Discussing the draft Law on Office Holders on July 20, National Assembly Standing Committee’s deputies didn’t reach agreement on whether overseas Vietnamese can become employees of public organizations or not.

Discussing the draft Law on Office Holders on July 20, National Assembly Standing Committee’s deputies didn’t reach agreement on whether overseas Vietnamese (Viet Kieu) who still hold Vietnamese nationality can become employees of public organizations or not.

National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien (standing) said that the law should not say no and by-law documents can stipulate specific conditions for Viet Kieu to work at public organizations.

If a deputy said yes, another deputy immediately said no.

Those who said no quoting many reasons, for example the National Assembly Committee for Ethnic Group Chairman K’sor Phuoc worried that if Viet Kieu are allowed to participate in exams to recruit office-holders, it may have agents planted into public organizations. He proposed that people who have just Vietnamese nationality can be recruited as office-holders.

Chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Culture – Education – Youth and Children Dao Trong Thi reminded the National Assembly to anticipate problems if Viet Kieu are recruited as employees at public organizations.

“It is very difficult to manage them, especially when they go out of Vietnam. It is impossible that someone can Vietnamese office holders without being managed by Vietnamese laws,” Thi emphasized.

Chairman of the National Assembly Committee for People’s Aspiration Tran The Vuong also said “no.” He said nobody who is living in the US or France can return to Vietnam to work as staffs of public organizations for the long run. If they work in the short time, it is better to sign labor contracts with them.

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Judicial Committee Le Thi Thu Ba said that it is impossible to have people who live overseas but work as employees of public organizations in Vietnam. Only Viet Kieu who return home to settle down can be recruited as office-holders.

Those who supported to open the door for Viet Kieu also had convincing arguments.

Head of the Delegates’ Affairs Committee Pham Minh Tuyen proposed to encourage Viet Kieu to work in the fields that are not listed as “secret” like education, healthcare or scientific research. He said most public organizations (Vietnam has over 52,000 public organizations) operating in these fields.

Chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Economics Ha Van Hien supported this opinion because “Viet Kieu have different conditions. We only need to have regulations on these conditions to control.”

Minister of Home Affairs Tran Van Tuan convinced the National Assembly Standing Committee to say “yes” to show Vietnam’s open policy.

National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien said that the law should not say no and by-law documents can stipulate specific conditions for Viet Kieu to work at public organizations.

Chairman of the National Assembly Legal Committee Nguyen Van Thuan said that no one quits their jobs with monthly salary of thousands of US dollars to work as office holders in Vietnam. He suggested signing labo contracts with Viet Kieu.

National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu proposed to further discuss this issue at the upcoming meeting.

Khanh Linh