User feedback improves public service

Most people interviewed in a recent survey said that only 50 percent of rest rooms at hospitals in Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa and Binh Dinh provinces were satisfactory.

The survey was interviewed over 5,400 individuals, businesses and organisations in the four provinces between 2014-15.

And less than half the patients in those hospitals said drinking water was available, but 70 percent were satisfied with the situation.

In Vinh Phuc and Binh Dinh, 30 percent of patients had to share beds, but most were content with their treatment and hospital facilities.

The comments were contained in a survery backed by the World Bank and presented at a national conference in Da Nang on August 27 on using feedback to provide better services. Representatives from 30 provinces and cites in Vietnam attended.

The survey assessed four aspects of service delivery - accessibility, responsiveness, cost of services and feedback mechanisms. It also aimed to provide information for improved service supply and laying the groundwork for further research in Vietnam.

Chairman of Phu Tho People's Committee said it was the first time feedback had been used to help service delivery. "We found the findings to be very helpful," he said.

"Based on those findings, we can take specific actions to improve our public services."

A survey in Phu Tho province showed that 50 percent public servants still harassed residents seeking information about public procedures and provided explanations that were not clear.

Fifty percent of respondents said that public procedures were too long.

The four provinces were actively involved in the decision-making and administration of the surveys. Provincial and agency staff were trained in undertaking user surveys so that they can conduct similar research in the future.

World Bank's senior governance specialist Soren Davidsen said all four provinces had incorporated funding for future surveys into their annual budget to ensure the process would continue.

Da Nang has seen the most rapid local development in Vietnam. This has been accompanied by comprehensive reform of public administration.

The province has greatly improved its ranking under the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index. Ranked eleventh out of the 63 provinces in 2011, it is now in second place.

The city launched online public evaluations on administrative procedures at 56 communes, precincts and departments throughout the city.

Hanoi gears up for National Day celebrations

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen The Thao on August 26 urged relevant ministries and agencies to devise concrete plans to ensure the absolute safety for Party and State leaders as well as facilitate public participation in events in celebration of the National Day (September 2).

Meeting with representatives of relevant ministries and agencies ahead of the celebrations, Thao asked the municipal Police Department to collaborate with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defence to assure political security, social order and safety and traffic safety during the important event.

According to the Hanoi Departments of Construction and Culture, Sports and Tourism, all preparations for the celebrations have to date finished, especially popularisation work, public lightening, workshops, exhibitions and other cultural activities.

The installation of loudspeakers and LED screens serving the live broadcast of the meeting and parade is also underway.

Representatives from the Ministries of Public Security and National Defence reported that detailed plans to ensure security and safety during the celebrations have been made. A security sub-committee has been formed and 206 security stations have been set up in response to contingencies.

Meanwhile, the municipal Department of Transport said it has released a notice on banning vehicles on 40 streets on this occasion.

Accordingly, vehicles are not allowed to enter Hung Vuong, Hoang Van Thu, Chua Mot Cot, Doc Lap, Ong Ich Khiem, Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Ton That Dam, Nguyen Canh Chan, Bac Son, Mai Xuan Thuong, Le Hong Phong, Ngoc Ha, Thanh Nien, Hoang Hoa Tham, Thuy Khue, Quan Thanh, Phan Dinh Phung, Dien Bien Phu, Chu Van An, Hoang Dieu, Nguyen Tri Phuong, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Trang Thi, Hang Khay, Trang Tien and Co Tan from 16:00 to 24:00 on August 29 and from 21:00 on September 1 to 12:00 on September 2.

Prohibition is also applied on roads around August Revolution Square, including Tran Nhat Duat, Tran Quang Khai, Tran Khanh Du, Kim Ma (from Lieu Giai to Nguyen Thai Hoc), Lieu Giai, Van Cao Tran Phu, Son Tay, Nguyen Chi Thanh (from Kim Ma to La Thanh), Yen Phu, Bach Thao park, Doi Can (from Le Hong Phong to Van Cao) and Doc La Pho.

