Minor earthquake hits Son La province

Tremors were felt in Thuan Chau District after an earthquake measuring just 2.5 on the Richter scale hit the northern mountainous province of Son La at 6:37 pm on February 9.

The National Institute of Geophysics reported that the earthquake occurred at a depth of approximately 12 km.

According to experts, the quake caused level III vibrations at the epicenter but it was still comparatively weak and incapable of causing structural damage.

Highway coach collision injures seven

Seven people were seriously injured yesterday morning in an accident on the National Highway 1A section that runs through Suoi Hiep Commune, Dien Khanh District, central Khanh Hoa Province.

The provincial police said that a coach running from north to south collided with a container running in the opposite direction, leaving the container driver and his three companions seriously injured. The coach driver and two other people also sustained injuries.

US provides US$800,000 for epidemics prevention

The US has provided Vietnam US$800,000 in aid to reduce threats to public health from avian and pandemic influenza (API).

The funds will be used to implement a project entitled “Strengthening Capacity for the Implementation of One Health in Vietnam” from now to September 2015 in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).

USAID Mission Director Joakim Parker said Vietnam is located in a relatively high-risk region for emerging infectious diseases. He noted the recent detection of the deadly bird flu virus strain A/H7N9 in neighboring China underscores the seriousness of the threat to public health.

These types of emerging health threats accentuate the need by USAID, and its partners like the United Nations in Vietnam, for greater coordination between sectors and agencies to address the impact on health and corollary issues such as economic development.

The project contributes to the development of a revised and improved model for combating avian and pandemic influenza as well as other emerging infectious diseases, Parker said.

It will also buttress a national policy of improving dialogue and knowledge sharing with Vietnam in regional and international networks, and support Vietnam in raising its image for dealing with pandemic threats.

HCMC students want more outdoor activities

Government authorities last week met with a group of 130 local children who asked the leaders to take steps to improve education in HCM City.

The students, who were chosen to represent their peers, met with members of the Party, the People's Council, the People's Committee and the Vietnamese Fatherland Front's central committee.

They said that the city's children want more outdoor activities, including specialised clubs where they could develop their talents.

The student group also asked the leaders to build more playgrounds and offer more opportunities to learn and practise swimming.

In another matter, the city's deputy chairman, Hua Ngoc Thuan, said the Department of Education and Training had been asked to reduce the number of school hours.

He said the city was also working on a project that would provide e-books to primary and secondary schools.

Thuan said that most city districts were already building playgrounds, including 3D film projection rooms.

Every district is expected to have a playground for children by 2015.

Bird flu outbreak reported in Nam Dinh

The northern Nam Dinh Province's Animal Health Sub-Department confirmed yesterday that a bird flu outbreak has been reported in Giao Thuy District.

The outbreak was spotted at a farm in Giao Ha Commune, where 105 out of 500 poultry had unusual deaths last Tuesday, according to Ninh Van Hieu, head of the Sub-Department.

The poultry birds were culled after tests run by the local authorities showed that they were infected with the A/H5N1 virus.

The provincial Animal Health Sub-Department has allocated 60,000 doses of vaccines to Giao Ha Commune and other surrounding localities as part of measures to combat the disease.

Mekong Delta to offer jobs for 371,000 workers

The Mekong Delta will strive to provide jobs for 371,000 workers, including 110,000 in rural and ethnic minority areas, this year, according to the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region.

To achieve this, regional provinces will invest in building infrastructure to increase the number of vocational training schools in the region to 11 colleges and 20 secondaries (including two for ethnic minority people) and add more subjects to training programmes.

They will also mobilse engineers and skilled workers to train labourers on the site and create links between enterprises and trade villages.

At the same time, regional provinces will seek to expand labour export markets, restore trade villages and promote agricultural services in rural areas to offer more jobs for workers there.

Additionally, regional provinces’ Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Department have signed contracts to provide 6,000 workers for enterprises.

The provinces in the region have also planned to develop a network of job service centres, a labour market information database and organise job introduction activities at districts and communes.

They will also increase the amount of preferential loans granted to workers in rural areas, disadvantaged and ethnic minority households who wish to work abroad.

Avian flu virus strains under scrutiny

The Department of Preventive Medicine on February 10 asked relevant agencies to step up their vigilance in monitoring and responding to any possible avian influenza outbreak.

Head of the department Tran Dac Phu said the recent widespread outbreak of the avian flu A/H5N1 in several localities is very tenuous, and an all-out effort is needed to contain it. However; fortunately, there have not been any recorded cases of A/H7N9, A/H10N8 or A/H6N1 in humans or animals.

It seems likely that the fast moving epidemic originated in China, primarily Guangdong province, will cross into Vietnam through illegal poultry and related products trading, as well as being transmitted by visitors travelling between the countries.

To minimize the risks, it is imperative that relevant agencies and localities keep a close watch on the emergence and mutation of new strains to prevent them entering Vietnam. Necessary measures include stepping up the smuggling fight and strengthening security in border regions.

Phu also directed relevant ministries, agencies and local authorities to coordinate their efforts to raise public awareness and warn people to avoid eating any poultry of unknown origin.

Ly Kim Soi, Director of Lang Son Province's Centre for International Health Quarantine, said there is a possibility that the deadly virus could enter Vietnam as  there are more than 1,000 visitors crossing Vietnam-China border gates every day.

To prevent penetration of influenza A/H7N9, the centre has installed remote thermal scanners, deployed on-duty teams around the clock, established a temporary clinic staffed with a group of professional doctors and nurses to treat patients in the event of emergency.

Japan funds healthcare project in Dien Bien

The Japanese Government will provide US$455,612 in non-refundable aid to the second phase of a maternal and infant healthcare project in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien.

Under a contract signed in Hanoi on February 10, funding will be channelled through the Japanese non-governmental organisation World Vision Japan.

It will help upgrade infrastructure to healthcare centres in the locality, enhancing locals’ access to free healthcare services and decreasing the fatality rates of mothers and infants.

Cooperation between the Japanese Government and Dien Bien has occurred since 2012, initially in Muong Cha and Tuan Giao districts – home to a high proportion of poor households.

Currently residents in many localities in Dien Bien, mostly from ethnic minority groups, have faced difficulties in accessing healthcare services due to unqualified medical stations.

World Vision Japan has been involved in development assistance activities in many countries across the world. In Vietnam, it has engaged in many projects in education and support for the disabled.

No major labour market fluctuations

According to Vietnam’s leading online recruitment agency the labour market has been busier since the Lunar New Year (Tet), but has still not experienced sudden changes like in 2012.

VietnamWorks reports that labour force supply and demand during the Tet holiday was much higher in 2012 than in 2013, attributed to Tet falling in January when the labour market was relatively quiet.

Meanwhile, the 2013 Tet fell in mid-February, leaving the market a longer period of time to warm up before the holiday and hence the labour force supply and demand did not increase as sharply as in 2012.

Market shifts largely focused on such positions as experienced workers, team leaders or supervisors in 2012, but managers, CEOs or even graduates and interns in 2013.

Experts predict the market in 2014 will follow 2013’s trend with the highest demand for hierarchs.

The VietnamWorks report indicates that market demands in such industries as communications, journalism, telecommunications, and advertisement have doubled or even tripled compared to the pre-Tet period.

The top ten fields with the highest demand for recruitment after Tet include communications-journalism-telecommunications-advertisement, health care, logistics, education and training, consumer products, administration-consultancy-legal services, retail and wholesale, production, banking, and technology.

In 2013 Vietnam attracted workers to newly developed industries. Labour supply in the environment, waste treatment, technical sales, retails, wholesales, import-export, and customer services saw the highest growth, with the environment- waste treatment taking the lead (up 50%).

Customer services attracted the largest labour force in 2013. In contrast, popular sectors – such as advertisement – promotion- foreign relations, sales, architect, interior design, construction, administration and secretary – declined in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

In 2013, areas which require soft skills or creativeness like administration - secretary, advertisement- promotion- foreign relations, architect-interior design – were thirsty for human resources while techniques and sales had an abundant labour force.

Da Nang intensifies resettlement

The central city of Da Nang will carry out three resettlement projects in southern districts during 2014, with nearly 16 hectares set aside for housing.

The three projects in Hoa Vang and Ngu Hanh Son districts would be completed in 15 months.

This year, the city also will work to upgrade 900 houses belonging to families receiving social welfare, in addition to eliminating 300 other dilapidated residences belonging to poor households.

The municipal departments of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Construction were assigned to finish the upgrade by July 27 – Viet Nam's War Invalids and Martyrs' Day.

Viet Nam-Cambodia bridge near-complete

Construction of the Tan Nam-Mon Chay Bridge, linking border areas between Viet Nam and Cambodia, is expected to be completed this April.

Work on the bridge, connecting southwestern Tay Ninh Province and Cambodia's Prey Veng and Kampong Cham provinces, began in April 2013 at a cost of US$2.2 million, coming from Tay Ninh's budget.

The entire project includes the bridge - 77 metres long and 8 metres wide - and a 1.5 kilometre section of road connecting the border areas.

Once operational, the bridge is expected to contribute to the region's economic development and cultural growth.

Youth union launches Tet tree-planting festival

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee on February 9 launched the 2014 Tet tree-planting festival for young people in Chi Linh town, northern Hai Duong province.

The launching ceremony, with the participation of 1,500 local Youth Union members and young people, aims to effectuate late President Ho Chi Minh’s teaching “For the sake of 10 years’ benefit, we must plant trees; for the sake of 100 years’ benefit, we must cultivate people” and raise public awareness of environmental protection and climate change response.

First Secretary of the committee Nguyen Dac Vinh suggested Youth Union branches at all levels, their members and teenagers nationwide join afforestation and protecting the environment.

In response to the festival, the Regent Garment Factory Limited offered 120,000 trees while the Chi Linh town People’s Committee granted 500 million VND (23,500 USD) to support Tet tree-planting in the locality.

Following the ceremony, participating delegates planted 83 Sao (Hopea) trees to mark the 83 rd founding anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and 300 other trees in memory of Chu Van An, a well-known scholar and teacher during the time of feudalism in Vietnam, at his temple.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has reported that 227,000 hectares of land nationwide were covered with trees in 2013.

Afforestation and forest protection have become an urgent priority in both the short and long terms as deforestation and eco-system destruction has made the country suffer from strong storms and floods in recent years.

UN backs new rural area construction

PM Nguyen Tan Dung has ratified the UN-led program which supports the National Target Program on building new rural areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for realizing the program funded by some of the UN’s agencies. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) would represent the UN.

The three–year general program was designed to provide high-quality technical assistance for the building of new rural areas in Viet Nam.

The US$1.39 million program consists of three components including raising knowledge for producers and rural residents; strengthening capabilities on policy and strategy making and public investment; regulating, supervising and assessing the implementation of the National Target Program on building new rural areas.

Quang Ngai Disposes 700 A/H5N1 Infected Poultries

Over 700 out of 1,865 inspected poultry was found infected by the A/H5N1 virus in the Nga Man hamlet on February 7, according to the People’s Committee of Pho Cuong Commune, Quang Ngai Province.

“I notified the local veterinarian when my ducks started dying,” said breeder Tran Ngoc Lien. Samples were sent to No. 4 Veterinary Office revealing infection. The infected ducks were promptly disposed of.

“These super-weight ducks grow to 2 kg each after 35 days of breeding by Mr. Lien,” said a veterinarian in Pho Cuong.

From February 4-7, Pho Cuong experienced 2,500 deaths of poultry in multiple farms, said Deputy Chairman of Pho Cuong People’s Committee of Quang Ngai Province Bui Van Chuyen. The veterinary office disposed all of the infected poultry and vaccinated the remaining 30,000. Local authorities also pasteurized large areas to prevent spread of infection.

Localities told to brace for forest fires

The Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention has asked localities in the southern province of Dong Nai, which is facing high risk of forest fires, to take measures against the situation, especially in the 2014 dry season.

Five districts throughout the province are listed as being under dire threat of forest fires: Long Thanh, Nhon Trach, Xuan Loc, Tan Phu and Dinh Quan. Meanwhile, fires have already flared up in many forests in the three districts of Trang Bom, Thong Nhat and Long Khanh.

In the southernmost province of Ca Mau, almost 1,000 ha of cajeput forest in U Minh Ha National Park has been put on high alert as the fire risk has skyrocketed.

Prolonged dry weather and sunshine create drought in forests, attributed as the main cause of forest fires in the locality.

To cope with the risk and effectively put out fires if they break out, Dong Nai and Ca Mau have invested a large amount of money to equip fire fighters and build water storing zones for extinguishing blazes.

Fire watch teams and emergency response units have been arranged at forests of the two localities to keep track of potential forest fire areas and detect fire outbreaks swiftly, thus stopping them going out of control.

Their local authorities also focused on teaching local people the procedures they need to stop fires spreading.

The management board of the U Minh Ha National Park also banned local people from starting fires in wooded land areas.-

Action program against domestic violence approved

The PM has passed the National Action Program on prevention of domestic violence through 2020.

The action program targets to raise awareness of all levels, sectors and the community on the prevention of domestic violence; gradually reduce the number of domestic violence cases nationwide.

Under the National Action Program, communication events and campaigns against domestic violence will be held annually at national, community and family levels.

Victims of domestic violence would receive further support services like medical check-up and temporary shelters.

Mass organizations, communities and people are encouraged to join hands to fight against domestic violence.

A fund which supports victims of domestic violence would be set up.

According to a report released at the launch of the Viet Nam Family Year 2013, 178,847 domestic violence cases were recorded between 2009 and June 2012, of which more than 16,000 cases involving the elders and 23,300 involving children, with the majority of the rest involving spouses, mostly wives.

Every third married or divorced person admitted to being a victim of domestic violence, according to the report, which also mentioned thousands of divorces have taken place.

Central Highlands area forests need preserving

Forests in the Central Highlands region are shrinking rapidly, losing nearly 130,000 hectares during the 2007-12 period due to shortcomings in management and protection.

The figure was provided by the Directorate of Forestry, which is calling for drastic measures to solve the situation.

Of the amount, over 107 hectares of natural forests were totally destroyed, it said.

As a result, the natural forest volume in the central highlands provinces including Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Lam Dong, now only accounts for 1.8 million hectares, according to the Directorate's report.

Dak Lak Province over the past five years discovered over 9,000 cases where forest protection regulations had been violated, damaging 8,533 hectares of forests. Meanwhile, nearly 6,000 cases have been reported in Kon Tum.

Serious deforestation occurred in Gia Lai Province where 94 per cent of forest volume was cut down in five years.

According to Nguyen Thi Tra, from Gia Lai Province's Union of Science and Technology Associations, the loss of forests in the province as well as in the region resulted from the conversion of poorly nutrient forestland to rubber plantations without corporate management among related ministries and departments.

Nearly 8,000 hectares of forests, consequently, had been eliminated completely, she added.

Unofficial statistical data revealed that the Central Highlands so far has granted licenses to 700 forestry projects, covering an area of 216,000 hectares, including the 100,000 hectares for rubber plantation.

However, lack of budget as well as irresponsibility of many project owners paved the way for serious forest destruction and encroachment.

Insufficiency of staff is also blamed for the destruction as 56 forestry companies were assigned to manage up to one million hectares of forests throughout the region.

Besides, local authorities' loose management of 1,500 wood processing enterprises is another cause leading to illegal logging of natural forests.

Gia Lai Province's Forest Protection Department last week reported 127 areas at high risk of forest fire while VND5 billion (US$238,000) of budget for fire prevention and control per year was not sufficient.

Four forest fires were reported in the province last dry season, which destroyed 411 hectares of pine trees due to the lack of budget for preventing and fighting fires.

Forest Management Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also warned that many forests in Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces were put at high warning level of fire.

Meanwhile, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on Friday decided to close all forests till this year's dry season in a bid to prevent fires in the region.

Safe-food scheme gets rid of the middleman

For the last two years, residents of Ha Noi have been able to get safe vegetables in a novel way: the Ha Noi Safe Vegetables and Food Exchange (HSFX).

Now, the success of the exchange is prompting organisers to consider expanding it to HCM City.

The HSFX is similar to a securities exchange. However, it is not shares that are traded, but vegetables.

The exchange floor was established as a public-private partnership between the Ha Noi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Viet Nam Green Products Export and Import Corporation (Vietxan Corp), which connects suppliers, consumers and distributors. State agricultural agencies decide which suppliers can trade their products on the floor.

Co-operatives, production groups, farms, and enterprises that produce safe products must be subject to regular inspections by the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and certified by relevant authorities in order to be HSFX suppliers.

On the private side, Vietxan Corp is in charge of human resources, technology investment and management.

Nguyen Thanh Luu, HSFX director, said that the quality and origins of the commodities traded on the floor were trustworthy because of the strict supervision by the departments. He added that the public side assisted suppliers facing difficulties, such as those from remote areas, who receive funding to help them strengthen their business.

Buyer members are comprised of all purchasers on the market: exporters, manufacturers, wholesalers, supermarkets, retailers and consumer groups. After more than two years of operation, thousands of buyers in both Viet Nam and other countries have registered as HSFX buyer members.

Every week, supplier members send product quotations to HSFX for listing on the trading board. Buyer members select appropriate products and producers to make orders. Orders are sent automatically to respective supplier members for preparing and delivering goods to buyer members.

In addition to ensuring food safety, the exchange gets rid of the middleman, making prices cheaper. Regular customers often have to buy vegetables at high prices because there exist too many middlemen, both supplying input materials and distributing products. As a result, producers have to buy input materials at a higher price and sell products at a lower price, while the retail price is very high.

To provide useful information about the market of safe vegetables and foods in Ha Noi for producers, consumers and concerned organisations, Ha Noi Safe Vegetables & Foods Exchange has developed the HAFOODS index, the first-ever safe food index in Viet Nam. The HAFOODS Index consists of HAVI (safe vegetables) and HAMI (safe meat, fish and eggs). They are published weekly on the floor's website.

"Our exchange floor is highly appreciated by international organisations including the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and a delegation of the Nepalese Ministry of Agriculture Development. We are also co-operating with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)," said Luu.

Hoi An to pedal towards eco-city status

The central city of Hoi An will promote the use of bicycles this year as part of a plan to build the city into the first eco-city in Vietnam.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Truong Van Bay told Vietnam News that the city has launched a series of programmes on environmental protection to be used as tourism attractions.

Further, the bicycle has been selected as the favourite vehicle for tourists visiting destinations in the city, suburbs and beaches.

"We encourage local people to use more environmentally friendly vehicles, such as bicycles and battery-powered bicycles, and to walk as they carry out their daily activities in order to keep the city clean and healthy. The city has gradually limited the use of motorbikes in old quarters, prior to banning motorbikes in these areas," Bay said, adding that motorbikes are only permitted for use at lunch time.

"Since 2002, the city has successfully operated a pedestrian street in the old quarter and hosted Nature Day for the past four years," he says.

According to Nguyen Van Hien, head of the city's natural resources and environment office, bicycles are now used by most women and children in the city.

"They (women and children) prefer riding bicycles to markets and schools, and around the city downtown. The old quarter is almost quiet with pedestrians and bikes during the day," Hien said, adding that evening and night time is only for pedestrians traveling in the old town.

Reiko Usuda, a Japanese woman who has lived in the city for four years, said the environmentally friendly vehicle is her daily means of transportation.

"It's easy to ride on bicycles while touring around the old quarter or buying something from the market. As the radius from the city's downtown to destinations is under 5km, bicycle helps save money and provide a healthy lifestyle," Reiko said.

Most foreign tourists use bicycles while touring the city, beaches and villages during their visits to Hoi An city.

The People's Committee plans to promote bicycle use among public agencies on Car Free Day in March before boosting their use among local residents.

"Changing a habit of using motorbikes needs time. The city will target using 100,000 bicycles among local people," Vice Chairman Bay said.

The ancient city has been the first city in Vietnam hosting a Car Free Day, in an effort to make the environment cleaner in the tourism hub.

It has also launched an action programme to stop using plastic bags and the 3-R (reduce, reuse and recycle) programme.

Last year, this UNESCO-recognised world heritage city debuted its solar power public lighting system along the city's Hoai River Square.

Also, Hoi An has been chosen for the 2013 Townscape Award by the UN-Habitat Regional Office in Asia.-

Kien Giang tackles pollution at major fishing port

The southern province of Kien Giang has begun implementing a comprehensive plan to address environmental pollution at Tac Cau Port, one of the largest fishing ports in the country.

For almost a decade, Tac Cau Port, located on the riverside in Chau Thanh District, has been a hot spot for environmental pollution, with thousands of tonnes of seafood running through fishing factories out to the market every year leaving behind untreated waste that is poured straight into the river.

"11 fishing factories in the area have built waste water treatment systems, but they are only used when inspections take place," said Quach Chieu Binh, a Binh An environment official.

Local people had to endure the sight of black water flowing out from huge drainage pipes and inhale smoke from the rice husk companies used as fuel, Binh added.

To deal with the problem, the province has decided to set up teams of inspectors at Tac Cau fishing port's industrial zone membering officials from Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the environmental crime investigation section and the Chau Thanh District Division of natural resources and environment. The teams will increase patrols and inspections of factories which are polluting the environment.

Fish processing facilities which do not meet environmental protection requirements will be suspended and not allowed to resume operations until they have resolved the problem.

What matters more is that factories have to be aware of the problems they have been causing, and invest in waste treatment equipment to ensure trash and sewage is treated properly.

The province also wants to establish a Fishmeal Processing Association while trying to make sure that fishmeal production is not harmful to the environment.

Research for an effective management model of Tac Cau Port is being carried out in an effort to ensure the balance between economic growth and environmental protection.