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Danang, often cited as having the most
beautiful beach on the planet, witnessed a remarkable surge in the
development of luxury resorts in recent years. Now, many of them are sitting
idle.
Recently, while
attending a press conference announcing yet another big real estate project
in
The answer was an
abrupt “No”. Of course, neither reporter’s question nor the reply were
conveyed to the investor and the distributor – Savills
Real estate
investors in the coastal areas of
Investors, mostly
from
A lot of resort
projects were kicked off at that time. However, to the surprise of many, the
Analysts assert
that the investors made a big mistake when they surveyed the
Some who bought
apartments in the coastal areas have said they felt compelled to bargain
those apartments away after only a year or so of living there. Their plans
for romantic walks on the beach were thwarted by the realities of the
weather, forcing them to stay at home, lock the doors, and ramp up the air
conditioners.
Another big mistake
by investors was that resort development surged so rapidly that
infrastructure development in the locality could not keep up. An executive of
CBRE Vietnam, which acted as a consultant to a number of projects, admitted
that many apartment buyers were surprised when they saw nothing but white
spread-out sand banks.
With no service
providers in the areas, no local residents and no visitors, a lot of the
coastal resorts in
Some experts
estimate it will take 10 more years to develop the necessary infrastructure
to create a good living environment in the area.
The hasty
investments have resulted in the establishment of a series of coastal
projects during the period of 2007-2009 which are now sitting idle.
Real estate
investors are no longer welcomed by
NCDT
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Thứ Hai, 31 tháng 3, 2014
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Political
News Headlines 1/4
Regional
leaders to attend MRC summit in Vietnam
Leaders of
In attendance will
be Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, Lao PM Thongsing Thammavong, and
Thai Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul at the
invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Themed “Cooperation
for Water, Energy and Food Security in Transboundary Basins under a Changing
Climate”, the summit aims to strengthen a commitment to cross-border
cooperation in the sustainable development of water and other resources of the
The first MRC
Summit was held in Hua Hin, Thailand in 2010 to mark the 15th anniversary of
the Agreement on Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong
River Basin (1995 Mekong Agreement).
UN praises
The UN official
made the plaudit during a reception hosted by Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka,
who is also Executive Director of UN for Gender Equality and the Empowerment
of Women (UN Women), emphasized that social welfare is one of major concerns
by many countries, and
She said she hopes
that
Deputy PM
Minh expressed his appreciation for the UN’s assistance for Vietnam
over the past time, noting that gender equality is highly regulated in
Vietnam and that at present, the country is furtherinstitutionalising it in
the legal system.
At a March 31
reception for visiting WB Vice President for East Asia and Pacific Axel van
Trotsenburg in
Ninh welcomed the
WB official’s return after his most recent visit to
For his part, the
WB Vice President informed his host about the working results with local
officials and the main purpose of his current visit to
He expressed his
hope that the Vietnamese Government will continue utilizing WB aid
effectively in its national development process in the future.
The second
political consultation between
The event was
co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga and
Secretary General of the Algerian Foreign Ministry Abdelhamid Senouci
Bereksi.
The two sides
briefed each other on their respective countries’ political and
socio-economic situation and discussed measures to boost bilateral
collaboration.
They agreed to
increase delegation and people-to-people exchanges and expand contact between
their businesses.
Both sides stressed
the need to push forward the implementation of agreements signed during the
10th meeting of the two countries’ inter-governmental committee in
In discussing
regional and global issues of mutual concerns, the two sides saw eye to eye
on the need to support each other at international forums.
During her stay in
The Algerian FM
affirmed that
He also stressed
the importance of the two countries’ connections at international forums,
including the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and the South-South
Cooperation.
