Book on economic integration released

The National Committee for International Economic Co-operation yesterday launched its Viet Nam Co-operation Index 1995-2009 report.

The report is the result of a project to improve management capacity and international economic integration, which was funded by the Viet Nam-based Australian Agency for International Development and the UK. The authors built index and co-operation levels between Viet Nam and nine partner countries.

Research showed that co-operative relations between Viet Nam and nine partners has rapidly grown with nine key partners, of which two-way trade turnover accounted for 80 per cent of the country’s total trade with the world.

Forest, climate change competition launched

A competition on forests in the context of climate change and desertification was launched yesterday in Ha Noi by theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Directorate of Forestry.

The competition celebrates the 2011 International Year of Forests and Decade for Deserts and Fight against Desertification (2010 – 20), said Deputy Minister Hua Duc Nhi.

All Vietnamese people and foreigners are encouraged to take part in the competition. Candidates are able to enter the competition by either answering questions on the website or through creative writing on the competition theme.

Candidates must submit their entry by March 31, 2012.

Requirements and questions are published on an official website www.tongcuclamnghiep.gov.vn.

Farmers to get subsidy of up to VND1.3 billion

Farming households whose harvests were affected by the high-tension lights on the highway of HCM City – Trung Luong will get “subsidy” of up to VND1.3 billion as compensation, said Nguyen Thanh Nguyen, Vice chairman of Long An Province People’s Committee in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.

According to Nguyen, because of the high-intensity lights on the highway, the rice plants in the area have not grown properly, with authorities agreeing to compensate farmers nearly VND1.3 billion ($62,000).

The sum is VND100 million ($4,700) lower than the amount requested by the farmers.

Viet Nam, Germany should expand education, science co-operation

Viet Nam and Germany should promote deeper partnerships in the field of education and science and technology apart from the current co-operation in economics and trade.

Viet Nam hoped that Germany would share its experiences, particularly in financial budgeting, said National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien while receiving the delegation of members of the budget committee of the German Federal Parliament led by deputy chairman Herbert Frankenhauser.

Kien said although the economics and trade partnerships between Viet Nam and Germany had seen some advances, in general it remained modest compared to the potential, strength and wishes of both sides.

Frankenhauser said his country wished to contribute to the development of Viet Nam and would continue to support Viet Nam in the development of education and training, science and technology and financial system reforms.

Military Hospital 108 awarded Golden Star Order on 60th anniversary

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan yesterday awarded the Military Hospital 108 with Golden Star Order at a ceremony to celebrate the hospital’s 60th anniversary.

The award was given to the hospital in recognition of its excellent performance in the healthcare services delivery. Speaking at the ceremony, Defence Minister, General Phung Quang Thanh, said with support of the Party, State and the Army, the hospital had developed to become one of the leading medical centres in the country.

Thanh urged the hospital’s staff to keep up their good work and to continue to make use of the unity between the army and the people.

Deputy PM asks ministry to ensure no rice shortages between harvests

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung has asked the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Finance to make sure there are no rice shortages in localities in between crops, the hardest time of the year for farmers.

The ministries are required to quickly submit to the Government amounts of rice needed to alleviate any problems.

For the Lunar New Year holidays, the Government delivered more than 37,500 tonnes of rice from the national reserve to needy people in 14 cities and provinces.—

Phu Yen celebrates 400 years since establishment

Ten thousand Phu Yen residents and visitors gathered in Tuy Hoa City’s April 1st Square yesterday to enjoy a ceremony and parade held to celebrate 400 years since the formation of the central province of Phu Yen.

A demonstration of all the province’s armed forces and civil groups took place in the presence of Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Party’s Central Committee Truong Tan Sang, and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan.

In his opening speech, the Party’s provincial committee secretary Dao Tan Loc praised the patriotism, solidarity and harmonisation that helped Phu Yen leaders and people overcome many difficulties in the past as well as their concerted efforts which resulted in the encouraging achievements that were seen today.

Loc spoke highly of the local people, from the very first ethnic groups that lived in the area, including Cham, E De and Ba Na, to today’s residents, who worked hard to promote production while fighting enemies, natural disasters and epidemics for socio-economic progress during the last four centuries.

He also praised the people of Phu Yen for their significant contributions to the nation’s wars against French and American aggressors which helped to unify the country.

“The good traditions of Phu Yen people are still being promoted in the cause to renovate our homeland,” he said. “The province has made important achievements thanks to the Party’s leadership and efforts from the local leaders and people.”

