|
Social Highlights for November 29
Dong
Nai fines two mining firms
Two
mining enterprises in the southern
According
to the provincial Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, the
violating companies are the Bien Hoa Building Materials Production and
Construction Co., Ltd and Hoa An Company.
Hoang
Van Thong, Chief Inspector from the department, said the companies, which
have been licensed to exploit stone at the Hoa An Quarry in the province's
The
companies have been asked to restore the area's environment and transport all
the stones they exploited. Local authorities have said they will close the
quarry late December.
Former
CEOs jailed for deforestation
Eight
former officials were sentenced to between ten months' probation and three
years in jail by the People's Court of Central Highland Dak Nong Province for
causing the loss of over 1,300 hectares of forests.
Than
Van Minh, 70, former CEO of Quang Tin Forestry Co Ltd, received three years
in jail, while Than Van Hoa, 39, former CEO, and Tran Van Loi, 48, former
acting director, were given three years' probation. The other accused
received ten months' probation.
Of the
9,800ha of forests the company received from the provincial People's
Committee in 2007, 1,300ha were destroyed due to mismanagement.
The
estimated damage was more than VND198 billion(US$9.5 million).
Truckload
of spices without clear origin caught in Hanoi
Anti-environment
crime police in
The
Vietnam Food Administration under the Ministry of Health asked its
sub-division, the Department of Food Safety in
The administration
ordered a test to find out whether these spices contained any banned
preservatives or heavy metals.
Earlier,
due to doubts of the product ‘Pungent side of beef’ the Department of Food
Safety in
The
firm did not produce certificates of food safety and documents to prove the
origin of the materials used for production. Moreover, the company had
printed incorrect date of production and company address.
Because
of these violations, the firm was compelled to stop production and asked to
acquire certificate of food safety and hygiene.
Report
on MDGs implementation ratified
The PM
has approved the Report on the implementation of
The PM
has assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to report to relevant
ministries and localities the report mentioned above.
Earlier,
the PM issued a Decision on some principles and missions on the
implementation of MDGs.
Accordingly,
the report will be carried out to two principles. Firstly, figures and annual
reports on implementing MDGs from 2013-2015 will be collected to conform with
international rules and specific situation in
Secondly,
reports and evaluations bout the implementation of MDGs will be integrated
with the national and provincial annual and five-year Socio-economic
development plans.
Accordingly,
eight MDGs include the abolishment of poverty, universal primary education,
gender equality and raising women status, reducing child fatality,
strengthening women’s health, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
prevention, guaranteeing sustainable environment and establishment of global
partnership for development.
Besides,
six supplemental development goals include supply of necessary infrastructure
services for the poor, job creation, reduction of vulnerable ability and
improvement of social welfare system for poor and disadvantaged population,
development of culture, information and people’s spiritual life, enhancement
of living standards, cultural preservation and development for Viet Nam’s
ethnic minorities and reinforcement of administrative procedures and supply
of legal knowledge for the poor.
Doctor
punished for angry attitude
The
Ministry of Health on Tuesday commended the HCM City-based Tu Du Obstetrics
Hospital for punishing a doctor for her angry attitude towards a patient, the
first time such measures have been taken in
Doctor
Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang from the hospital's Prenatal Care Department was asked
to make a report about being aggressive and unhealthy to a patient. She will
not be eligible for her three month bonus and has been struck off the
shortlist for the hospital's year-end awards.
The
doctor may also be demoted or dismissed if she repeats her offence.
HCM
City honors individuals, organizations for charity work
A
meeting honoring 67 individuals and organizations for their outstanding
contributions to charity work was held in
Some
names include Nguyen Anh Thuy, member of Red Cross of Ward 10 in District 10;
Tieu Thi Kim Lien, member of Red Cross of Go Vap District; Nguyen My Hanh
from Red Cross at Hung Vuong Obstetrics Hospital; Red Cross of Quarter 1 in
Tang Nhon Phu A Ward in District 9; the Labor Union of Education and Training
Industry in Go Vap District; and members of the pharmaceutical department of
the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross.
They
have collected money for disadvantaged people, students and teachers;
contributed to the Fund for beloved Truong Sa Archipelago; built houses for
the poor; offered scholarships and free examination and treatment; and called
people to donate blood for the community.
The
event also marked the 67th anniversary of the foundation of Vietnam Red
Cross.
Viet
Nam Network Information Centre, which is in charge of managing the national
domain name .vn, was assigned by the Ministry of Information and
Communication to join the organization.
This
is expected to strengthen the nations position in managing the global
internet network and increase international co-operation in this field.
A
wikipedia entry notes thatICANN is a private non-profit organisation that is
"responsible for the coordination of the global Internet's systems of
unique identifiers and, in particular, ensuring its stable and secure
operation. This work includes coordination of theInternet Protocal address
spaces (IPv4 and IPv6) and assignment of address blocks to regional Internet
registries, for maintaining registries of Internet protocol identifiers, and
for the management of top-level domain name space (DNS root zone), which includes
the operation ofroot name servers."
Its
"primary principles of operation have been described as helping preserve
the operational stability of the Internet; to promote competition; to achieve
broad representation of the global Internet community; and to develop
policies appropriate to its mission through bottom-up, consensus-based
processes."
IFAD
grants aid to
The
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide US$33
million in preferential loans under the sustainable rural development project
for the poor in Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces.
The
financial support agreement was signed by Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen
Hoang Long and IFAD President Kanayo F.Nwanze in
Kanayo
spoke highly of
Ambassador
Long thanked IFAD for its recent support, especially for people in
disadvantaged areas to cope with climate change. He said the Vietnamese
Government will continue to accelerate poverty reduction activities in the
coming time and affirmed that
Long
said IFAD is one of international organisations which have offered many
preferential loans for
In
early December,
Although
IFAD
is a United Nations organisation with 165 members. Since 1991, IFAD has
provided preferential loans for
Inland
waterways fascinate deputies
aw
makers yesterday agreed that developing inland waterways would help ease pressure
on the country's roads.
Backing
the claim, Deputy Do Van Ve from northern
"The
bill should add regulations on master plans for developing inland
water-traffic infrastructure in tandem with economic development plans."
"The
river basin scheme should also be compatible with national defence and
security objectives," said Ve.
Ve
added that the law needed to include a clear definition of inland waterways
to clarify the need for the project and ensure appropriate management of
inland waterway vehicles.
Deputy
Bui Thi An from Ha Noi, recommended assigning oversight of the master plan to
an organisation to minimise overlaps and waste.
Deputies
also debated traffic safety, business management, hygiene and environmental
protection measures relevant to the inland-waterway transport law, expressing
concerns with administrative overlaps posing difficulties in the management
and handling of violations.
Deputy
Huynh Minh Thien from HCM City said the Ministry of Transport's Viet Nam
Marine Administration managed seven river routes (176km), while the Viet Nam
Inland Waterway Department managed 16 inland waterways (252km) and the
remaining 87 (574km) was managed by the HCM City transport department.
"The
bill should clearly separate the role of the state and localities in the
management of inland waterway traffic," Thien said.
An
official NA report stated that of the country's 80,577km of rivers and
canals, nearly 42,000km were used for transport activities, while State
management authorities currently oversee around 19,000km of the nation's
busiest inland waterways.
Deputy
Tran Xuan Hung from northern Ha Nam Province said the operation of inland
traffic was a complex issue; adding that unqualified issues or unregistered
boats were causing a high number of accidents.
Deputy
Nguyen Minh Kha from Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta called for more
stringent checks on boat operators to enforce licencing and safety standards.
Deputy
Nguyen Ngoc Phuong from central
Deputies
yesterday also passed a resolution to improve the management of hydro-power
projects.
Later
in the day, NA deputies also approved a resolution on the prevention and
fight against crime.
The
resolution calls on local authorities and police to fulfill their
responsibilities in ensuring safety and security in localities. The law also
seeks to shore up police management of illegal gambling, drugs and
prostitution.
The
resolution also assigns the Government in instructing ministries, sectors and
localities in the fight against corruption and waste in 2012-16 as well as a
national strategy on combating corruption until 2020.