For her part, Nga confirmed
that in its foreign policies,
Deputy PM
welcomes World Bank Vice President Axel Van Trotsenburg
Deputy Prime
Minister Vu Van Ninh held a reception for World Bank Vice President Axel Van
Trotsenburg, who is on a working visit to
Deputy PM Ninh
thanked the guest for his assistance to
He hoped the World
Bank would continue to help
Trotsenburg said
Deputy PM
meets Harvard
Deputy Prime
Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Professor Thomas Vallely, advisor of
Harvard's Viet Nam Programme, in Ha Noi yesterday, March 31. He expressed
hope that Vallely would continue helping to consolidate
He hailed the
contributions of Prof. Vallely as well as the staff of the Viet Nam Executive
Leadership Programme (VELP), a collaborative initiative of the Vietnamese
Government, the United Nations Development Programme and the Viet Nam
Programme at Harvard's
The VELP has
created a forum for Vietnamese senior policymakers as well as business
leaders to hold dialogues based on a foundation of practical research on
policy challenges that
Professor Vallely
spoke highly of
He said he would
try his best to enhance the quality of Vietnamese teaching at
Launched in 1988,
the Viet Nam Programme aims to study
Deputy PM
bids farewell to Chinese ambassador
Deputy Prime
Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hosted a March 31 reception for
Chinese ambassador Kong Xuanyou who came to say goodbye at the end of his
term in
Minh expressed his
satisfaction with the constant development of the Vietnam-China comprehensive
strategic partnership over the years and commended the Chinese diplomat’s
positive contributions to consolidating bilateral ties.
Kong Xuanyou
thanked
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150 exhibits prove Vietnam’s sovereignty over Paracel, Spratly Islands
The exhibition of historical and legal evidences asserting
that Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands) and Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) belong
to Vietnam is held in the central province of Phu Yen from March 28 to
April 3, on the occasion of Vietnam Seafood Festival 2014.
VNE
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Sports
News Headlines 31/3
U19
Group A consists of
Teams will compete
in a round-robin format, with the two best teams from each group advancing to
the semi-final rounds.
The tournament will
last until September 13.
Bronze
medal for Vietnamese gymnast at world tournament
Vietnamese gymnast
Phan Thi Ha Thanh on March 28 secured a bronze medal at the 7th FIG World
Challenge Cup in
Ha Thanh, an
outstanding athlete from the northern port city of
The gold medal went
to Monckton Mary Anne of
In the men’s
parallel bars event, Dinh Phuong Thanh ranked 6th among eight competitors
with 13,825 points. The gold medalist was Marcel Nguyen – a German-Vietnamese
– and Epke Zonderland of the
This year’s
Challenge Cup in
Binh Duong
overcomes odds to deliver win against Da Nang
Becamex Binh Duong
defeated SHB Da Nang 3-1 yesterday afternoon in the 10th round match of the
V-League, breaking their bad luck at Chi Lang Stadium.
At the match
yesterday, Binh Duong showed that they were the real insiders and mounted
dangerous attacks, even though
And that was all
coach Le Huynh Duc's team could achieve. During the second half, Abass Cheikh
Dieng, captain Nguyen Anh Duc, and midfielder Nguyen Tang Tuan scored three
goals for Binh Duong to end the match 3-1.
With the victory,
coach Le Thuy Hai's team claims second place with 17 points, whilst
In another match
yesterday, Thanh Hoa drew 1-1 with Hoang Anh Gia Lai in Pleiku Staidium in
the Central Highlands
Women
football remains 28th place on FIFA rankings
On the FIFA
rankings for the first quarter of 2014,
In Asia, the
Vietnamese women football team was among the top six, standing behind
The world’s top
three remained unchanged - the
It’s worth noting
that
The FIFA ratings on
the second quarter will be released on June 20.
Vodickova,
Wild claim first place at
Czech Radka
Vodickova finished first at the Laguna Lang Co – Triathlon for Women, while
Swiss Ruedi Wild was first place winner among men.
A total of 200
athletes from 28 countries and territories took part in the competitions,
which included 1.8km swimming, 62km biking and 12km running races.
The March 27-29
event was organised by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Laguna Lang
Co resort.
Tien to
compete in Sunchang tennis championships
Rising tennis star
Nguyen Dac Tien will be
The event will
feature players from
Binh Duong
overcomes odds to deliver win against Da Nang
Becamex Binh Duong
defeated SHB Da Nang 3-1 yesterday afternoon in the 10th round match of the
V-League, breaking their bad luck at Chi Lang Stadium.
At the match
yesterday, Binh Duong showed that they were the real insiders and mounted
dangerous attacks, even though
And that was all
coach Le Huynh Duc's team could achieve. During the second half, Abass Cheikh
Dieng, captain Nguyen Anh Duc, and midfielder Nguyen Tang Tuan scored three
goals for Binh Duong to end the match 3-1.
With the victory,
coach Le Thuy Hai's team claims second place with 17 points, whilst
In another match
yesterday, Thanh Hoa drew 1-1 with Hoang Anh Gia Lai in Pleiku Staidium in
the Central Highlands
VNS/VNA/VOV
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Social
News Headlines 31/3
Funeral
held for Most Venerable Thich Tri Tinh
Most Venerable
Thich Tri Tinh.
The Vietnam Buddhist
Sangha (VBS) on March 29 held a solemn memorial service at Van Duc pagoda in
Born in 1917 in the
Mekong Delta
He made significant
contributions to gathering Buddhist followers in and out of the country to
jointly build a strong Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
He was conferred
with a number of noble distinctions of the Party and State, including the Ho
Chi Minh Order, Independence Order (first class), and Great National Unity
Order.
The funeral, which
will run until April 2, has received a lot of attention from mourners
nationwide.
Party Secretary
General Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, and Prime Minister
Nguyen Tan Dung have sent floral tributes to the deceased.-
Blaze rips
through 3000sq.m of wood
A fire broke out
yesterday afternoon at a wood-producing company in Trang Bom District of Dong
Nai Province, destroying nearly 3,000sq.m.
No injuries were
reported. The workers said they were able to escape the fire but unable to
control it.
More than 50
firefighters were deployed to the site and the fire was stopped after more
than an hour.
Damages have not
been assessed. The investigation is ongoing.
Around 11,000
hearing-impaired children in the northern city of
The activity was
co-organised by the local children's hospital and the city's Department of
Education and Training.
Doctor Nguyen Tuyet
Xuong, head of the hospital's ear, nose and throat department, said
58
passengers saved from stranded boat
Border guards in
the northern port city of
The ship, captained
by To Quang Trung of the city's
The passengers also
included five French tourists.
Heat wave
spreads across the north
The northern and
north-central regions are suffering a developing heat wave before
experiencing a cold spell in a couple of days, according to central weather
experts.
The heat wave,
which is moving from west to east, caused weekend temperatures in several
northern and north-central mountainous localities to increase to 35-38
degrees Celsius.
On March 30, the
temperature reached a high of 40 degrees Celsius in Tuong Duong (central Nghe
An province), and 38.2 degrees Celsius in Huong Khe (central HaTinh
province).
In the capital city
of
However, a cold
spell will strike the north on April 1, causing regional temperatures to fall
considerably.
Meanwhile, a heat
wave has baked the southern region for the past few days, with daily
temperatures ranging between 33 and 38 degrees Celsius.
Bomb left
over from war found in garden
The Binh Phuoc
Military Headquarter yesterday successfully decommissioned a 250-kilogramme
bomb and a five-kilogramme cannon warhead found in a resident's garden.
Tran Minh Canh, who
lives in Village 6 in Loc Hoa Commune in Loc Ninh District, came across the
explosives while gardening last Saturday.
The bomb, which
still had its detonator in tact, and the warhead were traced back to US
troops who were in
The bomb and the
warhead have been transported to a safe location.
UN expands
aid to ensure social welfare in Vietnam
The UN Entity for
Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) will expand its aid
to support
The function, held
by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and UN Women, drew
about 150 representatives of managerial agencies, international
organisations, and Vietnamese and foreign experts.
UN Women Executive
Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka underlined the importance of social welfare
to the development of each country and the realisation of the eight
Millennium Development Goals, which includes promoting gender equality and
empowering women.
The official, who
is also a UN Under Secretary General, added that UN Women has worked with the
Vietnamese Government to foster equality and raise society’s awareness of
ensuring women’s rights.
Meanwhile, Minister
Pham Thi Hai Chuyen stated developing the social welfare system is among the
top priorities of
At the dialogue,
participants shared opinions on gender policies and laws, the employment of
women, and the building and implementation of social welfare policies, among
others.-
Oxfam
starts poverty reduction project
Oxfam International
in
From now until
2016, monitoring work will be carried out in 10 provinces and cities
nationwide, with the implementation of policies at the local level under
particular scrutiny. In-depth consideration of poverty in urban areas and
among ethnic groups will also take place.
NGO to
build kindergartens
The non-government
organisation Saigon Children's Charity (SCC) will raise about $750,000 for
the building of kindergartens in two poor districts in the southern
A co-operation
agreement to this effect was signed between SCC and the provincial Union of
Friendship Organisations (UFO) in
Under the
programme, 10 classrooms will be built each year, equipped with full teaching
equipment and outdoor toys in order to create the best conditions for young
learners.
More than 1,000
patients in
During its stay
from March 29-30, the delegation examined and distributed drugs to patients-
mostly overseas Vietnamese and poor people- with diseases related to
ophthalmology, reproductive health and bone & joint disorders.
Koh Kong Deputy
Governor Pen Bun Chhuoi hailed the Vietnamese businesses and philanthropists
for their coordination with the provincial Overseas Vietnamese Association to
take care of local people’s health.
“Charitable
activities run by Vietnamese philanthropists in Koh Kong have made practical
contributions to the Cambodian Government’s poverty reduction policy which is
a testament to the longstanding friendship between the two nations”, he
noted.
Over 200 university
students across
Vice Chairman of
the NA Office Nguyen Sy Dung described it as an open forum where lawmakers
could introduce basic information about legislature, thereby improving social
and political awareness among students via discussions.
Andrew Holt from
the British Embassy expressed his hope that the Vietnamese NA will further
encourage students to pay attention to issues regarding politics and policy.
He made it clear
that the embassy will help more students meet and talk with NA deputies.
Many students
voiced wish that the legislative body launch a forum exclusively designed for
students, offering young generations a chance to exchange and improve
interpersonal skills.
Int’l
training centre of trade lawyers inaugurated
A centre to train
international trade lawyers, the first of its kind in
The centre was
established under the Prime Minister’s decision on approving a project to develop
a staff of lawyers to serve the international economic integration for
2001-2020
Nguyen Thai Phuc,
Director of the
To prepare for its
first training course by the end of this year, the centre has selected
qualified and prestigious partners to assist with developing the training programme
and staffing it with experienced Vietnamese and international lecturers.
In addition, it
will cooperate with English training centres from around the world to
organize training courses as soon as practical.
In the first four
years, the entire funding for the centre will come from the state budget.
From 2018, the centre will create funding sources from tuition, funds or
projects.
IFAD’s
US$34 mil for
The International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on March 28 signed a funding
agreement in its headquarter in
The signatories to
the agreement were Vietnamese ambassador to Italy Nguyen Hoang Long and IFAD
President, Kanayo F.Nwanze.
The aid will be
funded under the most preferential conditions to carry out a project to
develop rural areas sustainably and cope with climate change in the Mekong
River Delta, especially in Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces.
More than 30,000
households, mostly women and ethnic minority groups will benefit directy from
the project which focuses on raising awareness and strengthening capacity to
respond to climate change.
IFAD President,
Kanayo F. Nwanze praised
He affirmed that
his organization has pledged to continue supporting the implementation of
cooperative projects with
For his part,
ambassador Long thanked IFAD’s support for Vietnam over the years and spoke
highly of the shift of IFAD’s cooperation in helping Vietnam to cope with
climate change – a difficult issue which Vietnam need to resolve.
The Vietnamese
diplomat said that
Ho Chi Minh
memorial complex in
A ceremonial
ground-breaking for the President Ho Chi Minh memorial complex in Nakhon
Phanom province, about 800km north-eastern of
The complex,
located on a site where President Ho once lived near the
Addressing the
ceremony, Chargé d’affaires of
“Together with the
Nakhon Phanom
Governor Adisak Thepart praised the positive contributions of Vietnamese
nationals in
Thepart described
the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex as a symbol of fruitful bilateral relations
which shows the good sentiments of Nakhon Phanom people towards Vietnamese
friends.
During his visit to
Thailand in 2013, Vietnamese Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong visited the
Friendship Village in Nakhon Phanom province and presented a gift package of
VND30 billion to help construct it.
Experts from
Nguyen Trong Hoa,
Director of the HCM City Development Research Institute, said in the
development process, big cities in the world including
“It is necessary to
strengthen cooperation among cities and research institutes to solve these
problems in the most effective and efficient manner,” he said.
Chang Huyn Lee,
Director of the
He added that urban
planning, environmental pollution and climate change are global issues, so a
city can benefit and receive much needed support from cooperation with other
cities in the world to resolve them.
Delegates also
proposed participating in the Megacity network which was launched by the
Standard
stamp required for imported condoms
A senior population
official has suggested stamping all condoms imported into
All imported
condoms that have passed rigorous quality standards should be stamped, said
Duong Quoc Trong, Director of the General Office for Population and Family
Planning (GOPFP), at a seminar in
Trong made the
recommendation after a GOPFP survey reveals that there are roughly 30 types
of condoms in
Japanese condoms
have the highest price while those imported from
Delegates heard
speakers dwell on the importance of establishing quality control standards
for condoms to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
They suggested the
Health Ministry to publish a circular on national standards of contraceptive
devices, including condoms, to ensure protection and safety for all.
The event was
jointly held by the General Office for Population and Family Planning and the
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in
Thanh Hoa
mobilises int’l aid from NGOs
The central
Speaking at the
event, Vice President, Nguyen Dinh Xung, said that during the 2005-2013
period, the province had received substantial support from NGOs.
It was reported
that in 2013, 64 NGO-funded programs and projects were implemented in Thanh
Hoa with total funding reaching US$9 billion. They focused on such fields as
agriculture, rural development, health, education, natural disaster
mitigation, and climate change adaptation, helping improve local livelihoods,
reduce poverty and protect the environment.
Some effective
models which have been replicated include a microfinance fund for women
sponsored by Save the Children US, a mangrove forest plantation and
management by CARE, and a livelihood programme for children by World Vision.
Nguyen Song Hoan,
director of the provincial Foreign Affairs Department, said that Thanh Hoa
attaches importance to expanding cooperation with NGOs, considering this an
important task.
The province will
continue to strengthen the mobilization of support from NGOs, oversee the use
of aid, and facilitate NGO operation in the locality.
Hoang Van Hoang,
President of the Thanh Hoa provincial Union of Friendship Organizations,
called on NGOs and international development partners to further assist
vulnerable groups in society to escape poverty.
Photo
exhibition in support of endangered species
A week-long
photography exhibition is underway in central Danang city to raise public
awareness of the importance of conserving endangered species and their
habitats.
The event, which
opened on March 27, is part of a bio-diversity conservation project launched
by the
The exhibition
showcases 100 photos, with four of them portraying the beautiful red-shanked
douc langur (leaf eating monkey).
Posters and slogans
calling for public support for the preservation of this rare Indochinese
species are also displayed at the exhibition.
Son Tra peninsular
is the habitat for around 300 red-shanked douc langurs, which are listed in
Vietnam Red Book as endangered species, urgently in need of protection.
Denmark increases
support in food safety, clean technologies
The Danish embassy
on March 28 pledged to increase financial support to underwrite small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in
The support will be
provided under the auspices of the Danish International Development Agency
(DANIDA) Business Partnerships programme which has provided over US$74
million in aid for 300 pilot projects and over 150 long-term partners in
Danish ambassador
to Vietnam John Nielsen expressed hope the DANIDA Business Partnerships (DBP)
programme, along with DANIDA’s business tools, will contribute to reducing
poverty and maintaining sustainable development in
In the context of
Doctor
awarded French Legion of Honour Order
French Ambassador
to Vietnam Jean - Noël Poirier on March 27 presented
Associate Professor
Hoi was former deputy head of the HCM City Pasteur Institute, and vice
president of the Vietnam Red Cross. Currently, she is Vice President of the
HCM City-based Vietnam-France Friendship Association.
The 81-year-old
woman has spared no effort to develop the medical sector in
She has lobbied
government and non-governmental organisations of
Hoi is the fifth
Vietnamese woman receiving the French honour. Other recipients were former
Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly‘s External Relations Committee Ton
Nu Thi Ninh (1997 & 2013), former headmaster of the Marie Curie High
School (2004), Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien (2009), and former war
correspondent Nguyen Thi Xuan Phuong (2011).
Bird flu
awareness campaign unveiled
A communication
campaign against the spread of AH5N1 and AH7N9 strains of bird flu to humans
was opened by the Ministry of Health in the Mekong Delta city of
The campaign aims
to raise awareness among government agencies and people to prevent the
disease from spreading to humans.
It encourages
people to ensure food safety, detect and inform about bird flu outbreaks to
health and agricultural authorities, co-operate with market watch officials
to keep out smuggled poultry and poultry products, and ensure personal
hygiene and hygiene in poultry farming and slaughter.
It urges government
to strengthen oversight of measures to prevent the flu from spreading to
humans.
