LookAtVietnam – The National Assembly has been asked to increase the State budget for cooking safety control from VND900 to VND9,000 (US$0.5) per head of population.

“About 11.5 million tonnes of vegetables were produced annually but only 8.5 per cent of the vegetable growing area is organic”.

They agreed that progress in policing food standards was below expectations over the past five years.

“Food safety affects not only people’s health but also economic development and the nation’s prestige internationally,” the committee said.

Several weaknesses in food safety management were given attention, including the overlapping of standards and the associated legal difficulties.

Minh said some 400 national food safety standards had been introduced nationwide.

“About 11.5 million tonnes of vegetables were produced annually but only 8.5 per cent of the vegetable growing area is organic,” the report said.

Chemical residues and conservative agents remained a concern in food safety.

One of the challenges facing food safety law enforcement officers was the lack of effective laws.

Phung Quoc Hien, chairman of the Financial and Budgetary Committee, called for tougher sanctions.

Le Thu Ba, chairwoman of the Legal Committee, emphasised the role played by Government agencies.

“Capacity of staff of these agencies must be strengthened with resources provided for them to carry out their duties,” Ba said.

Right to use infrastructure

Telecommunications, particularly the storage of data and the rights to use infrastructure, were among topics highlighted at a meeting to discuss the draft communications law by the National Assembly Standing Committee here yesterday.

The internet and State policies on telecommunications were also discussed. According to the Minister of Information and Communications, Le Doan Hop, the telecommunications market in Viet Nam has become increasingly competitive.

He said the State had wiped out the telecom monopoly by licensing local and foreign firms to do business.

Hop said the Post and Telecommunications Ordinance of 2002 had allowed only State-owned enterprises to set up network infrastructure and provide telecommunications services.

Under the draft law, there will be an increase in enterprises from different economic sectors undertaking telecommunications, especially in setting up network infrastructure.

Hop said Viet Nam was in dire need of huge investments in developing a national telecommunications network, adding that it was extremely important to encourage every source in society to get involved.

The draft regulates administrative procedures relevant to licensing. It will also simplify procedures on registration, project appraisal and freight.

A new point is a regulation on setting up a telecommunications management office. The Prime Minister will be given authority to decide on the function, duty, power and organisation of this office - an independent one, but set up by the State.

Discussing a fund for public interest telecommunications service, Hop

said it had mobilised VND2.8 trillion since 1994 to install more than 1.8 million fixed-phones and 39,000 internet accounts.

More than 6,000 public telephones and internet access points have been maintained in 4,000 poor communes.

According to the director of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology and Environment Committee, Dang Vu Minh, the draft needs to encourage enterprises to share infrastructure.

Chairman of the NA Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children Dao Trong Thi said the sharing of telecommunications infrastructure needed clear orientation.

It should be regulated closely to save social investment and to ensure they did not detract from the appearances of cities and provinces.

Some opinions offered said the sharing of telecommunications infrastructure was unfeasible as each enterprise had different goals.

Thi suggested the draft should clearly regulate the planning of national telecommunications development. He said it could be used by the State to develop a suitable policy for research, training, technology transfer and telecommunications development.

Chairman of the Law Committee Nguyen Van Thuan said the draft needed to express more clearly the responsibilities and duties of telecommunications producers and importers. It should also regulate the interests and duties of users.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News