Accordingly,
the Government would issue a detailed instruction next year on supervising
the properties and income of officials and defining the responsibilities of
leaders of organisations and agencies suspected of wrong doing. The
Government would also take responsibilities in the detection and settlement
of wrongdoings in the judicial sector, the popularisation of law and the
improvement of the legal system.
Also
in the afternoon session, the deputies discussed the Law on Public
Investment, which regulates the assessment and approval of public investment
projects.
The
discussions focused on the planning and assessment of public investment
projects as well as requirements and eligible applicants for the projects.
The NA
will vote on the approval of the draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution
and a resolution on executing the constitution today. The session will be
televised publicly.
Delegates
will also approve a resolution on plans to issue Government bonds during
2014-16 and debate the draft Law on Entry, Exit and Residence of Foreigners
in
Steel
firm supports Haiyan victims
The
steel and corrugated iron producer, Hoa Sen Group, singed a MoU with
CFC-ANCOP Group from the
The
sheets will be sent to
Baby
may have been allergic to vaccine
The
death of a five-month old infant on Sunday four hours after being injected
with the 5-in-1 Quinvaxem vaccine was respiratory and circulatory failure,
medical experts have concluded.
The
conclusion, reached by experts from the Health Ministry's Preventive Medicine
Department and local hospitals, suspects an allergic reaction after being
vaccinated was one of the causes for the fatal failures.
The
quality of vaccine or injection processes were not factors in the infant's
death, the experts have concluded.
Hanoi
students to compete at int’l science Olympiads
Six
students from
They
include Dao Vu Quang, Tran Nhat Quang, Le Manh Tuan and Pham Quang Hieu from
the Hanoi – Amsterdam High School for the Gifted; Khuat Duy Hong from the Son
Tay High School for the Gifted; and Le Ba Truong Giang from the Nguyen Hue
High School for the Gifted.
The
event is held annually and covers physics, chemistry, and biology.
At the
eighth competition in
Regional
students gather in
The
qualifying round of the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest
(ACM/ICPC) began in the central city of
Nearly
350 Vietnamese students and 15 foreign teams from
The 17
most outstanding contestants will represent Asia to compete at the final
round of ACM/ICPC 2014 in
The
same day, the 22nd Vietnam Informatics Olympic Contest for Students ( OLP
’13) also commenced in the city, attracting 337 students from more than 70
universities and colleges nationwide.
The
two competitions will wrap up on November 29.
As
part of the competition, the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam
Huawei Technology Company and
Its
final round is scheduled for next April.
Traffic
accidents, casualties in
During
the reviewed period, 1,978 traffic accidents happened, a decrease of 3.7
percent year on year. The accidents caused 562 deaths (down 6.3 percent
year-on-year) and 1,666 injuries (down 2.9 percent year-on-year).
It was
attributed to the municipal traffic police’s operations to maintain traffic
safety and order and the coordination of relevant agencies in raising
people’s awareness on traffic rules and improving infrastructure.
The
city Department of Transportation has, during the time, put into use of two
more flyovers to ease traffic congestion and occasional traffic chaos.
Each
day sees an average of nearly 30 people die and hundreds of others injured on
Vietnam’s roads, needlessly burdening the State budget.-
A
global education dialogue took place in
As a
joint effort between the British Council and the Ministry of Education and
Training, the event saw delegates debate the establishment of the
They
also talked about skills needed for productivity and competitiveness once the
graduates embark on a job search.
A
survey by the British Council pointed out that universities in 25 East Asian
countries still expose poor links with their counterparts, both in their own
countries and internationally.
Some
speakers took the occasion to urge them to rethink and act with a global
perspective.-
Workshop
discusses nuclear research reactor safety
The
Regional Advisory Safety Committee for Research Reactors in
Representatives
from RASCAP member countries shared information, knowledge and experience in
the field, with the ultimate goal of promoting nuclear energy use for
peaceful purpose as well as preventing nuclear proliferation.
This
is the first joint activity of the committee, which was established in March
this year, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
RASCAP
has 14 member countries in the Asia Pacific, including
Speaking
at the workshop, Dr. Nguyen Nhi Dien, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Atomic
Energy Commission and Director of the Da Lat Nuclear Research Institute,
underlined the significance of the workshop, saying that it helped the
countries take the right measures to ensure safety of nuclear research
reactors.-
Ageing
population poses challenge to health sector
An
ageing population is posing a challenge to
Director
of the Health Ministry’s Department of Medical Services Luong Ngoc Khue said
that the network of healthcare centres for this group remains inefficient
with a low budget and a lack of specialists and nurses. Caring for the
elderly is mainly undertaken by relatives and untrained people, creating
extra problems, he added.
According
to the latest population census, there were more than 8.6 million aged 60
years old and above in 2011, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the
population, while the rate of over 65-year-olds was 7 percent.
A
country is considered to have an ageing population when the rate of 60 years
old and above reaches 10 percent or the rate of 65-year-old and above is 7
percent. Once the rates reach 20 percent and 14 percent respectively, the
country will have an aged population.
Experts
have warned that the transitional period from an ageing population to an aged
population in
Arthur
Arken, Country Director of the UN Population Fund in
On the
other hand, the lifespan of the country’s elderly is also increasing. In
1979, the rate of 80-years-old and above accounted for 0.54 percent of the
total population. It rose to 0.7 percent, 0.93 percent and 1.47 percent in
1989, 1999, and 2009 respectively.
In
spite of the growing life expectancy, 95 percent of Vietnamese elderly are
burdened with non-transmitted chronic diseases.
Meanwhile,
medical expenses for this group, who takes up to 50 percent of the society’s
medicine, are 7 – 10 times higher than that for young people.
Only
when caring for the elderly is considered as work that reflects the country’s
moral standards and culture can it receive adequate material and human
resource investment, experts have argued.-
According
to the city’s Centre for Clean Water and Rural Sanitation, the work is part
of a four-year plan to install 40,000 units of water treatment equipment for
poor households in the districts, especially in areas polluted by
groundwater.
So
far, the centre is examining the arsenic level in water sources across
As of
September 30,
Notably,
67.37 percent of the HIV-infected people are drug users while prostitutes
make up 1.63 percent of the total number of the carriers in the locality.
The
city has also started a programme on managing HIV/AIDS patients at 10 medical
examination centres in charge of providing anti - HIV/AIDS drugs .
As
many as 6,647 AIDS carriers are being cared for at the city’s medical
facilities. Of this number, 5,650 people are under the ARV treatment.
In a
bid to prevent the HIV infection among the drug users, a detoxification
programme using methadone treatment for 1,494 has been implemented in the
five districts of Tu Liem, Long Bien, Ha Dong, Hai Ba Trung and Dong Da, and
Son Tay town.
All
districts of the city have also offered free condoms and disposable syringes
to people at high risk of catching HIV.
According
to Director of the Hanoi HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Centre Le Nhan Tuan,
the city’s anti-HIV/AIDS work will encounter large financial difficulties
next year when the national budget for the work will be cut by 74 percent
from last year and the city will cut its own funding by 50 percent.
Urgent
financial assistance from international organisations to the city is needed
to maintain the sustainability of the anti-HIV/AIDS work.-
Binh
Phuoc urged to maximise strengths
The
southern
The PM
made the suggestion at a meeting with key provincial leaders in
Hailing
the comprehensive achievements the province has obtained in socio-economic
development, with high income per capita and an increase in local living standards,
the PM noted Binh Phuoc should tackle weaknesses in forest management while
continuing efficient new rural area building.
The
provincial economy will see GDP growth of 9.59 percent in 2013 and income per
capita will reach over 41.6 million VND (1,980 USD), up 9.4 percent against
last year, the province’s leaders reported to the PM.
They
said Binh Phuoc has seen positive changes in healthcare, culture and
education along with ensuring social welfare, order, security and safety.
They
committed to maintaining growth momentum while improving competitiveness and
crime prevention.
Resettlement
‘wastage' up for review
Municipal
authorities have decided to review resettlement housing projects in the city
to prevent the current situation of surplus in certain areas and reduce
wastage of scarce state-budget funds.