According to
figures from the Ministry of Health, since the beginning of last year
After a period when
the disease seemed to be in retreat, it reared up sharply early this year in
The H7N9 strain has
also been reported in
As of March 25,
some 400 cases have been reported from around
H7N9 bird flu has
been reported in 15 Chinese provinces and cities, including in Guangxi and
In
This has come in
for great appreciation from the World Health Organisation and the Food and
Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
The H5N1 strain is
also under control and the disease has not occurred for a long time.
The campaign,
organised by the ministry with support from the Unilever Viet Nam Foundation
and Lifebuoy, will see the ministry and other agencies further boost
activities to prevent the disease.
On the same day Can
Tho City leaders and representatives of the ministry and 20 southern
provinces and cities oversaw measures to combat the disease in Tan Thoi
commune in Can Tho.
UN official
calls for preventing violence against women, children
An official from
the United Nations (UN) has called for people to work together to prevent
violence against children and women.
UN Under
Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality
and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka made the
appeal while working with the Ministry of Education and Training in Hanoi on
March 29.
She warned that 1.2
billion women worldwide are suffering from violence and inequality. Hence,
the community should take responsibility to prevent this situation, Phumzile
said.
The UN organisations
are also actively carrying out a number of programmes enhancing public
awareness of the issue, she added.
Deputy Minister
Nguyen Thi Nghia highlighted the role of women and said
The ministry has
also integrated gender equality and domestic violence prevention programmes
into the teaching curriculum at schools nationwide, which has received
support from many international organisations and already sparked success,
Nghia noted.
She said such a
move should be spread wider in the capital and the country in the coming
time.
Handbook
helps nurses better support hearing impaired
A handbook
providing tips for nurses to better communicate with people unable to hear
and help them integrate into the community made its debut on March 29 in
The booklet, along
with a Vietnamese-subtitled DVD on life skills and sign language, was issued
by the Centre for Research and Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(CED), the only social organisation for the deaf in
It shapes part of a
project enriching teaching and learning documents for people who have
problems with hearing, sponsored by the non-governmental Education for
Development (EFD).
The brochure
provides information on ways of communication used by hearing-impaired people
and a number of steps to assist them in studying and protecting their ears.
Additional
documents should be made available for the hearing impaired to support their
future social integration and independent life-leading, said Director of the
centre Duong Phuong Hanh, who is also Secretary General of International
Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH) and President of the
Asia-Pacific Federation of the Hard of Hearing and Deafened (APFHD).
VNA/VOV/VNS
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Power sector needs recharge
HCM CITY
(VNS)- Experts called for improving competitiveness to develop the country's
power market at a seminar organised last week in Ha Noi by the Viet Nam
Energy Association.
While the power generation market is fairly competitive,
State-owned Electricity of Viet Nam remains the sole distributor, and
demanded a rise in prices to offset rising costs.
The association's chairman, Tran Viet Ngai, accepted the need
to increase electricity prices but said it should be based on market forces
and that the Government should amend the laws and eliminate the monopoly in
the sector.
"If the market is determined top-down like now, it cannot
operate healthily," he said.
Other experts said that only when consumers are able to choose
the seller would there be a truly competitive market.
A plan drafted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade envisages
"We began to create a competitive system for the power
market since 2005 but it will be finished only in 2023," said Nguyen
Minh Due from Ha Noi Polytechnique University.
"It is too long a period and will have a bad impact since
a monopoly still exists and causes great losses to the electricity sector and
the economy."
Ngai said that after 10 years of having a competitive power
generation market, the country is no closer to meeting the requirements of
true competitiveness, namely effectiveness, fairness, and healthy
competition.
EVN remains the largest power producer.
Ngai pointed out that while Article 19 of the Power Law
stipulates the setting up of an independent electricity regulatory agency,
nothing has been done about it yet.
Many delegates said the Government should create a power
ministry to help develop with a master plan, development, policy making, and
restructuring and equitising the industry.
Duong Quang Thanh, deputy general director of EVN, protested
about the fact that the competitiveness policy is only applicable to the
power generation market and not to inputs like coal and gas, whose prices are
not based on market demand.
Dinh The Phuc deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and
Trade's Power Regulation Department, agreed, saying that coal prices for
thermal electricity plants had been increased sharply, causing the cost of
power production to rise from VND846 per kWh to VND1,168 in the last two
years. - VNS
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