“The province has attained significant economic growth and prospered from a locality that was primarily dependant on agriculture late in the last century, with a total State budget collection of only VND40 billion (US$2.2 million) in 1990, to what it is today,” said Loc.

Last year, manufacturing and construction accounted for 34.4 per cent of the province’s economic achievements, with services making up 36.4 per cent and agriculture, 29.2 per cent. In the five years to 2010, total capital mobilised for public development reached VND28 trillion (US$1.3 million), threefold that of 2001-05.

Phu Yen currently has three hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of 360MW. Grids reach all corners of the province.

The province contributes competitive products to the world market like cashew nuts, tuna and lobster.

Loc said that in addition to the positive industrial and urban development, the province had also seen significant progress in education, health care and social welfare. In particular, the rate of poor households had been reduced to 9 per cent, he said.

“All these achievements are creating a solid foundation for us to pursue fast and sustainable socio-economic development,” he said.

The province targets an average annual economic growth of about 13 per cent over the next five years, and a per capita GDP of VND37 million (nearly $2,000) by 2015. It is striving to become an industrial province within the next 10 years.

Loc said that in the coming years, the province should focus on stepping up development in three major areas: economic zone and traffic infrastructure, facilities and technologies for agriculture and rural areas, and human resource quality.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sang asked Phu Yen to maintain its high determination to promote its geographic advantages, natural and human resources and historical traditions in the coming years.

He suggested the province boost co-operation with other countries and foreign partners to speed up economic growth, concentrate on shifting economic structure, improve infrastructure, and invest more in the rural areas. Particularly, he asked the province to boost rearing, growing, exploiting and processing activities in the seacooking industry while protecting the environment.

Yesterday, Phu Yen leaders and people received the Ho Chi Minh Order, a noblethe State, for their achievements in recent years. honour granted by

Vice Secretary of the provincial youth union committee Phan Dai Thang said the young generations of Phu Yen paid deep gratitude to the great services that their forefathers rendered to the homeland and promised to be a vanguard force in their studies and work for the province’s development.

“I’m very proud of the tradition, cultural values and heroic spirit of the people of Phu Yen,” said 80-year-old Mang Hieu, who resides in Phu Yen’s Dong Xuan district.

“I will continue to tell my descendants to preserve and promote those values and work hard to help our home town become richer and more beautiful,” he said.

“On this important day, I have a hope that local authorities will co-operate more with foreign investors to best exploit and preserve our seafood resources and provide more benefits to our fishermen,” said Ho Van Han, a fisherman in Tuy Hoa City.

HCM City stabilises prices of local drugs

HCM City has stabilised the price of 40 kinds of domestically made essential drugs throughout the year, beginning on Thursday, according to the City Department of Health.

The drugs, which are all in high demand, are part of the 10 medicine groups that are used to treat both common and chronic diseases.

The 10 kinds of drugs are used for pain and fever, allergies, diarrhoea, stomachache, coughs, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, antibiotics and inflammation. Eye drops are also on the list.

The price-stabilised medicines will be sold at drugstores that participate in the plan.

The pharmaceuticals l account for 50 per cent of the city’s consumption during the year and their prices will be sold at 10 per cent lower than normal market price.

The city People’s Committee will provide interest-free loans worth VND9 billion (US$430,000) in a period of one year to companies selected to take part in the plan.

Four pharmaceutical companies have been selected to participate in the plan are the Domesco Medical Import-Export, the Joint-Stock Corporation, the F.T PHARMA Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, the Glomed Pharmaceutical Co. and the Euvipharm Pharmaceutical Joint-Stock Company.

Agriculture relief tax implemented

A new tax relief measure on agricultural land will take effect on May 15 under a Government decree.

Under Decree 20/2011, agricultural land which is used to produce salt from sea water, for research activities and production related pilot programmes, and for at least one annual rice crop are exempt from tax.

Agricultural land allocated by the State to poor households is also tax-free.

Poor households are identified based on the Government’s criteria on poverty standards. They can also be identified based on local poverty standards if provincial People’s Committees have their own detailed rules.

The decree states that economic, political and social organisations and armed forces receive a 50 per cent reduction in taxes on agricultural land.

Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Farmers Association Nguyen Duy Luong said the decree significantly contributed to hastening hunger elimination and poverty reduction and improving living conditions for farmers.

In the past, as many as 11.2 million households nationwide with agricultural areas covering 5.4 million hectares paid more than VND2.8 trillion (US$134 million) in taxes, he said.

Tax on agricultural land was estimated to account for 8 per cent of a farmer’s average annual income, he said.

The decree will be effective until the end of 2020.

Agent Orange activists to review future plans

The Vietnam - US Dialogue Group on Agent Orange/Dioxin is scheduled to meet in HCM City next Friday to discuss future activities.

The workshop is part of the group’s action plan on AO/dioxin during the 2010-19 period, Ngo Quang Xuan, vice chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Affairs and co-head of the group, said at a press briefing on March 31.

The US$300 million action plan set out by the group last June focuses on human health and the environment.

“Participants at the workshop are scheduled to visit Bien Hoa Airport in southern Dong Nai province, one of the hot spots of AO/Dioxin contamination, and a care centre for AO/Dioxin child victims, as well as some victims’ families,” he said.

“Over the past years, the group, with assistance from the Government, the Vietnam Association for Victims of AO/dioxin and international agencies and organisations, has actively worked to raise awareness in the US of the harmful consequences of using the toxic chemical during the American War. The group has also striven to mobilise the US to contribute to making good the damage caused by AO to both the environment and people’s health in Vietnam.”

Meanwhile, a music programme is scheduled for April 7 at HCM City-based Hoa Binh Theatre to raise funds for AO victims in Vietnam.

“The workshop and the fund-raising programme are aimed at raising public awareness about the issue, especially in the US, and to mobilise resources to address the harmful consequences of using AO. We also want to implement projects to clean up dioxin-contaminated areas, restore the environment and support people who have been exposed to the toxic chemical,” Xuan said.

Military doctors do eye check-up for Cambodians

More than 100 poor Cambodian people were given free eye checks-up and operations by Vietnamese doctors at Preah Kat Mealea Hospital of the Cambodian Royal Army in Phnom Penh on April 1.

They were among 250 poor people who are due to have their eyes checked and have surgery, if needed, by doctors from Military Hospital 175 and the Ho Chi Minh Eye Hospital, on April 1 and 2.

“Vietnamese doctors have not only brought back vision to Cambodian patients but also helped them have a strong belief in their future,” said General Som Samnang, Chief of the General Department for Logistics and Finance of the Cambodian Royal Army.

He said this eye operation programme, launched under cooperation of the two countries’ armies, helped improve the Cambodian people’s living conditions.

Military Hospital 175 said more than 40 doctors and nurses, along with all necessary machinery and equipment, were sent to implement this charitable programme, the ninth since 2007.

Hospital 175 has provided free medical check-ups to thousands of poor Cambodian people.

Nearly 20,000 Vietnamese workers sent to foreign countries

The number of Vietnamese workers sent to foreign countries in the first three months this year hit 19,814, according to the Overseas Labour Management Department of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

In March alone, 6,943 workers were recruited by foreign enterprises, from Taiwan (2,998), the Republic of Korea (1,563), Japan (236), Malaysia (842), Laos (491), the United Arab of Emirates (43), Saudi Arabia (92), Macau (256), Cambodia (278) and other countries (144).

Dao Cong Hai, Deputy Head of the Overseas Labour Management Department, said traditional markets such as Japan, Taiwan and the RoK, will still receive more workers, while Malaysia is scheduled to become a key market.

Mr. Hai also noted that labour demands in Malaysia focus on fields such as electronics, automobile spare parts, the plastic, footwear, garment and textile. A seminar on labour export between Vietnam and Malaysia is planned to take place in April.

Also, MoLISA Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the plan to send 87,000 workers to foreign countries this year will be influenced, the Ministry will research to seek suitable markets and ensure stable jobs for workers.

4th high-level seminar between Vietnam and Netherlands opens

The fourth high-level seminar between Vietnam and the Netherlands was held in HCM City from March 31 to April 1, discussing plans for the Mekong River Delta.

The seminar attracted the participation of Dutch Crown Prince William Alexander, senior officials and scientists from the Netherlands, Vietnam’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Thai Lai, as well as representatives from local authorities in the Mekong River Delta.

At the seminar, participants gave opinions on a zoning plan in 13 provinces and cities in the Mekong River Delta, focusing on issues related to water resources by regulating floods to reducing the impact of rising sea levels and climate change, as well as preventing droughts and salt marsh.

Participants also made an assessment on the progress of planning for the Mekong River Delta, devised a plan for 2011 and prepared for the upcoming seminar on the issue.

Vietnam responds to International Year of Forests

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development made an appeal on April 1 for activities in response to International Year of Forests 2011 and the United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification that runs from 2010 to 2020.

On this occasion, the General Forest Department joined the Vietnam Forest Science Association in launching a knowledge contest on the links between forests and climate change as well as desertification.

All Vietnamese citizens and foreigners can take part in the contest by answering questions or writing essays on the above theme. The deadline for entries is March 31, 2012, and the awards are scheduled for June 2012.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hua Duc Nhi said Vietnam has been implementing synchronous measures to strengthen forestation, protect seashores, and deal with droughts and climate change.

Over the past two decades, the Vietnamese Government and people have made great efforts to restore, safeguard and develop their forests, said Nguyen Ba Ngai, Deputy Director General of the General Forest Department. The country’s forest coverage has risen from 27.2 percent in the early 1990s to 39.5 percent in 2010, an increase of 0.4 percent per year, he said.

Vietnam’s forest acreage increased continuously from 1995 to 2009 thanks to both forestation and restoration of natural forests. In addition, the quality of forests has also been improved.

Vietnam donates $1 mil to Japan quake victims

The Vietnam Red Cross (VRC) yesterday handed US$1 million to the Japanese Red Cross (JRC) in an act of support to Japanese victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

The money was part of more than VND33 billion ($1.58 million) VRC has received from Vietnamese people across the country during the agency’s one-month campaign to raise aid for Japanese quake victims.

The remaining amount and further donations in days to come will be transferred to the JRC on April 15, VRC said.

Yesterday VRC received VND600 million ($28,700) donated by Khanh Viet Corporation, Nhan Ai International Joint Stock Company, and Bill Gates Education System.

VRC chapters at all levels will continue to step up the campaign in support of Japanese victims till April 15, said Dr Tran Ngoc Tang, VRC President.

Reckless driver killing 9 charged

Investigation police of Hanoi’s Thuong Tin district officially charged Nguyen The Hung today for the crime of “traffic violation that causes serious damages” after he drove a 16-seat vehicle past the red light and hit a train, killing 9 passengers.

The accident took place 15:00 on March 30 at a crossing with a railway in Ha Hoi commune of the district.

Witnesses said the 30-year-old driver intentionally crossed the red light when the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi train was coming. The collision killed 9 passengers on the 16-seat Toyota and injured six others.

In Vietnam, there are many intersections between railways and roads, where traffic light posts, warning siren and sometimes barriers are set up to ward street-goers when a train is coming.

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Man burns wife to death over fighting cock

A poor man living in An Giang southern province last month ruthlessly beat and burned his wife to death when he found out she sold his fighting cock to buy milk for their 18-year-old daughter.

Due to the fire, Phung Hoai Anh together with his wife and children suffered severe burns and were all taken to An Giang General Hospital for treatment.

His wife, who was known only as Loan, suffered burns on over 70 pct on her body while Anh and his daughter suffered 54 pct and 20 pct burns respectively.

Loan eventually died after a forty-day treatment while her husband and offspring are being treated in Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray General Hospital.

According to police, Anh often gambled and bet on fighting cocks.

Tuoi Tre’s readers have just donated VND13 million (roughly US$650) to partially help her family cover medical cost.

Tropical low pressure detected off East Sea

A tropical low pressure was detected for the first time this year off the East Sea April 1 morning, according to National Hydrometeorology Forecasting Center (NHFC).

By 7:00am, the strongest winds near the centre have been measured at force 6 (39 to 49km per hour) with gusts exceeding force 7-8.

It is forecast that in the next 24 hours, the tropical low pressure will slowly move west by northwest at speeds of 5km per hour.

According to Vu Anh Tuan – head of NHFC’s short-term Forecasting Department, the central coast of Vietnam between Khanh Hoa to Ca Mau will be forecast to have strong winds, thunderstorms and rough seas.

Meanwhile, Vietnam will this year confront more typhoons but fewer bouts of severe drought than last year, said Bui Minh Tang, director of National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Accordingly, about 10-12 typhoons and tropical depressions will possibly come early on the East Sea from May or June, with five or six of them affecting the country directly.

Tang said heat waves will likely occur in northern, north central and mid-central provinces in the early period of summer but the heat will be less widespread, severe or long-lasting than last year.

Ministry says no to profit-seeking hospital

A local official has confessed that the Phu Tho General Hospital in the eponymous northern province really does set out unethical targets for its departments to meet including a minimum number of patients to be treated and a minimum amount of money to be charged.

Ho Duc Hai, head of the provincial health department admitted the hospital did allocate a quota of tests, check-ups, patients and in-clinic treatments to each ward and division.

Earlier this month, Tuoi Tre reported that the hospital is one among many others in Vietnam that are imposing such a quota system to bring in more money.

For example, its pediatrics division is required to reach a minimum 140 infants or children patients a month, each paying at least a million dongs for treatment and running a minimum prescription bill of VND 230,000.

The quotas are set not only for each month but also the entire year.

In 2011, the hospital aims to have 3,700 patients take the CT scans and 16,000 take the ultrasonic scans, which was wrong, said Hai, as such tests should only be administered in accordance with patients’ medical conditions.

The department had requested the hospital to stop allocating such quota of X-ray, CT and ultrasonic scans, which very likely leads to the exploitation of patients.

According to Hai, setting minimum prescription bill or average treatment fee was not against any rule, but the hospital should be willing to take in suggestions and adjust their policy as needed.

However, an official at the Health Ministry said it did not assign such a quota of number of check-ups, inpatients or any number of surgeries to hospitals directly under the Ministry such as Phu Tho General Hospital.

It only requested hospitals to operate efficiently, reduce average treatment time and avoid hospital overload.

The hospital was clearly wrong in specifying such quota, which is a misreading of the government’s Decision 43 that stressed financial autonomy as a goal for hospitals, he said.

Southern train services to launch online booking

As of April 15, Saigon Railway Company will launch an online booking service for its Ho Chi Minh City – Nha Trang route.

Passengers can book tickets and make payments online at www.vetau.com.vn, said Saigon Railway Station’s vice director Nguyen Van Thanh.

A 5 percent discount will be applied to tickets paid online, he said.

3 hurt as blast wrecks southern fuel dump

A big explosion shook a fuel dump of a gas station in Binh Duong southern province this afternoon, seriously injuring three persons.

Eyewitnesses said two men had been tried to take off the dump’s lid before the accident.

Resulted from the blast, Nguyen Thi Nhu, 27, the station’s accounting staff, along with two men Ho Xuan Don and Cao Bach Hoang are now in critical condition.

Meanwhile Nhu and Hoang suffered burns on up to 70 percent of their bodies, police said.

They could have been taken to Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray general hospital for further treatment.

Four fire trucks were sent to the scene to extinguish the fire, which was later put under control after one hour.

Police are investigating.

20 tons of rotten lard seized in north region

A truck was caught red-handed to carry 20 tons of rotten lard and buffalo hides by Thanh Hoa province’s police Wednesday, local sources said today.

The truck driver, who was identified as Tran Kim residing in Danang central province, told police that these products are directly targeted at consumers but he failed to provide their origins.

Thanh Hoa’s Market Management Department will be authorized to deal with the decayed goods in accordance with regulations.

Dozens of lard and pig’s viscera have been recently found and destroyed in this locality.

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11 rescued from boat sinking off central

11 crewmen had been rescured after their fishing boat bearing number plate QNg 44143 capsized Thursday afternoon off central Vietnam’s Quang Ngai province, local sources said today.

The boat - owned by 44-year-old Ha Chut hailing from the province’s Duc Pho District - was ravaged by strong winds and huge waves at Sa Huynh seaport when they was heading to seashore.

After receving SOS signals from the ship, local authorities rushed over to rescue the fishermen but they failed to salvage the boat, which was said to be badly damaged.

It’s estimated that the incident has caused loss of VND200 million.

Traffic cops banned from ambushing passengers

Traffic pollice are not allowed to hide behind trees and must greet vehicle owners before fining them under new regulations released by Hanoi’s Road-Railway Traffic Police Department today.

The traffic law enforcement forces have to strictly abide by regulations stipulated by Ministry of Public Security about on-duty manners and codes of ethics.

Specifically, they must stand at public places, not behind trees or electricity poles when dealing with traffic-violation cases. They are required to remain calm and give clear explanations to offenders as well.

They are absolutely not permitted to manhandle violators and their means of transportation except those disobeying on-duty police officers.

Traffic police will be punished and may even be dismissed if they violate the new regulations.

It’s now quite common to see traffic police standing at positions hidden from street-goers’ view.

Inhaling drugs, six detained in Vung Tau

The exhibits seized by Vung Tau City anti-drug police this morningDuring a raid on a house on Vo Thi Sau Street, Thang Tam Ward 8 a.m. this morning, police in southern Vung Tau City detained 6 people for inhaling synthetic drugs. They also seized a gun.

All the arrested are young people, including 2 women and Nguyen Duy Khoa, 29, the house owner.

In a room at the back of the house, the policemen found out and seized some devices used to inhale drugs, some synthetic drugs, and a handgun.

The police are investigating into the case to track down the drug supply and the origin of the gun.