About 40,000 people will join the parade starting from 7:00 on September 2. They will march from Ba Dinh Square and go along major downtown streets in Hanoi in two directions, one heading to Nguyen Thai Hoc-Kim Ma-Lieu Giai, and the other to Nguyen Thai Hoc-Hang Khay-Trang Tien-Opera House.

Participants include representatives from armed forces and various social backgrounds, such as war veterans, workers, farmers, entrepreneurs, youth, women and ethnic minority people.

Themed “Promoting the strength of the entire nation and being determined to build and firmly defend the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” the parade aims to affirm the great historical values of the August Revolution and the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the history of the nation’s multi-thousand-year construction and defence.

Prior to the march, a 21-gun salute will be fired from the Thang Long Royal Citadel.

Residents affected by Son La power plant see improved livelihood

More than 100,000 residents displaced by the Son La hydroelectric power plant have improved livelihoods at their new settlements, according to reports released at a meeting held by the State Steering Committee of the Son La – Lai Chau hydroelectric plant project.

The meeting, which was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai on August 27 in Muong Lay town in the northwest province of Dien Bien, aimed to review the implementation of the Son La and Lai Chau hydroelectric plants.

After being relocated to new settlements, the incomes of residents tripled and the poverty rate is now far below the average level in Dien Bien province.

The Deputy PM urged relevant ministries and sectors to review the completion progress of component projects to shift focus to the ‘Stabilising residents and social-economic development of the resettlements’ project.

He also asked Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau provinces to integrate the restructuring of agriculture, industry, tourism and service programmes to increase the effectiveness of resettlement projects.

Deputy PM Hai agreed with investors’ plan to put the first turbine of the Lai Chau power plant into operation at the end of 2015 and asked them to ensure safety for workers.

According to the Steering Committee, 33,200 out of 38,500 tonnes of equipment have been transported to the Lai Chau plant construction site and the installation of the first rotor will take place in September for trial test before December, towards generating electricity by December 31.

The Son La – Lai Chau 500-kilovolt transmission line project and the expansion of the 500-kilovolt Son La transformer and transport projects are on schedule, the committee said.

According to the committee, the Son La power plant had generated 33.7 billion kilowatt hours and contributed 4.03 trillion VND (183 million USD) to the Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau budgets as of August 20.

Hanoi opens new waste treatment plant

The People’s Committee of Hanoi held a ceremony on August 27 to inaugurate and put the Phuong Dinh waste treatment plant into operation in Dan Phuong district.

The factory, which will use Martin technology from Germany, is one of the pioneer facilities in Vietnam in combusting waste to produce electricity.

It has a total investment capital of 270 billion VND (12.2 million USD) and a processing capacity of 300 tonnes of waste per day.

The plant will help meet the demand for waste treatment in the Dan Phuong, Hoai Duc and Quoc Oai districts as well as industrial parks and craft villages in the localities, said Vu Hong Khanh, Deputy Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee.

Vietnam introduces communications network to KL Converge

A Vietnamese delegation is attending the three-day communications expo KL Converge at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in the Malaysian capital city from August 27-29.

The Vietnamese delegation , led by Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Nguyen Thanh Hung, includes representatives from the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Vietnam Television (VTV), Voice of Vietnam (VOV), Vietnam Internet Association, Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Vietnam Mobile Telecom Services Company (VMS) and Saigontourist Cable Television Company.

The delegation introduce d the development of communications in Vietnam and showcase d a wide variety of products and solutions among more than 100 international pavilions.

Attending the platform for the second time, Vietnam aims to promote its natural and cultural beauty as well as its innovations in a number of fields, including communications, information technology and television broadcasting, said Deputy Minister Hung.

KL Converge 2015, jointly organised by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Ministry for Communications and Multimedia, is also hosting relevant groups from other nations in the Southeast Asian region as well as China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The exhibition aims to provide networking opportunities, popularise relevant policies, promote investment prospects and share experience and innovative ideas.-

HCM City needs more classrooms as number of students increases

All HCM City districts must ensure that all students can enroll in school this year, Le Hoang Quan, chair of the city's People's Committee, has said.

The schools face an increasing number of students, most of whom were migrants.

For the 2015-16 school year, the number of students from kindergarten to high school level has increased by 85,145 compared to last year.

The 1,518 additional classrooms built for this year do not meet demand, forcing the districts to increase classroom size.

Quan said that a shortage of classrooms, as well as facilities for entertainment and sports, would affect education quality.

Binh Tan and Thu Duc districts, as well as District 12, face a shortage of classrooms because of the high number of migrants who live there, according to Hoai Nam, Deputy Head of the city's Department of Education and Training.

Nguyen Thanh Tuan, Deputy Head of Thu Duc district's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, said the solution was to increase the number of students in each classroom and reduce the number of day boarders.

The number of students in each primary school classroom in Thu Duc district is 45, which is over the Ministry of Education and Training's national standard of 35.

Twenty-seven children are at the nursery level and 30 at kindergarten level in the district.

Pham Van Muoi, Deputy Chairman of Binh Tan District People's Committee, said the number of students in each classroom often exceeded 35 for primary school and 45 for secondary and high school.

He said the areas for libraries and yards were too small as well.

Nguyen Tri Dung, head of Binh Chanh district's education division, said the number of students in each district classroom was more than 60. The district needs 334 additional teachers.

Tuan said that Thu Duc district needed 204 additional teachers. However, the district educational office has been unable to employ more teachers because of a decree on downsizing the public sector that took effect this year.

The city needs 2,025 teachers at all levels for the upcoming school year.

Quan has asked the Department of Education and Training to regularly update reports on classroom construction process.

Last school year, the city spent 9 trillion VND (409 million USD) on education, about 70 percent of the city's budget, he said.

Ho Chi Minh City reveals 28,000 vacancies in September

Ho Chi Minh City is expected to have demand for an additional 23,000 full-time and 5,000 part-time employees, unveiled the Ho Chi Minh City’s Centre for Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information (FALMI) on August 27.

Employment opportunities are primarily for unskilled labour and graduates/post-graduates, accounting for 28 percent and 27 percent of the total vacancies respectively. The demand for technicians follows closely at 25 percent.

Manpower demand is concentrated in the garment-textiles, footwear and leather sectors and the real estate, logistics, and sales industries.

According to FALMI Vice Director Tran Anh Tuan, experienced candidates will continue to be the target of the labour market.

Gaps between manpower supply and demand are occurring in a range of sectors including IT, garment-textiles and logistics.

Railway development plan passed

The Prime Minister recently approved adjustments to a master plan on railway development through 2020, with a vision toward 2030.

Accordingly, targets have been set for railway transportation to account for up to 4 percent of total passenger demand and up to 5 percent of overall freight demand.

Long-distance and heavy transport as well as railway system connectivity with major sea ports, industrial zones and shared-border nations are considered key priorities.

In addition to upgrading current infrastructure, new high-speed railroads will be built.

Safe, high-quality, efficient and eco-friendly services will continue to be the motto of the sector.

Embankment to safeguard Saigon River from floods

The HCM City Steering Centre for the Urban Flood Control Programme has asked the municipal government to build a 1.1-km long embankment along the Saigon River to prevent flooding during high tides.

The embankment would protect 1,600ha of land in District 2 and Thu Duc district.

The project investment is estimated to be 993 billion VND (45 million USD), excluding the 170 billion VND needed for land clearance, which will be taken from HCM City's budget and State funds.

Construction, which will begin next year, is expected to be completed in four years.

The embankment will help prevent erosion and floods caused by tides and water from the upstream section of the Saigon River. It will protect 25,000 residents living in the area.

In May, the municipal People's Committee asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment for Government approval of a loan of 422 million USD from the World Bank for the flood prevention project.

The project would also improve conditions at the Tham Luong – Ben Cat – Nuoc Len areas. Two sluice gates will be built to monitor the water level in the city centre.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung recently asked HCM City to enhance flood-prevention activities over the next five years, including the construction of reservoirs and the dredging of canals.

Traffic toll reduces in first eight months of this year

The number of traffic accidents, deaths and injuries decreased in the first eight months of this year, said the National Traffic Safety Committee on August 26.

The country reported 1,712 traffic accidents in August, killing 654 people and injuring 1,591.

In the first eight months of this year, 14,622 traffic accidents nationwide were reported, claiming 5,821 lives and injuring 13,234 other.

In comparison to the same period last year, the numbers of accidents, deaths and injuries were down by nearly 12.5 percent, 4 percent and over 16 percent , respectively.

PM agrees capital allocation to sea dyke upgrade projects

The Prime Minister has approved the continued allocation of development investment from the State budget from 2016-2020 to a programme to reinforce, protect and upgrade sea dykes from the northern province of Quang Ninh to the central province of Quang Nam.

The PM asked the localities to review the approved projects and propose priorities for investment while actively planning for middle-term investments from 2016-2020.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Planning and Investment has been directed to collaborate with the Ministries of Agriculture & Rural Development and Finance to make a list of projects with capital construction debts through December 31, 2014 and name all projects from 2016-2020.

Capital for new projects should only be allocated to those with urgent needs after finishing all administrative procedures, said the PM.

He also requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development strengthen inspection and management of dyke systems while working closely with localities to review system plans amidst impacts from climate change, sea level rise and typhoons as well as design policies to manage, maintain and upgrade the systems.

The programme to reinforce, preserve and upgrade sea dyke systems has been implemented since 2006 with the aim to actively prevent and respond to floods, storms and rising sea levels; minimise impacts; serve socio-economic development; and ensure security and defence in coastal localities.

The PM also approved the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN)’s proposal for a project to provide power to Lai Son island commune in Kien Hai district, the southern province of Kien Giang .

Currently, Kien Giang and the EVN are cooperating to supply power to seven island communes with over 1.5 trillion VND (66.5 million USD) in total investment to boost the localities’ maritime economy and tourism development and improve the living conditions for more than 6,800 local households.

A 110-kilovolt sea-crossing An Minh-Lai Son transmission line with total length of nearly 44 kilometres will be installed together with two 25 MVA transformer stations.

The project is scheduled to commence in September.

Report on rural household survey announced

Information related to socio-economy, household income, land and migration collected through rural household surveys conducted in 12 provinces in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014, was detailed in a report released at a workshop in Hanoi on August 26.

Speaking at event, De puty Director of the Central Institute of Economics Management (CIEM) Nguyen Thi Tue Anh said the report assessed Vietnamese rural households’ ability to access capital resources, thus serving as a useful document for policymakers to design rural economic development plans.

It provided a socio-economic index vision and analysed changes in rural areas in 2014 compared to those of previous years based on the information collected.

The report summarised outcomes and findings from the Vietnam Access to Resources Household Surveys (VARHS) carried out among 3,648 households every two years between 2006 and 2014 in the northern provinces of Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Phu Tho, Dien Bien and Ha Tay; the central provinces of Nghe An, Quang Nam and Khanh Hoa; the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong; and the Mekong Delta province of Long An.

Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD), stressed that the report focuses on issues such as activities to create income, financial market, adaptation to risk and food security.

According to the report, although social welfare services in rural areas improved remarkably, disadvantaged areas and vulnerable groups still have not benefited equally in terms of income and access to services.

Ethnic minority groups continue to lag behind other groups with a lower rate of food security and income, it said.

It mentions strong diversification of livelihood activities in rural areas as well as business climate shortcomings which are considered barriers to enterprises.

Social policies bank provides services via mobile phone

The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) will officially provide services via mobile phone to better serve the demand of customers, as heard at a workshop in Hanoi on August 26 to announce the result of a research study on the feasibility of the services.

After more than a year of evaluation, the research proved that implementing banking services via mobile phones will be effective and help the VBSP develop sustainably.

The move will also help the bank improve transparency in exchanging information with customers and increase credit quality while helping customers save time and money, and receive adequate information about the bank’s products and services.

Accordingly, the VBSP will initially provide customers with SMS banking and then add mobile banking services.

Hoang Minh Te, VBSP Deputy General Director, said that the move is essential, especially in the era of technological development.

Holiday travel gets priority

The Ministry of Transport has asked the Vietnam Directorate for Roads, Vietnam Railways, Vietnam Airlines Corporation, Vietnam National Shipping Lines and other relevant agencies to step up measures to ensure traffic safety and social order while meeting the travel demands of passengers during the upcoming national holiday.

The Prime Minister has also directed ministries and sectors to encourage the use of public transport instead of private vehicles and step up dissemination about traffic safety on social media for the National Day (September 2) and the new school year (September 5).

Transport companies said they do not expect a significant increase of passengers as employees have just one day off for the National Day.

"The figures may increase on the evening of September 1 and the morning of September 2," said Nguyen Tung Anh, Director of the Hanoi Transport Station Joint Stock Company.

Ticket prices will remain unchanged, he said, adding that the company does not have any plans to increase services for the holiday.

Bus stations are also working with relevant agencies to prepare plans to clamp down on coaches that do not meet standards and try to raise ticket prices.

The number of passengers traveling by train on the holiday is expected to fall sharply compared with last year, according to Vietnam Railways.

Vietnam Railway plans to cut rail fares by two to 15 percent from now until September 5 for Thong Nhat trains SE1, SE2, SE5 and SE6 between Hanoi and HCM City to attract more passengers.

Rail fares of Thong Nhat trains and those running on the North-South line will be reduced by three to 12 percent for the post-summer period this year, according to the Hanoi Railways Transport Company.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has launched a special discount programme for one-way tickets between August 20 and December 30 on some domestic routes.

The Hanoi Transport Department is taking steps to repair road facilities while working with the municipal Police Department to inspect the quality of urban traffic infrastructure to ensure traffic safety in preparation for the upcoming parade to mark the 70th National Independence Day on September 2.

"We have plans to control traffic on the main roads leading to Ba Dinh Square and surrounding areas, and we are responsible for the 10,000 people who will be involved in the parade, said Nguyen Hong Linh, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Transport Department.

The department will also increase the number of buses and temporarily clear away parking areas on streets, he said.

Master plan approved to develop northwest national tourism area

The Prime Minister has approved a master plan for the development of the Dien Bien Phu – Pa Khoang national tourism area in northern Dien Bien province by 2020.

The objective is to turn Dien Bien – Pa Khoang into a tourism hotspot that meets the standards for a national tourism area by 2020.

According to the plan, the 2,500-hectare tourism area will have all necessary infrastructure systems by 2030 and offer visitors insight into the northwest culture alongside signature tours linking the legendary Dien Bien Phu battlefield, Pa Khoang Lake and Muong Phang forest.

It is part of efforts to boost tourism and socio-economic development in the province as well as the midlands and mountain areas of northern Vietnam.

The tourist area targets to welcome about 1.5 million visitors by 2030, including around 500,000 international travellers, generating more than 5 trillion VND (nearly 222 million USD) and creating employment opportunities for approximately 30,000 local residents.

The province will develop a wide range of tourism products including history-culture tours, eco-tours, community-based tours and festival tours.

In addition, transnational tours linking Dien Bien Phu and Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and other ASEAN countries will be designed via Tay Trang and Huoi Puoc Na Son international border gates.

World heritage discovery competition launched

Measures to conserve and promote Vietnam and ASEAN UNESCO world heritage will be mapped out through a competition launched in Hanoi on August 25.

The event is being organised to celebrate Vietnam’s 20th anniversary of ASEAN membership and welcome the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community at the end of this year.

The competition will create a space for world heritage aficionados to gather and contribute to popularising and developing domestic and regional tourism, said Nguyen Khac Loi, Vice Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Contest entries can include projects, short films, reporting, graphic videos or pictures spotlighting initiatives and good examples of conservation activities. Excellent projects in the competition will be supported for realisation.

Prize winners will take part in field trips to discover world heritage in Vietnam.

The competition will run until November 23.

Vietnam, Cambodia cooperate to support AO victims

The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin (VAVA) and Cambodia’s sponsoring association for post-war victims hope to sign a coordination programme soon to define basic principles, targets, and measures to jointly help AO victims in the respective countries.

In the near future, the two sides will coordinate in surveying consequences of the chemical wars as well as the number and situation of Vietnamese and Cambodian AO/Dioxin victims, while promoting experience exchanges and calling for international support in the field.

During a meeting in Hanoi on August 25, VAVA President Nguyen Van Rinh and Honorary President of the Cambodian sponsoring association for post-war victims Seang Bun Leang said both countries experienced a lot of war pains and they are actively addressing the consequences.

Seang Bun Leang said his association was set up in June this year with the participation of over 200 members nationwide, and expressed his wish to receive assistance from VAVA in organising activities to take care of post-war victims as well as those exposed to the toxic chemical.

Rinh noted that 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/Dioxin. Hundreds of thousands of people died or have grappled with fatal diseases.

Since its establishment in 2004, VAVA has raised over 1 trillion VND (46 million USD) to build caring, rehabilitation and vocational training centres for the victims.

The association has good relations with over 500 organisations and individuals of 30 countries worldwide. It has sent 65 delegations abroad, including nine to the US to call for support and seek justice for the victims.

Besides carrying out a new lawsuit in the US , the association is actively supporting Vietnamese-French AO Tran To Nga in her lawsuit in France against 26 US chemical companies.

The same day, VAVA received 100,000 JPY from the Association of Japanese people loving Vietnam to support Vietnamese AO/Dioxin victims.

Quang Tri: La Lay to become model int’l border gate

The La Lay Border Gate, which links the central province of Quang Tri and the Lao southern province of Salavan, will be developed into a model international border gate in line with a plan recently approved by the Prime Minister.

Under the project, the gate will become a new development driving force of Quang Tri, serving as an important bridge connecting Vietnam ’s central provinces and Lao, Thai and Cambodian localities along the East-West Economic Corridor.

It is also hoped to promote economic, investment, cultural and tourism ties among boundary provinces of Vietnam and Laos , contributing to improving socio-economic development and maintaining security-defence in these areas.

The gate will be equipped with modern equipment and its activities will be managed by advanced technology system , thus meeting the industrialisation and moderlisation process of the locality in particular and of the country in general.

Total investment needed to develop the border gate and run its functional activities for the 2015-2020 period is estimated at nearly 2.4 trillion VND (106.6 million USD).

Hanoi to source water from Red River

Authorities in Hanoi have decided to exploit surface water from the Hong (Red) River to ease water shortages and ensure a long-term water source for the city.

The municipal People's Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Quoc Hung told vnexpress newspaper that the city would start construction of a new plant to exploit surface water from the Hong River in Dan Phuong district in October this year.

The new plant is expected to supply more than 300,000 cubic metres per day to the city when it is completed by the end of 2017.

Another project has also been started to increase the capacity of the Bac Thang Long - Van Tri Water Plant in Dong Anh district. It is scheduled to provide more 30,000 cubic metres per day to residents of Hoan Kiem and Hai Ba Trung and several inner city areas by March next year.

More wells and underground water sources will increase the output of existing water plants.

Hung said that the city had decided to build an emergency pipeline to bring water from the Da River to the area near the National Convention Centre. The 20km pipeline will help ease pressure on existing sources that could break at any time.

"The emergency pipeline will reduce the pressure and ensure safety on the main pipeline. After completion, it would share between 80,000 to 100,000 cu.m of water with the main pipeline to ensure water supplies for the city's residents," said Hung.

The water pipeline from the Da River to the city broke again last week, the 13th time in the past four years. However, city authorities said they had already repaired the pipe before shortages were reported in Dong Da and Cau Giay districts.