Social
News Headlines 12/3
Five
persons are critical after mushroom poisoning
Five persons from
According to Pham
Due, director of the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai, the patients, all
belonging to one family, have suffered serious damage to their liver and
digestive systems and have shown symptoms of vomiting, nausea and a drop in
the blood pressure.
The family
reportedly collected one kilogramme of mushrooms from the forest. It was
unclear what kind of mushroom it was, but it apparently had a sweet taste.
Nguyen Thanh Phong,
deputy head of the Vietnam Food Administration, warned that residents should
be extremely careful in picking mushrooms, especially in spring, and should
not eat them unless they can check the mushroom's origin and type.
Dog
fighting rings sprout up in Vietnam
Several Vietnamese
have recently become interested in raising fighting dogs despite wide
criticism.
Pitbulls are a
recent introduction to
Many unfortunate
pitbulls that were imported or bred in
Dog fighting
continues to spread in the country. Several members of the public have taken
notice of the inhumane treatment of these animals, but it does not seem to
have stopped the growing "sport".
Dog fighting brings
in a steady flow of revenue for those willing to organise and participate in
the cruel activity. Domestically bred pitbulls have become more popular, and
can cost as much as VND8 million (USD378.7).
“A dog fight
attracts betting worth around VND50 million (USD2,366) and betting even
reaches hundreds of millions of VND each in some cases,” Minh noted.
“These games
can bring about no benefits, only encourage violence among humans,” one
member of the public commented.
Students
turn their backs on social subjects
A teacher from the
Statistics show
that, of the students registering for university entrance exams over the past
few years, only 5-10% choose social subjects, such as literature, history and
geography for the university exam.
Currently, exams
for social subjects are carried out in the written form, while the multiple
choice method is used for the natural subjects of physics, chemistry and
biology. This makes them both easier and susceptible to cheating.
Students who study
social subjects often have less chance of being employed than those who study
natural subjects.
Many students
concentrate on studying natural sciences. This does not mean that they
particularly like them, but are thinking to their employment opportunities.
Parents often urge their student to study maths, physics and chemistry, not
literature, history and geography as top university are only for students who
study natural subjects.
Many students
complain of being bored by textbooks that do not address the modern way of
thinking. These books often teach history as a set of events and dates to
remember.
The Ministry of
Education and Training planned to ease their restrictions on the content
lessons since a textbook reform in 2002. But it seems that the only change has
been to add content to textbooks. Just after the reform, the geography
textbook for grade 12 was 96 pages. now it is 208.
The national flag
carrier Vietnam Airlines is offering a promotion on some domestic routes
starting March 10.
One-way tickets for
routes including Ho Chi Minh City-Quy Nhon/Buon Ma Thuot will be priced at
VND499,000 and routes from Hanoi-Da Lat/ Buon Ma Thuot will be VND 999,000
(not including tax).
The special rates
will be applicable for flights departing from March 15-May 15.
Additional routes
to ASEAN countries will also be offered.
These one-way
routes are HCM City-Singapore at VND195,000, HCM City- Kuala Lumpur at
VND625,000, and HCM City- Bangkok at VND 1.27 million (not including tax).
The special rates
are only applicable for flights departing before March 31. Passengers must
buy tickets no later from 5-30 days before departure.
Public,
private hospitals coordinate to raise treatment quality
Health Minister
Nguyen Thi Kim Tien held a meeting about coordinating private and public
hospitals in Thanh Do Hospital (
The collaboration
aims to reduce pressure in overcrowded public hospitals in order to raise
treatment quality.
The number of
private facilities has increased 400 percent in the country in the past 10
years, according to the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment. It
currently has 170 private facilities accounting for 11 percent of the total
facilities in the city.
The number of
people seeking medical treatment in private hospitals remains low with 7
percent outpatients and 6 percent inpatients.
The hospital spends
VND 10 billion for transportation of patients, said Minister Tien. The
coordination between public and private facilities is necessary to maximize
human resource, brand names, and spacious private facilities.
Ministry
re-includes suspended courses
More than 60 major
courses will be re-included in university entrance examinations this year,
said Bui Anh Tuan, Head of the Department for Higher Education.
Just a month ago,
the Ministry of Education and Training suspended 207 courses at 71
universities nationwide due to a lack of qualified full-time lecturers.
