Workers back to Libya

Vietnamese guest workers who returned home from the 2011 Libyan political crisis will have the chance to work again in the African nation under a pilot programme.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLSA) is coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representative Vietnamese agencies in Libya to work on the pilot programme.

They are considering allowing labour export businesses that sent Vietnamese workers to Libya before 2011 to bring the workers back to this African nation.  

MOLISA will work with relevant agencies to expand programme in the first quarter of 2013, depending on the real situation in Libya.

The Libyan political crisis in early 2011 prompted Vietnam to repatriate more than 10,000 of its workers from this African nation. The situation in Libya is stable now, and this market is beginning to employ workers for national reconstruction.

The Prime Minister has also agreed with a MOLISA proposal to bring back workers to Libya.

New project to boost care of nation's diabetes patients

The Ministry of Health yesterday, Nov 7, signed an agreement with Denmark-based global healthcare company Novo Nordisk to start a joint programme on better care for diabetic patients in Viet Nam.

The Viet Nam Diabetes Care Programme, as it is known, is aimed at solving the alarming spread of the disease. More than five million Vietnamese are suspected of having diabetes, but 60 per cent remained undiagnosed.

Nguyen Thy Khue, president of the Viet Nam Endocrinology and Diabetes Association, said that at present those with the disease were given second-rate treatment in Viet Nam.

Moreover, they also had to bear the high costs of treatment, she said. A diabetic patient without complications spends between US$100-150 per month on average and those with complications between $500-800 per month.

Recent data from HCM City showed that six of 10 patients suffered from some complications.

And it revealed a shortage of diabetes medical experts. On average, eight doctors are in charge of 100 diabetic patients in Viet Nam's hospitals. There is a lack of surveys on patients with type 1 diabetes, which leads to most fatalities of children under the age of six, Khue said.

General manager of the new programme, Jay Thyagarajan, said it aimed to improve health-care services for diabetic patients during the next three years.

Specifically, it is expected to train more diabetologists, improve screening for people at risk, achieve better control among treated patients and enhance access to diabetes care for vulnerable people, such as pregnant women and children.

A network of diabetes centres will be set up to improve diabetic care facilities in Viet Nam. About 20 children with type 1 diabetes from poor households will be given insulin treatment free of charge in the next three years.

Mobile diabetic clinics equipped with tools for glucose screening, will move across the country to raise public awareness of the disease.

Humanitarian officials honored for practical work

The Vietnam Red Cross (VRC) presented the “For the Cause of Vietnam’s Red Cross” insignia to two senior officials of Red Cross organizations in Vietnam in recognition of their contributions to charitable and humanitarian activities in Vietnam.

Two senior officials are Tomar Bhupinder, Chief Representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Vietnam, and Frank Kueppers, from Germany’s Red Cross in Vietnam.

In his address, Doan Van Thai, VRC Vice President and Secretary General, said that Vietnam highly appreciates the contributions made by Bhupinder and Kueppers.

He hoped that they will continue to support humanitarian activities in the country, which promotes friendship and solidarity between the Vietnamese and peoples around the world.

On this occasion, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations also presented the “For Peace and Friendship among Nations” insignia to Bhupinder.

Smugglers found with lucrative rhino horns

Noi Bai International Airport Customs officers have caught two men attempting to smuggle animal products, alleged to be rhino's horns worth dozens of billions of dong, into the country.

The discovery was made when officers checked the luggage of two men arriving on a flight from Qatar.

The horns, which weigh 23.5kg, were wrapped carefully in several layers of nylon and tin foil and hidden in the suitcases of Nguyen Van Chien, 27 and Nguyen Van Than, 48.

Airport customs officers said the two men did not declare the goods and failed to produce import certificates.

As part of their elaborate deception, Chien and Than covered the horns with garlic to disguise their smell.

Samples of the horns were sent to the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology for tests to define their species.

Dioxin clean-up tipped for airport in Danang

Danang has handed over 29 hectares of land at Danang International Airport to relevant bodies to conduct a dioxin clean-up project.

Vice Chairman of the city People’s Committee Nguyen Xuan Anh said on November 7, the city has created favourable conditions to support the US$43 million project.

The project, implemented by the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to clean an estimated 73,000 cu.m of contaminated soils and sediments at the airport in the next three years.

The site was handed over on November 6, and the preparations for the project will be done during the wet season.

“The project testifies to the efforts made by the Vietnamese and US government in healing the consequence of war,” Anh said in a meeting with the USAID’s representative on November 7.

Earlier, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment completed an environmental impact assessment and unexploded ordinance clearance at the site.

As scheduled, the city’s international airport will be free from dioxin contamination by 2016.

The airport is referred to as a dioxin “hot spot” by the Government due to the high levels of dioxin in the soils and sediment.

USAID Vietnam’s Mission Director Joakim Parker said the project’s success would be an example for the other programmes in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, a programme called “Comprehensive Support for People with Disabilities” will begin this year.

Since October 2008, USAID has co-operated with non-governmental organisations to provide services to approximately 11,000 persons with disabilities and their family members in Danang city.

Official remanded for faking documents

Local police arrested former deputy chief of An Duong District People's Committee Khuc Thanh Hai yesterday for allegedly abusing his position to fake documents in the northern city of Hai Phong.

Hai was found to have faked land ownership certificates to obtain money which he pretended to pay into the State budget.

Hai, 32, had held his position since 2007, but the committee dismissed him in 2011 for being unqualified. He had been working for the district People's Committee before he was arrested.

Local police will remand him in custody for four months pending further investigations.

Denmark supports Vietnam in efficient energy use

Vietnam and Denmark will work closer together to increase the efficient use of indoor energies.

An agreement to this effect was signed in Hanoi on November 7 by the Minster of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung and Danish Minister of Climate, Energy and Building Martin Lidegaard.

Dung appreciated Denmark’s support for the local construction industry, especially projects involved in minimising pollution and exhaust fumes from cement production.

He said that Vietnam is badly impacted by climate change, especially for coastal provinces and localities in the Mekong Delta, and the ministry expects Denmark’s support in developing coastal urban areas that can adapt to climate change.

It also expects the country to join hands with Vietnam to build green urban areas that meet international standards, he said.

“At present, Vietnam is concentrating on dealing with issues to protect the environment in urban and rural areas. Thus, we hope the Danish Government will co-operate with us in building programmes to help small-and-medium-sized enterprises provide waste and sewage management services in these areas,” Dung said.

Martin said Denmark hopes that, by assisting Vietnam in using indoor energies and reducing green-house exhaust fumes effectively, it will help the local economy increase its competitiveness.

Vietnam is among the nations Denmark has selected as strategic partners in fighting global climate change, he noted.

Old Quarter's century-old houses near collapse

Two century-old houses at No119 and 125 Hang Bac Street in Ha Noi have been seriously degraded by construction next door, threatening the safety of residents.

This isn't the first time a building in the Old Quarter has been damaged in this fashion. Two years ago, a five-storey house in nearby Ma May Street collapsed when the neighbouring construction site damaged its foundation.

Do Thi Hien, who owns the house at No119, said that her house was recognised as a national preserved site managed by National Culture Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, so any change to the house needed to be approved by relevant authorities.

So the 200-square-metre house was practically in its original condition last month when the next-door house at No 123 was demolished.

Hien said that cracks appeared on the roof and across walls, and a coat of paint peeled off. The inhabitants of No 125 are suffering the same situation. They live in fear of their dwelling collapsing at any moment, said Le Ngoc Tuan, who owns the house.

"We are 18 people including mostly children and elderly who live in the two affected houses," Tuan said, worrying about how they would manage if the houses collapsed.

Meanwhile, the on-going construction work was licensed to have a 2.2-metre-deep ground floor.

"The construction of that ground floor, let alone the foundation, will surely affect our houses," he said, adding that the foundations of two ancient houses could not be as strong as newly-built ones.

However, Tuan said affected households had not gotten any commitment from their next-door neighbours about protective measures or compensation.

Hien's and Tuan's families reported their situation to the People's Committee of Hang Bac Ward, and a record was made.

The committee also asked the building contractor to carry out measures ensuring human safety and assets.

However, relevant parties have yet to find any long-term solution to ensure human safety and preserve the old houses.

Survivors of sunken ship return home

Eighteen Vietnamese crew who survived the sinking of Saigon Queen on October 30 were flown home on Singapore Airlines on November 6 and 7.

The ship’s captain and three sailors are still missing. The survivors were rescued by sailors on a Greek ship.

Each sailor will receive insurance compensation and VND3 million in support from Saigon Marine Transportation JSC, the owner of the Saigon Queen ship.

The company also paid for the survivors’ flights home.

The 6,500-tonne Saigon Queen, which was carrying timber, had departed Myanmar and was heading to India when the boat sank during a storm in the seas off Sri Lanka.

Flexcom staff end week-long strike

The majority of Garment Flexcom Viet Nam workers who went on strike two weeks ago seeking better working conditions have returned to work, said Bui Van Khuoc, vice-chairman of the city trade union.

However, about a dozen workers are still refusing to work because they are not satisfied with the company's solutions, he added.

On October 23, 1,400 employees of Flexcom Viet Nam, based in Dinh Ke commune in the northern province of Bac Giang, staged a walk-out, demanding better salaries and other allowances linked to their seniority, mileage and overtime work.

A post-strike discussion was held with the workers by the city's trade union, the department of labour, invalids and social affairs and the company leaders.

Flexcom Viet Nam said it could not increase salaries immediately because of current economic difficulties, but they promised to ensure wages meet the State regulated minimum salary by January 2013.

The company promised to keep working time limited to eight hours per day, while those working overtime will be paid 150 per cent on weekdays, 200 per cent on Sundays and 300 per cent on national holidays.

Free meals will be provided to those working more than 4 hours overtime in a day.

The company pledged that anyone who quits their job will promptly receive their insurance book, while also promising to be nicer to the workers.

Vietnam, RoK and Denmark go green

Vietnam will team up with the Republic of Korea and Denmark to promote green growth - an issue that was set forth in the country’s Green Growth Strategy for 2012-2020, with a vision to 2050.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the tripartite alliance was signed in Hanoi on November 7 by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh, Danish Ambassador John Nielsen and RoK Ambassador Ha Chan-Ho.

The agreement will enhance the exchange of information and technologies to spur green growth and reduce gas emissions.

At the signing ceremony, Sinh said the MoU will shape the way the three countries will work together in protecting the environment.

VNN/VOV/VNS