The press needs to promote timeliness and positivity in reporting hot issues.

(Baonghean.vn) - The hot issue that the press is interested in is related to deforestation and timber export. Journalists request that state agencies clarify the cause and investigate the responsibility of organizations and individuals.

On the afternoon of October 4, under the chairmanship of comrade Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the People's Committee of Nghe An province held a press conference on the socio-economic situation in the third quarter of 2017. Attending the press conference were leaders of provincial departments, branches and sectors; representatives of Vinh City leaders; central and local press agencies. Photo: Thanh Le

Journalist Tran Duy Ngoan - Chairman of Nghe An Province Journalists Association is concerned about the effectiveness of investment attraction projects. Photo: Thanh Le

In the first 9 months of the year, the socio-economic situation still achieved important results despite many difficulties due to complicated weather conditions, directly affected by storms No. 2 and No. 10; and some potentially complicated issues regarding security and order.

The total product in the province (GRDP) is estimated at 50,755.9 billion VND, up 7.61% over the same period (higher than the same period in 2015 and 2016). Many sectors have positive changes, growth indicators are quite good.

In addition, the Provincial People's Committee focused on directing inspection and review teams to recover slow-progressing and slow-implementing projects in the province. At the same time, it synthesized and reviewed slow-progressing projects that were inspected during the 2014-2017 period to take measures to handle them. To date, the number of projects that have been recovered and terminated is 118, accounting for 32.3% of the total number of projects inspected from 2012 to present.

Total state budget revenue in the area in the first 9 months of 2017 is estimated at VND 8,551.65 billion, reaching 73.8% of the estimate, up 14% over the same period. Budget expenditure in the first 9 months of 2017 is estimated at VND 15,415 billion, equal to 72.8% of the estimate. The cultural and social sectors have received attention and had many positive changes.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Lam - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development answered and clarified the opinions of journalists related to deforestation cases. Photo: Thanh Le

However, there are still some problems such as production and business activities facing many difficulties; the growth rate is high compared to the same period but still low compared to the set target; local budget balance revenue is low; some projects have not met the set progress requirements; administrative procedure reform has not met the requirements of people and businesses,...

The issue that many journalists are concerned about is the effectiveness of investment attraction. Journalist Tran Duy Ngoan - Chairman of the Provincial Journalists Association said that recently, the province has focused on attracting investment and investors with the capacity and potential to implement many large-scale projects. However, many investors do not implement the original registered purpose, causing budget revenue loss.

Authorities count confiscated wood in Tam Hop commune (Tuong Duong). Photo courtesy.

Regarding the recovery of slow-progressing projects, journalist Thanh Mai - Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper said that every year the province organizes investment promotion conferences, and the results from these conferences bring great expectations. However, the number of projects actually implemented as committed is still too modest...

Another hot issue that journalists are interested in is State management, the responsibility of organizations and individuals related to deforestation and timber export, and the State agencies need to clarify the causes and investigate the responsibility of organizations and individuals.

Journalists believe that the deforestation in border areas is related to the Border Guard force, but the responsibility of this force has not been mentioned in the handling of responsibilities.

Explaining and clarifying issues of concern to journalists, Mr. Nguyen Tien Lam - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development informed about 5 recent serious deforestation cases in 2 forms: illegal exploitation of forest products and improper use of forest land, of which 4 cases have been prosecuted and 1 case has been criminally tried.

Sharing the difficulties in forest protection, the Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development affirmed: With the assigned responsibility, the industry will continue to investigate, clarify, implement legal regulations, and handle violating officials.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Minh Thong concluded the press conference. Photo: Thanh Le

Also at the press conference, leaders and reporters of press agencies also raised a number of issues that the Provincial People's Committee and relevant sectors should continue to pay attention to, such as food safety and hygiene, the form of combined exams in the 10th grade entrance exam, the merger of continuing education centers with vocational training centers, urban management, inadequacies in apartment planning in the city, land and forest allocation, outstanding debts in new rural construction, etc.

After the leaders of departments and branches directly answered the issues of interest to the press, concluding the conference, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Minh Thong highly appreciated the role of the press in informing and reflecting promptly and accurately the activities of the province.

He hoped that journalists would promptly detect any limitations and problems arising in the management and direction of the province, sectors and localities so that they could promptly overcome them.

At the same time, it is required that in the coming time, reporters and press agencies in the area actively propagate, report news quickly, honestly, objectively, effectively orient public opinion, create good spread in the community, contributing to the socio-economic development of the province.

Thanh Le