Nguyen
Huu Tin, vice chairman of the HCM City People's Committee, said the
administration has asked the Department of Construction to check and reassess
the ability of those involved in developing resettlement housing,
particularly in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area.
He
said this is a step being taken to make sure that the projects are completed
on schedule.
Tin's
requirement was made in the context of many resettlement housing projects
having apparently no plans for completion. This has caused many obstacles for
the city's resettlement plans for households and individuals who have to move
when their land is revoked for various purposes including national defence,
national security, national benefit and public benefit, in accordance with
approved master plans.
In the
Thu Thiem New Urban Area in District 2 alone, about 1,993 apartments that
were planned for resettlement have no completion date set. The list of tardy
firms in this regard include the Nam Rach Chiec Company with 712 apartments,
the Duc Khai Joint Stock Company with 1,080 apartments, and the
Vietracimex-Poca.C Joint Venture with 201 apartments, according to a report
in the Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam (Viet Nam Economic Times).
The
report also says that the Thu Thiem area likely face an oversupply of
resettlement housing since it is predicted to need only about 1,800
apartments as against the 12,500 that are to be built there.
This
has prompted calls for the city to reconsider construction of these
apartments in the Thu Thiem Area, so that the VND13 or 14 trillion (US$616.11
million or $663.5 million) needed to realise the plan can be saved.
To
deal with the oversupply problem, the city government has decided to convert
1,769 apartments from the resettlement housing fund into social housing that
can be sold or rented.
For
instance, the
Officials
hope that this conversion will help settle the current redundancy of
resettlement housing, because social housing projects have many preferential
features that make it easier to sell them, including exemption of land use
fees, and a 50 per cent reduction in corporate income tax and value-added
tax.
The
newly issued Decree No 188/2013/ND-CP on construction and management of
social housing will offer several new incentives to encourage investment in
social housing projects when it takes effect on January 10, 2014.
Under
the new decree, in addition to current preferences, enterprises investing in
social housing would also be able to receive loans at preferential interest
rates from credit institutions including commercial banks.
The
decree asks credit institutions to set aside at least 3 per cent of their
total loans for social housing developers and buyers at reasonable interest
rates and payment terms that match the borrowers' repayment capabilities.
Social
housing developers will also be able to access preferential loans from local
state budget sources, funds raised through bonds issued by local authorities,
housing development funds and other capital sources.
Also
under the new decree, buyers of social housing can sell their property after
five years instead of the current 10 years.
Vietnamese
school awarded in UK
The
Managed
by a group of Vietnamese women, the school is open every Saturdays for both
children and their parents to learn Vietnamese as the first language.
A
series of out-door activities include martial arts, painting and cooking
Vietnamese contest to help Vietnamese students get better understanding of
their cultural tradition.
At the
award ceremony, Son Thanh, Chairman of the Vietnam Association in the
The
award ceremony was co-organized by
A
growing surge in diabetics
At a
seminar held in
The
Vietnamese patients in the 20-79 age group have increased from 1.2% in 1990
to 2.7% in 2002, and from 5.3% in 2012 to 5.8% in 2013.
One
reason is the lack of physical exercise and nutrition, the IDF said.
Danish
Ambassador to Vietnam John Nielsen said diabetes affects all people in
society and spoke highly of Novo Nordisk Company’s efforts in supporting
According
to latest statistics from the IDF, there were more than 371 million diabetics
in the world last year and the figure will increase to 552 million in 2030.
Around 4.8 million of people have died of the disease so far.
European
Red Crosses aid
A
EUR411,700 project has helped mitigate the devastating impact of natural
disasters in the country through enhancing relevant officials’ capacity in
community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM).
Funded
by the Netherlands Red Cross and the Spain Red Cross, the called Disaster
Preparedness ECHO 8 (DIPECHO 8) was wrapped up at a conference in
Vu Van
Loc, head of the disaster prevention and response board under the Vietnam Red
Cross (VRC), said the project highlighted the successful collaboration and
effective partnership between the Netherlands Red Cross and the Spain Red
Cross and the Vietnamese counterpart.
Noting
the encouraging results of the project, Head of the Netherlands Red Cross
Paul Vanderlaan held that the stakeholders need to share their gained
outcomes and experience and discuss issues to be addressed in the future.
DIPECHO
8, also sponsored by the Humanitarian Aid Committee under the European
Commission, has been implemented in nine Vietnamese central provinces, namely
Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai,
Binh Dinh and Phu Yen since last June.
Through
offering refresher courses, the programme raised government and VRC
officials’ CBDRM proficiency in vulnerably disaster-hit areas.
It
also helped train 98 Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment guides while
providing measures for local residents to diminish natural disaster risks and
raise their CBDRM awareness. Especially, six provincial-level disaster
response teams were established to foster the provinces’ capacity in the
work.
Samsung
Vina grants modern libraries to schools
Samsung
Vina Electronics company on November 27 handed over a hi-tech library to Chu
Van An high school in
The
activity is part of the “Smart Libraries” project launched by the company in
2011 with the aim of upgrading library systems at primary and secondary
schools nationwide.
The
Samsung library model comes fully equipped with computers, printers and other
machinery, along with management software.
The
project has been expanded in the 2013-2014 period to some schools that
already have modern libraries. At these schools, the project provides even
more equipment and updated technology allowing pupils to study and share
knowledge in groups.
The
model, which is now present at Chu Van An and Hoang Hoa Tham high schools in
Hanoi, and Tran Dai Nghia high school in Ho Chi Minh City, enhances students’
interaction during their reading.
The
same day, Samsung Vina also introduced another project titled “Books that
change my life” to encourage a reading habit among society, especially
youngsters.
On the
occasion, the Ministry of Education and Training and Samsung Vina Electronics
Company inked a memorandum of understanding that allows the company to
continue its support for Vietnam’s education sector by upgrading school
library systems in both urban and rural areas.
Universities
adapt to change
New
models for higher education that could change the face of universities in the
future were discussed at a Global Education Dialogue 2013 in HCM City on
November 26-27.
Saad
Rizvi, executive director at Pearson, and co-author of the recently published
The Avalanche is Coming, categorised higher education models into five
groups: the elite university; the mass university; the niche university; the
local university; and the lifelong learning mechanism.
While
elite universities attract the lion's share of prestigious research grants
and the world's most talented students, mass universities provide education
for the rapidly growing middle class, taking advantage of globally developed
content, he said.
According
to Sam Jones, head of University Alliance's Communications and Public
Relations, higher education systems around the world need to be thinking
about how to adapt to the rapid pace of change as individuals and economies
place new and changing demands on how and what it delivers.
He
cited a two-year project, University Vision, implemented at his university
that could be beneficial in Vietnam and ASEAN countries.
As
they integrate more and more, ASEAN-member nations should consider future
scenarios and models, he said.
The
aim of University Vision is to use scenario planning to explore future issues
and challenges.
To
understand the future environment, they studied the major drivers of change
that could affect universities.
Speakers
at the conference emphasised the worldwide need for improved collaboration,
governance and institutional management among higher education institutions.
The
dialogue was organised by the British Council in co-operation with the
Ministry of Education and Training and UK's Aston University.
Thai
Nguyen holds friendship exchange with Laos
The
Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association of Thai Nguyen province held a joint
meeting on November 27 with the Lao Embassy in Vietnam and Lao students
studying in the province.
The
meeting aimed to mark the 38th anniversary of Laos National Day which falls
on December 2.
Delegates
at the event recalled the time-honoured solidarity between the two countries,
which had been nurtured by late presidents Ho Chi Minh and Kaysone
Phomvihane.
During
previous wars in Laos, Thai Nguyen sent over 7,000 soldiers to support the
country’s revolution.
Representatives
from the Lao Embassy thanked provincial authorities for allowing more than
400 students to learn in the province.
The
provincial leaders asked the Lao Embassy to bridge cooperation between Thai
Nguyen and Lao provinces, contributing to the two nations’ special friendship.
Hanoi
Archdiocese convenes 11th youth congress
The
Archdiocese of Hanoi opened its 11th Youth Congress in Thai Binh province on
November 27, with the participation of 20,000 young Catholics from 25
provinces and cities in the archdiocese.
Representatives
from the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, the Vatican’s
representative in Vietnam- Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, together with
archbishops, bishops and priests from 10 northern dioceses also attended the
event.
The
annual congress aims to encourage young dignitaries and followers to lead
both good secular and religious lives and positively engage in national
construction and defence.
Several
cultural activities and art performances are scheduled to be held during the
two-day event.
Japan
finances five infrastructure projects in Vietnam
Japan
has pledged to provide nearly US$580,000 in non-refundable aid for five
projects to improve infrastructure in Vietnam.
The
projects include, improvements to a major water supply system in Nam Thanh
village, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province, and the upgrading of four
schools – Xuan Trung junior and secondary school in Xuan Truong district in
Nam Dinh province, and primary schools in Thai Thuong village in Thai Binh
province, Van Mai village in Hoa Binh province, and Tri Phuong village in
Lang Son province.
The
aid recipients currently have very high poverty rates and poor underdeveloped
infrastructure. The scheme to improve the water supply system in Nam Thanh
village is expected to supply approximately 8,000 local people with safe
water for daily living..
The
existing schools are run down and dilapidated that need repairing. The
Japanese aid is expected to improve the education environment and facilities
for the local children in these communities.
At a signing
ceremony in Hanoi on November 27, Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Fukada
expressed his firm belief that the five projects will significantly improve
the living conditions and quality of life of people living in some of the
poorest provinces
Nguyen
Xuan Du, President of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association in Nghe An
province thanked the Japanese Government for its assistance, helping Vietnam
meet its guidelines for poverty reduction and human resources training.
Danang
hosts ACM Int’l Collegiate Programming Contest
Duy
Tan University, Danang City, held the opening ceremony for the 22nd Vietnam
Informatics Olympic Contest for Students (OLP’13) and the ACM Int’l
Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM/ICPC) on November 27.
Nearly
800 Vietnamese students and 45 from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand,
Taiwan (China), China, Hong Kong (China) and Indonesia, entered this year’s
competition.
This
is the second time Danang has hosted the qualifying round in Asia for the
ACM/ICPC, along with Phuket in Thailand and Jakarta in Indonesia.
The
organising board will choose the most outstanding contestants from the OLP’13
and the qualifying round of ACM/ICPC to compete at the final round of
ACM/ICPC 2014 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The
awards ceremony will take place on November 29.
As
part of the competition the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam
Huawei Technology Company and Duy Tan University launched a mobile
application renovation contest.
Contestants
will make a tour of cultural and historic relics in Danang City and Hoi An
township in Quang Nam province.
Netherlands
helps Vietnam ensure food hygiene and safety
The
Dutch Embassy in collaboration with the Food, Agriculture, Aquaculture Sector
Committee (FAASC) under the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
(EuroCham) held a seminar on food hygiene and safety in HCM City on November
26.
With
the framework of Holland Village, experts and businesses from Europe and
Vietnam met to exchange in formation and experience in managing food hygiene
and safety.
They
discussed measures to apply a model of food hygiene and safety management,
good practices and food safety standards in Vietnam.
Vu Van
Tam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Vietnam has
many advantages to boost agricultural production and increase the
competitiveness of its farm products.
However,
he said, Vietnam mostly exports raw materials and unprocessed agricultural
products. Experience learnt from the Netherlands will enable local farmers to
meet requirements of European and other international markets.
On
this occasion, Deputy Minister Tam and Dutch Ambassador Joop Scheffers signed
a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on private-public partnership (PPP)
projects to boost production in the breeding sector.
Fake
products continue to flood marketplace
Government
agencies, consumers, manufacturers and the entire community should work
together to fight phony or counterfeit products, delegates told a conference
in HCM City yesterday.
Infringement
of intellectual protection rights is occurring more frequently, affecting
licensed companies and consumers, said Do Huu Quang, deputy head of the
Market Management Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Vietnamese
consumers are presented with an abundance of goods, but it is difficult for
them to distinguish between genuine and fake products, he said.
"Fake
goods are everywhere and in many sectors, from fashion accessories to
agricultural materials and cosmetics, with direct impact on consumers'
health, environment, social security and producers," he said.
Fake
goods are made both domestically and abroad and then smuggled into the
country, he said.
Delegates
at the seminar said enterprises had become more aware of IP rights protection
and made an effort to protect it, but many others had not paid much attention
to it.
"Many
enterprises, when they discover that their designs and trademarks have been
copied, do not have the courage to denounce these actions to authorised
agencies," Quang said.
Even
though more inspections have occurred, as well as increased fines, a lack of
resources and personnel have caused the battle against fakes difficult to
implement.
In
addition, sanctions imposed on these violations have not deterred the
practice, he said.
Luong
Hoang Hung, deputy general director of the Viet Nam Intellectual Property
Association, said businesses have a role to play by improving their public
communications and helping people identify fake and substandard goods.
Many
delegates at the meeting agreed that authorities should publicise the names
of violators in the mass media.
Consumers
must protect themselves by purchasing goods at prestigious shops and
websites, they added.
Nguyen
Thanh Tai, director of NewTech Company, said enterprises need strategies to
protect their trademarks from counterfeit goods and should co-operate with
government agencies in enforcement procedures.
Nguyen
Thanh Binh, head of the National Office of Intellectual Property of Viet Nam
in HCM City, said all enterprises, both large and small, should focus more on
IP protection.
But
Binh noted that, with current technology, a new product can be quickly
analysed and copied. However, this makes owning IP rights even more
important.
Companies
employing IP protection effectively have been able to create prestigious
trademarks. This has also helped them improve competitiveness in both local
and international markets, and increase revenue, he said.
The
conference was organised to mark the Day for Fighting Fake Goods on November
29.
EVN
claims hydro dams not to blame
Electricity
of Viet Nam (EVN) claims that operation of hydro-power reservoirs in central
region met operational guidelines and did not cause flooding in lowland
areas.
EVN
gave their assurances to a working session on Monday with the Ministry of
Industry and Trade, hydro-power investors and the eight central localities
where a large number of hydro-power plants are located.
The
meeting was held in response to public concern that recent floods in central
and Central Highlands region, which killed 41 people, were partly resulted
from hydro reservoirs' irresponsible release of water.
Vice
Chairman of Quang Ngai province's People's Committee Pham Truong Tho, agreed
with EVN that hydro-power reservoirs in the province had not released flood
waters or caused man-made floods in the central region after recent storms
and deluges.
"During
heavy rains, water in all reservoirs in the province flows freely and no
reservoirs release water to cause more floods for the region," he said.
"The
rains are so heavy, making the water rise quickly and suddenly in a short
period of time," he added.
Vice
Chairman of Quang Nam Province's People's Committee Nguyen Ngoc Quang also
said the local authorities kept a close watch over the operations of four
hydro-power reservoirs in the province.
In any
case, he added, when these reservoirs release water the amount released
always smaller than the amount of water flowing into the reservoirs.
Giving
an example, Quang illustrated that during the peak period when water flowing
into the Dak Mi 4 reservoir reached 4,360cu.m per second, the water released
from the reservoir was only 3,900cu.m per second.
The
director of the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Centre, Bui Minh Tang,
said continuous heavy rains created a huge volume of water flowing into
reservoirs.
"The
recent storms caused unexpectedly heavy rains on a large scale with a
rainfall of 200-1,000mm in the region," he said.
Tang
also stressed that all reservoirs were allowed to release water prior to any
storm to enable them to store rainwater brought in by storms and to prevent
flooding.
"It
meant that reservoirs contributed to reducing floods, not causing them,"
he said.
Minister
of Trade and Industry Vu Huy Hoang said although localities confirmed that
hydro-power reservoirs basically operated in line with regulations, it was
still essential to review the operational processes at all reservoirs,
particularly hydro-power reservoirs to ensure they all met regulations.
At
present, 268 hydro-power projects are under operation nationwide while 205
others are under construction.
Source:
VOV/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/Dantri
|
Thứ Năm, 28 tháng 11, 2013
Đăng ký:
Đăng Nhận xét (Atom)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét