Over the past few days, Vietnamese Ministers have held dialogues with citizens addressing Party and State policies and other issues of public’s concern. These dialogues have enhanced people’s trust in the government’s management.
In an online dialogue on the government portal last Friday, Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang responded to hundreds of people’s questions about electricity prices and petrol and oil quality management. He said electricity in Vietnam is always cheap and low prices do not encourage people to save power. As a result, it’s difficult for the electricity sector to attract enough investment to modernize its technology. Last year, the government allowed the electricity sector to raise electricity prices in accordance with a Prime Minister’s decision."Adjustments of electricity prices will cause inflation pressure and affect people’s lives. Therefore, the electricity sector submitted the proposal to the ministry and the government for approval. The 5% increase is only based on expenses for petroleum and labor while the sector’s losses accumulated from previous years are excluded. The electricity sector has closely followed the Prime Minister’s instruction and taken into consideration people’s incomes. With this adjustment, people who consume less than 100 kwh will not be affected”, said Hoang.
On Monday, leaders of the Government Inspectorate and representatives from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment addressed people’s concerns about the settlement of complaints and denunciations on land, land compensation and clearance. Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang answered public questions on a live radio show Tuesday. On Radio the Voice of Vietnam, Thang explained about the proposal to levy traffic fees on personal vehicles and fees for cars entering the city center during peak hours. He said the initiative is considered urgent to reduce traffic accidents and congestion in big cities."More than 30 people die every day in traffic accidents and the number of injured people is also unacceptable. This disaster demands resolute and synchronous measures. We have taken into consideration relevant laws, the particular situation in our country and regional and international experience with this problem”, said Minister Thang.
Minister Thang stressed that the plan needs public consensus before taking into effect. Early this week, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh spent nearly one hour dialoguing with people about the diplomatic sector’s achievements last year and the country’s diplomacy orientations for the future. Minh also addressed people’s concerns about national sovereignty and integrity issues and the resolution of sea disputes. He said this issue is of vital importance for every nation and that Vietnam is committed to resolving disputes through peaceful negotiation. "All sectors and the Vietnamese people are responsible for safeguarding national sovereignty. The diplomatic sector has an important mission. In the past few years, the diplomatic sector has elevated international understanding of the East Sea issue and Vietnam’s consistent policy regarding disputes in the East Sea", said Minh.
Through these dialogues, people better understand the government’s position and cabinet members show their willingness to address public concerns and build a public consensus.
Anh Huyen