After considering
reports from nearly 30 universities, 62 of the courses have now been allowed
back. Most of them are connected with the arts and the study of languages.
The Ministry has
relaxed the rules slightly until 2017. Its main objective is to include more
courses - and thus more students - but, at the same time, keep the quality of
education high.
The solutions are
only short term, Tuan said. If colleges cannot find enough full-time
lecturers within three years, they will then lose the major courses.
Since 2010, the
Ministry has been holding regular checks on the education quality of Ph.D.,
graduate and undergraduate levels.
PM approves
establishment of HCMC Department of Tourism
Prime Minister
Nguyen Tan Dung approved the establishment of the Department of Tourism by
the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.
The department is
expected to help the municipal People’s Committee implement state management
functions of the tourism industry. Examples include making decisions and
suggestions on handling infringements of local and foreign individuals and
organizations in the city.
The Department of
Tourism will also cooperate with local authorities to launch measures to
ensure security and protect public order, hygiene and environmental
sanitation.
Bid to
smuggle spurious fragrances into
Nearly 1000 bottles
of cheap perfumes in bottles bearing famous trademarks were detected
yesterday by the
These spurious
perfumes were hidden amongst goods being imported from
The company that
owned these goods has an office in the city. It had declared to the customs
authority that the goods weighed 16 tonnes and included women's shoes, foam
rubber sandals, yoga mattresses and micros.
The goods, of
Chinese origin, were worth US$29,000, and the taxes imposed on them amounted
to more than VND155 million ($7,300).
The perfumes,
revealed customs officials, were hidden amongst French and Italian perfumes,
giving rise to the suspicion that they were counterfeit goods, which would
then be sold in
The customs
authority is continuing the investigation.
Remote
areas face healthcare shortage
Healthcare in
remote areas is still experiencing fundamental problems, including lack of
equipment and shortage of doctors and professional staff.
A survey of 63
provinces and cities by the Ministry of Health last year revealed that some
district hospitals had only six to seven doctors and medical clinics had from
one to four. The doctors are not dispersed rationally, the survey found.
It also showed that
most commune medical clinics had only about 60 per cent of the necessary
equipment.
Lo Van Khanh,
director of the Nam Nhun District Medical Clinic in the northern mountain
Nam Nhun clinic was
even using workers' houses at Lai Chau hydro-electric plant as its head
office. Medical staff had to use old equipment moved from other parts of the
province.
Khanh said Nam Nhun
District had more than 90 doctors, but there was a need for about 200.
Muong Khuong
District in northern
Doctor Nguyen Van
The, director of the Mu Cang Chai District Medical Clinic in northern Yen Bai
Province, said that in the past five years, the district had assigned more
than 10 medical workers to study for medical degrees, however, only four
later agreed to return and work in the district.
The doctors did not
want to work at grassroots-level because they felt working conditions and pay
were unsatisfactory.
The said that while
most districts needed basic equipment, some had such things as ultrasound
devices and heart scanners, but they had been placed in storage because no
one had been trained how to use them.
Deputy Minister of
Health Pham Le Tuan suggested that salaries for medical workers, especially
doctors, should be higher because they needed to spend at least six years
studying for a degree, whereas other careers took only four or five years.
He also felt that
medical workers should also be supported with seniority allowances.
Director of the Lai
Chau Department of Health, Nguyen Cong Huan, said that the provincial health
sector would invest in upgrading infrastructure and buying modern equipment
for obstetrics, paediatrics and mental-health care.
He said the
department would also create good conditions for medical workers to study new
technology at universities and central hospitals.
MIGA
insures rehabilitation of critical road in Vietnam
The Multilateral
Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the political risk insurance and credit
enhancement arm of the World Bank (WB) Group, announced on March 10 that it
is supporting the rehabilitation and expansion of BT20 National Highway 20, a
critical transportation link in
MIGA is providing
non-honoring of sovereign financial obligations cover of US$500 million to
the project’s lenders for a period of 15 years.
The NH20 is the
main route connecting
“This investment
supported by MIGA will help reduce travel time, improve safety, and increase
rural incomes in a region where close to 40 percent of the rural population
still lives below the poverty line despite considerable tourism, mining and
agriculture resources,” said Victoria Kwakwa, WB Country Director for
Vietnam.
The project will
follow MIGA's environmental and social sustainability policies. “MIGA's
standards should ensure that the environmental and social risks of the
project are taken into account and mitigated. This approach could have a
demonstration effect beyond this specific project,” said Michel Wormser, MIGA
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
“This project will
complement the WB’s involvement in the transport sector and will leverage the
expertise of our WB colleagues based in
Goldman Sachs was
the loan arranger and lender alongside Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
and a syndicate of other international commercial banks. “The BT20 financing
is a landmark transaction. With the support of MIGA and the risk coverage
provided, we were able to provide a 15 year financing solution for
Programme
calls for support for fishermen
A gala night themed
“The Heart for Sea and
Addressing the
event, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said the programme is a practical
activity to realise the sea and island related policies of the Party and
State, contributing to consolidating the nation’s determination to protect
its sovereignty over sea and islands.
He highly valued
the contributions of fishermen, organisations and individuals in safeguarding
national sea and islands as well as the development of maritime economy.
Minh expressed his
hope that media agencies continue to act as a bridge for the Party and State
and fishermen, while proactively publicising policies on sea and islands and
maritime economic development.
The event,
organised by the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA), also honoured
entrepreneurs, businesses, organisations and individuals involved in the
protection of sea and island sovereignty and maritime economic development.
“The Heart for Sea
and
Kind-hearted people
can also cast their support to fishermen via the VJA website at
www.hoinhabaovietnam,org.vn.
Earlier the same
day, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam hosted a reception for delegates to the
programme, affirming that the Party and State always pay much attention to
people in remote and poor areas, especially fishermen who have overcome
difficulties to contribute to the country’s development.
Purple
heron released into Tram Chim national park
A purple heron was
released into the
The bird, whose
scientific name is Ardea Furpurea, weighs nearly 1.5kg and measures 0.5m in
height. It is among rare wild animals that need to be strictly preserved and
protected.
It is also named in
the list of birds on the brink of extinction.
The two-year-old
bird was bought from hunters by a local and then handed over to the park.
Seminar
stresses compulsory all-people health insurance
The implementation
of universal health insurance is very necessary to ensure health for all
members of the public in the long run, heard a seminar in
More than
two-thirds of the people nationwide have engaged in the health insurance
since 2010. About 30 percent – mainly low-income earners – have yet to join
the network as they cannot afford the fee, said Vice Chairman of the National
Assembly Law Committee Dang Dinh Luyen.
He suggested the
State increase its budget to support these people with health insurance
cards.
Takeshii Kasai,
World Health Organisation (WHO) Chief Representative in
Compulsory health
insurance is the key to taking care of people from all walks of life, said
WHO Regional Director in Asia-Pacific Shin Young Soo.
TV series
offers fresh angle on Dien Bien Phu
Audiences can
expect to enjoy a new angle on the historical battle of
Unlike most other
films about
Filming for the 25
episode series titled Duong Len Dien Bien (Road to Dien Bien) started in
January.
The series is about
a young man who left
Alongside the Road
to Dien Bien, the director of the series, Bui Tuan Dung, had worked on
several other war-themed movie productions. The feature Nhung Nguoi Viet
Huyen Thoai (The Legend Makers), which he directed, won the Golden Lotus
Award at the National Film Festival last October.
"In my
opinion, whether the movie is about war or not, it must express the
‘humanism', which can create the value for the movies. In the Road to Dien
Bien, the war has been used as a background for the love story. However,
their love through the war is different in peace time, and they are bound
together through a mutual love for their country," Dung said.
He added: "It
doesn't matter what the subject of the movie is, we always want to capture
the audiences imagination. In the Road to Dien Bien, we have invested a lot
of time and effort to develop the conflict between different characters and
create impressive scenes.”
"Our crew also
focused on music and special effects – two other important elements that
perfect a movie production," he said.
Alongside
experienced actor Hoang Hai, who also starred in Dung's award-winning The
Legend Makers, the upcoming Road to Dien Bien features talented actresses
Huyen Trang and Diem Huong, and young actors Manh Truong and Quach Thong.
The crew includes
famous cameramen Ly Thai Dung and Vu Quoc Tuan, special effects expert Phan
Trong Bich, and designer Vu Anh Tu.
A production of the
Vietnam Film Studio, the series is scheduled to air on VTV1 from the second
week of April.
ODA helps
Lao Cai reduce poverty
The northern
mountainous
The ODA projects
management board of Lao Cai on March 10 also reported that roads to all of
its communes have been upgraded and are readily accessible by automobile.
The irrigation
system has been renovated to ensure water supply for 85% of the province’s cultivation
areas. All communes have access to electricity and per capita income has been
increased to VND24 million per year, they said.
Meeting with its
counterpart from Phu Yen province, they announced that ODA capital has been
invested in 70 projects since 2000, including 19 in transport, four in bridge
construction, and 25 in irrigation upgrades.
In the coming time,
the management board will focus on training, management, and evaluation.
The two provinces
shared real experience in ODA management in order to use the funds more
effectively, helping to promote local socio-economic development.
Maritime
security must meet local, int’l norms
Maritime security
should be handled in accordance with national law as well as international
law and practices, agreed participants in the second Maritime Security
Workshop, held in
The five-day long
workshop, chaired by Vietnam Coast Guard High Command in cooperation with the
United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency, included the participation of
officials from the ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Foreign
Affairs, Transport and Vietnam Customs.
Major general
Nguyen Van Tuong, Commissar of the Vietnam Coast Guard High Command,
explained that the goal of the workshop was to enhance cooperation and
information sharing between maritime forces and other Vietnamese ministries,
as well as to raise awareness on maritime security, life-saving practices and
law enforcement at sea.
In the workshop,
officials focused on maritime monitoring and management, jurisdictions and
legal frameworks for resolving relevant issues. They also discussed how
forces would coordinate to improve their response capability in various
situations.
New
transport priorities set
A major
restructuring of the nation's transportation sector will see market shares of
railway routes and inland waterways increase and that of roadways reduce.
The restructuring
plan is contained in the national transportation development strategy (until
2020 with vision extending to 2030) that has recently been approved by Prime
Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
The strategy
targets overall improvements in transportation services, reduced fees,
transport order and safety, environment protection, meeting rising transportation
demand for goods and passengers, and increased competitiveness.
The plan estimates
that by 2030, 4.3 billion tonnes of products and 14 billion passengers will
be handled by the transport sector, following an annual growth of 6.7% and
8.2% respectively in the transportation of goods and passengers during the
2021-2030 period.
The opening of new
air routes, significant improvements in the quality of taxi services and
speeding privatisation of State-run transportation enterprises are also
envisaged in the plan.
Transport Minister
Dinh La Thang has asked departments nationwide to review health check
mechanisms for drivers of commercial vehicles, to ensure that only people of
good health are granted licenses. He said the review has to be completed and
a report submitted to him before May 31.
Thang has also
asked relevant agencies to carry out inspections of bus stations across the
country, and announce their findings publicly.
The minister has
also asked vehicle registration centres nationwide to improve their
operations, requiring that a hotline for receiving public feedback is
established before March 30.
According to Xinhua
News Agency, the burning of the drugs, mainly heroin, was carried out at a
square in
"It's a
demonstration of the improvement made by the two countries in cracking down
on cross-border drug crimes and safeguarding the harmony and stability in the
border region," said Gao Xiong, Chief of the regional public security
department.
The move is also to
improve public awareness, especially among the youth, of the dangers of
drugs, he added.
Prime Minister
Nguyen Tan Dung has agreed to a draft protocol between the Vietnamese and
Luxembourg Governments concerning a project on local development and
adaptation to climate change impact in central Thua Thien-Hue province.
Accordingly, the
Vietnamese Government has assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to
ink the protocol with the
The project, worth
a total of EUR10 million (US$13.7 million) with EUR8 million coming from the
Luxembourg Government, will be implemented in communes lying along the coast
and in and around lagoons in Quang Dien, Phu Vang and Phu Loc districts.
Since 1998,
There included a
project providing equipment to the Hue Central Hospital and Hue Medical
University worth EUR1 million, a EUR4.7 million project on rural development
in Quang Dien district and one on the establishment of a tourism school worth
nearly VND32 billion.
Poverty
reduction in urban areas needs due attention
The country should
pay attention to slashing poverty in urban areas as it looks to do this
sustainably, said head of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social
Affairs Truong Thi Mai at a recent workshop in Ho Chi Minh City.
Some cities and
provinces that recorded the fastest pace of poverty alleviation include
The rate of urban
poor households dropped to 4.3% in 2012 from 6.9% in 2010, said the General
Statistics Office.
The Vietnamese
population is expected to hit 95 million by 2020, with farmers accounting for
30-35%.
Mai said rural
laborers are often highly vulnerable when moving to urban areas to work - temporary
residency makes it difficult for them to fully benefit from the State
policies.
Ngo Truong Thi,
head of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs’ National Office
of Poverty Reduction, pointed out the fact that city dwellers living in need
still find it hard to access housing support, vocational training and
technology transfer.
The less well-to-do
under the national standard also hardly access basic services such as health
care, education and lending.
According to the
committee, the 2005-2012 poverty reduction policy offered a new facelift to
rural and mountainous areas, but the rate of poverty relapse remains high.
Vietnamese,
Russian universities enhance cooperation
The Russian
Cultural Centre (RCC) in
Attending the event
were representatives from famous Russian universities such as Tomsk State
University of Architecture and Building, the National Research Tomsk
Polytechnic University, Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology, and
According to
Natalia Yurievna, Assistant to the RCC Director, the project aims to
establish and develop direct contacts between universities of both countries
and encourage young Vietnamese people to study in
The second phase of
the project is scheduled to begin in late 2014, she said.
On this occasion,
the Russian universities’ representatives will meet with the leaders of
Bird flu
breaks out in Ha Giang
The northern
mountainous
The disease was
detected on a flock of waterfowl owned by Tran Minh Tri, a resident living in
Lang Moi village, Vi Xuyen District.
Poultry samples
tested positive for the deadly virulent strain A/H5N1.
Relevant agencies
of Ha Giang province and Vi Xuyen District culled all the poultry, and
disinfected Tri’s farm and neighbouring areas.
Quarantine
checkpoints were established in the district to keep a tight grip on the
transportation and slaughtering of poultry.
New
transport priorities set
A major
restructuring of the nation's transportation sector will see market shares of
railway routes and inland waterways increase and that of roadways reduce.
The restructuring
plan is contained in the national transportation development strategy (until
2020 with vision extending to 2030) that has recently been approved by Prime
Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
The strategy
targets overall improvements in transportation services, reduced fees,
transport order and safety, environment protection, meeting rising
transportation demand for goods and passengers, and increased competitiveness.
The plan estimates
that by 2030, 4.3 billion tonnes of products and 14 billion passengers will
be handled by the transport sector, following an annual growth of 6.7 per
cent and 8.2 per cent respectively in the transportation of goods and
passengers during the 2021-2030 period.
The opening of new
air routes, significant improvements in the quality of taxi services and
speeding privatisation of State-run transportation enterprises are also
envisaged in the plan.
Transport Minister
Dinh La Thang has asked departments nationwide to review health check
mechanisms for drivers of commercial vehicles, to ensure that only people of
good health are granted licenses. He said the review has to be completed and
a report submitted to him before May 31.
Thang has also
asked relevant agencies to carry out inspections of bus stations across the
country, and announce their findings publicly.
The minister has
also asked vehicle registration centres nationwide to improve their
operations, requiring that a hotline for receiving public feedback is
established before March 30.
Ministry
re-includes suspended courses
More than 60 major
courses will be re-included in university entrance examinations this year,
said Bui Anh Tuan, Head of the Department for Higher Education.
Just a month ago,
the Ministry of Education and Training suspended 207 courses at 71
universities nationwide due to a lack of qualified full-time lecturers.
After considering
reports from nearly 30 universities, 62 of the courses have now been allowed
back. Most of them are connected with the arts and the study of languages.
The Ministry has
relaxed the rules slightly until 2017. Its main objective is to include more
courses - and thus more students - but, at the same time, keep the quality of
education high.
The solutions are
only short term, Tuan said. If colleges cannot find enough full-time
lecturers within three years, they will then lose the major courses.
Since 2010, the
Ministry has been holding regular checks on the education quality of Ph.D.,
graduate and undergraduate levels.
Oil
curdling spreads to Vung Tau coast
Oil curdling was
found to wash up onto beaches in the southern
Local authorities
collected the oil on the same day. Previously, the same incident appeared
along the coastline last Friday afternoon.
Oil curdling has
appeared and spread along coastline of the province's Xuyen Moc District and
The cause of the
incident has not been identified so far.
Tien Giang
families get free fresh water
Nearly 10,000
households affected by salt-water intrusion along the Cua Tieu River in the
Mekong Delta's Tien Giang Province received freshwater free of charge
yesterday.
The provision of
freshwater to residents during this dry season, which lasts from March to
May, is expected to cost the province over VND150 million (US$7,000).
Saltwater intrusion
occurs in Go Cong Dong and Tan Phu Dong districts every year, causing a
shortage of freshwater for local households, according to the provincial
Sub-department of Irrigation, Storm and Flood Prevention and Control.
German
group offers annual thesis award
The Viet Nam Supply
Chain organisation is seeking Vietnamese logistics talents to compete for the
annual Thesis Award organised by the German Logistics Association BVL.
The award, created
in 2010 for outstanding Bachelor's, Master's and other degree theses, gives
prizes to 100 young scientists worldwide every year.
Entries are
accepted through the supervising university lecturers, and the thesis may not
be more than one year old at the time of submission.
Winners will win a
certificate from BVL international, a chance to join the International Supply
Chain this October in
According to
reports from the logistics sector, there are 300,000 logistics enterprises in
Visa
exemption for foreigners to Phu Quoc takes effect
A policy to grant a
30-day visa exemption for foreign passport holders visiting
Visa exemption is
also applicable to those foreigners, who are in transit at an international
border gate in
The visa policy is
expected to help transform the world-famous tourist Phu Quoc destination into
a national and international hi-end holiday heaven.
Phu Quoc is
Phu Quoc features a
monsoon tropical climate. It has two seasons, the dry season from November to
April and the rainy season from May to October. The average temperature there
is 28 degrees Celsius, allowing visitors to enjoy the island’s beauty at any
time of the year.
On February 14, the
first international direct flight, run by
Meanwhile,
passengers hailing from
The island, dubbed
"Paradise Pearl Island", is now included in the eight-day Vietnam
voyage itinerary of the luxury Europa II cruise, which services more than 750
customers and crew, mainly German, per tour, Saigontourist has said.
The Ho Chi Minh
City-based travel company said the Hapag-Lloyd-operated ship Hanseatic, with
around 1,000 passengers onboard, will dock at the island on April 23.
In the meantime,
hotels and resorts on the island are having 3,000 hotel rooms, including
2,000 three-star rooms.
In 2013, Phu Quoc
welcomed 94,000 foreign visitors out of its total 416,000 arrivals.
By 2020, the year
set for Phu Quoc Island to become a special administrative-economic zone, the
island is expected to gross 771 million USD from providing hospitality
services to 2-3 million tourists annually, 40 percent of them foreigners.-
Dynamics,
transparency vital to build new rural areas in Mekong Delta
New rural
construction in the Mekong Delta is a big undertaking to meet the
expectations of the people, said a weekly magazine of the Vietnam Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, adding that the movement has initially created a new
look for rural areas.
However, the
natural characteristics of the area with many rivers has posed many
difficulties for the process of building new rural areas, said the Vietnam
Business Forum.
At the preliminary
conference on three years of implementation of national target programme on
building new rural areas in the Mekong Delta region held by the Steering
Committee of national target programme on building new rural areas in Hau
Giang on 25th February, many creative ways of mobilising people and power to
build new rural area were put forward.
According to the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the past 3 years, the
Mekong Delta has mobilised about 121,340 billion VND from different financial
resources to build new rural areas. In particular, the budget capital, credit
capital, corporate capital and community capital account for 31.2, 47.3, 4.3
and 17.2 percent, respectively.
Thereby, by the end
of 2013, averagely, communes in the Mekong Delta reached 9.23 criteria,
increasing by 3.19 compared to 2011 (8.36 criteria reached averagely, an
increase of 3 criteria).
Compared to 2011,
the provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta have increased criteria rate
compared to that of the whole country (averagely more than 3 criteria); no
communes fail to reach criteria of new rural area. This has shown the efforts
of the committees, the governments and the people in the Mekong Delta despite
difficult conditions.
However, there are
still 62 communes reaching less than 5 criteria, which are located in the
provinces of Tien Giang (39 communes), Ben Tre (7 communes), Ca Mau (10
communes), etc. This requires further efforts of the governments and people
of these communes. Besides, the inspection and evaluation of performance of
criteria in a number of localities has not been fully paid attention to,
subjective and tends to chase movement.
Former Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Le Huy Ngo, mentor of the national
target programme on building new rural areas noted that the construction of
new rural area should focus on improving life of the people. When life of the
people gets better, advocating for the remaining criteria will get easier.
Capital for
infrastructure is the most difficult thing in the process of building new
rural areas. According to calculation, averagely each commune needs
investment rate of 300 billion VND to reach 19 criteria of new rural
communes. Meanwhile, the current capital of 1 billion VND per commune is too
little, said Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Long An province
Nguyen Thanh Nguyen.
The Mekong Delta is
divided by many waterways and canals while the soil remains soft. Educational
level is still low, while economic structure is still largely based on
agriculture which is not highly effective. There is still lack of
infrastructure, especially that of transport, irrigation, electricity and
clean water. The life of a part of the population, especially ethnic
minorities, remains low and is frequently affected by floods. Those are the
impacts which are slowing the progress in implementing the building of new
rural area in the Mekong Delta.
There were
proposals that there should be distinguished criteria for building new rural
area in the Mekong Delta. There are also comments warning that criteria for
building new rural area shouldn’t be pursued rigidly. It was important to
understand that the construction of new rural area is changing the lives of
the people in the direction of shortening the gap between rich and poor and
creating conditions for people in the countryside to enjoy the life.
"People know,
people discuss, people contribute, so that the construction of new rural area
will be more efficient," said Pham Van Quynh, Director of the Department
of Agriculture and Rural Development of Can Tho city. The fact is that the
construction of new rural area will get high quality and save more if local
people join.
Tran Hoang Duyen,
District Party Committee Secretary of Phuong Long, Bac Lieu province shared
that people are quite indifferent to works managed by contractor only. When
local people get involved in the construction as a partner, they would
enthusiastically contribute their thoughts and human capital to the work. For
example, a project on the construction of rural roads, if managed by
contractor only, is estimated to cost 26 billion VND but will only cost 13
billion VND if the people and officials of those localities take part in.
Besides, the quality of construction is very high.
"I wish new
rural areas in the Mekong Delta could get high competitiveness," said Le
Huy Ngo, former Minister of MARD. In fact, a lot of localities are still
trying to figure out ways to increase income for people in the context of
limited agricultural output and fragmented production models. Therefore,
restructuring agricultural labour in rural areas is vital to increase
people’s participation in building new rural areas.
Many suggested that
the criteria be divided into "hard" and "soft" in the
process of building new rural area. However, former Minister of MARD Le Huy
Ngo said that this should be carefully taken into consideration: "Any
criterion has to meet the satisfaction of people. The satisfaction level of
the people should be considered a measure for the process of building new
rural areas."
According to Le Huy
Ngo, in the process of building new rural areas, the characteristics of the
Mekong Delta people, who are spontaneous, generous, close to nature and
willing to share with the community, should be noted.
According to the
MARD, the Mekong Delta has so far 18 communes which reach 19 criteria,
equivalent to 1.4 percent (1.2 percent in the whole country), the number of
communes which reach 15-18 criteria is 4.7 percent (5.7 percent in the whole
country), the number of communes which reach 10-14 criteria was 36 percent
(28.9 percent in the whole country), the number of communes which reach 5-9
criteria is 53 percent (47.2 percent in the whole country), the number of
communes achieving less than 5 criteria is 62, equivalent to 4.9 percent
(17.3 percent in the whole country) .
Addressing the
conclusion of the conference, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Cao Duc Phat emphasised: "The most important thing is to gain the trust
of the people. The golden principle is democracy, openness and transparency
in the process of building new rural areas. Localities have to be dynamic,
creative and have appropriate steps and take satisfaction of the people as a
measure in the process of building new rural areas.”
Employers
focus on training programme to nurture talents
Firms in Vietnam
will be focusing their human resources (HR) efforts on strengthening skills
and knowledge internally this year, according to the latest annual Global
Salary Survey from international recruiter Robert Walters.
Because of the
intense competition for talent in the market, companies are expected to be
flexible in their hiring approaches and consider candidates with broadly
matching skill sets.
Figures from the
survey suggest that candidates who switched jobs in 2013 command an average
10-20 percent salary increment, and this trend is likely to continue this
year.
Jon Whitehead,
country manager of Robert Walters Vietnam, said: "As companies continue
to compete for top Vietnamese talent, the shortage of candidates and lack of
skills in niche areas pose recruitment challenges.
"Employers are
likely to focus on training and development programmes for existing teams in
order to nurture talent internally.
"Attracting
overseas Vietnamese back home is another viable option as such candidates are
valued for their international exposure and expanded portfolio."
Companies seek HR
hiring specialists who can fill business-partnering roles and add commercial
value.
"Due to acute
talent shortage in the market, we saw a strong demand for HR professionals
experienced in learning and development as well as organisational
development," the survey said.
The entrance of new
fast-moving consumer goods businesses in Vietnam could potentially lead to
increased demand for sales and marketing professionals.
Hiring of
procurement specialists is likely to increase due to growth within industries
such as garment manufacturing, electronics/electricals, and FMCG.
Internationally-recognised
certifications like ACCA, CIMA, and CPA are gaining value in Vietnam, it
said.-
New
education model hailed for enhancing learners’ efforts
A new education
model introduced by the Ministry of Education and Training has been described
as an effective way to enhance learners’ self-education, dynamism and
creativity that are important factors to shape their futures.
The Escuela Nueva
VNEN model has many plus points such as encouraging students to work in pairs
or groups, allowing their self-assessment, and actively voicing their own
opinions during the lessons, heard a conference held on southern Kien Giang
province’s Phu Quoc island late last week.
In the new model,
students play a key role in the class while teachers serve as their
facilitators and companions, which is different from the traditional
pedagogic method, participants said.
This model has been
applied at 1,446 schools across the country. Another 200 schools nationwide
are expected to apply the VNEN, according to the ministry.-
PPP necessary to reduce hospital overload
Minister of Health
Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has highlighted the significance of a public private
partnership (PPP) model in raising healthcare quality and easing overload at
public hospitals.
The benefits of
patients should be placed on the top of the collaboration, the minister said
at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on March 10.
According to
Minister Tien, the ministry is carrying out many projects to reduce hospital
overload at central and grassroots levels, including those on satellite
hospitals, family doctors and health insurance coverage of total population.
Luong Ngoc Khue,
head of the ministry’s Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, said
the partnership should be established on the basis of voluntariness,
equality, mutual benefit and transparency, and within the legal framework.
It is a must for
hospitals to take the initiative in work and for the ministry as well as
municipal and provincial People’s Committees to supervise the coordination,
the official said.
The ministry said
that public hospitals are constantly overloaded with up to 5,000 patients
each day while private ones have yet to attract many patients despite their
efforts to improve health check-up and treatment quality.
Most of the 170
private hospitals across the country are equipped with modern equipment and
qualified medical workers, but only 40-60 percent of their patient beds have
been used, it added.
Notably, Ho Chi
Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital has joined hands with 14 private hospitals
and gained positive results.
However, unclear
mechanisms in patient transfer and human resources have hindered the
coordination between public and private hospitals, the conference heard.
Long An
declares free from H5N1 virus
The southern
province of Long An on March 10 declared that its Que My Thanh and Binh Quoi
communes are free from H5N1 virus.
The provincial
authorities, however, requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development and the Veterinary Sub-department and localities and breeders
across the province continue preventive measures.
On February 14,
Long An declared an outbreak of H5N1 after the virus was found to kill 300
chickens at a household-based farm in Que My Thanh commune on February 8 and
10. The virus also caused the death of 100 ducks at a private farm in Binh
Quoi commune at the same time.
Following the
finding, the province carried out vaccination against bird flu in flock at
communes vulnerable to the virus.
By March 7, H5N1
virus has hit 24 provinces nationwide.
In January, it
killed two persons in the southern provinces of Binh Phuoc and Dong Thap. The
victims had reportedly been exposed to ill poultry.
Quang Tri:
disabled people get free medical check-ups
More than 200 poor
people with various deformities in the central province of Quang Tri on March
10 received free health check-ups by a team of doctors from Da Nang
Orthopaedics Hospital, US’s Florida State and Germany’s DEVIEMED
organisation.
Among them are also
children with cleft lip and palate who will be performed free of charge at Da
Nang Orthopaedics Hospital.
Those suffering
problems related to bones, joints, articulation or tendon will have their
operation fees reduced by half.
Ho Thi Lien, whose
four-month daughter has cleft lip, said this is a valuable chance for her
child to regain her smile as she cannot afford a surgery.
Quang Tri is one of
the localities hit hard during the wars against the French and US troops,
with many locals exposed to Agent Orange/Dioxin.
Source:
VNA/VNS/VOV/SGGP/Nhandan/SGT/Dantri
|
Thứ Ba, 11 tháng 3, 2014
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