Vice President compliments outstanding students 

The students who achieved the best results in university and academy graduation exams are some of the nation’s most valuable seeds, said Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan.

Ms Doan was speaking at a reception in Hanoi on August 27 for 107 students who recorded the best results on graduation exams from universities and academies in Hanoi, and 17 students who obtained the highest scores in tertiary entrance exams in the central city of Danang.

She praised the students’ academic results and encouraged them to continue their studies, broaden their knowledge and contribute to national development.

The students’ results show their own great efforts, as well as due attention and care from the Party, State, and education sector, their families, and society, she noted.

On the occasion, Ms Doan also presented gifts to the outstanding students as well as students who are suffering economic difficulties.

HCM City offers 30,000 job positions in September

Businesses in Ho Chi Minh City will be offering as many as 30,000 more job positions in September, according to the Center of Human Resource Forecast and Labor Market Information under the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Of these 30,000 job offers, 40 percent will be seasonal or part-time jobs.

Fourteen percent of those recruited will be bachelor degree holders, 40 percent will be college graduates or intermediate level students and 46 percent will be vocational trainees or unskilled workers.

Fields in which recruitment is most in demand are marketing and sales, services, accounting and auditing, construction and architecture, electronics and telecommunication.

Boat safety enhanced for new school year

Authorities in southern Ben Tre Province have enhanced measures to assure traffic safety for students on the threshold of the new school year, especially those who go to school by ferry.

In Chau Thanh and Giong Trom districts, boats are not allowed to carry too many passengers, and must be equipped with life-jackets and other emergency flotation devices. Local agencies have also strengthened inspections of ferries and wharfs to prevent traffic violations.

Ben Tre has more than 100 wharfs.

Businesses honoured for social responsibility

The Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2012 (CRS Award 2012) was launched in Hanoi on August 27, to honour businesses gaining achievements in their operation and environmental protection.

The award is jointly organized by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

VCCI General Secretary Pham Thi Thu Hang said the current global economic recession is an opportunity for businesses to enhance their competitiveness through improving both working and living conditions for their workers, as well as protecting the environment.

Florian Beranek, Chief Technical Advisor of the United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO)-VCCI CSR project, asserted that the award aims to recognize businesses having a comprehensive view on their social responsibilities and putting these CSR principles into their daily operations.

Businesses can register to join the award until the end of November. Evaluating processes and assessment criteria can be found on the website www.sd4b.vn/dondangky.

Online gambling ring arrested

The Public Security Ministry’s Criminal Police Department has arrested four members of an online gambling ring in Ho Chi Minh City.

The suspects include a Chinese man named Lam Manh Nhi, 42; Ho Thi Kim Cuc, 48, in District 10; Duong Van Son, 42, in Binh Tan District and Le Van Ngoi, 29, in Binh Chanh District.

They were arrested when illegally gambling via two websites of Moc Bai Border Gate’s Casino.

Police investigations are underway.

Regional meeting focuses on legal empowerment

Legal empowerment practitioners, representatives of governments and civil society organisations from 17 countries across the Asia-Pacific region gathered in Hanoi on August 27 for their third annual meeting.

The Legal Empowerment Asia Partnership meeting was organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in coordination with the Vietnam Lawyers’ Association.

At the event, UNDP Acting Country Director for Vietnam Bakhodir Burkhanov said justice access and legal rights, labour rights, property rights and trading rights are key aspects in empowering the poor, helping them use the law as a shield to protect their livelihood and business.

Participants discussed methods to implement economic and political rights and measures to build on the achievements in the field of legal empowerment, as well as in reaching the Millennium Development Goals.

The sharing of experiences in assisting activities of legal empowerment in Vietnam and other Asian countries were also high on the meeting’s agenda.

On the occasion, the UNDP published a book on concepts and suggestions on specific ways to realise social and economic rights and accelerate achievements of the Millennium Development Goals.

Bus fares to rise as holiday-time nears

Bus fares at Mien Dong (East-bound) Bus Station in HCM City are expected to rise by 30 per cent during the National Day (Sept 2) holiday weekend.

Nguyen Ngoc Thua, general director of Mien Dong Bus Station, said the number of passengers at the station was expected to reach up to 90,000 passengers during the holiday period from August 31 to September 2, a surge of 50 per cent compared to normal days and 2 per cent compared to last year's holiday period.

Because National Day falls on a weekend this year, travel demand has risen, particularly for short – to medium-distance destinations from central Quang Ngai province to the south, including trips to the Central Highlands, to the west and to other tourist destinations, including Vung Tau, Da Lat, Nha Trang and Phan Thiet.

The bus station also plans to ask the Transport Department to increase the number of public buses for the holiday weekend.

The station has been working with local authorities to crack down on illegal buses at two illegal stations located at 391 and 397 Dinh Bo Linh street in Ward 26 in Binh Thanh District.

The number of passengers is expected to increase at Mien Tay (West-bound) Bus Station to more than 50,000 from August 31 to September 2.

Most passengers are planning to travel to Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces or to Can Tho City in the south.

In a related issue, the Sai Gon Railway Station said it would increase the number of trains between HCM City and Nha Trang in the central province of Khanh Hoa to meet soaring demand during the holiday.

VNN/VOV/VNS/SGGP