Danang applies IT in administrative reform

Danang City led Vietnamese provinces and cities in Provincial Administrative Reform (PAR Index) in 2015 for the fifth consecutive time.

Danang also topped the Public Administration Performance Index ranking over the past five years. These results are attributable to the application of IT.

The “single window” section is located on the first floor on the headquarters of the Danang City’s People’s Committee, where citizens and  representatives of organizations are instructed on how to proceed with their documents. 

There are computerized screens for citizens to use to search information and rate their satisfaction over the quality of public administration. 

Tran Hai from Huu Hai Company of Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Hai Chau district, said: "Everything is good, procedures are quick and simple. Full instructions are given. For example, if I want to work with the Department of Planning and Investment, or the Department of Industry and Trade, they will tell me in detail what I need.” 

Similarly, at the district People’s Committee, administrative procedures, including the licensing of a construction project or issuing land certificates are publicized on digital screens. 

Citizens receive warm instructions from young local staff. Mai Xuan Thuy, deputy head of Office of the Ngu Hanh Son District People’s Committee and leader of the team in charge of citizen reception, said: “Employees from twelve divisions work during four shifts everyday. When citizens come, we greet them and ask what we can do for them. Those who have difficulties in writing, we will write for them.”

Nguyen Thanh Xuan, Vice Chairman of the Thanh Khe District People’s Committee, said over the past three years, the motto “Faster, More Rational, and Friendlier” has been in place, improving the quality of the service. 

In 2015, Danang excelled in People’s Participation at the Grassroots Level Index among the six indexes of Public Administration Performance. This demonstrates citizens’ exercise of their right to monitor State governance. 

Che Viet Son, Deputy Director of Danang’s Department of Home Affairs, said“The city looks towards a single window electronic model, in which a software system is developed to manage all administrative procedures and keep everything in check.”

UNESCO honours “Books for rural areas of Vietnam” programme

Nguyen Quang Thach and children benefited from the programme 

The Centre for Knowledge Assistance and Community Development (CKACD) has been awarded the 2016 UNESCO Literacy Prize for its programme “Books for rural areas of Vietnam.”

Initiated by young Vietnamese man Nguyen Quang Thach, the programme aims to bring books to the most rural areas of Vietnam, develop a reading culture there, and encourage rural children to read to improve public intellectual standards.

Thach began his work in 2007 with three libraries and expanded with the help of funding to build 28 libraries in nine provinces.

In 2010, he founded the Centre for Knowledge Assistance and Community Development and began the first trans-national tour to mobilise for the programme which has to date engaged more than 100,000 people. Most of them are farmers who help to finance it through crowd-funding.

UNESCO started awarding its Literacy Prize in 1989. This year, the prize worth 20,000 USD will be presented at a ceremony in Paris on September 8.

Hanoi’s VFF chapter leader pays working visit to New Zealand

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF)'s Hanoi chapter Vu Hong Khanh paid a working visit to New Zealand from August 29 – September 2. 

Visiting the Vietnamese embassy and Vietnamese nationals in Wellington on August 31, Khanh, who is also Vice President of the VFF Central Committee, informed Ambassador Nguyen Viet Dung of the capital city’s socio-economic development. 

He also presented an update of the chapter’s activities over the past time, including the successful organisation of the election of deputies to the 13th NA and the People’s Councils at all levels for 2016-2021, the campaign “All the people unite to build new rural areas”, “For the poor” fund-raising drive, and seminars on social criticism and food hygiene, among others. 

Ambassador Dung informed Khanh about the embassy’s political, economic and people-to-people diplomacy. 

Vu Phuong Diem, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Wellington, said the association has opened free Vietnamese language courses for children, as well as launched sports and recreational events for the Vietnamese community. 

President of the Association of Vietnamese Students in New Zealand Tran Thi Minh Trang said the association initiated and held the Vietnam Day to popularise Vietnam and its culture to international friends. 

On September 2, the delegation is to travel to Australia for a working visit.-

Green initiatives help improve people’s livelihood

Fifteen initiatives aiming to protect the environment and improve people’s livelihood and living standards were introduced at a workshop-exhibition in Hanoi on September 1.

These initiatives, mostly focusing on solar and wind energy, LED lights and smart agriculture, are funded by the Global Environment Fund and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Addressing the event, Haoliang Xu, Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific, said the community is the first to be hit by climate change but has less capacity to cope with the issue.

National efforts in reaching sustainable development should be propelled by local initiatives, along with international cooperation, he said.

Haoliang Xu explained that local authorities play an important role in providing financial aids and creating favourable conditions to replicate the initiatives in order to raise public livelihood and help them adapt to climate change and protect the environment.

The UNDP promised to coordinate with all relevant sides to encourage green initiatives and promote the replication of the initiatives, he said.-

Party’s inspection commission launches website

The Party Central Committee’s Commission for Inspection launched its website at www.ubkttw.vn , on September 1. 

The website aims to step up the dissemination of information on the Party’s inspection, supervision and discipline work to Party organisations, Party members and people, thereby improving their awareness of the issue. 

The website is tasked with timely providing the Party’s viewpoints, guidelines, statutes, resolutions, directives, regulations and decisions pertaining to the Party’s inspection, supervision and discipline. 

Role models in the Party building, inspection-related data, outcomes of the central and local inspection commissions’ meetings, along with notable domestic and international political events will be updated. 

Additionally, the website will run articles fighting against negative phenomena like corruption and wastefulness. 

It also serves as a platform for Party organisations and inspection commissions to exchange professional experience while receiving public feedback about the Party building and inspection.

Better treatment, work environment needed for intelligentsia

Appropriate treatment and a fair, open, transparent and professional work and social environment are critical to promoting the intelligentsia’s devotion to the national development. 

The opinion was raised at a symposium held by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) in Hanoi on August 30. The event aimed to recommend policies targeting the intelligentsia to the Party and State. 

Nguyen Thuy Anh, head of the international cooperation division at the Communist Review magazine, said an unprofessional work environment has impeded intellectuals’ contribution. 

She cited a young intellectual returning to Vietnam from Germany to work as an example. He later had to come back to Germany as he was disappointed at the unserious and amateur workplace in Vietnam. 

VUSTA Office Manager Le Cong Luong said the number of intellectuals (with college degrees and higher) in Vietnam has risen five-fold from some 1.3 million in 2000 to over 6.5 million in 2013, including over 118,650 masters and 24,660 doctors. 

There are more than 400,000 overseas intellectuals among 4 million Vietnamese expatriates living in nearly 100 countries and territories. 

Though a number of policies have been issued by the Party and State to facilitate the intelligentsia’s development, they have yet to prove effective, he said, blaming the low salaries for the group’s lukewarm attitude. 

While the initial salary for a graduate at a State-owned institute is slightly over 3 million VND (134.5 USD) per month, the salary of a professor at a university is only more than 5 million VND (224 USD), he noted. 

To create a favourable environment for the intelligentsia, wage payment must be reformed first so that they can afford supporting their families, said Nguyen Ngoc Phu, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Psycho-Pedagogical Association. 

Nguyen Lan Dung, Chairman of the Vietnam Society for Biology, said aside from higher salaries, the State should provide policy incentives and support for research institutes to build their own workshops so intellectuals can practice and translate findings into reality. In addition, authorities also need to listen to and take in their opinions.

Various activities celebrate 71st National Day

A bicycle race around Ho Chi Minh City was organised on September 2 to mark the 71st National Day, with the competition of 200 racers from the city and neighbouring localities, including foreigners living in Vietnam. 

Huynh Minh Khanh from Dong Tam Bike Club won the amateur tournament, while Vo Ngoc Minh from Thanh Binh Bkie Club bagged first prize at professional event, and Sophie Anne Clake came first in woman’s event. 

Meanwhile in the central city of Sa Nang, the traditional VTV8 CUP boat racing was held along Han river. 

In Hanoi, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum welcomed 31,050 visitors on the National Day, according to the mausoleum management board. Municipal authorised agencies coordinated closely to ensure smooth traffic and order in areas around the site. 

At the same time, the Tan Trao national special historical relic in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang received 51,000 domestic and foreign visitors in August this year, 11,000 people higher than the previous month. 

Covering an area of 2,500 hectares along 10 communes in Son Duong and Yen Son districts, the site comprises 183 relics, 41 of which were recognised as national historical relics and 51 were recognised as provincial historical relics. 

So far this year, Tan Trao welcomed 518,000 visitors. The site is expected to host 700,000 tourists this year, accounting for 50 percent of total visitors to Tuyen Quang in 2016.

On September 1, an art exchange entitled "“Independent Star" was held in Hanoi to praise the August Revolution in 1945, the two resistance wars, and the national construction and defense of the Vietnamese nation over the past 71 years, especially during the 30-year renewal process.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Associate Professor Vu Trong Phuc, Editor-in-chief of the Communist Review, said the programme covers a series of meaningful activities to encourage the younger generation to follow the tradition of solidarity, undaunted struggle, and resilient national construction and defense.

The programme is significant in educating the young generation, continuing to pay tribute to those who fought for national independence and territorial integrity, and in promoting the spirit of learning and working to develop Vietnam in the new period faced with many opportunities and challenges.

11 dead, 8 injured in traffic accidents on Independence Day

There were more than 8,600 traffic violations, with fines totaling US$215,000.

As many as 11 died and eight others were injured in a total 15 traffic accidents on Vietnam's Independence Day, September 2, according to the Traffic Police's report.

The report listed 14 road crashes which killed at least 10 people and injured eight and one railway mishap which claimed the life of one woman.

The eight wounded include those who sustained minor, moderate and severe injuries in the crashes that occurred on Independence Day.

There were over 8,600 traffic violations nationwide with fines totaling VND4.8 billion (US$215,000) on September 1. Traffic police have seized 30 cars, 668 motorbikes and 318 driving licenses.

According to the report, most violations included drivers suddenly switching lanes and speeding.

The National Traffic Safety Committee has received 42 phone calls and text messages reporting traffic accidents during the holiday.

Many called the hotline and complained about overloaded passenger coaches which charged higher fares as well as congestion on routes from Hanoi to Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Thai Binh. 

Traffic police have been ordered to alleviate congestion in the cities as well as on national highways.

5,728 people were killed in traffic accidents in the first eight months of 2016, according to the General Statistics Office, which is equivalent to 23 traffic deaths each day.  

Hanoi leader visits former revolutionary safety zone

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on September 2 visited Vong La village in Vong La commune, Dong Anh district, a revolutionary safety zone where hosted senior leaders of the Party and State in the 1941-1945 period, on the occasion of the 71st National Day. 

The village also hosted a meeting of the Party Standing Committee in February 1943 on the expansion of the Vietnam National Unified Front and the implementation of the armed uprising. 

Visiting a number of revolution contributors, Chung stressed that young generations of Vietnam always keep in their mind the sacrifice of their elder generations who are still contributing to the economic and political stability in their localities. 

The Hanoi leader pledged to make reform in development strategy as well as administrative procedure to forge stronger growth for the city. 

He also affirmed that the city always pays much attention to the caring for locals’ living conditions, especially those in rural and remote areas as well as policy beneficiaries. 

On the occasion of the National Day, the city have presented policy beneficiaries and revolution contributors with gifts totaling 5.6 billion VND (251,216 USD), while city leaders have made various visits to their families.

Kon Tum to establish six parishes

Authorities of the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum has given nod to the establishment of six parishes at the request of provincial Diocese’s Bishop. 

The six parishes will be based in Kon Tum city and the districts of Dak Glei, Ngoc Hoi, Dak Ha, Sa Thay and Dak To, with nearly 19,000 followers. 

They are allowed to take religious practices in line with the law and the Charter of the Vietnam Catholic Church. 

According to the 2009 general census, Vietnam had more than 6.8 million Buddhist followers and 5.6 million Catholic followers.

Vallet scholarships awarded to students in central region

Vallet scholarships were awarded to 272 outstanding students from the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri during a ceremony in Quang Binh on September 1. 

Notably, a scholarship worth over 2 billion VND was presented to Nguyen The Quynh from Quang Binh who won a gold medal at the 2016 International Physics Olympiad in Switzerland. 

Each scholarship for students values at 7 million VND and 12 million VND, respectively. 

Speaking at the event, Professor Odon Vallet pledged to continue standing side by side with poor students with excellent academic results in the future. 

Over the past 16 years, Odon Vallet has used his own money to finance the grants for excellent young students in France and Vietnam. 

Since its establishment in 2001, the Vallet Scholarship Fund has allocated over 100 billion VND (4.76 million USD) to more than 21,000 students. 

In 2014, the fund granted over 2,000 scholarships worth 20 billion VND (nearly 952,400 USD) to students throughout Vietnam. 

The fund was established by French Professor Odon Vallet, from France’s Sorbonne Paris University, through the Meeting Vietnam organisation founded by the Vietnamese-French Professor Tran Thanh Van.

UN to bring more added value to Vietnam in next five years

Vietnam and the United Nations will focus on poverty reduction, sustainable development with resilience to climate change and improved national governance and people’s access to justice and fairness, in the next five years. 

During a press conference in Hanoi on September 1, Assistance Secretary General of the United Nations and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Haoliang Xu said he met Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, Vice State President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh and held working sessions with several leaders of ministries and agencies during the visit. 

According to him, both sides discussed Vietnam’s socio-economic development plan, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as response to climate change and El Nino impacts. 

Haoliang said multi-dimensional poverty reduction will not only help improve people’s income but also enhance their access to education, health care, and fair justice services. 

The UN wants to work with Vietnam in energy and environment, he said, adding that the UNDP treasures collaboration with Vietnam and will provide Vietnam with more added value apart from financial aid in the future. 

On the occasion, he also spoke of issues regarding the shift from a low-income country to the one with middle-income status, environment challenges and joint work on sustainable development.-

Ho Chi Minh City bans Pokemon Go from government offices

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) authorities have issued a ban on playing Pokemon Go in government offices during working hours out of fear that the staff might focus more on the game instead of their duties.

The ban applies to officers and public officials, soldiers and officers in the armed forces. The move is prompted by the frenzy the smart phone game has caused, which has already resulted similar bans in Ha Tinh and Da Nang and many workplace.

Recently, HCMC has assigned its Department of Information and Communications to track problems related to the game. To ensure traffic safety, the Department has set up a warning "Do not play Pokemon while driving" displayed on 44 digital billboards around the city.

Tao Dan Park and Nguyen Hue Walking Street are the most popular spots among Pokemon Go players, some of whom may even linger until 1-2 a.m.

Since becoming available in Vietnam at the beginning of August, Pokemon Go has attracted thousands of players. It is an augmented reality game in which players walk around in the real-life world to catch virtual creatures on their smart phone screens. In doing so, the game engages the camera on mobile phones and activates GPS tracking.

The game's popularity has sparked safety fears due to a rash of car accidents and a slew of mishaps stemming from distracted players.There have been numerous traffic violations recorded since its release, and police have caught people playing the game while driving their motorbikes or parking their vehicles in restricted areas.

In Vietnam, the game is not licensed and people have been warned not to play it near or inside offices of the Communist Party, the state, the military, national defense sites and other restricted areas.

According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Pokemon Go players will not be protected under the law on the management of electronic games on the internet. There also are concerns that game players could be tricked into downloading a copycat application and then unintentionally reveal sensitive information that could create security risks.

Pokemon Go has reached 35 countries across the world, including Vietnam. Analytics company App Annie estimates that the game has been downloaded more than 100 million times, fetching some US$10 million in revenue a day.

Learning software presented to schools in Can Tho

International advanced learning software to promote interaction between students and teachers were presented for three schools in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on September 1. 

The packages were sent to Ngo Quyen Primary School, Doan Thi Diem Secondary School and Chau Van Liem High School, by the 3A Education Technology Company of Vietnam and the Centre for Educational Technology (CET) of Israel. 

They are Horizon - an e-library, Speakingpal - an online English speaking training programme, Education City – an English-Maths programme, and the Twig World – a digital media resource. 

According to Israel’s Ambassador to Vietnam Meirav Eilon Shahar, the software will enable students to explore and develop their own capacity.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Dao Anh Dung said the locality has continuously prioritized the development of the education sector. 

It has invested in developing infrastructural facilities, improving the quality of teachers and updating advanced teaching methods, Dung said. 

The locality has also actively called for investment in its educational sector, he added.

Korean textile executive killed by falling glass cube in central Vietnam

A Korean textile firm director in the central province of Quang Nam died after being crushed by a massive glass block on August 31, in what appears to be a workplace accident.

Yoon Hyun Jun, 36, director of the Panko Tam Thang textile firm, died while directing workers during a work session to clean up and organize the company’s factory, police said on September 1.

The Panko Tam Thang textile firm is seen in Quang Nam Province, located in central Vietnam.

Tran Van Tuan, 26, was maneuvering a forklift carrying a 1.4 metric ton glass block when the Korean director tried to give a helping hand in controling the object, according to an initial report.

Yoon stood under the glass cube, attempting to steady and help handle the equipment.

When the glass block suddenly fell off the forklift, it came crashing down straight onto the director, immediately claiming his life.

Police are investigating the incident but say it is likely a workplace accident.

Embassy assists repatriation of drowned student in Japan

Vietnam’s Embassy in Japan and Consulate General in Fukuoka prefecture have worked to repatriate the body of a student who drowned in Fukuoka.

Dang Van Quang came to study in Fukuoka and drowned on August 27.

The Vietnamese Consulate General officials worked with Fukuoka authorities to verify the case and take necessary procedures to support the victim’s family.

The agency and the Vietnamese Students’ Association in Fukuoka raised 1,100 USD for the victim’s family.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan promptly completed relevant procedures to help Quang’s family bring his body home as soon as possible.

VNPost launches international post centre in Hanoi

The Vietnam Post Corporation (VNPost) on September 1 launched an international post centre under the Hanoi Post Office at the Noi Bai International Airport in the capital city. 

The centre, which is among projects to mark the 71st anniversary of Vietnam’s post sector, is designed to group and synchronise activities of delivering and receiving mailers, and handling import-export procedures for international postal services. 

It also aims to enhance the professionalism, effectiveness and quality of international postal services, contributing to implementing the sector’s commitments to the Universal Post Union (UPU), the World Customs Organisation (WCO), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). 

Do Ngoc Binh, Chairman of the VNPost Board of Directors, said that in order to respond to the Government’s policy on renovating, developing and modernising the post sector, VNPost has set up international post centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. 

The newly-launched centre is the largest of its kind in the northern region, which performs the task of exchanging international mails, mailers and parcels with the UPU community. 

Its functions also include exploiting postal services from and to Vietnam as well as delivering and receiving incoming and outgoing packages directly to and from airlines. It will also conduct security inspection on mails and parcels in the future. 

According to a VNPost representative, the corporation will set up a system of post centres across the country. Together with three major centres in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, the firm is investing in 23 others in different provinces in an effort to modernise the country’s postal services.

Clemency granted to prisoners on National Day

The Ministry of Public Security has proposed reducing jail terms for 24,826 prisoners on the occasion of the 71st National Day (September 2).

Of the inmates, 2,092 are expected to be released ahead of schedule, 128 are to have their life imprisonment sentences reduced to 20-30 years and 22,606 others will receive shorter sentences, Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Ngoc Bang, head of the General Department of Criminal Sentence Enforcement and Judicial Assistance of the Public Security Ministry, said on September 1.

The proposal and prisoners’ records have been submitted to People’s Courts at cities and provinces where prisons are located for consideration.

On the occasion, Hanoi has decided to grant clemency to 120 prisoners, the municipal amnesty consideration council announced on August 31.

Last year, clemency was granted to about 16,000 – 17,000 prisoners on the occasion of the 70th National Day.

Tan Son Nhat airport to be expanded to raise capacity

Additional facilities will be built at the overloaded Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City to raise its capacity to 40-50 million passengers per year.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has issued a document asking the Defence Ministry to coordinate with relevant ministries and the HCM City People’s Committee to study the use of 21 hectares of land to the west of the airport for the expansion, including new taxiways, parking spaces and terminal. The land is currently used for national defence purpose.

The Ministry of Transport is assigned to work with the Defence Ministry to make adjustments to the airport planning, including a new terminal in addition to the double-use terminal already in the planning. The additional terminal should be able to serve 10-20 million passengers per year.

The two ministries are required to coordinate to adjust flight routes for both civil and military aviation activities, while HCM City authorities are told to reorganize traffic control around the airport to reduce traffic jams.

The Tan Son Nhat International Airport has become seriously overloaded, forcing many flights to wait in the air to land. The airport has a design capacity of 25 million passengers but the passenger throughput in the first half of this year reached 15.7 million.

Compensations to reach all affected by mass fish deaths

All organisations and individuals affected by the environmental incident in the four central provinces will receive compensation, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said at the Government’s monthly press conference on August 31.

Tam said his ministry has guided provinces to count losses and dispatched working groups to localities to help, stressing that the provision of compensation will be done with transparency.

He added that Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh agreed with the provinces’ proposal to extend the deadline for filing compensation claims until September 15.

Compensation will be handed over after Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signs a decision announcing damages awarded to each locality in late September.

In late June, Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Limited Company admitted responsibility for the mass fish deaths in the four provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue, and pledged 11.5 trillion VND (500 million USD) in compensation.

Regarding the stockpile of nearly 4,000 tonnes of frozen fish in the central provinces, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said his ministry asked localities to instruct relevant agencies to classify the fish.

The ministry will collect samples taken from the stockpile and hand over to the national laboratory for testing. Only safe fish will be sold.

Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung also briefed the conference on other issues debated at the regular Cabinet meeting such as institution building, the Government’s working regulations and the use of public assets.

Vietnam to host 6th Asian Yoga Sports Championship

More than 200 athletes from 14 countries will compete in the 6th Asian Yoga Sports Championship, which is scheduled to take place at CTM Plaza in Hanoi on September 3-5.

The annual competition has attracted athletes from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Iran, India, UAE, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, China, Taiwan, and the host nation Vietnam.

The attendees will compete in 6 events including Yogasana, Artistic Yoga, Artistic pair Yoga, Rhythmic Yoga, Free Flow Yoga, and Professional Yoga.

The competition will be held in 7 age groups, namely 8-11, 11-14, 17-21, 21-25, 25-35 and above 35.

JICA project helps protect Ha Long Bay environment

The second phase of a project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has made practical contributions to protecting the environment of Ha Long Bay – a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage, heard a conference in Quang Ninh province on August 31. 

The second phase of the project, part of JICA’s technical cooperation programme, has been implemented from November 2013 to September 2016. 

With a total investment of 60 million JPY (580,000 USD), the project has helped build a system to collect rubbish on the bay and bring it to the shore to be treated and build a model on environmental education to raise public awareness of preserving the heritage site. 

Under the project, a ship running on bio-fuel was built and handed over to the Ha Long Bay Management Board for the collection and transport of rubbish, while 3,500 mangrove trees were planted and a textbook on environmental education was compiled and has been provided for local students. 

Additionally, more than 4,000 leaflets on the Ha Long Bay environment were also delivered. 

Three delegations of Quang Ninh officials have been sent to Japan’s Sakai city for training. 

At the conference, delegates from Quang Ninh and Sakai city exchanged notes on how to increase the efficiency of waste management and the protection of the bay’s environment.

Seminar reviews implementation of 2012 Labour Code

The three-year implementation of the 2012 Labour Code was the main theme of a seminar held in the central city of Da Nang on August 30-31 by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) in conjunction with the USAID’s Governance for Inclusive Growth Programme. 

The seminar brought together representatives from ministries, agencies, localities, businesses and labourers in the southern region, whose opinions will be reflected in the ministry’s report on the code’s enforcement. 

The report is one of the documents serving the draft law on amendments and supplements of several articles of the 2012 Labour Code, which will be submitted to the third session of the 14th National Assembly and expected to be approved at the fourth session. 

From January 2013 to June 2016, the MoLISA’s Legal Department issued 66 documents providing detailed interpretation of the Labour Code and guidance for the code’s implementation. 

However, several stipulations in the code remain ambiguous, while many guidance documents are overlapping or contradictory, causing difficulties to enforcement. 

Some new laws promulgated recently also affect the code’s structure and contents. 

Therefore, the 14th NA issued Resolution No. 22/2016/QH14 on the compilation of a draft law amending and supplementing several articles of the code, focusing on such issues as labour contracts, salary, working regulations, the observance of international standards, human resource quality and business competitiveness, among others. 

The amendment and supplementation is also prompted by the fact that as a member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and a signatory to regional and global free trade agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement, Vietnam has committed to adopting and maintaining labour-related international standards in both its legal system and reality. 

The Vietnamese and US Governments signed a bilateral agreement on enhancing trade and labour relations to facilitate the fulfillment of the commitments stated in Chapter 19 of the TPP pact.

About 1.5 million elderly people benefit from welfare

About 1.5 million elderly people in Vietnam are benefiting from regular social allowances which have had positive impacts on the material and spiritual life of the targeted group. 

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the UN Population Fund held a workshop in Hanoi on August 31 to review the five-year implementation of the Law on the Elderly. 

MoLISA Deputy Minister Nguyen Trong Dam said Vietnam’s population is aging rapidly. Old people aged at least 60 accounted for 10.5 percent of the population in 2014, a figure forecast to reach 20 percent by 2038. 

Approved in 2009, the Law on the Elderly creates a legal framework for ensuring senior citizens’ rights and interests. It is also a foundation to devise policies for an aged society in the future. 

He noted that 78 percent of the senior citizens and 72 percent of the families with elderly members know about the law and old people’s rights, which indicate strong improvement in public awareness. 

As a result, more than 90 percent of the targeted group has had their essential daily needs of food, clothes and accommodation ensured while 87.6 percent has their healthcare demand met. 

Dam said welfare allowance is a measure ensuring the material life of the elderly, especially low-income ones. Each year, local authorities hold longevity celebrations for more than 1 million old people on average. Senior citizens also get support when they suffer from illness or on the occasion of traditional festivals. 

The deputy minister also pointed to shortcomings in enforcing the Law on the Elderly, calling for continued overhauling of relevant policies. Local authorities also need to thoroughly understand their role in carrying out the elderly-related regulations and ensure resources for the work.-VNA

Vietnam, RoK enhance cooperation on legislation

The Vietnamese Ministry of Justice and the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Government Legislation will continue working closely together to effectively carry out the 2015-2016 agreement and devise annual cooperation schemes that ensure effectiveness and feasibility. 

The Korean delegation’s visit from August 30 – September 1 is within the framework of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and a cooperation agreement for 2015-2016 signed between the two ministries on June 28, 2012 and April 1, 2015, respectively. 

At a reception in Hanoi on August 31, Justice Minister Le Thanh Long and Minister of Government Legislation Je Jeong-boo reviewed the result of bilateral collaboration over the past years and discussed orientations to intensify ties in the near future. 

The two ministers later chaired a seminar to share law building experience with a focus on the adoption of information technology to effectively manage legal information. The new contents of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents in Vietnam were also introduced at the event. 

Meeting Minister Je Jeong Bo the same day, head of the National Assembly’s Legal Committee Nguyen Khac Dinh asked the Korean side to continue sharing its law-making experience with Vietnamese partners, including the committee. 

The RoK minister, for his part, expressed his belief that the visit will further tighten friendly coordination between the two countries, and pledged that the RoK will continue partnering with Vietnam in building law.

Norway’s oldest fully-rigged ship arrives in HCM City

Sorlandet, the oldest fully-rigged ship in operation of Norway, docked Khanh Hoi port in Ho Chi Minh City on August 30 as part of activities marking 45 years since Vietnam and Norway set up diplomatic ties. 

The Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam, the Norwegian Consulate in HCM City and the country’s trade office held a meeting on the ship the same day with representatives of Vietnam’s media and Norwegian companies operating in the southern city. 

Sorlandet is also the world’s oldest fully-rigged ship and a unique heritage in Norway’s maritime history. It was built in 1927, functioning as a school of navigation. 

HCM City is a destination in its first voyage around the world in 2016. The ship is carrying Norway’s high school students who will engage in exchanges with their peers in countries Sorlandet stops during the trip. 

About 60 Norwegian businesses are working in the south of Vietnam in such industries as aquaculture, shipbuilding, oil and gas, and information technology-communication.

Photos shed light on Truong Sa life

The peaceful beauty of Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago and the life of the soldiers and people there are depicted through 70 photos taken by Nguyen My Tra, a journalist from The Voice of Vietnam Radio.

Her exhibition, Truong Sa, Where We Come displays photos taken during her trip to the archipelago in June.

As a journalist who has written many stories about national sovereignty, Tra had always dreamed of travelling to Truong Sa, though she knew the trip was very hard and tough for women.

The dream came true when she was assigned to join a 12-day trip to the islands. The short trip left many unforgettable moments and emotions in her.

“The sea and islands are very beautiful and imposing, however the life of the people and soldiers on islands is very hard,” she said.

“During the trip, I had the chance to witness splendid sunrises and sunsets at sea, flowers floating in the water to commemorate those who had fallen protecting their country and the patriotism in the soldiers’ eyes when they salute the flag.”

Tra said she opened the exhibition with the aim of spreading love for Truong Sa and bringing the islands closer to the people on the mainland.

“Among the photos I took, what I like the most is the one capturing the Truong Sa sea territory as seen through a window frame,” said Tra. “That photo brings me a feeling that Truong Sa is so close to me, that I can just open a window and touch Truong Sa.”

Nguyen The Ky, Director of The Voice of Vietnam Radio, said the photos showed the astonishing landscape of Truong Sa and the daily activities of the soldiers who are protecting the country’s sovereignty over the sea and islands. They help raise awareness among all Vietnamese people, particularly the younger generation, of patriotism, national unity and a sense of responsibility, he said.

“During our career, we may have a chance to go abroad many times, but I’m sure that there is no trip like the one to Truong Sa Archipelago,” he said.

“Anyone who goes there would feel proud to be Vietnamese, and proud to have a chance to visit the furthest land of the country.

“It’s not easy to get there, so this exhibition helps people visit Truong Sa through a visual tour.”

The exhibition is being held to raise funds for a mid-autumn festival for island soldiers’ children.

The exhibition will be open until September 6 at the Exhibition House, 45 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi.

Tra Vinh: Khmer households connected to national grid

Thousands of Khmer households in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh have been connected to the national grid following the completion of a project. 

The project started in 2011 at a cost of nearly 470 billion VND (21 million USD), aiming to bring electricity to 34,915 households, mostly Khmer households.

Khmer people account for 30 percent of Tra Vinh’s population, living mostly in rural, remote and disadvantaged areas. 

Electricity has improved the living standards of the people in these households as well as helping local governments speed up socio-economic development. 

Huynh Van Thao, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Division at the Tra Cu district, said during 2015-2020, the district plans to convert 5,000 hectares of rice, gardens and mangoes into crops with higher-added value.

The source of power will allow the locals to use machines to serve the work, he said. 

Kim Pinh, Vice Chairman of the Da Loc Commune People’s Committee, said Khmer-resided hamlets like Huong Phu A, Huong Phu B and Huong Phu C have restructured their agriculture since being connected to the national grid. 

Nguyen Trung Hoang, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said with the project going into operation, 264,227 households, or 98.48 percent of total households, are connected to electricity.

UNICEF pledges to back Vietnam in child development

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) wishes continue to working with Vietnam in protecting children’s rights and child development, said Director of UNICEF in East Asia-Pacific Karin Hulshof. 

She made the statement at a meeting with Head of the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children Phan Thanh Binh in Hanoi on August 30. 

Hulshof praised the efforts the country had made in policy, law, and resources to support children.

For his part, Binh emphasised the Law on Children, passed during the 13 th National Assembly’s tenure, is a legal basis for Vietnam to continue protecting children’s rights and ensuring their mental and physical development. 

He said he hopes for continued cooperation between Vietnam and UNICEF in supporting and caring children in line with the Law on Children and international conventions on children’s rights.

Vietnamese in Australia pledge 378,000 USD to refugees

The Vietnamese community in Australia has pledged to provide 500,000 AUD (378,000 USD) for the local arm of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to support refugees. 

The announcement was made at a recent ceremony in Sydney where a cheque of 250,000 AUD was presented to UNHCR National Director Naomi Steer. 

The money was donated by more than 800 people who attended a Vietnamese community fundraising dinner in Sydney. 

The remainder was pledged by Vietnamese communities in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. 

Speaking at the event, Steer said that the refugee crisis has forced more than 65 million people to flee their homes due to conflict and violence with children accounting for nearly a half of that number. 

The UN's humanitarian agencies are struggling to meet the basic needs of millions of people, she added.-

Exhibition highlights country’s names, capitals throughout history

An exhibition on the country’s names and capitals through historical periods was opened at the Hue Citadel in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on September 1 on the occasion of the 71st National Day (September 2). 

On display are photos and copies of 18 pages of royal documents and 18 pages of woodblocks of the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945). 

Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre Phan Thanh Hai said that in the history, Vietnam had its capital city moved and its country name changed many times, which were all recorded on dynasties’ documents with those of the Nguyen dynasty – the final monarchy of Vietnam – being the most updated. 

The royal documents and woodblocks showed that since the initial stage to 1945, the nation experienced nine changes of name, from Xich Quy to Van Lang, Au Lac, Van Xuan, Dai Co Viet, Dai Viet, Dai Ngu, Dai Nam and Vietnam at present. 

The birth of the name Vietnam under the Nguyen dynasty was an important historical milestone, he added.

The exhibition will remain open to visitors until December 1.

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