6th Haiku poem contest ends

Poet Ha Thien Son, a Doctor of Philosophy in Ho Chi Minh City won the first prize at the 6th Vietnamese-Japanese haiku contest that ended in the city last week.

Three third awards went to poets, Xuan Truong from the central coastal province of Quang Nam, Nguyen Huy Hoang and Doan Van Tiem of Phu Tho nothern province.

The organization board also presented 8 enouragement prizes.

The Japanese Consulate in HCMC cooperated with the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanity to launch the 6th Vietnamese-Japanese haiku contest in August. The contest received 704 submissions from authors throughout the country.

The Vietnamese-Japanese haiku contest is an opportunity for Vietnamese people to learn more about the Japanese culture. It also aims to encourage the people of the two countries to learn about each other’s language and culture.

Haiku is not usually popular in Viet Nam except with those Japanese Language students from the University of Social Sciences and Humanity. This Japanese form of verse relies on brevity and simplicity to convey its message. An art form that dates back to the seventeenth century; haiku has developed from the Zen Buddhist philosophy of simplicity and the idea of perfection that excludes the extraneous.

Central Highlands works to improve health care service

Promoting doctor training programmes, coupled with using preferential policies to attract doctors to work in remote localities are part of efforts made by the Central Highlands provinces to improve health care in the region, according to the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands.

The localities have sent students to prestigious universities to pursue medical training and joined hands with medical universities in the country to expand training in emergency medicine, internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and pediatrics.

The Military Medical University and the Faculty of Medicines and Pharmacy under Tay Nguyen University have educated thousands of doctors for the five Central Highlands provinces.

In-service training is also prioritised so medical staff can exchange experience, get updated on the latest medical information and enhance their capacity.

Currently, the region has an of average 7.6 doctors per 10,000 residents.

The Central Highland region has five provinces: Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Giai Lai, Kon Tum and Lam Dong.

SCG builds playground in Ba Ria Vung Tau     

Thailand’s SCG Group on Monday handed over a 775 square-metres quality playground, customised for Long Son 2 Primary School.

The school is located in Long Sơn Commune, Ba Ria- Vung Tau Province.

This is also the main location of the company’s flagship project, Long Son Petrochemicals complex, which SCG started together with PetroVietnam since 2008.

The playground, as part of SCG’s commitment to local human development, costs nearly VND2.5 billion (over US$100,000) and is designed to provide a safe and smart play space for the children, the company said in its statement.

After this project, SCG will continue to build two more playgrounds for the commune, including at Long Son 1 Primary School and at Tuoi Tho Kindergarten, it said.

“SCG commits to long term development and better living for communities in Việt Nam, especially where we have our operations. We believe that children are the future of the nation, so SCG has developed many social responsibility programmes to improve their quality of life, including the SCG Sharing the Dream playground, which will develop better education both mentally and physically,” Somchai Wangwattanapanich, Vice President of Operations at SCG Chemicals, said.

In line with SCG’s long-term commitment to the local community of Long Sơn commune, SCG has initiated many projects focusing on human development. Among them are the SCG Sharing the Dream scholarship for high school students, the renovation of Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s School for Disabled Children and the annual Children’s Day Celebration for the children here. 

A nightmare before Christmas

Christmas is associated with eating and drinking to excess, and trips to the bathroom around this time of year can be dicey enough without adding queues for the loo into the equation.

For some unfortunate souls this Christmas Eve, a trip to the lake was like the nightmare before Christmas.

Many people flocked to the walking streets around Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Hà Nội on Christmas Eve, and there weren’t enough public toilets for the heaving crowd.

People had to queue up for dozens of metres to get into the public toilets.

One young man burst into tears while queuing, presumably due to an aching bladder and not because Santa only gave him coal.

Perhaps the lesson is Christmas Eve is best spent inside with friends, family and your own personal toilet. 

WB funds water supply projects in Red River Delta

Three out of water supply projects using loans from the World Bank (WB) have been put into operation in Hanoi.

The waterworks are built in Co Do and Phong Van communes (Ba Vi district), Hiep Thuan and Lien Hiep communes (Phuc Tho district), and Huong Son commune (My Duc district).

The remaining projects in Tam Hung and Thanh Thuy communes (Thanh Oai district) Lien Phuong, Van Tao, Ha Hoi, Hong Van and Thu Phu communes (Thuong Tin district), Trung Hoa and Truong Yen communes (Chuong My district) are expected to be put into operation soon.

The facilities have also supplied water to more than 22,000 households of communes adjacent to the targeted localities.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has coordinated with the WB to carry out a programme on clean water and rural sanitation in eight Red River Delta provinces during 2013-2017.

The project has enabled 60,000 rural households to access clean water and more than 20,180 households to use hygienic latrines.

Within the framework of the programme, the municipal and provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, Education and Training, and Health have organised training courses to equip officials involved in the project with supervision and evaluation skills, and raise public awareness of clean water.

Lao Party chief lauds dedication of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith has lauded the dedication of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts to Laos’s national liberation in the past and its current country-building effort. 

During a reception in Vientiane on December 26 for head of the National Liaison Committee and former Commissar of the High Command of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts in Laos Maj. Gen. Huynh Dac Huong, Vorachith said the Vietnamese guests’ visit takes place at a time when the two countries recently concluded the Year of Friendship and Solidarity 2017, contributing to developing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation fostered by the two Parties, States and peoples. 

He expressed his sincere thanks to the Communist Party of Vietnam, government and people for providing valuable support for Lao people in the past as well as at current. 

The host wished that Vietnamese people will reap greater successes in the national construction and achieve the goal of building a modern, industrialised nation. 

Huong, for his part, affirmed that former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts will actively join people-to-people diplomatic activities, contributing to maintaining and nurturing the bilateral special solidarity. 

He believed that young generations of the two countries will continue developing the bilateral special relations. 

The same day, the Vietnamese delegation paid courtesy calls to Lao Defence Minister Chansamone Chanyalath and head of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Sounthone Sayachac. 

Earlier on December 25, the delegation held meetings with the Laos – Vietnam Friendship Association and the Lao War Veterans’ Association Central Committee.

The visit started on December 21 and will wrap up on December 29.

National press conference launches 2018 tasks

The Committee for Information and Education of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPV CC), the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Vietnam Journalists’ Association held a national press conference in Ho Chi Minh City on December 26 to review 2017’s accomplishments and launch tasks for 2018. 

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Hoang Vinh Bao said press agencies have closely followed the Party guidance, supporting the country in maintaining political stability and strengthening social consensus and people’s trust in the Party, and fulfilling socio-economic, national defence-security and diplomatic tasks. 

Press agencies published timely, honest, and multi-dimensional news covering all realms, serving trustworthy forums of the people. They disseminated resolutions of the Party, the National Assembly, the government and Directions of the Politburo and the Secretariat, particularly the Resolution on Party building and rectification by the fourth plenum of the 12th CPV CC. 

They also covered important political activities, major celebrations, complicated and sensitive issues such as compensation for residents in the central region in wake of the marine environment incident, social security and order in the central provinces of Ha Tinh and Nghe An, and land disputes in Hanoi, the northern provinces of Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh, as well as the East Sea issue. 

Reports at the event showed that several newspapers and newswires mostly published negative issues with one-sided information, sparking social concerns. 

Head of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for Information and Education Vo Van Thuong asked press agencies to popularise political tasks for 2018, with a focus on the resolutions adopted by the 12th National Party Congress, the Politburo, Secretariat and the legislature. 

They were required to honour outstanding examples of fighting corruption and moral degradation, and improve political firmness and capacity of reporters and editors.

More revolutionary contributors honoured

A ceremony was held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) in Hanoi on December 26 to present certificates honouring the service and contributions of 672 fallen soldiers to their family members.

Addressing the event, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan praised the great contributions made by war martyrs, wounded and sick soldiers, and their families to the cause of national revolution and defence, affirming that the Party and State always pay great attention to the relevant affairs. 

She asked the agencies covering labour, invalids and social affairs to continue perfecting relevant policies, towards better taking care of those who rendered services to the country. 

According to MoLISA Minister Dao Ngoc Dung, up to 9 million people have so far been recognised as revolutionary contributors, including 1.2 million war martyrs, 127,000 heroic mothers, and 800,000 wounded and sick soldiers. 

However, a large number of revolutionary contributors have yet to be recognised as they failed to accomplish related paperwork for losing required documents and other reasons, he noted.

Among the 672 martyrs honoured on this occasion, 148 died during the anti-French resistance war more than 70 years ago.

Previously, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Wounded Soldiers and Martyrs' Day in July, certificates of this kind were handed over to relatives of 498 fallen soldiers.

VSS: Social insurance coverage on the rise

As many as 13.52 million people have joined compulsory social insurance by December 2017, up more than 1 million people over 2016, Vietnam Social Security (VSS) reported at a conference in Hanoi on December 26. 

Meanwhile, 291,000 people have bought voluntary social insurance and health insurance has covered 86 percent of the country’s population, exceeding the target assigned by the Government by 30 percent.

To encourage people to join voluntary social insurance, the government will offer a premium discount of 10-20 percent to poor people depending on their circumstances from January 1, 2018.

VSS Deputy General Director Pham Luong Son said that the VSS ranks second among 20 ministries and sectors pioneering in applying information technology in operations.

It has operated an IT centre and a customer service centre to receive feedback from customers and deal with their complaints.

The VSS plans to issue electronic health insurance cards for customers to reduce administrative procedures and save time.

Son said that social insurance debts in 2017 are estimated at 5.73 trillion VND (253 million USD), down 0.8 percent compared to 2016., saying that the new regulations on applying criminal punishment to insurance evasion cases from the beginning of 2018 is expected to be effective in reducing debts.

At the conference, the VSS also set major targets for 2018, including developing a database of the sector and completing an online public service system.

Cities increase goods supply to avoid price shocks before Tet

With Tet, the Lunar New Year of Vietnamese, approaching, manufacturers and importers in big cities like Hanoi and HCM City have plans to increase supply of essential goods during the holiday, so there will not be price shocks caused by shortages.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, stocks of essential commodities rose by 10-15 percent from last year to prepare for Tet. It was estimated that the two metropolises have so far produced more than 43 trillion VND (1.89 billion USD) worth of goods in total for the biggest festival of the year.

Hanoi has expanded its pre-Tet stocks by 10 percent from last year but the capital city is only capable of providing adequate supply of pork and chicken while supplies of other goods will have to rely on imports or sources outside the city, said Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade Tran Thi Phuong Lan.

Hence, Hanoi has improved trade links with cities and provinces across the country not only to seek for suppliers but also to help them sell farm produces and specialties, she noted.

In addition, the department will host ten trade fairs and launch 200 mobile shops in the city’s outskirts – Me Linh, Dong Anh, Soc Son, Thanh Oai, Quoc Oai, Chuong My, Ung Hoa, Thuong Tin, Thach That, and Dan Phuong districts – to meet demand of people there. On display at the fairs will be mainly foods, seafood, clothing, footwear, electronics, appliances, and traditional handicrafts.

Meanwhile, the Department of Industry and Trade of HCM City unveiled that producers and distributors in the city will offer plentiful special offers on essential products like beverage, confectionary, and clothing with a total discount of about 1.2 trillion VND (52.8 million USD).

Many firms have guaranteed sharp price cuts on essential foods, such as pork, chicken and eggs, two days before Tet which falls on February 16.

HR departments told to offer better working conditions

Enterprises are facing challenges in hiring and keeping employees as a result of competition from multinational corporations expanding their businesses in Vietnam, with many recruiters saying they cannot find enough qualified candidates for jobs.

Local media recently reported that taxi service provider Vietnam Sun Corporation (Vinasun), for instance, had 8,000 employees, including drivers, who quit in the first six months of the year.

Taxi operator Mai Linh Group cut its personnel by more than 20 percent in the first half of the year. Representatives of two companies said the problem was due to the competition of two new tax service providers, Uber and Grab.

Tran Bang Viet, CEO of DongA Solutions and former CEO of the Mai Linh Group, said that drivers were important in helping taxi companies attract customers.

Viet spoke at a recent forum titled “How to Keep Peace as Employee Retention Fluctuates” held by the Saigon Times Group in co-operation with ManpowerGroup Vietnam.

Viet said that if one driver asked for leave because of illness, spare drivers would replace him, but 5 percent of all the drivers were available. Now, the proportion has fallen further at these companies.

The decrease in taxi personnel has led to a shortage of drivers.

“In the past, taxi drivers had to make a deposit worth two months of salary. But, now, taxi companies have rolled out the red carpet for drivers. At this time, discipline is not high. It is dangerous because service quality could be affected,” he said.

"When quality is affected, taxi companies attract fewer passengers and their profits fall, leading to more drivers quitting," he added.

According to a recent survey of the Ho Chi Minh City Centre for Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information, the turnover rate at many companies is more than 10 percent.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hue, head of human resources at AEON Vietnam Co Ltd, said that recruiting employees in the retail sector was difficult as many people were not used to working on weekends or holidays

Hue said demand for employees is so high that recruiters have difficulty finding suitable candidates.

Nguyen Xuan Son of Manpower Group Vietnam said the turnover rate was caused primarily by startup trends.

Employees also want bonuses and allowances, he added.

Cao Thi Ngoc Dung, chairwoman of the board of directors and general director of  the Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company, said that companies should maintain a good working environment and offer training to staff so they can update their skills.

Le Thi Kim Thuy, HR director at Bosch Vietnam, said that enterprises should devise workforce plans and have a talent pipeline, which is a critical part of a proactive recruiting strategy that helps to retain and replace staff.

“Fluctuation of employees is inevitable,” Thuy said, adding that such changes could help them restructure their HR systems and employee welfare policies.

US-funded HIV/AIDS treatment project summed up in Cao Bang

A five-year “HIV/AIDS Prevention, Control Project” has helped reduce HIV transmission and raised awareness to better prevent the disease in the northeast mountainous province of Cao Bang.

According to a report at a conference reviewing the project on December 26, the project, funded by the US’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided HIV consultation and testing services for the highly vulnerable individuals, condoms to locals and antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for infected children.

It has also provided assistance, medicine treatment and preventive medical services for cases of mother-to-child transmission and HIV-carried patients while monitoring the community to reduce transmission.

The project has improved treatment services for HIV/AIDS patients while improving relevant facilities and managerial capacity for staff.

The province has recorded 2,262 HIV/AIDS patients so far, including 1,653 AIDS patients.

In 2017, 49 new cases were detected, four people developed full-blown AIDS, 11 HIV/AIDS-related deaths were reported and 23 children were found infected with HIV.

In 2018, the province aims to boost technical consultation, testing, caring and treatment services for HIV patients.

Communication work on HIV/AIDS prevention and control will be promoted along withe expanding and improving treatment services as well as providing ARV treatment.

New criteria for delimitation of ethnic, mountainous areas suggested

The National Assembly’s Council of Ethnic Affairs has proposed issuing a new set of criteria for delimitation of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in service of bettering the making of policies for the regions

During a conference held in Hanoi on December 26 to review the enforcement of the NA’s resolution on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous regions, the council reported that the political security, socio-economic situation and social safety and order in ethnic minority and mountainous regions have been basically stable. 

However, several localities faced difficulties due to natural disasters, flooding, climate change, drought and saline intrusion, particularly in Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Son La and Mekong Delta localities. 

Vice Chairman of the NA Council of Ethnic Affairs Nguyen Lam Thanh said socio-economic programmes under the watch of the council cost upwards of 4.5 trillion VND (200 million USD) this year, but disbursement reached only 46 percent as of September 2017. 

NA deputy Dinh Duy Vuot from Gia Lai said policies and projects in ethnic minority and mountainous regions overlap and are inappropriate for different ethnic groups and regions. 

This year, the council oversaw a project to delineate ethnic and mountainous regions according to development level, laying a foundation for issuing policies in line with the Law on State Budget, Law on Investment and the Law on Organisation of Local Administration.

Concluding the event, NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong asked the council to continue offering feedback on poverty reduction policies, and effectively implement the Programme 135 on developing villages, hamlets and communes in difficult situations. 

Ministries, agencies and localities were asked to work with the council and the Government’s Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs to monitor the implementation of ethnic minority policies.

National meeting reviews external information work in 2017

A meeting was held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 26 to review external information work and the dissemination of information about seas, islands, border demarcation, border marker planting and land border management in 2017 and set tasks for next year.

According to the Commission for Information and Education of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, amid complex regional, global and domestic situations in 2017, external information work and the popularisation of sea and border-related information have been a success.

The dissemination of the Party’s guidelines, the State’s policies and laws, reform achievements, images of Vietnam’s land, culture and people, sea and island issues, border demarcation, border marker planting and land border management was enhanced.

Meanwhile, information refuting distorted viewpoints was provided proactively, which helped improve Vietnamese people’s awareness support for the Party’s leadership and State policies on the country’s important affairs and capitalised on the international community’s support.

The commission commended Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Television, Radio the Voice of Vietnam, Nhan dan (People) newspaper and Quan doi Nhan dan (People’s Army) newspaper for fulfilling their role as key press agencies in external information work.

Enhanced cooperation and information exchange between central and local press outlets, as well as between Vietnamese and foreign press agencies, have also helped report news on Vietnam to the world and on international issues to the country.

At the meeting, representatives from ministries, sectors, localities and press agencies shared experience in external information work and discussed the communication of information about marine sovereignty protection, fisheries and fishermen.

Chairman of the Commission for Information and Education Vo Van Thuong, head of the central steering committee for external information work, asked for more flexibility in the field.

It is necessary to apply IT and modern communication methods and provide information in foreign languages. Another critical task is to forecast international and regional developments to serve external information work, he added.

At the meeting, the commission presented merit certificates to 20 agencies and 14 persons with outstanding accomplishments in external information work and dissemination of sea- and border-related information in 2017.