Social News 9/3
Project to
digitise immunisation registry honoured
The Digital Immunisation
Registry (ImmReg) initiative, initiated by PATH, an international non-profit
organisation in Vietnam, received the Healthcare Innovation Award at a
ceremony in Hanoi on March 8.
The 400,000-USD award
was presented by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a UK-based pharmaceutical company,
along with the US organisation Save the Children.
The project has been
piloted in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, where time-consuming and
error-prone paper-based immunisation registries and reporting systems have
long dominated.
ImmReg set up a
web-based application that allows local medical staff to use computers and
smart phones in managing individual immunisation records and vaccine
deliveries. The system stores data of people due for vaccinations and automatically
sends them reminder text messages.
Within a year, the
initiative reduced the duration of listing monthly registries from two days
to 30 minutes. Local immunisation rates increased 3.5 percent to 77.8
percent, while the rate of people vaccinated on schedule raised between 10
and 14 percent.
GSK representative in
Vietnam James Strenner said the award acknowledges PATH’s efforts in lowering
child mortality in Vietnam.
Save the Children’s
country director in Vietnam Gunnar Andersen hoped the funding will help
replicate the initiative across the country.-
Huge fire
destroys workshop in Dak Lak
A huge fire has
destroyed 1,000sq.m of a wood workshop of Dak Lak Forestry Stock Company in
Tan An Industrial Complex in Buon Ma Thuot City.
The fire, which broke
out yesterday afternoon in the workshop, quickly spread to nearby areas.
Witnesses said they
heard a huge explosion when the fire broke out, and escaped from the area,
doing nothing to extinguish the blaze.
The fire flared up in
the sawdust warehouse and quickly spread to nearby areas, destroying several
machines and causing the workshop’s roof to collapse, the witnesses said.
Dak Lak Province’s
firefighters reached the area immediately after the fire was reported and the
blaze was extinguished an hour later. The workshop contained a lot of
sawdust, which caused problems in the fire-fighting work.
The blaze was still
smouldering in the morning, with large plumes of smoke clearly visible. The
firefighters had to continuously spray water to prevent the fire from
breaking out again.
According to the initial
investigation report, the cause of fire was electric short circuit.
No human casualties have
been reported. But the loss of property is estimated to be huge.
HCM City to
survey poverty using multi-dimensional approach
Ho Chi Minh City will
conduct a poverty survey from March 10 to April 29 using the newly-adopted
multi-dimensional measurement.
Deputy Director of the
municipal Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Xe said a pilot
survey using the measurement was carried out in four wards and communes of
districts 6, 11, Tan Phu and Binh Chanh in 2015.
This census will cover
322 wards, communes and towns of all the 24 districts. The four surveyed
localities will undergo additional examination to finalise the list of
poverty-stricken households.
He added that households
who perceive themselves as impoverished will fill in livelihood declaration
forms. Information in the forms will be sorted, publicised for public
feedback and corrected by April 29.
The multi-dimensional
approach, taking effect from January 1, 2016, will not only be based on
people’s income but also on their living conditions and access to education
and training, health care, employment and social insurance, and information.
Xe said under the new
measurement, the city is expected to have 130,000 households under the
poverty line and 80,000 others close to the line.
In terms of income, HCM
City defines a person with an annual income of 21 million VND (941.85 USD)
and below as low-income earners, while those earning over 21 million VND to
28 million VND (nearly 1,256 USD) per year are classified as near-poor.
There are five other
social dimensions that will be measured through 11 indexes totaling 100
points.
The city divides local
poor households into three groups, the official noted, delineating that group
1 includes families which have an annual per capita income of 21 million VND
or lower and lack at least 40 points in social criteria.
Group 2 comprises those
that have an annual per capita income of 21 million VND or lower and lack a
maximum of 35 points in social criteria. Group 3 includes households with an
annual per capita income of over 21 million VND and a shortage of at least 40
points in other social criteria.
The new method will help
authorised agencies evaluate residents’ inaccessibility to basic social
necessities, and thus devise concrete measures to improve their access, Xe
added.
Ha Noi to allow
sand-mining auction
The Ha Noi People’s
Committee has announced a plan to auction sand-mining rights in 2016 in five
regions of the Red River’s riverbed.
The move aims to improve
the management, exploitation and use of sand there, besides bringing the
potential of minerals of the region into full play, attracting investment and
increasing the State budget.
According to the plan,
the five auction areas cover Dong Quang and Phu Chau communes in Ba Vi
District, Lien Hong Commune in Dan Phuong District and Tan Hung Commune in
Soc Son District.
The committee said the
areas to be auctioned must be in line with the project in terms of
exploration, exploitation, processing and use of minerals in the city towards
2020, adopted by the municipal People’s Committee on December 30 last year.
The city’s department of
natural resources and environment has been asked to mark and survey the
selected areas, assess the mineral potential and select the auction starting
price and deposit money for each mineral mine.
The people’s committees
of Ba Vi, Dan Phuong and Soc Son districts are responsible for preserving
status quo in the areas till they are handed over to the individuals and
organisations who win the auction.
JICA chief
representative receives medal
Deputy Transport
Minister Nguyen Ngoc Dong has awarded a commemoration medal to JICA Chief
Representative, Mutsuya Mori, for his contribution to the development of the
country’s transport sector.
The award ceremony took
place this morning at the transport ministry’s headquarters.
Dong thanked Mori and
the Japan International Co-operation (JICA) office in Vietnam, as well as its
headquarters in Japan, for their contribution to the development of Vietnam’s
transport infrastructure in terms of commitment, finance and human resources.
He said their support
played a vital role in the completion of several major projects in Vietnam,
such as the construction of Nhan Tan Bridge and Terminal 2 of Noi Bai
international airport, as well as other projects in HCM City, Da Nang City
and Quang Ngai Province.
He wished Mori success
with his new position in Japan and hoped to collaborate with him in the
future.
Mori, who started
working in Vietnam in June 2013, will finish his term and return to Japan
shortly.
For his part, Mori expressed
his gratitude towards having been able to participate in every project of the
ministry, and for getting the opportunity to work in 59 cities and provinces
of Vietnam.
He appreciated the
importance of the transport sector in the economic and social development of
the country, as well as the opportunities and challenges that came with it.
He said he hoped that in
two years’ time, he would have the opportunity to work with Vietnam again and
to continue contributing to the transport sector.
Kon Tum forest faces
high fire risk
More than 100,000ha of a
forest in Kon Tum Province faces a high risk of fire, Permanent Deputy
Chairman of the provincial people’s committee Nguyen Huu Hai said.
The forest is spread
across Dak To, Ngoc Hoi, Sa Thay and Kon Ray, as well as Dak Ha and Dak Glei
districts in the Central Highland province.
The province has asked
workers to be on round-the-clock duty in the forest to prevent the outbreak
of fire.
The workers will check
people entering and leaving the forest, and guide local residents to use fire
for tilling the field properly.
Nearly 5,000 people in
the area have been asked to be prepared for the outbreak of fires.
Eleven teams of firemen
will be on round-the-clock duty.
Kon Tum has the largest
forest area in the Central Highlands, with more than 540,000ha of natural
forests and nearly 57,000ha of planted forests.
Soc Trang:
Reserving fresh water vital in dry season
The prompt reserving of
fresh water in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang is of utmost importance
in the coming months given the ongoing severe drought and saltwater
intrusion, a local official has said.
Director of the
provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Luong Minh Quyet
said the agriculture sector is dredging all possible canals to have water for
local production.
The provincial People’s
Committee has recently approved a plan to cope with the issue. Accordingly,
the province needs over 1.5 trillion VND (67.5 million USD) between 2016 and
2018 to reinforce breakwaters and aquatic breeding facilities.
In addition to speeding
up the construction of irrigation systems and shifting to growing drought
resistant crops, the province will increase the provision of water for
farmers in rural areas.
According to the
provincial People’s Committee, the ongoing saltwater encroachment has damaged
nearly 13,000 hectares of rice fields in the province.
The Mekong Delta has
nearly 4 million hectares of farmland, accounting for almost 30 percent of
Vietnam’s total farmland area, with over 50 percent under rice.
The Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development said that due to the impacts of El Nino,
the rainy season (usually from May to October) came late and ended early in
2015. Meanwhile, the water levels of the upper Mekong River are declining
quickly and have reached the lowest level in nine decades, leading to serious
water shortages during the dry season (usually from November to April).
Localities asked
to allocate funds for foot and mouth disease control
The Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development has asked the People’s Committees of cities
and provinces nationwide to allocate funds for the early implementation of a
national programme to control foot and mouth disease.
The ministry also
assigned its municipal and provincial departments of agriculture and rural
development to draw up detailed plans for the implementation of the programme
at districts and communes and estimate the number of cattle and animals in
their localities that require vaccination this year.
According to the
national foot and mouth control programme, only 157 districts of 26 provinces
designated as high-risk areas will receive state funding to purchase foot and
mouth vaccines and organise vaccinations.
The programme will be
carried out from 2016-2020 with a total funding of 823 billion VND (36.9
million USD). Of the funding, about 279 billion VND (12.5 million USD) will
be funded by the state budget while 544 billion VND (24.4 million USD), or 66
percent, will be sourced from local budgets.
Hanoi security
forces endeavour to fight drug crimes
Hanoi’s police and
customs forces have stepped up their fight against drug crimes since the
beginning of this year as international criminal rings increase drug
transport to the capital by air.
According to the Hanoi
Office for Drug-related Crimes Investigation (PC47), the city’s police force
brought over 2,500 drug-related cases to light, arresting 3,210 people
involved last year.
With so many routes used
by smugglers such as roads from the northwest, northeast, northern central
and southern regions, along with domestic and foreign air routes, railways
and waterways, drug crimes are forecast to continue developing complicatedly
in the city during 2016.
The smuggling and
transport of drugs, especially methamphetamine of all kinds and in large
volumes, is on the rise. Traffickers show their ever more sophisticated
tricks as they collude with other crime syndicates to form trans-provincial
and trans-national rings. They also trade with foreign dealers using air and
postal services.
To cope with the
situation, PC47 is coordinating with other forces in the city in intensifying
the fight against this crime. Together with a focus on raising the efficiency
and quality of crime suppression, it will closely work with the Ministry of
Public Security and relevant forces like customs, post, aviation security and
maritime police to prevent drugs from entering the capital by air and through
postal services.
PC47 Director Colonel
Nguyen Hong Ki revealed that his office will launch three or four anti-drug
crackdowns this year. It will implement international cooperation in drug
crime prevention under agreements signed with other countries, especially
those sharing the border such as Cambodia, Laos and China, he added.
Joining police efforts
in this fight, Hanoi’s customs force is strengthening drug prevention and
control while disseminating images of new kinds of drug, as well as
traffickers’ methods and tricks in order to prevent and detect drug cases
promptly in the city.
To prevent drugs from
entering Hanoi by air, the customs force has closely controlled all shipments
to Noi Bai International Airport, said Tran Luong Bac, deputy head of the Noi
Bai International Airport Border Gate Customs Sub-department.
These efforts have
recently helped competent forces detect and seize 11,477 kg of cocaine
transported from Argentina via the gate, he added.
Argentina
publisher issues publication on Vietnamese women
An Argentinean publisher
released a special edition highlighting the role of Vietnamese women in
Vietnam’s national defence and nation building on March 7.
The 8-page publication,
entitled The Vietnamese Women was issued by the Cienflores Editorial, in
coordination with the Argentina-Vietnam Cultural Institute (ICAV) and the
Embassy of Vietnam in the South American nation to mark the International Day
of Women (March 8).
It comprises an article
and 21 photos, depicting vividly the participation of Vietnamese women in the
resistant wars against the American invaders (1954-1975).
It also features the
significant contributions Vietnamese women have made to the socio-economic
development of the nation.
New urban
building plan needed
Urban development
statistics in Vietnam show a relatively bright picture, especially in Hanoi and
HCM City. But there is already a price to pay for burgeoning development:
urban social infrastructure overload.
To transform new urban
areas into a sustainably developed and livable environment, mechanisms,
policies and implementation must be changed.
According to many
experienced urban programming experts, certain problems exist in modern urban
areas: technical and social infrastructure are not synchronized while
qualifications and managerial capacity are less than required. All of these
problems create consequences.
Hà Nội’s Department of
Planning and Architecture experts have demonstrated big shortcomings in
developing new urban areas in the city. Those areas were not constructed in
line with each other nor with a bigger long-term vision of the whole city.
The connection between
new urban areas in the north and northeastern of Red River, including Bac
Thang Long, Sai Dong, Thach Ban and Dang Xa was poor, making them quite
isolated from each other.
Urban areas in the
western and southern of the city which have built both residential and
resettlement areas are now facing overpopulation.
Investors in the
majority of urban areas have developed most of the land available. New urban
areas usually provide living space for as many people as possible, while land
usage for traffic, trees, sports, schools, cars and parking is kept to a
minimum.
These calculations have
led to overpopulation. Meanwhile, connections between the city centre’s
infrastructure and surrounding areas were ignored or neglected.
Several projects cannot
even be implemented because of failure to plan properly.
Deputy Minister of
Construction Nguyen Dinh Toan, said that the role and responsibility of real
estate enterprises in planning and policy making needs to be addressed. Such
enterprises implement planning and policy schemes, contributing to urban area
development.
A legal framework for
sustainable development is needed, according to urban development experts.
Legal remedies must
solve pressing issues, including poor land management, lack of comprehensive
infrastructure and urban services projects, environmental pollution, and land
clearance.
The government needs to
support real estate investment companies in raising capital to develop new
urban areas. And the government needs to enforce building standards in urban
construction.
The government should
also issue regulations on investment and construction management of new urban
areas, to ensure implementation according to the approved plan.
Road guardian
A series of serious
traffic accidents in recent days has caused a public panic and many people
are now afraid when they go out.
To calm their nerves,
many people are looking for an amulet to take with them when they go out, or
are buying feng shui products to put in their car for good luck. They have
become best-selling products in recent days.
On the online page,
buamayman2m, a "traffic amulet" is sold at VND88,000 (US$3.9).
According to the seller, a customer needs to write his or her full name and
birth date on the amulet paper and pray to the God for good luck. The seller
also recommended that the buyer always bring the amulet with them or hang it
in their vehicle when they go out.
It is claimed the
"traffic amulet" will help its owner to avoid traffic accidents.
Each amulet can only be used for six to 12 months, and will only bring good
luck to the owner if they trust it, said the seller.
Another online page,
Mira Chan's Kitchen, is selling many kinds of amulets imported from Japan for
drivers, with prices ranging between VND250,000 and VNĐ450,000 (US$11-20)
each.
The shop also has
special amulets for customers to use as gifts for their relatives or friends.
A special "traffic amulet" selling for nearly VND5 million (US$220)
includes a gilded sacred object and comes in a silk bag with the words
"traffic safety" in Japanese.
Customers in Hanoi will
be charged an additional 15 per cent for each amulet as the shop is located
in HCM City.
The seller also
guarantees that all amulets from their shop are imported from Japan.
The buyer has to pay a
deposit to buy a Japanese amulet then wait three days for delivery as the
shop does not have enough goods to meet demand, the seller said.
Many Vietnamese drivers
hang feng shui products such as Buddha statues in their cars to pray for good
luck on their journeys.
Outdated custom
A group of five people
were in a hurry to attend a funeral in a village near Hanoi.
They drove smoothly on
good roads that have been recently built or upgraded thanks to a new rural
development programme, and they hoped they would not be late for the funeral.
At the gate of the
village, they could not recognise the way to the funeral place because the
village had changed so much in recent years. A local person suggested they
turn back and try another way.
They went inside the
village but still could not find the place they wanted. A person from a
neighbouring village guided them to go yet another way.
It took them more than
an hour, but they still could not find the funeral they were looking for.
Then a friendly female
farmer told them the way to go, but said it was rather far.
The group was very
surprised and asked her why she was telling them to go that way.
She smiled and said that
they had to go that way because they had brought a wreath in the car for the
funeral.
Many people in the
villages don't want to see a vehicle with a wreath going into their villages.
Vehicles with a wreath
shouldn’t go through villages that are not holding a funeral. Villagers
believe that this could bring them bad luck.
Unlucky thief
A thief tried to rob a
house in HCM City at 2pm last weekend. He saw that no one was in the house
and used a saw to cut the door latch. After cutting the latch, he used a big
wood stick to pry the door up. Suddenly, the iron doors collapsed on his legs
and broke his ankle. He hastily tried to stand up, but could not. He had to
use his stick and hop away without any stolen loot. Poor him!
Exhibition on natural
disasters in Hanoi
An exhibition “Living
with natural disasters – stories of women” opened on March 7 at the Vietnam
Women’s Museum to mark International Women’s Day (March 8).
The exhibition is part
of a project to raise women’s ability in mitigating natural disasters and
responding to climate change carried out by the UN Women in Binh Dinh, Dong
Thap, Thua Thien Hue and Ca Mau provinces.
The project aims to
encourage more women’s participation in decision-making to deal with climate
change and enhance the community’s responses in preventing and mitigating
natural disaster.
Nguyen Thi Bich Van,
Director of the Vietnam Women’s Museum said 300 photos and 200 objects
feature stories about women dealing with natural disasters.
“The event gives a
practical view of real stories from the women who have lost their homes,
assets and livelihoods in the storm center of Vietnam’s Central region. It
shows that after experiencing these natural disasters, the women have now bec
HCMC praises 150
city excellent citizens
A ceremony honoring 150
typical examples in Ho Chi Minh City was held at Ben Thanh Theater on March
7.
