HCM City stocks up on toys for kids' day

HCM City is gearing up to celebrate the International Children's Day, June 1, by filling its supermarkets and shops with all kinds of toys and fun activities for children.

Many retail and wholesale toy shops in the area around Binh Tay Market in District 6 have been stocking up on toys since the middle of this month.

Many of them have also received orders from many provinces and cities.

According to traders here, most of the toys are from China. Prices had risen slightly from last year, they said.

Many shops on Hai Ba Trung Street in District 1 and Phan Van Han Street in Binh Thanh District are also stocked up on all kinds of toys.

A shop owner on Phan Van Han Street said sales were still modest but expected to rise strongly closer to June 1.

Dolls, cuddly rabbits, dogs, and cooking toy sets are among the most popular items for girls, while for boys it was battery-operated cars, toy aeroplanes, and robots, she said.

Supermarkets are also in on the act, and are offering promotions and other attractions.

Co.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarket chains have two promotions offering discounts on 1,600 items until June 3.

One of the programmes, dubbed "Ron rang tet thieu nhi" (Children's bustling festival), offers discounts of up to 35 per cent on children's products like safe toys (with CR safety guarantee), dolls, nutrition products, cosmetics, and summer clothing.

During weekends children can take part in cake-decoration competitions organised at Co.opmart, Co.opXtra, and Co.op Bakery outlets.

Big C has launched two promotions at its 30 outlets nation-wide offering discounts of 5-49 per cent on more than 1,500 items like milk products, confectionery, brain–training and educational toys from May 19 to June 1.

Children can also take part in cake baking contests at all Big C stores (except Big C An Phu in HCM City) and win attractive prizes like scooters and bicycles.

Lotte Mart is offering discounts of 10-50 per cent on hundreds of items for children like toys, confectionery, milk, and fashion products at all its stores from May 26 to June 8.

There will be activities like painting and karaoke contests for kids at Lotte Mart outlets.

The Korean supermarket will give away 500 scholarships worth VND300,000 (US$14) each to outstanding students at 10 primary schools around the country.

Doctors, nurses blamed for death of young mother

The family of a woman from Quang Ngai Province who died three days after giving birth at Quang Ngai General Hospital have accused doctors and nurses of negligence.

Last Thursday, Bui Thi Hiep, a 25-year-old pregnant woman from Nghia Hanh District, went into labour at just 37 weeks pregnant.

The prenatal diagnosis showed that Hiep was suffering from blood clots and elevated liver enzyme levels. Four hours later, she gave birth to a healthy baby, but suffered from serious blood clots and visceral deficiency.

She was moved to intensive care, but died two days later.

The victim's family said they were not informed about the complications before she gave birth, and have asked the hospital to give an explanation.

Nguyen Tan Duc, director of the hospital, said the provincial Health Department had sent a team to look into the tragedy, and an autopsy would be conducted to establish the cause of death.

Nam Cat Tien forest to be protected further

The management board of Nam Cat Tien Forest in cooperation with local authorities are implementing measures to further secure 14,000ha of protection forest, said board director Nguyen Ngoc Xuan.

The protection forest of Nam Cat Tien stretches over 30km in Dak R' Lap district and Gia Nghia township in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Dak Nong.

The Vietnam News Agency had recently reported that Nam Cat Tien's protection forest was severely destroyed.

The agency quoted the local people in Dak Sin Commune, Dak R'Lap district, as saying that some hundreds of people cut down trees in the forest for timber every day.

To counter this situation and to protect the forest, the management board has signed contracts worth VND5 billion (US$ 230,000) a year with 357 households, including ethnic minorities, in the district.

The contract will also help stop burning the forest for cultivation and increase the community's awareness of the need for forest protection as well.

The board has taken concrete fire fighting measures in every area of the forest as well as organised training courses in forest protection and skill improvement for contractors.

The board is also co-operating with forest rangers from Dak R'Lap district and Gia Nghia township and local governments to prevent and detect deforestation activities.

Individuals who are found destroying forests or abetting forest destruction activities are given strict punishments.

Can Tho to move cables underground

Southern city Can Tho will move all of the information and electrical cable system in residential quarters, industrial zones, and new roads underground by 2020.

Director of the Can Tho Department of Information and Communications Do Hoang Trung said this during a meeting with the municipal People's Committee yesterday.

Over the past years, the city moved cable networks on 26 roads, stretching 72km, underground. The work enhanced the appearance of the city.

The city will continue moving cable networks underground until 2020 to ensure traffic safety and limit the technological breakdown of electricity and information transmission, said Trung.

Trung has proposed to move cable networks on some main roads, including Hai Ba Trung Road and Hoa Binh Boulevard, underground.

Chairman of the Can Tho People's Committee Le Hung Dung has asked telecommunications and electrical enterprises to join hands with the department to move cable systems underground.

The work must ensure safety and should not affect residents' health and lives, he stressed.

Phu Yen shrimp farmers cut down protection forests

Coastal protection forests in the southern Phu Yen Province's Tuy An district have been again cut down for shrimp breeding.

The situation has been developing in recent days, but the local authorities have not yet taken any measures to curb it.

Several dozens of metres of the forest in Phu Luong Hamlet, near Tan Quy Sea, was encroached on, while pine forests were chopped down in other areas to set up poles around shrimp breeding ponds.

The local authorities denied any such development till local reporters showed them photos of the trees that were cut down.

The problem of protection forest encroachment has been troubling the province for many years. The situation became worse in 2011 and 2013. The provincial authorities requested the Tuy An District to investigate and strictly punish individuals and organisations responsible for the encroachment.

Forty-eight cases of violation, involving the encroachment of 41,000sq.m of protection forest, were discovered, and two party committees and six officials of the districts were punished.

The guilty shrimp breeders were also fined and forced to replant the forests.

Son La takes action to curb drug crimes

Nearly 5,000 persons have been detained for drug-related crimes since 2010 in the province, according to the Son La Province Steering Committee on Drug Crime Prevention's statistics.

However, officials said drug-related crimes were getting more complicated in the region, mostly in the border areas of Moc Chau, Van Ho, Sop Cop and Song Ma.

In several cases, persons smuggling drugs across the border were even equipped with arms and guided by hunting dogs.

On Friday, Sop Cop District Police detained Vi Van Hoan, born in 1977, for transporting nearly 2,000 amphetamine tablets. On May 3, 28 persons were detained by the police in Van Ho District for transporting drugs from the border area to Son La Province.

Hoang Van Chat, party secretary of Son La Province, said officials and sectors at all levels must show commitment to weed out drug-related criminals.

The province has been pushing for more efforts to educate residents on drugs and to assess the situation of cannabis cultivation.

June 2015 will be observed as national drug prevention month.

More campaigns needed as smoking dangers rise

The Ministry of Health and relevant agencies will launch more communications campaigns on legal documents targeting the building of a non-smoking environment, said Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Health Ministry’s Administration Department of Medical Services.

After two years of implementation, government regulations on curbing smoking have taken little effect, as the habit now kills more than 100 people per day in Vietnam, fourth times higher than traffic accidents. The statistics, though, are yet complete.

In 2013, a law on preventing harmful effects of smoking was issued along with a decree regulating violations and fines in the medical sector imposed on smokers and sellers.

Since then, a pilot non-smoking city model has been launched across big cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Hue and Hoi An.

However, reluctant law enforcers and a low number of law-abiding citizens have contributed to the negligible overall impact of these regulations.

According to decree 176/ND-CP, individuals who smoke in public spaces or other no-smoking areas will be fined up to 300,000 VND (14 USD). A large number of violators have had to pay nothing, however, as only the Chairmen of local People’s Committee, inspectorates and police have the power to fine them.

Cigarettes are now sold everywhere at relatively cheap prices, and some 15 million Vietnamese are daily smokers, more and more of whom are from the younger generation.

In a recent poll conducted by the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, Vietnam holds a high rate of passive smoking, with 67.6 percent of non-smokers affected at home and 49 percent at work.

Those warning figures have led to another crackdown from the authorities, seen in the recent launch of an intensive publicity campaign on the adverse effects of smoking and a new attempt to boost law enforcement nationwide.

State agencies at different levels have been urged to put anti-smoking on their agenda, and issue bans on smoking in office spaces.

World Vision supports environmental protection in Quang Tri

The People’s Committee of central Quang Tri province and World Vision International in Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding on May 25 to implement the project “Developing initiatives for environmental protection in Trieu Phong district” from 2015 to 2017.

The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Korea Exchange Bank provided 400,000 USD for project implementation.

The project is to help the residents of eight communes in Trieu Phong district benefit from environmentally-friendly sustainable development models.

Since 2005, World Vision International in Vietnam has successfully implemented a number of projects in Quang Tri, including water and sanitation, maternal and child healthcare, and environmental protection projects.

Also at the signing ceremony, the provincial People’s Committee presented an honorary certificate to Daniel Selvanyagam, Chief Representative of the World Vision International for his contributions to implementing development projects in the province from 2005 to 2015.

Hanoi hosts women police empowered through regional program

Twenty two police officers from South, South East and North Asia gathered in Hanoi this week for the 38th Asia region law enforcement management program (ARLEMP), with the theme of women in police leadership.

ARLEMP is a long-term partnership between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security through the General Department of Police (GDP), the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and RMIT International University in Vietnam.

Originating in 2005, ARLEMP has become a flag-ship program for emerging Police managers and leaders in the region. Over 700 police have graduated from the course since its inception and are working together to combat transnational crimes in our region.

“Women police continue to be under represented in leadership roles in our region despite being acknowledged as playing a critical role in the development of modern policing. ARLEMP’s training provides a platform for female law enforcers to share their experiences in addressing transnational crime and to promote a more collaborative response in the Asia region,” said Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Hugh Borrowman.

Being held in Hanoi from May 25th to June 4th, the course is aligned with key United Nations frameworks, including the UN convention to eliminate all Forms of discrimination against women and the Beijing platform for action on women in power and decision making.

The Australian Government is playing a critical part in the program by providing full funding for the course through its development program and the Australia-Asia Program to Combat Trafficking in Persons (AAPTIP).

Gender equality and empowerment of women and children, key priorities for the Australian Government, are promoted throughout ARLEMP. Two female Australian Federal Police (AFP) leaders: Chair of the AFP’s Women’s Network - Commander Andrea Quinn and, AFP Chief of Staff - Assistant Commissioner Justine Saunders, are visiting Vietnam to inspire emerging female leaders working in law enforcement across Asia.

“We regularly collaborate with partner law enforcement agencies in Asia on operations and the gathering of intelligence. We hope that through programs such as ARLEMP, we can continue to build positive relationships with our international counterparts to address transnational crime. It is a fantastic opportunity to share skills and knowledge, and to build a dialogue with each other. By doing this, we can strengthen the network of women leaders in Asia,” Assistant Commissioner Saunders added.

ARLEMP will include participants from Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste and the host Vietnam./.

Lack of nutrition stunts Vietnamese children

The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) on May 25 launched the National Micro-nutrient Day at Binh Yen A Kindergarten in Thach That District in Hanoi.

It will offer about five million under-five children across the country free vitamin A capsules on the first - and second - day of next month.

The annual action by the Ministry of Health aims to improve public awareness about vitamin deficiency and reduce related diseases and malnutrition among children and mothers, said Truong Dinh Bac, deputy head of the ministry's Department of Preventive Medicine.

This year, the theme "Micro-nutrient necessary for child growth and development" was selected.

Bac said it was necessary to narrow any nutrition gaps between children in different areas.

According to the National Institute of Nutrition, micro-nutrient deficiencies hamper child growth and immunisation.

For examples, vitamin A deficiency affects eye sight. A heavy deficiency can lead to blindness.

Iron deficiency causes anaemia, affecting the weight of a foetus, the study ability of children and adult work.

Viet Nam successfully used vitamin A to overcome xerophthalmia (dry eyes) among children.

NIN's statistics show that last year about 25% of children under the age of five were stunted and 14.5% of children under five years old were underweight.

Nutritional gaps in children that are not properly treated can have severe short and long-term consequences, Low Yen Ling, the director of clinical research at Abbott Nutrition R&D's Asia Pacific Centre, said in HCM City.

Low said nutritional intake during childhood could also be compromised by feeding difficulties during illnesses and infections.

In 2013, a study of 6,746 children aged six to 12 years old in Southeast Asia, including 1, 776 Vietnamese, showed that children with lower height and weight were three times more likely to have a low intelligence.

Short-term outcomes of inadequate nutrition included poor weight or height gain, lack of interest, reduced activity, poor immunity and increased risk of death.

Long-term outcomes could also occur, including increased risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, small size, cognitive development, and poor school performance.

Low said there were several ways to overcome nutritional gaps in children, such as dietary counselling, food fortification, micro-nutrient supplementation and the use of pediatric nutritional supplements with macro and micro-nutrients.

Huynh Thi Duy Huong, head of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy HCM City's Neonatology and Paediatrics Department, said feeding difficulties affected about 35-40% of children in Viet Nam.

Disease free zones a must for livestock sector development

As Vietnam revs up for the Trans Pacific Partnership and several other bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, industries hoping to take advantage of the export opportunities are under pressure to get up to standard.

That means that local animal husbandry industries need to increase efficiency and quality if they are to compete with new imports or build export markets, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said.

At a meeting held on Friday to discuss implementation of a pilot project to build disease-free cattle and poultry zones, Tam called for more co-operation between owners of disease free farms and businesses who process export products.

"The participation of businesses in disease free zones is necessary and they will be supported with preferential policies," Tam said, adding that disease-free zones would eventually expand to other regions in the near future.

Setting up a no-pandemic zone that meets the demands of World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and importer markets is a must, he said.

The necessity is clear; estimations put livestock production, one of the fastest growing sub-sectors in agriculture, at 42 per cent of the agricultural contribution to the GDP in 2020.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) established a steering committee to manage the development and production of vaccines for cattle and poultry. Their efforts will focus on researching and producing vaccines for bird flu, foot and mouth disease and blue ear pig diseases, Tam said.

MARD will also work with international organisations such as Food and Agriculture Organisation, OIE and the World Heath Organisation in supervising the movements and development of the viruses while vaccine efforts are underway.

As many as 289 poultry farms and 275 pig-rearing farms in five provinces were recognised as disease free after a year of participating in the pilot project.

Participants at the meeting said the project, besides enhancing localities' disease prevention efforts, would improve conditions for product output and export competitiveness.

Nguyen Van May, head of Tay Ninh Province's veterinary station, said that a statistical survey of all the cattle and poultry in the area is necessary in order to set up a disease free zone.

Other participants suggested that special attention be paid to households because disease-free zones also require that households pass muster.

The pilot project for the 2014-18 period was approved by MARD in September of last year and will annually cost VND73.5 billion (US$3.3 million).

Soc Trang onion preservation safe for eyes: Experts

Experts from Plan Protection Agency in southern Soc Trang province have confirmed that the preservation of Soc Trang onion does not cause eye disorders in farmers.

The agency issued the statement yesterday in response to recent rumours that farmers engaged in onion preservation process had been suffering from various eye disorders, including blindness, caused by some chemical pesticides used for onion preservation.

Huynh Thanh Binh, director of the Soc Trang Plant Protection Agency, said that every year, the agency holds training for farmers on how to grow onions based on the rules of GAP or good agricultural practices, and they are particularly encouraged to use bio pesticides to secure human health.

The plant protection expert said farmers currently use Mipcin pesticide belonging to the Carbamate group, which uses MICP as an active element or Isocarb, to preserve their products. The substance is safe for health, the expert confirmed.

Binh said a rumour that many farmers had been blinded by the use of chemical pesticides had worried domestic consumers and hindered the efforts to help farmers in preserving their products.

According to a report by the agency, during the 2013-2014 onion crop harvest, it had conducted 29 training courses for 880 farmers on growing onion based on GAP standards.

Ethnic minority farmers await resettlement area completition

A meeting last Friday heard that a total of 19,908 families containing more than 89,000 ethnic people involved in nomadic slash and burn farming had been resettled in the past seven years, just 67 per cent of the original target.

It was told that at the end of 2014, provinces nationwide had completed marking off 43 of the 44 areas designed for resettlement.

A total of 119 of the planned 252 infrastructure projects had been completed and sedentary farming areas set aside.

The meeting was also told that 86 per cent of the investment earmarked for the work had been disbursed.

The meeting acknowledged that some resettlement projects had problems as a number of people were put into resettlement areas but had not been given homes to live in or land to cultivate.

It heard that the amount of funding allocated to these projects was not enough and was one of the main reasons for the predicament.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, who gave instructions on resolving the problems and urged the acceleration of these projects. It came after the National Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs in collaboration with ministries and Government departments made visits to 11 provinces.

Decree aims to lessen gap between incomes

A draft decree to regulate the salaries of high-ranking officials at State-owned and partially State-owned enterprises has been introduced for review by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA).

The draft decree is designed to regulate salaries for members of the boards of directors, director generals, directors and head accountants.

It also aims to allocate individuals' salaries with respect to the enterprises' performance and profitability. Top leaders' salaries, which range from VND40 million (US$1,800) to VND100 million ($4,600), would be determined based on the enterprises' profitability.

A MOLISA study indicated the average salary of top officials in small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) was between VND45 million ($2,100) to VND70 million ($3,200), while CEOs at larger enterprises were paid up to VND120 million ($5,600).

MOLISA's draft decree aims to reduce the salary gap between bosses and other employees, as well as the average salary of the country's labour market.

The decree would also allow a salary bonus of 15-20 per cent if an enterprise exceeded its projected financial goals as a growth incentive. On the other hand, enterprises who failed to achieve their targets would not be entitled to a bonus.

A recent survey by the ministry of 345 State-owned and partially State-owned SMEs showed the average salary for regular employees was VND10 million ($460), while top officials earned VND25 million ($1,150).

The gap is even higher in larger enterprises, with top CEO salaries ranging from VND70 million ($3,200) to VND155 million ($7,200). Notably, enterprises that failed to produce positive financial performances, or in some cases, even made financial losses, still rewarded their top CEOs with salaries of VND45 million ($2,100), some 14 times greater than an employee's salary.

HCM City needs 25,000 labourers in June

Enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City, the largest economic hub in the southern region, need to recruit some 25,000 labourers in June, according to the municipal Centre for Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information (FALMI).

It also said that of the total job vacancies, 35 percent are for unskilled workers and 30 percent for university graduates and postgraduates.

Most of the vacancies are available across the elds of information technology (IT), services, electrics and electronics, food industry, garments, leather shoes, architecture-construction, real estates, banking-finance, and accounting-auditing.

According to Tran Anh Tuan, FALMI vice director, the labour market in the city has witnessed a disparity between demand and supply of high-quality personnel.

Vietnam explores further potential for cassava cultivation

Expanding cassava cultivation will increase jobs and generate higher incomes for farmers, thus contributing to socio-economic development, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Cao Duc Phat, said.

Vietnam is the world’s second largest exporter of cassava, with cassava exports in the first quarter of this year reaching 1.37 million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 24 percent, earning the country 420 million USD, a 22.7 percent rise, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Cassava consumption is expected to increase in the near future due to an expanding market for the root vegetable, especially in China where cassava is used to produce ethanol. Vietnamese raw cassava and flour are among seven potential export products.

Vietnam currently has 551,000 hectares of land under cassava plants, mostly in the northern central region, central coastal region and south-eastern region. Cassava cultivation is possible in diverse ecological conditions and farm sizes.

However, the cassava processing industry still faces a number of challenges, including risks posed by the dependence on a single market (China, which consumes 85 percent of Vietnamese cassava exports) as well as limited domestic consumption.

The International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) said the unsustainable development of cassava in Vietnam is based on disparities in productivity. It suggested the gap be reduced by improving sapplings and increasing the transfer of advanced technology.

Furthermore, two new diseases, broom and mealybug, are posing a threat to cassava productivity, quality and yields in Vietnam.

Le Huy Ham, the Director of the Agricultural Genetics Institute, recommended zoning off cassava cultivation areas and using high-quality strains while integrating appropriate farming techniques.

In addition, the country needs to focus on investing in processing technology for the production of bio-ethanol fuel rather than exporting raw cassava.

Ministry aims to build more roads in Central Highlands

The Transport Ministry aims to mobilise some 65 trillion VND (3 billion USD) through 2020 to complete the national highway system in the Tay Nguyen Central Highlands, according to the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands Region.

The amount, to be sought from the Government bonds, the State budget, and investment from economic sectors, will be invested in building and upgrading some 1,380 km of roads in a bid to boost socio-economic development, ensure national defence and security, and improve the local living conditions.

By this June, the Ministry aims to complete expansion to the 553km-long section of the Ho Chi Minh road (previously National Highway No.14), which runs from the Central Highlands Kon Tum province to southern Binh Phuoc province, serving as the first North-South axis road in the region.

After that, priority will be given to a number of highways with great traffic flow, including the National Roads No.24 to 29, No. 14C, No. 19, and Dau Giay-Lien Khuong in Lam Dong province.

New sections will also be built to connect the National Road No. 14C with the Ho Chi Minh Road, the Eastern Truong Son Road and the National Road No. 1.

In addition, the ministry will call for investment in railways connecting the region with big sea ports in the south central and southeast regions, while continuing to upgrade regional airports to facilitate travel for investors and tourists.

Between 2012-2015, more than 33 trillion VND (1.54 billion USD) has been mobilised in upgrading national roads running across the Central Highlands.

The region now has total 32,220km of roads, of which national roads accounts for 2,100km, provincial roads 2,030km and the remaining being rural roads.

It is also served by three airports, namely the Lien Khuong airport in Lam Dong province, Buon Ma Thuot airport in Dak Lak province, and Pleiku airport in Gia Lai province.

The Tay Nguyen Central Highlands consists of five provinces: Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Lam Dong.

Hanoi citizens offered affordable homes

Ecohome 2, a social housing project in Bac Tu Liem district, Hanoi, is offering 930 apartments for the capital’s lower-income groups.

The project is selling 659 apartments and renting out 204 others at reduced costs while offering 117 other facilities at normal commercial prices.

These affordable homes have been welcomed by locals, with 1,994 registering their interest with the Ecohome 2 management board.

To be eligible for the houses, a candidate must comply with a series of regulations. If found to have provided incorrect personal information to take advantage of the policy, they will have to pay a fine and face eviction. In cases of identity theft, criminal proceedings may follow.

Ecohome 2 will become operational in 2016.

An earlier Ecohome 1 project was inaugurated in December 2014 after 14 months of construction, and has been selling apartments at costs ranging from 400 to 800 million VND (18,605 - 37,209 USD).

Lam Dong moves to cut greenhouse gas emission

The People’s Committee of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong has approved a project to reduce greenhouse gas emission implemented in 2015.

The project will cost about 781,000 USD, of which 769,000 USD comes from official development assistance (ODA) sources.

It looks to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through efforts to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, enhance sustainable management of forest resources, and conserve and improve forest carbon stocks.

Previously, an action programme reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) for the 2015-2020 period in Lam Dong set a target to cut greenhouse gases by 27 percent by 2020, equalling 2,056,277 tonnes of CO2 per year.

REDD+, which officially began in the province on March 22, is worth some 1.75 trillion VND (81million USD) and is aiming to curb deforestation and forest degradation, devise sustainable forest management and conservation initiatives and improve local livelihoods.

Lam Dong will focus on building its capacity and has planned a series of measures to reduce its carbon dioxide volume.

The province has a total land area 977,219 ha, more than 596,600ha of which has been zoned off for forests.

The Prime Minister approved REDD+ as a national action programme in July 2012 with the initial participation of eight provinces.

Health Ministry urges MERS-CoV disease prevention

The Ministry of Health has urged border localities to prevent Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) from entering Vietnam.

The ministry has called on health departments to work with the People’s Committees of localities to take comprehensive preventive measures at international border gates.

Staff at border posts must closely monitor the epidemic situation to promptly detect cases of infections, especially vulnerable individuals.

Training courses are to be conducted for health staff and health care facilities will be ready to ensure the prevention and control of the disease.

The ministry has also called for the wide participation of ministries, sectors, social organisations and communities in the work.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), by May 20, a total of 1,119 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infections had been recorded across 25 countries and territories worldwide, and 423 people had died.

MERS-CoV belongs to a family of corona viruses that include SARS, which haunted Asia in 2003.

It can spread between people and cause symptoms including fever, breathing problems, pneumonia and kidney failure.

The death rate of people confirmed to have the virus infection is about 51 percent. No vaccine is available so far.

Long An households suffer water shortage

Nearly 500 households in the southern province of Long An's Tan Trach Commune have been suffering serious water shortages for several months due to the ongoing severe drought.

Other communes in the province's Can Duoc District are also in a similar situation.

According to residents in Tan Trach Commune, the dry season had arrived earlier than in previous years and lasted longer, causing canals and rivers to dry up. The clean water system was also failing to meet their demand.

Nguyen Le Trang, a resident in the commune, said they have not had any water from the clean water pipelines since the beginning of this year, and canals had dried up.

She had been forced to spend a lot of money to buy water for domestic use from other localities at prices up to six times more than usual, she said.

Her neighbour Nguyen Hoai Nhan said his family was unable to afford the high prices for water so he drove several kilometres a day to get water from other canals.

Nhan, Trang and other households have asked local authorities and the Phan Huu Hiep Clean Water Company to check the situation and fix the clean water pipelines to help them.

Nguyen Minh Trang, chairman of the communal People's Committee, said the water shortage in the locality this year was much more serious than in previous years.

Households located at the end of the pipelines were not receiving any water because those located at the start of the lines were using too much water, he explained.

They had asked the company to set up an additional pump and five free water supply stations to provide enough water for people in the commune, he said.

The company also plans to invest in upgrades to its pipes and pumping stations to meet local people's needs, especially in the dry season.

Burning waste not answer to pollution

The northern provinces of Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Phu Tho have spent billions of dong on waste incinerators to deal with pollution, but they could be making the problem worse, according to Tuoi Tre Thu Do (Capital Youth) newspaper.

The incinerators were imported from Thailand, costing up to a billion of dong each (US$46,300). They use natural gas to burn waste.

Vinh Phuc Province's Science and Technology Department recently said the incinerators met all technical standards, but an inter-sectorial inspection team from Bac Giang Province concluded the opposite.

Vinh Phuc Province's Science and Technology Department suggested buying the devices after studying their suitability. They were first used in Tam Hong Commune of Vinh Phuc Province, said Ngo Khanh Lan, director of the department.

The pollution in Vinh Phuc would be worse without the incinerators, Lan said. Some localities had not used the kilns correctly, which had exacerbated the problem.

However, Nguyen Van Xuat, deputy director of Bac Giang Province's Science and Technology Department, said the province's inspection team found the waste incinerators partially ineffective.

The team checked 24 incinerators in the province and concluded that most of them did not meet safety standards for waste treatment – and emitted dust, heat and smoke.

Xuat said many provinces had started to use them without consulting local science and technology departments.

The provinces should review the situation to avoid further environmental pollution, Xuat added.

Companies cutting corners on job safety

Construction companies are cutting corners on work safety regulations, causing more workplace accidents.

High profile accidents at workplaces have killed at least 17 people and injured dozens more in the first five months of this year.

There were 6,709 cases last year, which killed 630 and injured 1,544.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said the construction sector had the worst record, accounting for 30 percent of work-related accidents.

The collapse of a huge scaffold at Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ha Tinh Province in March killed 14 workers and injured dozens more.

Three people died after a crane in Dong Thap Province toppled into a street.

Ministry vice head Doan Mau Diep said 70 percent of the accidents could be traced back to employer neglect, 15 percent the result of workers not following safeguards, while 15 percent were still being investigated.

The head of the Work Safety and Hygiene Office at Hanoi's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Bach Quoc Viet, said some companies were hiring high school graduates and giving them three months' training to operate heavy machinery, adding that "the quality of teachers in work safety training courses is going down."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport said investors and constractors, especially sub-contractors, did not pay attention to safety management; safety equipment was inadequate, and penalties were too low.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said workplace safety would be reviewed and new plans developed in cooperation with state agencies.

Dong Nai reports high demand for unskilled workers

The demand for unskilled labourers is considerable, but not enough candidates are being recruited, according to a job fair held in the southern province of Dong Nai on May 25.

The 21 enterprises participating in the job fair needed approximately 1,100 employees, of which 80 percent are unskilled workers.

Several foreign-invested companies offer untrained workers a monthly salary of 5-7 million VND (230-325 USD) including benefits, but they could only recruit around 30 percent of their workforce demand.

A representative from Changshin Vietnam said this year the company needed 230 workers but at the job fair most candidates were university graduates. As a result, the company was able to hire only 40 workers.

Statistics provided by the provincial Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs show that more than 47,000 local workers have found jobs since the beginning of this year, about 52 percent of the annual target.

By the end of the year, businesses need to recruit thousands of employees, mainly in the footwear, processing and manufacturing industries.

HCM City aims to mitigate seasonal flood risk

The southern metropolis Ho Chi Minh City has submitted a funding proposal for a flood risk management project to the World Bank (WB) for the 2015-2017 fiscal year.

Initiated by the Steering Centre of the Urban Flood Control Programme, the project aims to work with relevant stakeholders to prevent flooding and improve drainage, as well as mitigating climate change, boosting authorities’ capacity to control flooding and improving sanitation.

Comprising three components, the project will run from 2016-2021 at a total cost of nearly 461 million USD, with 422 million USD being provided by the WB as official development assistance.

The first component focuses on modernising the hydro-meteorological monitoring and forecasting system, managing flood risk mitigation data, and improving early warning and response mechanisms.

The second component is based on infrastructure improvements, including the construction of two sluices at Vam Thuat canal and Nuoc Len ditch, and upgrading the Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Nuoc Len canal. The third component provides advisory and project management services.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment will consider the portfolio before submitting it to the Prime Minister for approval.

Vietnam, Laos foster media cooperation

As many as 41 reporters from Lao news agencies are participating in a week-long training course on press briefing and commentary skills run by the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communication (MoIC).

This activity is part of the cooperation agreement between the MoIC and the Laotian Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MoICT) for 2015.

During the launching ceremony of the course in Vientiane on May 25, MoICT Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan highlighted the importance of press briefing and commentary skills in today’s contemporary media world.

Since 2012, the MoIC has organised nine training courses, benefitting more than 300 Lao journalists, MoICT Deputy Minister Savankhone Razmountry said.

Furthermore, 40 computers were donated to the Lao MoICT and its subordinate agencies.

Bird poachers target Nguyen Du Memorial sanctuary

Nguyen Du Memorial Site, a three hectare sanctuary for a wide range of bird species in Ha Tinh Province, is being invaded by heavily armed poachers operating openly.

"There are a lot of black drongo here," said one poacher. "Just pull the trigger and something will fall."

An employee at the site said there were five to seven illegal hunters a day coming into the sanctuary, but, because they are armed, staff are afraid to confront them.

The site is named after the early nineteenth century poet Nguyen Du, renowned for his "The Tale of Kieu". Nguyen Du Memorial Site is recognised as a national relic for its old buildings, and its ecosystem, which is a habitat for many species of birds.

Managers want to increase the number of trees to make homes for more birds, but those plans are on hold because of the threat posed by poachers.

"We tried to persuade them, ban them, to no avail," said Ho Bach Khoa, head manager of the site. "Only a few of them are locals. Most come from other districts and provinces."   

Decision on prioritized national databases issued

The PM has issued a Decision to announce six national databases to be prioritized for the development of e-Government.

The databases include the one on population (hosted by the Ministry of Public Security), the other on land (hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), the national databases on business registering and demographics (hosted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment), the national database on finance (hosted by the Ministry of Finance), and the national database on insurance (hosted by the Viet Nam Social Insurance).

Ministries and agencies in charge of these national databases have to establish, adjust and supplement legal documents on these national databases as well as operate and update them.

"New Zealand, New Horizon” winners praised

The five winners of the “New Zealand, New Horizon” competition were praised at an awards ceremony hosted by the New Zealand Embassy in Hanoi on May 26.

The competition, jointly organized by the Embassy New Zealand and Vietnam’s online newspaper Vnexpress, aims to increase interest and knowledge about New Zealand and its relationship with Vietnam. It was also part of the Embassy’s activities celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations and friendship between New Zealand and Vietnam.

The first prize which is accompanied with a vacation to New Zealand for two people, was given to Nguyen Thanh Hang for her entry “Magical Dream”. “The prize is such a nice surprise for me! I still think that I am in the middle of my magical dream. I have never been to New Zealand before but in my eyes New Zealand is a very green and peaceful country. It will be a ‘haven’ for my parents to visit”, she said.

Over just three weeks, more than 200 articles, videos, poems and photos about many different aspects of New Zealand were submitted to Vnexpress and the New Zealand Embassy Hanoi for the competition. The entries included works showcasing New Zealand’s people, culture, nature, education system and tourism.

New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Haike Manning said: “We received a great number of quality entries which really underscored the strong interest in and knowledge about New Zealand and the relationship between New Zealand and Vietnam. It was amazing that we had so many entries from people that had never even visited New Zealand.”

Ambassador Manning also expressed his thanks to the participants for telling their own interesting stories about New Zealand and supporting the Embassy’s efforts to increase knowledge and understanding between the two countries. He hoped that the competition would result in increased people-to-people links between New Zealand and Vietnam, including in tourism and education.

The two second prize winners were Nguyen Tran Duong Minh with his entry “Knighton school with memories” and Doan Thien Hoa Nghiem with “I love New Zealand”.

The two third prizes went to Vu Dieu Huong with “My story” and Truong Thi Bich Chung with “A dream of exploration”.

This is the second time the New Zealand Embassy has hosted the “New Zealand, New Horizon” competition in cooperation with Vnexpress.

Vietnam students’ noodle product to go on display at Fi Asia

Non-fried instant noodle supplemented with pumpkin flour, a product of students from HCMC International University, will be displayed at Fi Asia 2015, a food ingredient exhibition which will take place in Thailand in September.

The noodle product has beaten 19 other products to win the Young Achiever’s Safe Food Ingredient Award co-held by the Vietnam Association of Food Science and Technology (VAFoST), Saigon Technology University and Thailand-based UBM Asia, a leading exhibition organizer in Asia.

Two members of the group that creates the new noodle product will receive VND20 million (US$917.6) from UBM to take part in the Fi Asia 2015.

Products which competed in the Young Achiever’s Safe Food Ingredient Award are completely processed by students from local universities from the first stage of developing ideas to producing and packaging.

Students from Nong Lam University won the second prize with their dragon fruit jam and chips. They are followed by another group from Nong Lam with passion fruit candy and students from HCMC University of Industry with the vegetable wrap product.

HCM City worries about urban project’s impact on river water quality

The government of HCMC is concerned that Toan Thinh Phat Company’s urban rehabilitation and development project by the Dong Nai River would affect the quality of water for residents in the city.

The city has expressed its concern in its recent documents sent to the Dong Nai River Basin Environmental Protection Committee and the government of Dong Nai Province. The reason is that the city would need around 2.5 million cubic meters of crude water from the river a day as envisioned in the city’s master water supply zoning plan until 2025 approved by the Prime Minister.

Currently, water plants in HCMC are processing millions of cubic meters of  water from the Dong Nai River a day for supply to local residents.

Reclamation by the Dong Nai River may change water currents and cause river bank erosions and hurt the downstream area in general and the source of crude water for processing plants in HCMC. Therefore, the city government has proposed the committee and authorities of the province review the impact of the project on the environment and the supply of crude water in the city.

Toan Thinh Phat has to put on hold the reclamation project after scientists and the public expressed concerns over the impact of the project in Bien Hoa City on the water currents of the river and the environment.

In 2011, Toan Thinh Phat got approval from Dong Nai Province to develop the urban rehabilitation and development project in Quyet Thang Ward. The project covers 8.4 hectares including over 7.7 hectares of land fill and stretches 1.3 kilometers along the Dong Nai River. The farthest encroachment on the river is nearly 100 meters.

Toan Thinh Phat started work on the VND3.2-trillion project last September. The project is designed to consist of townhouses, five-star hotel, offices, shopping facilities and a park.

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