New gov’t spokesman outlines goals, plans Mai Tien Dung, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office, talks to the press about the challenge the Government faces in the future and his views on the new post.   Mai Tien Dung, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office. What is your biggest challenge of the new government spokesperson? New tasks always come with difficulties and challenges, especially the increasing demands of the Party and Government leaders, the people aiming at contributing to the country’s rapid development and sustainability. In an interview with the press after taking office, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc outlined six priorities in the Government’s management. Government Office’s responsibility is to assist the Government and the Prime Minister in implementing priorities with the highest results. I will work with my staff to improve the quality of advice, better perform the function of information and communication, provide information to the press and the public on the government policies as well as Party resolutions. As a member of the Government, what challenges for the Government do you see in the future? The problems that the Government faces are falling oil prices, balancing the budget and public debt. We participated in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement which is both an opportunity and a great challenge. In addition, the country faces other problems like climate change, drought and salinity. The Prime Minister has determined to tackle all the above mentioned issues. As many as 20,000 businesses were forced to halt operation in the first quarter of this year. What’s your opinion on that? The market economy has its rules, but this large number of enterprises closing down is not normal. Of course there are problems accessing credit, interest rates but also governance and capacity issues. If businesses have no administrators, or they are incompetent, and they can’t make their products different from the rest, they are viable for only a short time. The State can only create corridors and mechanisms but can not replace businesses. Our enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises, pay too much attention to brand building but less to their products. This also occurs in the supportive industry. Many enterprises can’t manufacture items that are required by foreign companies. Over the past years, the Government office has been proactive in providing information to the press and the public. Would you share your views about your new post as Government spokesperson? Information and communication to ensure proper government leadership is a key task of the Government Office. The quality of communication has been raised, with a diversification of communication forms, to provide timely information for press agencies and people. This contributes to social consensus, enhances transparency and accountability in the operation of the Government and the Prime Minister. However, communication has not always met the needs of society or effectively serviced the direction and administration of the Government and the Prime Minister. It is necessary for the Government Office to continue to make improvements, innovations, and take a more proactive role. It should not just fulfill the job of disseminating information from the Government to the people but also receive feedback from the people. The office should perform its role as an interactive communication channel between the Government and the people. The Government spokesperson will always stand by with the press to implement its duties. VNS