Social News 28/5 Lao newspaper explores plots against Vietnam   An election in Vietnam. The Lao “Security” newspaper, published by the Lao Ministry of Security, carried several stories alleging that forces hostile to Vietnam attempted to sabotage recent elections in the country. The newspaper said the forces abused democracy and human rights to sabotage Vietnam’s elections of deputies to the 14th National Assembly (NA) and People’s Councils at all levels. Laos wants to raise awareness and vigilance among people and security forces on the fight against the “peaceful evolution” schemes of the hostile forces. According to the newspaper, the forces induced political opportunists and those with anti-revolutionary thoughts to disseminate information distorting the socio-economic development guidelines, standpoints and policies of Vietnam. The forces used Facebook to call for “free elections”. When independant candidates were not approved for the NA election, they urged a boycott of the election. They considered the elections to the 14th NA and People’s Councils as an opportunity to induce public doubt and a lack of confidence in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the newspaper said. The “Viet Tan” group and others brought forces from Vietnam to Thailand and Malaysia to train to fight against Vietnam, including using propaganda to make people misunderstand the role of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the newspaper alleged. In Ho Chi Minh City, the groups opened a number of training courses for intellectuals and students, attracted petitioners, and developed membership at industrial parks. After the 12th National Party Congress, police collected evidence on the groups’ plots, which aim to realise their “peaceful evolution” strategy. The newspaper concluded that plots against Vietnam are taking place more intensely with various methods. It stressed that the distortion of the Vietnamese socialist regime has been the unchanged target of the groups for decades. Việt Nam must create non-smoking environment: WHO The World Health Organisation (WHO) urged Việt Nam to create a non-smoking environment during a meeting held on Thursday in Hà Nội, ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31. The WHO representative in Việt Nam, Lokky Wai, said Việt Nam should establish a task force that comprises a group or team of inspectors and supervisors and a hotline to receive feedback and handle smoking violations. Wai also praised Việt Nam’s achievements in the implementation of the Law on Tobacco Harm Control and Prevention, especially the expansion of non-smoking communities and the establishment of a Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund. Surveys have showed a remarkable reduction in the exposure rate to second-hand smoke (SHS) indoors, at the workplace and at public areas, although the smoking rate has not reduced much in Việt Nam, according to Wai. A survey conducted by WHO, the US CDC, the General Statistics Office and the Hà Nội Medical University in 2015 showed that the SHS rate at home had dropped to 59.9 per cent from 73.1 per cent in 2010. At the workplace, the SHS rate had dropped to 42.6 per cent compared with 55.9 per cent, while the rate declined to 19.4 per cent from 34.4 per cent on public transport. The WHO representative also suggested the health ministry further promote communication activities and create a non-smoking environment at hospitals, medical stations and public places like hotels and restaurants. At the event, deputy minister of Health Nguyễn Viết Tiến called on ministries, provinces and cities to strengthen inspection and promote communication on tobacco prevention and control. “Closer collaboration and support between ministries and sectors will help to maintain and strengthen activities on tobacco control and prevention. It will not only be the health sector‘s task, but also the responsibility of the whole society and community to ensure a healthy lifestyle and sustainable development of the country,” Tiến said. On Sunday, the Việt Nam Women’s Union will also launch a campaign on building Non-Smoking Families to celebrate the World No Tobacco Day and the National No Tobacco Week (May 25-31). Every year on May 31, WHO and its partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day, highlighting the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. Tobacco kills nearly six million people each year, of which more than five million are smokers or ex-smokers, while more than 600,000 are non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke. Unless urgent action is taken, the annual death toll could rise to more than eight million by 2030, according to the WHO. Medical doctor’s photo book launched to fund charity A photo book featuring the evolving world of work in and around Hà Nội was launched on Wednesday by the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in Việt Nam to raise money for charity. Entitled Hanoi Works, the book was co-produced by the photographer and medical doctor Ton Van der Velden and the graphic designer William Silva. The Hilton Hanoi Opera and an anonymous donor helped with the printing. All kinds of workers, including a tattooist, wedding photographer, flower street vendor, conical hat maker, garment workers, healthcare staff, and traffic policewoman - are featured in the book. The book costs VNĐ550,000. Anyone interested in any photo featured in the book can purchase a print of the photo for VNĐ690,000 - or a mounted photo for VNĐ890,000. All proceeds will be used to support education and vocational training for kids in crisis in Việt Nam. The Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, an Australian charity working with children in Vietnam, assists over 1,500 of the most vulnerable children throughout the country every year, including street kids, children with disabilities, children from rural families living in extreme poverty, and victims of human trafficking and slavery. Khánh Hoà welcomes 1.6 million foreign tourists The south-central province of Khánh Hoà received 1.6 million foreign tourists in the first five months of the year, an increase of 14.3 per cent year-on-year. Foreign visitors numbered 446,200. Most tourists came from China and Russia, and stayed for an average of four days. Revenue from tourism topped VNĐ2.7 trillion, a 21.1 per cent rise. Quảng Bình sets up hotline to provide tourist information The People’s Committee of the central Quảng Bình Province has set up a hotline to assist tourists at 052.3833399 and 052.3503399. It will provide information about policies, regulations, destinations and tours. Tourists can also complain at the hotline if they have been gouged and seek assistance if facing security problems or are robbed or lose something. The hotline is operated by the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism’s tourism promotion information centre. Alma Vietnam 2016 takes place in Cuba The Alma Vietnam 2016 gala night has been held at La Habana University, Cuba by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in the Caribbean country. The event is to honor the 40th anniversary of Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30) and late President Ho Chi Minh’s 125th birthday (May 19), while introducing the Southeast Asian country’s unique and diversified artistic features to friends in Cuba. All the performing artists at the event praised the sacrifice made by young generations of Vietnamese for the country’s independence, the beauty of the country’s landscape, people and traditions, as well as the positive spirit of Vietnamese nationals in many difficult circumstances. The annual event is expected to present Vietnam’s culture through special images and songs to friends in Cuba, especially youngsters, while intensifying solidarity of the Overseas Vietnamese community in the land of José Martí. Talk seeks ways to improve NGOs’ aid activities Opportunities and challenges stemming from the country’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and the ASEAN Community, and the aid activities of foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Vietnam were discussed at a talk in Hanoi on May 26. Speaking at the event, Phan Anh Son, head of the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee under the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, said that Vietnam has set up relations with around 1,000 NGOs, of which over 500 have carried out programmes and projects supporting Vietnam in numerous fields; including health, education, environmental protection, rural development and settlement of war consequences. According to Son, Vietnam’s participation in the TPP agreement and the ASEAN Community affects not only its Government, people and businesses, but also NGOs operating in the country. He suggested the organisations base their planning on the information they receive, the actual situation in Vietnam and their resources, to make long-term and sustainable programmes and projects to facilitate Vietnam’s participation in the agreement and the community. Tran Viet Thai, deputy head of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies under the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, emphasised the role of NGOs in assisting Vietnam’s integration process. He said that the organisations should help popularise information related to the agreement and the community to localities and businesses, and help them effectively implement measures related to human resource training, address commercial disputes and increase competitiveness. Meanwhile, head of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Le Kim Dung, stated that improving the implementation of issues related to employment and sustainable poverty reduction requires the involvement of many parties, including foreign organisations, in boosting legal and mechanism reforms, and improving the investment and business environment. At the event, participants from NGOs and foreign diplomatic representative offices in Vietnam, and Vietnamese ministries, also discussed opportunities and challenges in agriculture, and cooperation potential between NGOs and businesses during Vietnam’s integration process. Health Minister urges WHO support for ASEAN’s development goals Vietnamese Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has called on the World Health Organisation (WHO) and international partners to help ASEAN member states, including Vietnam, achieve national goals and enhance national capacity for fulfilling the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The minister, as the current Chair of the ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting, made the call at the WHO’s 69th annual General Assembly that is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from May 23-28 and has attracted 3,500 delegates representing 194 member states. In her speech themed “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” she informed participants that Vietnam has achieved a majority of health-related UN millennial development goals (MDGs) and is also one of the 10 fast-track nations in achieving MDGs on reducing maternal and child mortality. However, she said Vietnam has been facing numerous challenges, for example disparities between and within regions and populations, limited capacity in services provision and coverage, especially in mountainous and disadvantaged areas, inadequate human resources for health, and a lack of inter-sectoral collaboration in certain areas. Vietnam is also one of the countries most affected by climate change, which leads to serious impacts on people’s health. She also shared ASEAN’s post-2015 vision and priorities, saying that the regional health sector has the vision of “A Healthy, Caring and Sustainable ASEAN Community.” “This vision will be realised through the operationalisation of four major Health Clusters including Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle; Responding to All Hazards and Emerging Threats; Strengthening Health Systems and Access to Care and Ensuring Food Safety. These four Health Clusters are focused on the implementation of 20 health priorities that includes universal health coverage, prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, combating antimicrobial resistance, disaster health management, human resource development on health, active ageing and promotion of good nutrition and a healthy diet,” she said. WHO Director General Margaret Chan, in her opening remarks, welcomed the current joint external evaluations that are looking at preparedness and response capacities in several countries. The evaluations need to continue with the utmost urgency, as a tool under WHO authority and coordination, she said. Participants focused their discussion on WHO’s continued reform and health issues within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Among 17 sustainable development goals to 2030 adopted last September, WHO focuses on the goal of ensuring a healthy life and improving well-being for all peoples at all ages, along with strengthening medical equipment and protecting public health globally against epidemic diseases. Ministries draft plan for feedback on public services The ministries of justice, home affairs, information and communication, and government office are drafting a plan to establish a system to receive feedback on public administration services. Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình yesterday asked the ministries and relevant agencies to complete the draft decision that creates the foundation, establishment and operation of the system. The ministries and agencies must co-operate closely to ensure effective operation of the system, avoid overlapping and wastage, Bình said. They are also required to clearly regulate the responsibilities and the obligations of the relevant agencies. The draft is expected to be submitted to the prime minister by the middle of next month. In 2014, the prime minister had agreed to the initiative to develop an electronic system to receive and process feedback on public administration services. The move aims to improve the quality of public administration service delivery and create favourable conditions for citizens and businesses through a transparent administration system. According to a survey conducted in 2014 and in the first six months of 2015 by the Ministry of Home Affairs to calculate the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services, people residing in 10 selected Vietnamese provinces and cities are generally satisfied with local public administrative services. At the ceremony to mark the report’s launch last month, Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Vice President Nguyen Van Pha said State administrative agencies should prioritise the application of information technology in administrative procedures to ensure better access to services for the people. The government should also tighten supervision of public servants and strictly penalise those who intentionally cause difficulties for people while carrying out administrative services, he said. He also suggested State administrative agencies review legal documents to cut down unnecessary procedures. HCM City needs over US$4 billion to tackle flooding Ho Chi Minh City needs a large amount of money to fix its flooding problem since it was designed for two million people but the population has surged to more than 10 million, experts have said at a recent conference on the issue. It will need VND97.3 trillion (US$4.38 billion) for anti-flooding projects by 2020, according to a report released at the conference held by the city Party unit. The city has earmarked VND23 trillion (nearly US$1.1 billion), including for three wastewater treatment plants at Binh Hung, Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe, and Tham Luong – Ben Cat, and is still looking to mobilize the remaining amount. Urban infrastructure, specifically the drainage system, is overloaded due to the rapid population growth, according to the report. Authorities hope to raise money from official development assistance loans and the private sector. More than VND39.2 trillion (US$1.76 billion) worth of ODA will be needed to dredge sections of the Tham Luong, Ben Cat and Nuoc Len canals and move out the slums situated along their banks. The city is still looking for funds for at least four more wastewater treatment plants, sluice gates to prevent water from canals flooding into the sewer system and dredging the Xuyen Tam Canal and the Go Dua and Khanh Hoi reservoirs. The Ho Chi Minh City Anti-flooding Center will invest in systems to monitor the flows in major canals, including Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe and Tan Hoa – Lo Gom. Passive smoking reduces, smoking rate remains high The rates of passive smoking both at home and workplaces in Vietnam declined from 73.1 percent and 55.9 percent in 2010 to 59.9 percent and 42.6 percent last year, respectively. This is the result of a survey in 2015 jointly conducted by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Vietnam’s General Statistics Office and the Hanoi University of Medicine. The survey also showed the rate of people exposed to tobacco smoke at schools decreased from 22.3 percent to 16.1 percent during the period while the exposure rate in public transportation means fell from 34.4 percent to 19.4 percent. The rate of smoking among the 13-15 age group decreased from 3.3 percent in 2007 to 2.5 percent in 2014, with 90 percent of the young smokers expressing intention to stop. According to Director of the Fund for Tobacco Harms Prevention Luong Ngoc Khue, the positive trend is the outcome of concerted efforts by the fund and ministries, agencies and local authorities. At the fund’s advice, 40 out of 63 labour federations of provinces and cities across the country have signed commitments with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour on building a no-smoking working environment. As a result, 90 percent of grassroots trade unions have implemented measures towards a smoke-free working environment as of the end of 2015. All hospitals under the direct management of the Health Ministry have set up steering committees on tobacco harm prevention, and as of November 2015, 92 percent of provincial Health Departments and trade unions in the health service signed commitments to a no-smoking environment in hospitals. However, Vietnam is still among 15 countries with the highest male smoking rate, at 47.4 percent. The total number of smokers in the country amounts to 15.3 million, while 33 million non-smokers are regularly exposed to tobacco smoke at home and five million adults suffer from passive smoking in the workplace. The WHO reported that around 40,000 people in Vietnam die from smoking-related diseases each year. Meanwhile, a survey at the Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) in Hanoi showed 96.8 percent of lung cancer patients smoke. Passive smokers, particularly children, also face high risks of diseases. On the occasion of the World No Tobacco (May 31), Vietnam has launched a No Tobacco Week from May 25-31 to continue raising the awareness of both managerial agencies and society as a whole about the harms of tobacco smoking and reinforcing the enforcement of the Law of Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms. The World No Tobacco Day (May 31) this year takes on the theme of “Get ready for plain (Standardised) packaging, with the aim of reducing the attractiveness of tobacco products, Australia became the first country to adopt plain packaging for tobacco products in December 2012. Ireland became the second country to enforce the practice in March this year.- 13th victim in Vietnam's buses-truck collision dies Another victim in a collision between two buses and one truck that left 12 people dead and 40 others injured in Binh Thuan Province on May 22 has succumbed to severe burns. Vy Thanh Hieu, 46, died on May 24 at Ho Chi Minh City's Cho Ray Hospital, where he and three others with the most serious injuries were being treated, local media reported. He was one of the passengers on the two sleeper buses which crashed head-on on the National Road 1A's section in Ham Thuan Nam District at around 4 a.m., before being burned down in a blaze. One of the buses belonged to transport company Phuong Trang and was heading to Ho Chi Minh City from the central province of Quang Ngai. The other was bound for the central province of Ha Tinh. According to initial information from police, both the buses were moving within the speed limit of 70 kilometers per hour. When the buses were on fire, a truck crashed into them and quickly caught fire as well. Locals and rescuers managed to evacuate 40 people, while 12 others were trapped. Investigators are looking into the cause. Official figures showed four accidents on the same road section since 2015. A total of 26 people have been killed. The eight-kilometer section is 13 meters wide, which is too narrow to host four lanes, local media reported, citing Pham Van Nam, director of Binh Thuan's Transport Department. Traffic accidents kill 24 people on average every day, according to official statistics. Vietnam now has nearly 2.75 million cars and 45 million motorbikes. Telemedicine taps HCM City doctors’ expertise Doctors at the Gia Định People’s Hospital in HCM City yesterday offered specialty consultation to doctors at the Củ Chi District Hospital through a video link. It is the first district-level hospital in the city to use telemedicine. Last week the city Department of Health had assisted the Củ Chi hospital in installing InTouch Health, a telehealth network, and linking up with 11 major city hospitals. It will also consult doctors at 10 hospitals in the city, including Paediatrics Hospital No.1, Từ Dũ Obstetrics Hospital, Bình Dân Hospital, Ear-Nose-Throat Hospital, Dento- Maxilo- Facial Hospital, Dermatology Hospital, and Củ Chi General Hospital. After piloting the system at the Củ Chi hospital, the department will scale it up, establishing telemedicine links at all district-level public hospitals in the city, Lê Anh Tuấn, head of the Department of Health office, said. It is aimed at reducing the overload at major hospitals, with specialists offering help to examine, diagnose and treat patients at any geographic location. The telehealth network also enables healthcare units to transfer technology and remotely train doctors. Artist honoured for contribution to overseas Vietnamese community People's Artist Thanh Hoa has been conferred with a Certificate of Merit from the State in recognition of her contribution to the development of the cultural and spiritual life of the overseas Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic. Hoa was presented the certificate during a meeting held at the Vietnam Embassy in Prague on May 24 during a European tour by Vietnamese art troupes. Speaking at the meeting, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Truong Manh Son praised the dedication and contributions of the artists, including People's Artists Thanh Hoa, Trung Duc, and Thu Hien in addition to Meritorious Artist Thanh Ngoan, to the development of culture and arts, not only in Vietnam but also among other Vietnamese communities abroad, such as the community in the Czech Republic. Son stated that the tireless efforts of artists have enriched the cultural and spiritual life of Vietnamese people in foreign countries, while contributing to preserving the nation’s cultural values. The diplomat wished the artists good health and asked them to nurture their passion in order to continue to serve and be worthy of the love and admiration of audiences both at home and abroad for the artists. Apart from the People's Artist title, Hoa also holds the position of Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Association for Business Culture Development. In recent years, Hoa has mobilised and contributed efforts to organise a range of cultural activities for Vietnamese communities in foreign countries, including a trans-European entrepreneur singing festival 2015 in the Czech Republic. She is expected to return to the country for the global entrepreneur singing festival in 2017. Hoa said that this is the first time a programme has brought together three well-known Vietnamese People's Artists. Under the title ‘A time to remember’, the performances, which include traditional cheo singing and xam folk melodies, have received an enthusiastic response from overseas compatriots in Germany, Austria, Hungary and Czech. “I am very happy because for the first time the programme has brought to foreign countries the real values of Vietnamese music and received endless warm applause from the audiences,” Hoa said, adding that Vietnamese people in every corner of the world respect and understand the true value of art. “It seemed that the further the distance away from the Fatherland, the more the Vietnamese art forms are praised. It is the true happiness of the artists," she stressed. Hoa also expressed her hope that the same events would return to the overseas Vietnamese community in the near future to entertain audiences and improve the quality of life for Vietnamese people living away from their motherland. Environmental photos on display in HCMC Gia Dinh Photo Club (GDPC) has announced winners of an international photography contest titled “Green Environment” and opened an exhibition featuring entries from contestants, Tuoi Tre reported. The award ceremony was held at the Institute for Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF) in HCMC on Monday. This is also where the exhibition is taking place until May 26 to showcase the photos selected from 1,807 entries of 297 photographers from 19 countries and territories. The competition came with four categories: environment, landscape, water resources and wildlife. The panel of judges was chaired by GDPC and French photography association Image Sans Frontiere (ISF). The ISF judges awarded gold medals to Vietnam’s Le Ngoc Huy for Save The Dying River in environment category, Britain’s Robert Harvey for Three Galaxies in landscape category and In The Storm in water resources category, and another British contestant, Bob Devine, for Eagle and The Fish in wildlife category. The GDPC judges presented first prizes to a number of competitors including Vietnam’s Nguyen Dinh Ri for Law Of The Nature in environment category. Nguyen Xuan Khanh, a member of the panel of judges, said Vietnamese photographers are as good as their foreign peers in terms of photography professionalism but their ideas are poorer. New Ghenh rail bridge ready in end-June A new Ghenh rail bridge spanning the Dong Nai River on the north-south rail line in Bien Hoa City will be up and running at the end of June. Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong said at a meeting on Monday that the three spans would be installed as the last component of a project to re-build the bridge that collapsed after a barge collision in March. Dong told Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No. 1 (Cienco 1) to stick to the approved construction schedule and make sure all the spans will be in place by June 25 as planned. Cienco 1 said it has to use a large barge to transport a steel scaffolding to the project site to put the spans in place. The installation of each span takes nine days. Dong told contractors to work out detailed construction plans to ensure smooth traffic in the river while the bridge is under construction. Contractors have mobilized large numbers of workers to construct the bridge in three shifts a day without weekend breaks to ensure the bridge could be opened to traffic on schedule. According to Vietnam Railways Corporation, the opening of the new Ghenh rail bridge will make life easy for the north-south railway operator, which has suffered a daily loss of VND5-10 billion since a sand-transporting barge hit the old Ghenh on March 20. The accident disrupted all train services to and from HCMC. The railway operator has incurred total losses of VND800 billion (US$35.84 million) due to declining numbers of passengers and rising costs for the purchase of new equipment and coaching passengers between Di An Railway Station in Binh Duong Province and Bien Hoa Railway Station in Dong Nai Province. Some days later, the Government approved urgent funding of VND298.5 billion for construction of the new rail bridge to replace the wrecked one. Flyovers ineffective in Hà Nội, HCM City Hà Nội and HCM City have witnessed the erection of dozens of flyovers in recent years, however many have proved to be hot spots for environmental pollution and public disorder, according to urban experts. Observations by a Vietnam News Agency correspondent of four flyovers spanning the Đại Cồ Việt-Xã Đàn-Phạm Ngọc Thạch-Chùa Bộc road route in Hà Nội showed that pedestrians were mostly ignoring the structures, preferring to traverse the dangerous roads unaided. A number of dust carts had been left at the foot of the flyovers causing an eyesore for road users. Some residents also occupied the space with personal trading stalls. The same problems were also seen at the flyover in front of Bạch Mai Hospital on Giải Phóng Road. The correspondent noted that all flyovers had cracked in parts and pot-holes were appearing on the concrete surface. Đức Phúc, a local resident, said that a lot of shops and traders had set up along and at the foot of the flyover discharging large amounts of rubbish. This, combined with hassle directed at pedestrians made the flyovers an inconvenient option for local residents. Residents living near the Giảng Võ Flyover complained that the area had attracted drug addicts and gamblers every afternoon and evening, creating a public order issue and further discouraging use of the flyover. Trần Đức Tuấn, a student of the Banking Academy, said that the flyover in front of the academy on Chùa Bộc Road was built near the zebra crossing rendering it superfluous. Statistics from the Hà Nội Department of Transport showed that the capital had 18 flyovers, but many of them had been built too high, with the steep inclines causing difficulties for older and disabled pedestrians. In HCM City, the flyover at the Nguyễn Trãi Hospital in District 5 was locked for a long time because it provided an easy route for thieves to reach the hospital. At a recent conference on designing, investing, building and managing flyovers which was held by the Vietnam Federation of Civil Engineering Associations in co-ordination with the ministries of Construction and Transport, urban experts agreed that current flyover management was unsuitable and ineffective. Deputy chairman of the National Committee of Traffic Safety Khuất Việt Hùng said that to be operated effectively, the flyovers must be built in locations that have the greatest need. Deputy chief inspector of the Hà Nội Department of Construction Trần Đăng Hải said that the process of conducting research, designing and building flyovers was a complicated task. As a result, some of them had been built in unsuitable places and therefore work ineffectively. Ngô Hải Đường, head of the Infrastructure Management Division under the HCM City Department of Construction, suggested that to make the flyovers more effective, organisations should provide education and guidance to residents on the use of flyovers. Strict punishment should also be enforced for pedestrians who failed to walk in regulated areas, he said. Resettlement projects need private sector’s involvement The HCMC government should find ways to attract private firms to get involved in home relocation and resettlement projects for households who will leave slums along the canals, instead of relying on ODA loans. Dinh La Thang, secretary of the HCMC Party Committee, made the point during a field trip to households in the slums along the canals in District 8 on Monday. Thang suggested house relocation projects be implemented in the public-private partnership (PPP) form to cut State budget spending, and the city pay back for investors by land in the areas agreed by investors. The city cannot count on official development assistance (ODA) only to raise funds for urban rehabilitation projects. The authority of District 8 reported that there are more than 9,500 houses located in the slums along the canals, mainly Tau Hu-Lo Gom, Doi, Ong Be, Xom Cui, Ben Nghe and Ruot Ngua. A majority of houses were illegally built and lack basic facilities such as toilets, while these houses discharge waste directly into the canals. The district proposed two plans to relocate all the houses with total funding of VND13.76 trillion (US$616.6 million) for site clearance and compensation or only 2,910 substandard houses along Doi Canal a cost of VND3.84 trillion (US$171.9 million). Leaders of the departments of planning-investment and and construction threw their weight behind the first plans. District 8 has implemented seven resettlement projects with 6,100 apartments, but only 252 apartments of them have been completed. Thang said authorities cannot let people live in such a polluted environment. After relocation, all citizens including those who do not meet requirements to get apartments should be assisted to have new homes. Apartments of the kind must be built within four years instead of until 2023 as planned by the investment management board for urban transport projects, Thang said. Thang told the authority of District 8 to place dustbins along the canals so that people no longer throw garbage into the canals. Ministry wants water supply zoning plan for Mekong Delta improved Deputy Minister of Construction Phan Thi My Linh has urged Vietnam Water, Sanitation and Environment Joint Stock Company (Viwase) to improve a water supply zoning plan for the Mekong Delta for submission to the Prime Minister. Consultant Viwase is improving the water supply zoning plan for the delta until 2030 with a vision towards 2050. According to Viwase, the plan covers the entire region with a natural area of about 40,600 square kilometers. The objective until 2030 is to build an inter-regional water supply system in combination with existing and newly-built water plants in the region to ensure that 100% of urbanites, 90% of suburbanites and 25% of rural residents have access to running water. The plan also provides technical solutions and management methods to prevent water losses. It includes zoning the Mekong Delta water supply system into three areas of Northern Tien River, between the Tien and Hau rivers and Southwestern Hau River; and installing master water meters. The plan also includes measures to optimize water distribution, upgrade and replace old pipes, and prevent water leaks. The water supply system in the Mekong Delta, consisting of about 350 water plants with a combined capacity of 1.15 million cubic meters a day, has deteriorated. Zoning the water supply system in the delta has been mentioned but provinces have not found effective solutions to solve problems relating to water supply and climate change, saltwater intrusion, and rising sea levels. Therefore, the Prime Minister has told relevant agencies to complete the water supply zoning plan with an aim to help the region improve water supply, adapt to climate change and prevent salination while boosting infrastructure development and socio-economic growth. The Ministry of Construction said at a recent meeting held to evaluate the plan, experts and representatives of the Mekong Delta provinces said that to complete the plan, the consulting unit should review the water demand in economic zones, border gate economic zones, further study the  factors for flooding and climate change and assess the impact of reservoirs in the Mekong River upstream. Can Tho needs to develop waterway system Transport Minister Truong Quang Nghia has urged the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho to restructure local transportation, focusing on the waterway network to fully tap regional potential. He made the statement at a working session with local authorities during his tour to the southern provinces and cities on May 26. The Minister suggested the locality invest in waterways to facilitate rice shipments, easing traffic on roads. He also called on the city to develop a logistics system and an urban and rural transport network both on land and water. According to Chairman of the Can Tho People’s Committee Dao Anh Dung, traffic networks have been upgraded, particularly in rural areas to meet new-style rural area criteria. Over the past ten years, numerous projects have been carried out in the city, aiming at turning it into a regional transport hub connections, such as the Can Tho bridge, Can Tho port, the Can Tho international airport, Dung said. He also called for the Ministry’s investment in other urgent projects, including upgrades to several highway sections on National Road No. 91, and the Hau River Southern Highway. The southwest region boasts more than 14,826 km of inland waterways. But up to 109 out of 288 overpasses do not fulfil technical requirements and are in need of urgent upgrade. As many as 15 waterway transport co-operatives and 387 enterprises with 1,302 vessels transport about 348.4 million tonnes of cargo and 1.9 billion passenger-km every year. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri