Social News In Brief 2/3 Bac Lieu approves measures to fix eroded sea dykes The Chairman of Bac Lieu People’s Committee Duong Thanh Trung discussed protecting sea dykes from erosion with relevant authorities on March 2. In the meeting, Chairman Trung said coastal erosion along Ganh Hao Dyke in Dong Hai district and Nha Mat Dyke in Bac Lieu city had become alarming. Ganh Hao Dyke is likely to fail at any minute, putting the lives of more than 8,000 households in Ganh Hao town at risk, he warned. The chairman later approved a proposal by the Southern Institute of Water Resource Research to reinforce the dykes by installing concrete pillars at G1-835 section of Ganh Hao Dyke, rebuilding wall breakwaters and using Tetrapod structures. Bac Lieu Province is a Mekong Delta province vulnerable to climate change. The two sea dykes in the province have been badly damaged by high tides, huge waves and strong winds since late January, threatening the lives and properties of local residents. According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, huge waves and powerful winds swept away nearly 90 metres of Ganh Hao Dyke while damaging about 24 metres of Nha Mat Dyke. Thua Thien – Hue pays second-batch Formosa compensation to fishermen A person from Thach Trung commune, Ha Tinh province receives compensation. The People’s Committee of central Thua Thien – Hue province will distribute 200 billion VND (8.8 million USD) in second advanced compensation to households affected by the Formosa marine environmental incident. Phong Dien district will receive more than 24 billion VND (one million USD), Quang Dien nearly 14 billion VND (616,000 USD), Phu Vang over 68.5 billion VND (over 3 million USD), Phu Loc 73.6 billion VND (3.23 million USD), and Huong Tra town over 19.7 billion VND (866,800 USD). The Committee requested the five localities ensure the progress of the second batch payment of compensation. So far, 18,114 out of 19,000 affected households have received compensation worth a total of nearly 322 billion VND (14.17 million USD), accounting for over 80 percent of the total compensation of 400 billion VND (17.6 million USD) in the first phase. Phong Dien district distributed nearly 29 billion VND (1.27 million USD) for 2,046 beneficiaries, Quang Dien district paid over 25 billion VND (1.1 million USD) to 1,329 people, Phu Vang district over 129 billion VND (5.67 million USD) for 6,156 people, and Huong Tra town over 19 billion VND (836,000 USD) for 1,552 people. According to Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Dinh Duc, most beneficiaries used their first-batch compensation to upgrade or buy fishing tools. In late June 2016, Taiwan-invested Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Limited Company admitted responsibility for the environmental incident, which affected the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue. It pledged 11.5 trillion VND (500 million USD) in compensation. The Ministry of Finance transferred 3 trillion VND (134 million USD) to the localities in the initial phase. Of the amount, Thua Thien-Hue got 400 billion VND (17.6 million USD), Quang Binh 1.1 trillion VND (48.5 million USD), Ha Tinh one trillion VND (44.1 million USD), and Quang Tri 500 billion VND (22 million USD). Hanoi leader vows to bring best works to Frankfurt Book Fair Chairman of the Hanoi City People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung has vowed to bring the best Vietnamese books, including German works translated into Vietnamese centuries ago, to the Frankfurt Book Fair 2021, to which Vietnam has been invited as a guest of honour. During a working session in Hanoi on March 1 with Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair Juergen Boos, Chung asked his guest to assist Hanoi in personnel training for the organisation of major book fairs in the future. He affirmed that Vietnam and the capital city Hanoi in particular is working for the development of the reading culture, adding that the city has been coordinating with publishing houses to hold book fair each year. According to him, Hanoi is building a book street which is due to open on May 1, while a national exhibition centre is slated for inauguration in 2018, which will allow the city to hold a large-scale book fair in late 2018 or early 2019. The Hanoi leader also took note that the capital city is using German advanced technologies many fields, includinghealth care, transport, waste treatment and publishing. Boos, for his part, said the Frankfurt Book Fair provides a platform for experts and politicians to express opinions on cultural development of their countries. Hailing Vietnam’s rich cultural treasure which is yet to be fully tapped, he vowed all possible support for Vietnam to increase its presence in Germany, firstly providing training for its staff this June. He proposed that the Vietnamese side select outstanding works and translate them into many languages for the fair. Vietnam should also work with other Southeast Asian nations to build a forum on ASEAN reading culture development, he said. Concluding the working session, Chairman Chung suggested signing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation, under which, the Frankfurt Book Fair will help Hanoi with training and organisation of major book fairs in the future, while Vietnam and Hanoi will organize annual book displays and art shows in Germany, among others. Japanese company interested in water supply project in Dong Nai Representatives from Japan’s Kobelco Corporation expressed their desire to invest in the Nhon Trach 2 water supply plant project in the southern province of Dong Nai at a working session with local authorities on March 1. They said besides construction, steel and machinery, the corporation has a unit specialising in water treatment – Kobelco-Eco Solution, which boasts advanced, energy-saving and environmentally-friendly technologies. According to Tran Van Vinh, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, with a population of more than 3 million, the province is forecast to need around 1 million cu.m of water per day. However the capacity of its current system is about 400,000 cu.m per day. In 2014, the Nhon Trach 1 water supply plant (the first phase) with a capacity of 100,000 cu.m per day was built with Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) capital. Dong Nai is implementing the second phase of the plant (Nhon Trach 2) with a loan of 15 billion JPY (132 million USD) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to bring its total capacity to 200,000 cu.m per day. RoK foundation to build new rural village in Hau Giang A delegation from the Saeumaul Globalisation Foundation (SGF) of the Republic of Korea discussed building a Vietnam-Korea village in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang during a working session with the provincial authorities on March 1. An Deok-jang, Director of the SGF management board for Africa and Asia, said local people’s effort is crucial to the new rural movement and hoped that the Vietnam-Korea village model in Luong Tam commune, Long My district and Binh Thanh commune, Phung Hiep district would be a success. The goal of the project is to enable local residents to adopt effective economic models after five years, he said. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Truong Canh Tuyen vowed all possible support for the project, which has an investment of more than 72.4 billion VND (3.14 million USD). Work on the Vietnam-Korea village will start this year with the hope to complete the village in 2020 in order to multiply the model across the province and the Mekong Delta after 2020. Between now and 2020, both sides will offer training in household and collective economic management for local residents, build production infrastructure, transfer technology, develop education-health care and cultural exchange, and create a better business environment. Party balloon explosion injures five, one hospitalize Dozens balloons used for party decoration have exploded in northern Vietnam, leaving five people with burn injuries, one of them has to be hospitalized, one of the victims said. The 40 balloons, bought by a family in Hanoi to celebrate a member's birthday, went off when a woman was removing them from a plastic bag, said the 34-year-old victim, identified only as Minh. She was rushed to hospital with multiple burns on her face and hands. “It was lucky that children were standing far,” said Minh with her face and arms covered in white bandage, “I was aghast at seeing the balloons blowing up that violently.” The victim was admitted to the Saint-Paul Hospital in shock and would stay for treatment for two weeks, said doctor Nguyen Thong, head of the adult burn department. The hospital has also been treating a female patient who suffered from various burns on her face and arms due to an explosion of 55 party balloons on Valentine's Day. The hospital has received dozens of patients with burn injuries caused by balloons, said doctor Thong. It is suspected that the balloons which exploded and caught fire after coming contact with high temperature were filled with highly inflammable hydrogen, instead of helium. Both the gases are lighter than air so they make balloons fly. Cheaper hydrogen is sometimes favored by balloon suppliers. Two killed in truck, motorbike accident in Đồng Nai A pregnant woman and an 8-year-old student were killed on Tuesday after a truck hit their motorbikes in the southern province of Đồng Nai. The accident occurred at 5:30pm when the truck lost control outside Sông Mây Primary School on Vĩnh Cửu District’s ĐT 767 Street and swerved into four motorbikes, killing two and injuring two others who were later sent to the hospital. Many parents were waiting to pick their children up at the time of the accident, a local resident said. The truck driver’s identity has not been determined. An investigation is continuing, according to authorities. Heat edge Alab Pilipinas to sneak into playoff conversation The Saigon Heat, who limped through the first eight games of the season, have suddenly come to life. Battling for their lives in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) playoff picture, the Heat pulled out a gritty performance against Alab Pilipinas with a 78-74 victory Sunday night in Ho Chi Minh City. The win, coupled with losses by rivals Westports Malaysia Dragons and the Kaohsiung Truth, slide the Heat into the fourth playoff position at a record of 5-8. The Heat are peaking at the right time, winning four of their last five games in dramatic fashion. Heat star Lenny Daniel led all scorers with 24 point and added 15 rebounds, while teammate Jordan Henriquez added his own double double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Henriquez has helped the Heat to two wins filling in for the injured Christien Charles, although the Heat may try to find a way to keep him around if Saigon continues winning. Four players hit double digits for Alab, led by Sampson Carter with 20 points and 11 rebounds. “We always believe in the game plan,” said Swedish-Vietnamese marksman Stefan Nguyen. “We know we can win every game. “We’ve been playing with urgency the whole season.” Saigon came out firing on all cylinders in the first half, leading 37-26 at the break. But Alab came alive in the third quarter, with the game tied 53 apiece heading into the fourth. Contributions from David Arnold and Moses Morgan sealed the game, despite some late jitters with an ill-advised three-shot foul by Nguyen on Alab’s Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. with seconds remaining in the game. The next game should be just as intense, with both teams facing one another this Friday, once again at CIS Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City. Workshop talks sustainable livelihood for disadvantaged labourers Experts gathered at a workshop hosted by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) in Hanoi on March 1 to seek ways to ensure sustainable livelihood for disadvantaged labourers. The workshop was part of a national scientific research project on the issue. The targeted group includes beggars, crime victims, the disabled, youths in underprivileged circumstances, the unemployed, ex-prisoners, the elderly, prostitutes, and the homeless. Those living under the poverty line and refugees are also in this category. Addressing the event, Director of the Confederation’s Institute of Worker and Trade Union Vu Quang Tho stressed that the disadvantaged group is the focus of attention of the trade union organisation. Participants agreed that the State needs to provide more support for the group, who are faced with many difficulties and obstacles in integrating into the community. Those difficulties and obstacles may be related to their physical conditions, their capability, professions, living conditions or social prejudice and psychological problems. They suggested offering incentives to encourage organisations and individuals to invest in remote, mountainous areas and use local labourers in their investment projects, while localities need to promote vocational training and general education. Job placement service should be developed in tandem with vocational training designed specifically for the disabled, through strengthening connection among the service providers, enterprises and labourers, it was proposed at the workshop. Heineken sponsors water protection research Heineken Vietnam Brewery Limited Company (Heineken Vietnam Brewery) on February 28 announced to give VND420 million to four water protection research projects conducted by students and lecturers in HCM City. Students and instructors from the HCM City University of Technology and Education and the University of Science of HCM City will focus on researching new materials and devices for water treatment. On the same day, Heineken Vietnam Brewery awarded 22 scholarships worth a total of VND30 million to students of environment in the city. An extra 33 scholarships will be granted to students in the Mekong Delta on March 2. Presenting financial aid to students and scientific research projects is key to the company’s program to nurture local talent since 2012. Since 2012, Heineken has awarded 186 scholarships worth VND1.9 billion and sponsored 20 water resource research projects with a total value of nearly VND2.3 billion. Central city to start landmines education project for kids The central city People’s Committee will start a landmine and bomb awareness and education project funded by the United States Secretary through Catholic Relief Service organisation. The city said the VNĐ855 million (US$37,800) project will aim to spread awareness about landmines and bomb-related accidents for students at schools and field trips education from 2017-2020. The city, in co-operation with relevant agencies and its US partner, plans to implement the project in the second quarter this year. Last year, the Đà Nẵng-based branch of the Bomb and Mine Action Support Association donated VNĐ240 million ($11,000) to support 20 landmine victims in seven districts of the city. According to a survey in 2002, nearly 96.6 million hectares of land across Việt Nam are contaminated with post-war unexploded ordnance (UXO), accounting for 21.12 percent of the country’s land. UXOs claimed 42,135 lives and injured 62,163 others from 1975 to 2000. In 2012, a US government-funded programme to remove unexploded ordnance (UXO) and landmines was launched in the central province of Quảng Nam Province In 2013, Danish Demining Group (DDG) Việt Nam also launched an education project for the prevention of accidents related to landmines and UXO in Quảng Nam province’s Duy Xuyên District. The Peace Trees Việt Nam, a NGO from the US, built up the Danaan Parry Landmines Education Centre in Quảng Trị Province to provide landmine awareness education for provincial residents and children. Workshop talks sustainable livelihood for disadvantaged labourers Experts gathered at a workshop hosted by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) in Hanoi on March 1 to seek ways to ensure sustainable livelihood for disadvantaged labourers. The workshop was part of a national scientific research project on the issue. The targeted group includes beggars, crime victims, the disabled, youths in underprivileged circumstances, the unemployed, ex-prisoners, the elderly, prostitutes, and the homeless. Those living under the poverty line and refugees are also in this category. Addressing the event, Director of the Confederation’s Institute of Worker and Trade Union Vu Quang Tho stressed that the disadvantaged group is the focus of attention of the trade union organisation. Participants agreed that the State needs to provide more support for the group, who are faced with many difficulties and obstacles in integrating into the community. Those difficulties and obstacles may be related to their physical conditions, their capability, professions, living conditions or social prejudice and psychological problems. They suggested offering incentives to encourage organisations and individuals to invest in remote, mountainous areas and use local labourers in their investment projects, while localities need to promote vocational training and general education. Job placement service should be developed in tandem with vocational training designed specifically for the disabled, through strengthening connection among the service providers, enterprises and labourers, it was proposed at the workshop. Central Theoretical Council convenes second session The Central Theoretical Council convened its second session for 2016-2021 in Hanoi on December 7 under the chairmanship of Dinh The Huynh, Politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat. At the session, the council focused on discussing two draft consultant reports on “A number of theoretical and practical issues on completing the socialist-orientated market economy” and a number of theoretical and practical issues on continuing to reform mechanisms and policies to encourage and facilitate the private economic sector. Addressing the session, Politburo member Huynh urged the Council’s Permanent Board to seriously absorb the opinions and comments on relevant issues expressed by the Council’s members at the session in order to submit them to the Politburo and Secretariat at the upcoming meeting of the Party Central Committee. The socialist-orientated market economy is an economy operating fully and synchronously according to the rules of a market economy while ensuring a socialist orientation suitable to each period of national development. It is a modern and internationally integrated market economy that is administered by a law-ruled socialist state and led by the Communist Party of Vietnam toward the goal of a rich people and a developed, democratic, equal and civilised country. It is a type of organisation of the economy based on not only the principles and rules of a market economy but also on the principles and characteristics of socialism shown in three respects: ownership, organisation of management and distribution. It is an organised market economy led by the Party and administered by the socialist state, which is socially orientated to minimise the defects of the market in order to best serve the interests of the majority of the people and the sustainable development of the country. Youth Action Month observed nationwide A total of 20 gifts worth VND 20 million in total were also presented to the families of policy beneficiary and poor households in Hoa Binh Province by the Youth Union of the Centrally Run Business Bloc at the launching of its Youth Action Month on March 1. The construction of a VND 110 million house started as a gift for national veteran revolutionary Do Xuan Dau in Thai Thinh Commune, Hoa Binh to mark the occasion. At this year’s action moth, Youth Union of the Centrally Run Business Bloc committed to implementing volunteer activities that will benefit the community and ensure social welfare with a total value of VND 35.5 billion. The youth union also launched a tree-planting programme, with 86 trees being planted at the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant. The Youth Action Month kicked off the same day in Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong Province with a focus on popularising the fine tradition of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and providing vocational training for the youth. In response to the Youth Action Month, Thanh Hoa’s provincial Youth Union has committed to studying and following President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example, improving local traffic routes, bridges and canal systems and collecting waste in Nong Cong Town. A total of 64 volunteer groups each including 10 youth union members were debuted yesterday in Ho Chi Minh City by the city Youth Union to help maintain traffic safety in university areas and traffic congestion spots in the city. More than 300 youth union members and students in Lang Son Province took part in the launching ceremony of a Youth Action Month yesterday. 200 elders, children, and people from policy beneficiary and poor households in Thuy Hung Commune were provided with free health check-ups at the event. HCMC attempts to tidy up pavements for pedestrians this year Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong required 24 district leaders’ commitment to him that they will basically tidy up pavements and restore street order this year at a meeting with Traffic Safety Committee, agencies and districts on March 1.  Those failing to complete the task would be proposed to to do another job, he said. Reporting to Mr. Phong, deputy head of the board Nguyen Ngoc Tuong said that HCMC has 4,869 streets but only 2,271 routes have pavements. For the past time, the board has set up inspection teams to survey and found many business households have encroached pavements and road beds to sell goods, place sign boards and park vehicles. Lot of restaurants have occupied pavements at night to arrange furniture to sell food or beverages. Hours long parking has occurred in some streets even in areas with no-parking boards. Most districts said that they had attempted to tackle the issue. However, the remedy has not worked long as right after inspectors leave, citizens continue encroaching pavements to do businesses. Relevant agencies have yet to well coordinate together to solve the pavement and roadbed encroachment, which has worsened in adjacent areas of two localities or more. Propaganda has been irregular and inconvincible to create citizens’ agreement and change their awareness. Many districts’ leaders have not taken drastic actions. At the meeting, most districts said that they had instructed relevant sides to build and implement plans to streamline streets and pavements in their localities. They made a pledge of determination to settle the encroachment. According to chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong, street order restoration has drawn much public attention so the city should implement the plan more drastically instead of following movements. Many solutions should be combined to gain high efficiency. The plan should be carried out drastically and lawfully to contribute in bettering living environment for citizens as pavement and street infringement has much affected traffic safety and urban civilization, he stressed. District 1 has recently made great efforts to clear pavements. For instance, local authorities have talked to 500 business households about their business premise reorganization. Chairman Phong said that the city had issued some legal documents on pavement and street management since 2002. The matter now is how relevant districts and agencies’ determination to implement the plan. Tackling violations must abide by the law. Authorized agencies should first propose citizens to remove their furniture and goods from pavements themselves before applying coercive measures, he required. Implementing the chairman’s requirement, the People’s Committee of Ward 2, District 8 on the same day sent an announcement to households, businesses and organizations in the ward, asking them to remove three step staircases, concrete ramps, lean to roofs, electric sign boards from pavements. According to the announcement, citizens should remove business supplies, goods and ornamental tree pots from pavements in front of their houses within seven days after receiving the announcement. Afterwards, wards’ people’s committees will inspect and issue the fine of VND2-3 million to violating individuals and VND4-6 million to organizations according to Decree 46 of the Government. At a cabinet meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc appraised HCMC for its efforts and determination to clear pavements for pedestrians. Conference spotlights significance of science, technology growth As advantages of natural resources and labor forces cannot last forever, education, science and technology will help with the country’s growth and competitiveness, stated Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Van Tung. Tung was addressing a conference themed “Advancing the future of Vietnam: Inspiring students, makers, educators and entrepreneurs to innovate,” held by US Arizona State University’s Higher Engineering Education Alliance Programme (HEEP) and Vietnamese partners in Hanoi on March 1-2. He held that developed education, science and technology will help Vietnam achieve sustainable development and narrow its development gap with other countries. Tung also lauded the theme of the event, the fifth edition of the Vietnam Engineering Education Conference under the new name science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) conference. It is expected to gather ideas to contribute to the modernization and industrialization of the country. Over the past years, Vietnam’s science and technology sector has been developing in all spheres, from human resources to policies. The Government has strengthened investment in the field through the privatization of investment resources, while encouraging enterprises to give an adequate amount from their profit to science and technology development. The Ministry has also conducted various projects on science and technology to create new breakthroughs in the field to boost socio-economic growth, said Tung. Currently, science, technology, and engineering have become important forces behind the economic development in the world and ASEAN, as well as an important factor of global trade. The conference aims to seek measures to boost the growth of professions in the field of science, technology, engineering and math. During the event, HEEP and Intel Products Vietnam Ltd. announced a technology master scholarship programme for 19 Vietnamese students in ASU, as part of efforts to implement Intel’s commitments to contributing to the building of a smart city in Ho Chi Minh City. The ASU will also organise a week-long training course for 10 competent officials of the city. Lai Châu police seize heroin, arrest 2 Police in the northern Lai Châu Province’s Tân Uyên District have arrested two persons for illegally transporting 39 cakes of heroin. The suspects were identified on Tuesday as Hạng A Lau, 52, from Mộc Châu District’s Chiềng Hắc Commune in Sơn La Province and Sồng Thị Dí from Lóong Sập Commune. In early January, the local police received information that a person from the ethnic H’Mông community often transported drugs to Mộc Châu District for consumption in Lào Cai Province. On February 24, following a tip-off, around 2pm, the police stopped a motorbike on National Highway 32. The two men on the bike flung their backpack containing 39 cakes of heroin on the pavement and tried to escape by shooting at the police. As the police gave chase, the duo ran and took cover in a ravine, but within an hour Dí was arrested. After over two hours of persuasion, Lau surrendered and was disarmed and arrested. One policeman was injured during the chase. The police also seized a K59 pistol and seven bullets during the case. At the police station, the suspects confessed that a Laos national had asked them to transport the heroin to Lào Cai Province for a payment of VNĐ150 million (US$6,600), which would be made after delivery. This is the largest drug case that has been busted by the local police, and further investigations are underway. The investigation team has received an award for the breakthrough. In a separate incident, police officials from the northern province of Điện Biên on Tuesday arrested a suspect for possession of 22,000 synthetic drugs in the form of tablets. The suspect, Vàng A Thông, 28, was a resident of Điện Biên District’s Hẹ Muông Commune. At 1pm, the local police stopped a motorbike heading to the district centre. Thông tried to speed away, but was caught later. He allegedly admitted that he had bought the drugs near the border and was planning to sell it locally. Investigations are on. US Army Pacific Hands Over Kindergarten School in Vietnam General Robert Brown, commanding general of the United States Army Pacific, officially handed over the Quang Phuoc Kindergarten in Thua Thien Hue Province to the local community on February 24, 2017.  This United States Army Corps of Engineers Humanitarian Assistance project is the result of hard work and a comprehensive total-government approach to build trust and deepen the relationship between the United States and Vietnam. Since 2009, the U.S. Government, through the Overseas Humanitarian Disaster Assistance and Civic Action Program, has partnered with the Vietnamese government to construct schools, clinics, disaster coordination centers, and bridges in many towns and villages throughout Vietnam.  “As a father and grandfather, I understand the importance of having a safe and good environment for education,” said Brown.  The new two-story school consists of four classrooms which will accommodate 80 students and their teachers. During the rainy season, the school also serves as a flood-shelter. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE