We need to limit our "alcohol capacity".

(Baonghean) - In our country, for a long time, the fear of alcohol became a common obsession, affecting almost everyone, regardless of level or sector. When asked what their biggest fear was taking on a leadership role at the grassroots level, some officials assigned to key positions readily answered: "My biggest fear is not being able to avoid drinking alcohol." This fear is not unfounded, as many officials have encountered difficulties and been perceived by the grassroots as "not wholeheartedly committed," "not enthusiastic," or "not respectful" of the local community... simply because they couldn't drink alcohol or "get along" with drinking when assigned to key positions at the grassroots level. Similarly, some officials, when assigned to work at the grassroots level, especially in mountainous or remote areas, fear not the long and treacherous roads or the difficult work itself, but simply their inability to drink alcohol.

On another note, grassroots officials, especially key officials and office staff – those responsible for receiving and serving guests – don't all want to drink alcohol, nor do they all crave it. Sometimes, they have to strain themselves, forcing themselves to invite, pressure, or even drink... A former office staff member said that a fairly common notion is that hospitality must be expressed through enthusiastic invitations and drinking. At the same time, in many places, drinking alcohol is used as a measure of attitude and sentiment... Being willing to drink means being willing to work, being enthusiastic about drinking means being enthusiastic about work, drinking "genuinely" means being "genuine," and "drinking wholeheartedly" means "living life to the fullest"... Therefore, the most daunting aspect for officials and those receiving guests is having to drink alcohol. The spouses, children, and grandchildren of those who frequently entertain guests are sometimes equally worried about their family members returning home drunk, tired, sometimes vomiting, or even suffering from a serious illness.

Because of this misguided perception, many cases have involved conflating drinking ability with work ability. In fact, drinking ability is sometimes equated with competence as an official. This leads to situations where young officials prioritize "drinking" over practical training. Some elected, appointed, or promoted officials prioritize demonstrating their drinking ability over fulfilling their responsibilities. Therefore, in reality, many officials are only seen excelling in their drinking ability, hence the term "drinking ability." And, when officials only possess "drinking ability," they are mostly only good at "drinking work." If this type of "drinking ability" official becomes widespread, the harm is immeasurable, as it is clearly a concrete manifestation of a decline in lifestyle and conduct, affecting not only work ethics but potentially leading to moral decay.

The harmful effects of alcohol are widely discussed in books and newspapers; in this age of information overload, finding information is certainly not difficult. Documents and regulations prohibiting or restricting alcohol consumption have been issued from the central government to the local level, varying in time and place, and some are even specifically detailed in the working regulations of agencies. However, the crucial issue is the serious and effective implementation of these regulations, which is not done well everywhere.

It is understandable that, in order to have a clean, strong, and efficient administrative apparatus that serves the people and the development of the homeland, each official and employee must be truly clean and strong. To achieve this, one of the necessary actions is to resolutely prohibit drunkenness and drinking alcohol during working hours; and to prohibit drinking alcohol when receiving official guests, especially at lunchtime. To effectively implement this, it is necessary to promote the spirit of setting an example and the positive role of leaders: senior leaders must set an example for junior leaders; those in charge, leading, and key personnel must set an example for officials, Party members, and employees in their agencies and units; and officials and Party members must set an example for the general public…

Duc Duong