca-Cola, in conjunction with a variety of interventions in scientific research and policy development by the UN in Vietnam, focuses on raising community awareness and encouraging creative ideas in reducing plastics and solid waste.

Within this partnership framework, UNESCO and Coca-Cola will launch the Art of Recycle Awards that will call for creative talents in developing artworks using recycled materials. The Award will be opened for all individuals or groups of Vietnamese citizens aged 15 years old and above.

There are two award categories including one targeting accomplished artists and the other for students and communities. Participants are encouraged to propose ideas for artistic projects and outdoor display designs to reuse single-use plastic and aluminum waste.

Apart from the specific awards, the program will provide financial support for the implementation of the best ideas, with a maximum amount of VND100 million.

Also in this joint commitment, UNESCO and Coca-Cola will take concrete actions at primary tourism destinations in Vietnam, including World Heritage sites and coastal communities, in practical solutions in reducing and recycling of plastics and other solid waste.

Michael Croft, head of UNESCO Hanoi office, highlighted the innovative approach in addressing environmental issues: “We see the potential to make art out of waste, and to connect people through creativity and imagination. Waste might just be waste, but it might also be artistic inspirations for artists. At the same time, we harness the power of the art to tell a story, to harness its ability to provoke thought and emotion leading to action”.

Speaking at the launching event, Hiroshi Kanazawa, general manager of Coca-Cola Indochina, said: “Every package has value and life beyond its initial use and should be collected and recycled into either a new package or another beneficial use. We believe in the strong collaboration and expect to see positive impacts we can offer to local communities through these meaningful programs.”

In tandem with the project implemented by UNESCO, Coca-Cola’s partnership with British Council drives social entrepreneurship and community engagement through the Ekocenter program across the country in the next two years, focusing on environmental awareness and waste management.

These newly signed partnerships nurture a wide array of educational programs, creativity activities and contests as well as strong communications with public and authorized organizations in fostering the awareness and actions for plastic waste management. 

Phu Yen village finally electrified

A poor village in the southern province of Phu Yen finally has access to electricity after 30 years of waiting.

24 households in Tan Dinh Village used oil lamps as their main sources of light for decades so often they were nicknamed the Oil Lamp Quarter. The project to connect Tan Dinh Village into the national grid was approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade long ago but a lack of funding delayed it.

Due to urgent demand, Phu Yen Power Company decided to invest nearly VND2bn (USD85,400) for 2km of 22kV line and a 100kVA power station. The villagers were excited and flocked out to buy appliances such as fridges, washing machines and light bulbs.   

Tran Thi Dung, a villager at Tan Dinh, said, "For 30 years of married life, we lacked so many things. Our children are used to a life with oil lamps and wood stoves. In order to recharge some items like chargeable lamps, we had to travel 7km. We're glad there's electricity now."

The locals had filed complaints and asked the district and provincial authorities to invest in the electricity lines for years. Some workers arrived and did some survey work but left without starting work. 

Nguyen Van Anh, another local, said, "Last year, we asked for help from the media and was glad that there is finally electricity. We couldn't sleep from being too excited."

Pham Phi Lenh, chairman of Hoa Tan Tay Commune People's Committee, said with electricity, Tan Dinh's economy would improve. The area also has high tourism potential so the authorities will develop agriculture along with tourism to create jobs for the locals.

According to Phu Yen Power Company, they had given the locals 1,200 metres of electricity cables and electricity meters worth over VND50m (USD2,100) for free. 

Huynh Tan Viet, party secretary of Phu Yen, gave each household an electric cooker for the celebration.

Khanh Hoa province issues plan for 9th Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival

Many kinds of culture, art, sport and tourism activities will be held in the 9th Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival.

Khanh Hoa province People’s Committee has just issued a plan to organize the 9th Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival, which takes place from May 11 to 14, 2019. 

Many kinds of culture, art, sport and tourism activities will be held in the 9th edition of the festival. The festival aims to promote the cultural value of Vietnam, particularly Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa. The event is also part of activities in response to the National Tourism Year 2019 hosted by Khanh Hoa province.

According to the plan, the opening ceremony of the festival and the 2019 National Tourism Year is scheduled to be held on the evening of May 11 while the closing ceremony will be on May 14.

Vice Chairman of the Khanh Hoa province People’s Committee Nguyen Dac Tai said that after eight successful festivals, the organizing board of the Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival will further improve the quality of the event in order to leave good impression on both domestic and foreign visitors while promoting the province’s economic, culture and tourism potential as well as its sustainable development prospects.

In addition, Khanh Hoa province will host the 2019 Visit Vietnam Year and welcome ceremony for New Year 2019 at the same time on December 31. The information was announced by the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture and Sports, the unit is responsible for organizing the 2019 Visit Vietnam Year's opening ceremony.

Many kinds of activities will be held at the 2019 Visit Vietnam Year, including an opening ceremony, the 2019 Sea Festival Week, beer festival, Miss Universe and Hong Kong - Nha Trang yatch race, etc.

In addition, 15 cities and provinces nationwide have confirmed to join the 2019 Visit Vietnam Year. The Khanh Hoa Department of Culture and Sports is assigned to make preparations for the event’s logos, while joining hands with the Departments of Tourism and Information and Communications to choose images for Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa tourism. Also, the department will upgrade its website nhatrang-travel.com to popularise the 2019 Visit Vietnam Year.

Quang Tri mobilises resources to settle post-war landmines

Unexploded bombs and mines found in Quang Tri province 

The central province of Quang Tri has mobilised more than 20 projects and non-project aid packages worth over 4 million USD in the first nine months of the year to address the lingering consequences of bombs and mines left by wars across the locality.

The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) from the UK has agreed to provide an additional 2.5 million USD for their mine and bomb clearance programme in the province. The money will be used to fund the sixth phase of the programme, to be carried out from August 2018 to July 2021. The programme is expected to benefit 12,400 residents. 

According to the provincial Department of External Affairs, the MAG will form eight more teams of experts and two other assistance teams, with the goal of defuse unexploded ordnance in an area of nearly 10.5 million square metres.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian-funded project “Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effects of the War” (RENEW) has received additional 512,500 USD from the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) for activities during 2018-2022. The NPA will deploy 34 more mine and bomb clearance staffers in this period thanks to the funding.

Quang Tri province has the highest rate of unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination in the country, with 81 percent of its natural area, or 3,866 square kilometres, was embedded with unexploted bombs and mines. Leftover landmines have killed 3,430 people and injured 5,100 others so far. 

In 1996, Quang Tri was the first locality in Vietnam to carry out a pilot foreign-funded UXO clearance programme in partnership with the US non-governmental organisation (NGO) PeaceTrees Vietnam. Since then, a number of international NGOs like MAG and NPA have joined the effort. In the past 22 years, the province has received more than 80 million USD from domestic and foreign sponsors to address post-war consequences.

Thanks to the support, 132 million square metres of UXO-contaminated land in the locality have been cleaned up, helping ensure safety for local residents and develop local socio-economy. In addition, the foreign aid also funded the building of hundreds of houses and communication works to raise public awareness of landmines. 

The province is enhancing efforts to mobilise more resources for landmine clearance as well as support for UXO victims.

Trang An offers visitors space for relaxation

Among the diverse and beautiful caves, mountains, lakes and historical relics in the northern province of Ninh Binh, the Trang An scenic landscape complex is sure to give visitors a chance to put your mind at rest in a peaceful atmosphere like in heaven.

Covering an area of nearly 2,000 hectares, the Trang An scenic landscape complex is divided into five areas, which are a special conservation area (ancient capital of Hoa Lu), the core area, a cave area, tourism service areas, and the spiritual tourism area of Bai Dinh pagoda mountain.

The complex is home to 47 historical relics with numerous caves inside stunning limestone karst mountain ranges. The picturesque landscape of Trang An is a harmonious combination of mountains, valleys, and a system of lakes.

Sitting on a small boat floating in the green lake, visitor will be amazed by the shades of mountain range reflected in the clear water, various kinds of wild flowers and some grazing goats under trees.

The labyrinth of caves in Trang An appeals to visitors thanks to its mysterious features. The caves have stood the test of time and the elements. They are decorated with stalactites and stalagmites in unique shapes.

Around 50 submerged caves act as gateway leading to other valleys with a total length of 20km. Some caves are big, such as Hang Toi (Dark cave) which is 315 m long and 60m high. 

Discovering the cave system of Trang An scenic landscape complex, visitors can see with their own eyes why Trang An is called “Ha Long Bay on land”.

Moreover, Trang An owns a rich and diverse ecological system. The area is surrounded by primeval forests with a large number of fauna and flora species. There are 500 different types of plants, 73 species of birds, 41 species of animals and 31 reptile species within the complex. 

The Trang An scenic landscape complex was recognised as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site by UNESCO in 2014.-

Heavy rains cause big damage to Lao Cai, Ha Giang

Torrential rains on October 22 caused big damage to residents’ properties agriculture and infrastructure works in several communes in the northern mountainous provinces of Lao Cai and Ha Giang. 

According to the Office of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, heavy rains measuring 100mm in Nghia Do commune, Lao Cai’s Bao Yen district, caused floods sweeping nine houses away, inundating 87 other houses, more than 100 ha of food crops. 

Local authorities have dispatched rescue forces to help affected families move to safe areas. 

Quang Binh district of Ha Giang reported rains of 60-90mm. Floods and landslides caused by rain claimed one live and destroyed seven houses, while one is still missing.  

Local police and civil defence force are searching for the missing victims and helping affected families deal with the consequences.  

More rain is forecast for the northern mountainous region on October 23 and 24 due to a coming cold wave. The region is also warned of high risks of flash floods and landslides. 

The Office of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has requested authorities in northern localities to keep a close watch of the local weather and take preventive measures against floods and landslides.-VNA
Mountainous Ha Giang moves to address flash flood consequences

Flood has damaged a road in Ba Ria commune of Quang Binh district, Ha Giang province

The northernmost province of Ha Giang is summoning efforts to deal with the heavy consequences of a flash flood that has killed at least one person and devastated vast areas of property in Quang Binh district on October 22.

The district’s steering board for disaster prevention, control, and search and rescue said on October 23 that torrential rain for four hours on the morning of October 22 triggered a flash flood and landslides in Ban Ria commune, causing one death, one missing, and two others seriously injured. 

The flash flood and landslides damaged nearly 20 houses, destroyed almost 100ha of rice and several dozen metres of canals, and washed away a large number of livestock. Caught in the damage was also the local kindergarten and boarding school for ethnic minority students of Ban Ria, according to initial statistics.

Meanwhile, landslides were also recorded along National Highway 279 that runs through the commune.

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Quang Binh district Nguyen Tien Dung said that in order to promptly deal with flood’s aftermath, authorities are mobilising forces to search for the missing, handle landslide sites to ensure smooth traffic flow, and support residents with collapsed houses.

On October 23, Chairman of the Ha Giang provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Son also visited flood victims and requested swift action to address the flood’s consequences. 

Quang Ngai province struggles to lift farmers out of poverty

Poverty alleviation programmes aiming to help people in mountainous areas of central Quang Ngai province are ineffective and unsustainable, local authorities said.

Luong Kim Son, Director of the provincial Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, said the many social aid programmes carried out over the past few years had helped improve lives, especially of ethnic minority people in remote mountainous areas.

However, he said the established model for providing poor people with Zebu cows, Bach Thao goats, rabbits, wild boars, Dong Nai bananas, and other crops have shown shortcomings.

Pham Van Na, a farmer in Ba To district’s Ba Giang commune, was among six households given 11 goats by local authorities to develop goat farming in the commune. But shortly after they were handed out, the goats were all dead.

Na said the weather of the mountainous area was not suitable for the animals. He and other farmers had no experience raising goats and received little instruction, leading to the deaths of the animals.

Ho Van Xoay, a farmer in Tay Tra district’s Tra Phong commune, has kept empty iron cages in his garden for nearly two years. The cages, together with 10 rabbits, were given to him to develop a rabbit farm in the commune.

Xoay said the herd of rabbits died after just three months. Other households in the commune had similar experiences, with total losses comprising more than 50 animals worth a combined 50 million VND (2,100 USD).

Xoay and other farmers did exactly as local officers instructed, and did not know what caused the deaths.

Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Tra Khe commune Ho Van Truc said these attempts failed because of the loose management of local authorities, which provided animals and seedlings without educating farmers on the basic skills needed to care for them.

He pointed out that farmers were not provided with crops and animals suitable for the area’s climate and the farming habits of local people.

Son agreed, saying that providing aid without any education would only make people dependent on local government. These shortcomings had seen successive programmes fail and the rate of poverty remained high.

Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy, head of Tay Tra district’s Division of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the division wanted the programmes to have a lasting economic effect on participating farmers, but did not carefully consider weather and local customs in deciding what help to provide.

The province has approved a new programme that will give financial and technical support to those who produce certain high-value agricultural products, especially in poverty-hit Son Tay and Tay Tra districts.

Between 2011 and 2016, 2.2 trillion VND (92.4 million USD) went into programmes to fight poverty in six districts of the province.

Quang Ngai plans to spend an additional 10.7 trillion VND (449.4 million USD) on aid by 2020.

Ways sought to improve management of vocational schools

A seminar is being held in Ho Chi Minh City from October 23-26 to discuss the effective management of vocational training establishments. 

The seminar was jointly hosted by the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training under the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and the GIZ Vocational Training in Vietnam.

Speaking at the event, director of the management board of vocational training projects Khuong Thi Nhan said autonomy creates a driving force for vocational training establishments to connect with associations, partners and businesses, thereby sharing labour market information and curricula, as well as building cost-effective models to ensure the best efficiency. 

Pham Van Tuong, Vice Rector of the Quy Nhon Technical College, said autonomy in vocational training establishments will create consensus on financial affairs from the central to local levels, towards improving training quality amid the fourth industrial revolution. 

Deputy Director of the GIZ in Vietnam Britta Erckelens described autonomy as a breakthrough in governance reform and a crucial factor for the development of vocational training establishments.

During the event, German experts and leaders from colleges and vocational training establishments are discussing Vietnam’s legal framework, good governance, the possibility of diversifying income and building models to access businesses.-VNA
Nearly 80 percent of fruit stores in Hanoi meet safety standards

Nearly 80 percent of the 1076 fresh fruit stores in the downtown districts of Hanoi met food hygiene, safety and quality control standards. 

Nearly 80 percent of the 1076 fresh fruit stores in the downtown districts of Hanoi met food hygiene, safety and quality control standards, according to the municipal Department of Industry and Trade.

The stores had all signed up to a programme to ensure they had adequate facilities for the preservation of fruit, and that all the products on their shelves had their origins specified and prices listed.

Stores that met these standards had been granted certificates.

Before the project was implemented, only 30 percent of the fruit stores in Hanoi were equipped with refridgeration units and shelves.

According to Tran Thi Phuong Lan, the project had helped consolidate consumer confidence while raising awareness about food hygiene and safety.

The city targeted that by the end of 2018, all fresh fruit stores in downtown districts would meet these standards.

Hanoi was also focused on promoting the development of a fresh fruit value chain and encouraging the application of information and technology in verifying the origins of fruit. The city planned to use QR codes to trace the origins of agricultural products in 2018-20, starting with fresh fruit. 

However, Lan said that more efforts were needed to better manage the fresh fruit market in the capital because the supply came from a number of sources.

Statistics showed that the city had a demand for 52,000 tonnes of fresh fruit per month, in which local plantation met 30 percent, imports 15 percent and other provinces and cities 55 percent.

Fresh fruit were sold at a number of channels, including supermarkets, stores, wholesale markets, traditional markets and street vendors.

Firms to be involved in vocational training

Trainees practise with modern machines at LILAMA 2 International College of Technology in Dong Nai province (Photo: lilama2.edu.vn)

Close cooperation with the business sector will ensure that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) activities are effective and meet the needs of the market, experts have said.

The Law on Vocational Education and Training regulates the reform of the TVET system, particularly the restructuring of the TVET institute network and the enhancement of the autonomy of TVET institutes in planning and performance, organisation, personnel and financing, said Vu Xuan Hung, Director of the Directorate for Vocational Education and Training’s Formal Education Department.

The TVET system cannot fulfill the industry’s demands in quality and quantity and TVET graduates’ skills and competencies do not match the needs of businesses, Hung said at a workshop held on October 22 in HCM City.

This is partly due to lack of cooperation between TVET institutes and the business sector, he said.

It is necessary to clearly define the rights and responsibilities of each stakeholder in TVET activities in which enterprises are involved, thereby building an effective co-operation mechanism among the State, enterprises and technical and vocational education and training institutes.

Incentive policies for teachers and in-company trainers need to be clarified, he added.

In order to enhance demand-oriented TVET in key sectors of the economy, since 2015, the programme “Reform of TVET in Vietnam” has piloted four cooperative training programmes in mechatronics, metal cutting, industrial electronics and sewage engineering technician at the LILAMA 2 International College of Technology in Dong Nai province and HCM City Vocational College of Technology.

The business sector is closely involved in all stages of the training process, from programme development to training implementation and assessment, said Jürgen Hartwig, programme director of Reform of TVET in Vietnam.

He suggested that cooperation between TVET institutes, students, companies, chambers and professional associations at all levels should be improved and expanded.

It should have participation of industry representatives/councils in the development and approval of standards, learning outcomes, and training programmes, he said.

The Reform of TVET programme in Vietnam cooperates with the Directorate for Vocational Education and Training under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

It aims to improve the quality and orientation of training and the development of Centres of Excellence.

TVET reform initiatives are piloted at TVET institutes, and experiences and lessons learnt are integrated into system advice.

The programme from the 2010-20 period cooperates with 10 TVET institutes that are equipped with modern technical equipment.

Under the programme, international technical experts advise Vietnamese teachers and the management of the TVET institutes on technical and organisational issues.

Robothon festival held in HCMC

The Robothon Festival was jointly organized yesterday by STEM Academy and the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Department of Education and Training.  

28 teams from many primary schools in the city gathered in the Sports Center of District 8 to enjoy the festival.

This annual Robothon Festival is a robotic playground for primary and secondary students in both Vietnam and neighboring nations in order to boost their studying as well as exploration spirit so that they can gradually master technology while in school.  

The festival also aims at introducing the subject of robotic assembling and controlling to pupils, resulting in the fostering of potential science – technology lovers. 

Contests in the festival were able to identify some champions from the groups of elementary and intermediate levels, all of which come from Le Ngoc Han Primary School in District 1. 

The Robothon Festival is also held in other cities like Hanoi, the central city of Da Nang, and the southern city of Can Tho, attracting more than 500 participants. Winners in contests of each area will be nominated to take part in the International Robothon Festival organized in China on November 25.

National Futsal team tour to Thailand for training courses

Vietnam’s National Futsal team yesterday traveled to Thailand for training course, aiming to prepare for the ongoing 2018 Southeast Asian Futsal Championship.

During one week training in Thailand, the team will have two matches against Thai Port (on October 22) and D.Highway Club (on October 26).

On October 27, the team will return home for the final preparation before Vietnam Futsal players will tour to Indonesia to take part in the 2018 Southeast Asian Futsal Championship which is schedule to take place from November 5 to 11.

Head coach Miguel Rodrigo targets the team will enter the final round.