The event was attended
by Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dinh La Thang, Senior
Lieutenant General and Deputy Minister of Public Security Bui Van Nam ,
Deputy Secretary of HCMC Party Committee Tat Thanh Cang and Chairwoman of the
HCMC People’s Coucil Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam.
The program called
“People shining in the daily life” aims to highlight excellent citizens who
have made outstanding contributions in developing and building the city as
well as making the society and country to be more civilized.
Deputy Secretary of HCMC
Party Committee Tat Thanh Cang expressed his deep gratitude to good people
and praised their significant work.
He asked local
authorities of districts in the city to cooperate with organizers, Ho Chi
Minh City Police Newspaper and HCM City Television, to introduce more good
people doing good things.
Nearly 22, 000
students join in English Championship 2016
The first round of
English Championship 2016 was opened respectively in three cities of Vietnam
including Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City on March 6.
Nearly 22, 000
contestants from 1, 014 primary and secondary schools across the country
registered to participate in the English language contest.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the
contest took place at Quang Trung, Le Van Tam, Hoa Binh, Nguyen Thi Dinh,
Hoang Van Thu, Le Van Tam secondary schools.
The English contest was
organized by Vietnam Study Encouragement Society (SES), EQuest English
Language Institute and VATC English Center, aiming to improve English
learning as well as encourage students in studying English.
Around 155,000
residents in Mekong delta lack fresh water
Salinity has effected to
the coastal provinces in the Mekong delta such as Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Ben
Tre, Tra Vinh, Hau Giang, Long An, Tien Giang, and Bac Lieu. Currently,
around 155,000 households comprising of 575,000 inhabitants lack fresh water.
Worse, most of water
supplies in communes in the Mekong delta province of Ben Tre are
affected by salinity.
Therefore, Prime
Minister Nguyen Tan Dung presided a meeting in Can Tho City today about
salinity penetration into Mekong delta region with the participation of
related agencies and leaders of Mekong delta.
Speaking at the meeting,
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat stressed that
natural disaster is so severe that the entire machinery of state must be
mobilized in implementing different measures to reduce production loss and
stability for people’s living.
Minister Phat said that
as of March 7, nearly 139,000 hectare of rice field was damaged. Most damaged
provinces include Ca Mau with 49,343 ha; Kien Giang with 34,093 ha; Bac Lieu
with 11,456 ha and Ben Tre with 13,844 ha. He fretted that if drought &
salinity intrusion continue developing, residents should leave around 500,000
hectare empty because of water shortage.
According to the
Southern Institute Of Water Resources Research, early and prolonged salinity
penetration has seen in the dry season this year; hence, the provinces should
reserve fresh water from river water as streams in the Mekong River is unable
to forecast as it depends on reservoirs in the upstream.
Minister Phat proposed
government to soon support farmers in Mekong delta to stabilize their
living. It is estimated over VND623 billion to be spent to aid inhabitants
there. Additionally, each province should receive VND50 billion for
building water reservoirs and supplying water for residents’ daily
activities.
Moreover, VND1,060
billion (US$47,562,200) was invested in construction for future drought and
salinity intrusion for the period 2016-2020.
HCM City
supports new business park
Chairman of the
municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong on March 7 met with Miguel Ko
Kai Kwun, CEO of Ascendas-Singbridge group to discuss the “One HubSaigon
complex” project in Ho Chi Minh City.
Chairman of the HCM
City's People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (6th from left) poses in a photo
with representatives from Ascendas-Singbridge group (Photo: Sggp)
The OneHub Saigon
complex costing US$130 million will be located at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in
the heart of District 9 and Thu Duc District.
The project is a joint
venture between Ascendas Land Vietnam of Singapore and the UK’s Saigon Bund
company. It received investment license in September 2014.
The city’s leader highly
appreciated construction of the OneHub Saigon complex invested by
Ascendas-Singbridge group. He hoped that the project will meet the demand for
working, living and studying of people in the city.
The Vietnamese
Government and the city People’s Committee will create safe and attractive
business environment for foreign investors, and help them solve all their
problems, he added.
US$4.5 million
to set up MiniScada system in Tam Ky and Pleiku
The Central Power
Corporation under the Vietnam Electricity (EVNCPC) and Finland's ABB Oy on
March 7 kicked off the projects on setting up the MiniScada/DMS system in
Quang Nam province's Tam Ky city and Gia Lai province's Pleiku city.
The two projects are
worth roughly US$4.5 million with the engineering-procurement-construction
(EPC) contracts being implemented and completed in the second quarter of
2018.
The projects aim to
build a MiniScada system for the electricity distribution grid in the two
cities to collect data on the grid, monitor device status and control devices
in a quick, efficient and smart manner.
Vietnamese Deputy
Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong said that with the
preferential loans of EUR10.5 million (US$11.5 million) from the Finland's
government since 2006, the EVNCPC has set up the MiniScada systems in four
cities in the central region and Central Highlands.
Vuong noted that these
systems have contributed to optimising the operation of grid, reducing the
risk of electrical accidents for operators and improving the reliability in
power supply for customers.
He hoped that in the
future, Vietnam's electricity sector would continue to receive ODA and
preferential loans from the Finland's government to modernise its grid.
Minister for Foreign
Trade and Development of Finland Lenita Toivakka said MiniScada projects in
Pleiku and Tam Ky would use Finland's technology and know-how to increase the
reliability and efficiency of electricity supply systems, helping promote
economic growth and improve the living standards of the locals.
Finland has provided
Vietnam with about EUR57 million (US$62.54 million) to fund 20 projects in
the fields of health, environment, clean water and energy.
‘Green Sunday’
campaign launched in Ho Chi Minh City
The ‘Green Sunday’
campaign was launched at a ceremony held in Ho Chi Minh City on March 6 by
the municipal Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to urge young people to
realise set targets on environmental protection.
The ceremony saw the
presence of Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City municipal
Party Committee Dinh La Thang, officials and over 6,000 youth union members
and young people living and studying in the city.
Speaking at the
ceremony, Secretary Thang urged people to join hands in order to protect
green spaces and improve the environment. Together with other officials, he
dredged rubbish and water hyacinth plants to facilitate water flow in Dua and
Ong Hoa canals in Thao Dien Ward, District 2 and planted 500 trees.
The campaign aims to
build safe and clean environments at 48 school gates, five living quarters,
10 bus routes and 40 alleys; improve the environment of 10 waterway canals;
repair power systems and water meters for 2,000 disadvantaged households; and
lay telecommunication cables underground in two streets located in District
3.
After the ceremony,
thousands of youth union members and young people from 24 districts started
work on tasks to improve the environment, including cleaning green environments,
setting up mobile recycle bins, concreting alleyways, planting trees and
removing unkempt advertising panels.
The campaign is part of
activities to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Ho
Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.
Experts urge
action to end mass fish kills
Massive fish die-offs in
many regions across the country recently have raised a big question about how
local authorities should mitigate water pollution in aquaculture breeding
areas.
Last month, more than
1,000 tonnes of fish raised in cages along the Cai Vung River in the southern
provinces of An Giang and Dong Thap reportedly died off.
After that, more than 20
households along La Nga River of the southern Dong Nai Province suffered
losses of more than 20 tonnes of fish. The total loss was estimated to be
dozens of billions of dong.
In the middle of last
year, fish reportedly died en masse at least three times in the Cha Va River
in the southern Ba Ria Vung Tau Province. Wastewater from a nearby aquatic
product processing factory was to blame.
Local authorities got
involved to find solutions to these cases, such as giving financial
assistance to farmers and cleaning the polluted water areas. However, the
problem cannot be addressed thoroughly if the solutions are applied only to
small, individual areas, said Dr. Dang Kim Son, former head of the Institute
of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development.
He highlighted the
importance of prevention rather than reacting when it’s already too late, an
effort that requires the attention of both the State and farmers.
Local authorities should
balance the bio-system of breeding areas and have irrigation plans for each
breeding type, in addition to setting up expert inspection teams to supervise
the water release of production bases, he said.
Monitoring and punishing
violations remains difficult because many small-scale households and
enterprises sneakily release waste, he added.
Chu Van Hai, director of
analytical services and experimentation centre in HCM City, advised farmers
to proactively conduct some measures to improve the aquatic environment for
fish.
One measure is to
provide enough oxygen to the fish by installing air pumps. Farmers should
also use biological produce to improve water quality, he said.
Accidents caused
by unaware motorists
A lack of awareness
about traffic safety and laws is the chief reason for the high number of
traffic accidents in the country, the vice chairman of the National Traffic
Safety Committee has said.
“People are aware of their
actions, but they deliberately violate laws because of the belief that it
will not cause a traffic accident,” Khuat Viet Hung said. “If it does happen,
they will not be punished strictly.”
He mentioned a recent
accident as an example. A driver of a car lost control of his vehicle and hit
and killed three people, including a six-year-old child, in Ha Noi’s Long
Bien District.
Hung said better
management was the key to improving the situation, which kills 12,000 people
every year on average.
State management of
traffic has been weak, resulting in poor awareness of road users. Key factors
contributing to the problem are the lack of strict law enforcement as well as
bribes given by drivers to police.
“It’s time to take
immediate action,” Hung said, adding that there was no time left to debate
the matter.
Close co-operation
between central and local government agencies is a vital factor for the
effective operation of the Viet Nam National Safety Transport Committee,
which is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
The number of people
killed in traffic accidents each year should be cut by half in the 2016-20
period, according to Phuc.
He said that authorities
must take action to educate the public and reduce the number of people
driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Phuc said that high-tech
measures should be applied to traffic regulations as well as to the
procedures of penalising violators.
For 2016 and the
five-year plan from 2016 to 2020, Viet Nam has set a target to reduce by 5-10
per cent the number of accidents, fatalities and injuries.
By the end of 2020, the
aim is to have 5,000 fewer cases of fatalities with traffic jams lasting no
more than 30 minutes.
The Viet Nam National
Safety Traffic Committee has proposed six measures to reduce traffic
accidents.
It will continue to
implement the Directive No 18 of the Party Central Committee Secretary on
traffic safety and the Government’s Decree No 88 on measures to ensure
traffic safety and overcome problems of traffic jams.
It will also raise the
capacity and efficiency of the State management toward transport safety and
install more traffic signs on roads, railways and waterways.
The committee will also
continue the restructuring of the transport sector, particularly the Ha Noi
and HCM City light trains, to reduce the use of private transport.
Inspection activities
and the handling of violation cases will also be strengthened.
The mass communication
campaign on the issue, particularly in remote regions, will also be given more
attention.
Last year, Viet Nam
achieved certain successes in traffic safety.
However, there remain
some weaknesses that should be dealt with in 2016, particularly in campaigns
to raise people’s awareness about transport safety and making transport
infrastructure mesh with socio-economic development.
According to the
National Traffic Safety Committee, the country saw serious decreases in the
number of traffic accidents, facilities and injuries from 2012 to 2014.
Last year, the number of
traffic accidents, injuries and deaths dropped 51 per cent, 60 per cent and
24 per cent, respectively, compared with four years earlier.
Bui Vien Street:
A night at the Saigon's drinking town
What is a typical night
at what is known as the ‘drinking town’ on Bui Vien Street in Ho Chi Minh
City’s downtown area like?
Even though it is dubbed
the ‘backpackers’ area,’ Vietnamese drinkers are not hard to be seen at this
busy street, even though it is as late as two in the morning, as a Tuoi Tre
(Youth) newspaper reporter observed on Saturday.
At 1:00 am, beer shops
along the street were all filled with drinkers, and Bui Vien just became
busier and more exciting with a mixture of sounds, from the cheering shouts
as people tossed their beer, to the roars of motorbike racers.
At this ‘backpacker’s
area,’ young Vietnamese men and women were seen drinking and smoking a lot,
and the period between midnight and 2:00 am is considered ‘golden hours’ for
beer sellers.
Hoang Mai, a server at a
drinking shop on Bui Vien, said foreign guests only ordered a couple bottles
of beer each, so it is Vietnamese customers that she serves the most in
recent years.
“They are young employed
people in Saigon, who drink a lot, especially from 11:00 pm to 2:00 or 3:00
am the following day,” she said.
Mai said it is not
uncommon to see Vietnamese women fail to leave the store on their own as they
are overdrunk.
“In the meantime, male
customers tend to cause fights even over small confliction,” she added.
Nguyen Hoai Nam,
introducing himself as a ‘real drinker,’ said Bui Vienm is his must-go
destination every weekend.
Nam will meet his
friends from 10:00 pm, and they only leave four hours later.
“We are all stressed
from work and drinking that late does not affect our work or other
relationships,” he explained.
“At our ages, gathering
at a drinking party is the only way for get-together.
“We will fall into
silence after a few minutes chatting over a coffee table, but when it comes
to drinking beer overnight, we can speak anything to kill stress.”
For Mai Tuan, a 21-year-old
student for a Ho Chi Minh City’s private university, drinking beer on Bui
Vien should go with smoking shisha.
Tuan spoke to Tuoi Tre
at 2:00 am, after finishing his ‘routine’ drinking.
“I never drink more than
five bottles, but I love sitting there chatting through the night with
friends,” he said.
Tuan and his friends
love to smoke shisha, which he said is a cheap service but can “create a
relaxing atmosphere” for everyone.
Such a drinking and
smoking habit is raising a few eyebrows in Vietnam, and is illustrative for a
recent national report by United Nations Population Fund in Vietnam, which
points out that the young Vietnamese are “unfit, smoke a lot, and consume
loads of alcohol.”
Thai culinary
showcase at Windsor Plaza Hotel
A 10-day Thai culinary
event called “Aroy Thai”kicked off in HCM City on March 4, featuring
authentic cuisine and culture from Thailand.
Guests can sample an
international buffet which includes authentic Thai cuisine prepared by two
Thai chefs at Cafe Central An Dong on the fourth floor of the Windsor Plaza
Hotel in District 5’s An Duong Vuong Street until March 13.
Thai specialties,
including prawn salad with sweet chili paste and lemongrass, red curry with
roasted duck and fruits, spicy seafood and hot basil soup, and much more are
present at the show. All of the dishes are prepared by famous Thai chefs
Kaewplang Booncherd and Nusart Rattapon.
In addition to
traditional Thai dances and a signature Thai massage from Windsor Spa
therapists, guests will have a chance to receive free consultation and travel
tips to Thailand from Thai renowned travel brands, Nature Tourist and Thai
Airways, during the event.
The dinner buffet is
priced starting from VND558.000++/person from Monday – Friday and
VND682.000++/person on weekends.
Ao Dai festival
2016 opens in HCM City
The third edition of a
festival designed to honour ‘Ao dai,’ the traditional long dress of
Vietnamese women, officially opened on March 8 in Ho Chi Minh City.
The opening ceremony saw
an impressive show of Ao dai by about 1,000 students.
The festival, themed
" Ho Chi Minh City - Ao dai City", will run until March 20 with
multiple activities taking place in locations throughout the city.
Among them are a parade
involving students cycling to cultural and historical sites around the city
to promote environmental protection, and photo exhibitions entitled "Ao
dai through the ages" in museums.
An "ao dai"
fair to display, exchange and trade the dress and related accessories, will
also be held, along with talk shows and relevant contests.
Local residents are
encouraged to wear "Ao dai" in their daily life throughout March.
Vietnamese
fishing boat sunk in Hoang Sa archipelago
Five Vietnamese
fishermen are drifting at sea after their fishing boat sunk in a collision
with an unnamed ship in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago on March 8.
Tran Quang Minh,
Director of the Nha Trang Radio, said that at 9:50a.m, his agency was
informed by a fishing boat coded KH 98299-TS that fishing boat KH 96640-TS of
central Khanh Hoa province was rammed and sunk by the unnamed ship while
conducting fishing activities in waters off the archipelago.
At that time, the
fishermen moved to woven bamboo basket boats and are drifting at sea.
The Vietnam Maritime
Communication and Electronics LLC notified the incident to search and rescue
agencies, and asked boats operating around the site to support the distressed
boat and its five fishermen.
Party Chief
meets with Hanoi voters
Party General Secretary
Nguyen Phu Trong joined National Assembly members in Hanoi in a meeting with
voters from Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem and Tay Ho districts on March 8.
Most of the voters
lauded the outcomes of the last 12 th National Party Congress, saying that
guidelines and policies set forth at the congress have received the consensus
of the people.
However, they also
voiced their concern about issues related to the signing of bilateral and
multilateral agreements with foreign partners, suggesting that it is
necessary to have appropriate measures in place to manage the domestic market
and improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods.
They stressed the need
to promote equitisation of State-owned enterprises, and adopt preferential
policies for the private sector, especially those concerning capital and land
leasing, in order to facilitate private firms’ development.
More drastic measures
are needed to repel corruption and wastefulness, voters said, noting that
efforts should be strengthened to improve the quality of inspectors at all
levels, aiming to create a breakthrough in anti-corruption.
They also voiced their
opinions of the draft revised Press Law, stressing the necessity to enhance
management of individual web pages, to prevent the exploitation of these
sites to publish anti-State and Party progpaganda.
Along with raising the
role of journalists, it needs to clearly define the responsibilities of
agencies and organisations in providing information for the media, and have
strict punishments for actions obstructing press activities, voters said.
The voters also worried
about food safety, and the increasing prevalence of cancers.
Acknowledging voters’
opinions, the Party chief said their ideas and suggestions will help NA
deputies do their duties better.
In his reply related to
the coming elections of the 13th NA and People's Councils at all levels , the
Party Chief said he agrees with the voters on the need to select meritorious
candidates.
Voters should promote
democracy and responsibility to wisely choose and elect the most worthy
candidates in this important political event, he stressed.
VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri
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Thứ Tư, 9 tháng 3, 2016
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