Correcting public ethics, improving the investment environment – ​​Part 2: Preventing the situation of “laying out the carpet above, scattering nails below”

Recently, there have been a series of cases where officials and civil servants of provincial-level units and some district-level and commune-level units have violated public ethics and have been prosecuted and temporarily detained by authorities. For example, two officials working at the Department of Planning and Investment of Nghe An province and an official of the Business Support Department of the Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion of Nghe An province were prosecuted and temporarily detained for the crime of "Abusing positions and powers while performing official duties". According to documents from the investigation agency, these officials took advantage of their assigned positions and powers to make things difficult for businesses in order to receive "grease money" when completing business registration procedures, with an amount of up to billions of VND.

In the localities, Quynh Luu District Police have prosecuted two suspects, Le Minh Tam (a land official of Quynh Lam Commune) and Pham Thi Thanh Thuy (a land official of Quynh Hong Commune) for the crime of "Abusing position and power to appropriate property". At the police station, the two suspects confessed that due to the need to obtain land use right certificates and the limited legal knowledge of the people, Tam and Thuy took advantage of their positions and power to appropriate property from each victim who came to do land registration procedures, from 10 million VND to 30 million VND.

Dien Chau District Police arrested two subjects, a judicial officer - civil status officer and a land officer of Minh Chau commune, for the act of "Abusing position and power to appropriate property"; Dien Chau District Party Committee and People's Committee issued a disciplinary decision by removing Mr. Pham Xuan Bang - former Chairman of Dien Kim Commune People's Committee for the 2020-2025 term - from the position of Standing Committee Member of the Party Committee and from the position of Chairman of the Commune People's Committee for the term of 2020-2025 for violations related to the implementation of the policy to support the development of the salt industry at Kim Lien Cooperative (Dien Kim)...

Previously, through many "channels", investors and enterprises have reflected and complained about the harassment of some civil servants of sectors and localities in Nghe An whenever they need to resolve administrative procedures. Public opinion is also indignant and raises many questions about the situation where some subjects in units and localities perform their duties but take advantage of their assigned titles and professions, take advantage of their authority, take advantage of the lack of knowledge of people and enterprises to cause difficulties for people and enterprises or do not publicly and transparently disclose the process of handling documents and procedures for the purpose of personal gain.

At the regular meeting of the Provincial People's Committee in March 2022, Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee assessed that although there have been changes in administrative reform and the enhancement of effectiveness and efficiency in state management in recent times, there are still many problems. Therefore, the sectors continue to promote digital transformation, publicize and make public services and administrative procedures transparent, creating favorable conditions for people and businesses. In particular, sectors and levels must pay attention to rectifying public ethics, awareness and responsibility of cadres and civil servants.

Emphasizing that handling erring officials is something no one wants, but according to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, this is something that must be done, done seriously, to serve as a warning to the system of officials, civil servants, and public employees throughout the province. Even though the violations are only committed by a small number, it will create negative public opinion for the image and investment environment of the province. To prevent violations, leaders at all levels and sectors need to review procedures and work processes, re-evaluate the assignment of work to officials, and avoid officials taking advantage of their positions and duties for personal gain. The viewpoint of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee is that if there are violations, they must be strictly handled, there are no forbidden areas.

In order to carry out the tasks assigned by the Provincial People's Committee, every year, the Department of Home Affairs has organized regular and surprise inspections and checks on the implementation of discipline, administrative discipline, public ethics, and personnel management at agencies, units, and localities. In 2021, the Department of Home Affairs established inspection teams at the Provincial Agencies: 9 agencies and units; District and Commune Agencies: 14/21 districts, cities, towns and 37 commune-level units. The Provincial Agencies inspected 213 agencies, units, and organizations.

Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs - Comrade Tran Quoc Chung said: Through the inspection work, we aim to evaluate the achieved results; at the same time, point out the limitations, weaknesses, difficulties, and obstacles in performing tasks. Along with that, strictly handle violations, identify this as a criterion to consider, evaluate, classify the level of completion of tasks, public service and emulation and reward work for collectives and individuals of each agency and unit.

In addition to regular inspection and supervision, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee has also directed the strict implementation of disciplinary action against violating party members. At the second quarter meeting of 2022, the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Committee considered disciplinary action against comrades responsible for the illegal stone mining case in Ken hamlet, Chau Loc commune, Quy Hop district. The Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Committee decided to discipline comrade Nguyen Dinh Tung - Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quy Hop district by reprimand; warning comrade Le Sy Hao - Member of the District Party Committee, Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quy Hop district; warning comrade Nguyen Minh Khoi, party member, former Deputy Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quy Hop district...

Previously, at the first quarter meeting of 2022, the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Committee decided to expel from the Party Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Tham - Deputy Secretary of the Administrative - General Party Cell, Chief Accountant, Head of the Finance - Accounting Department of the Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control; proposed that the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Committee consider and discipline Mr. Nguyen Van Dinh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of the Department of Health, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Department, Director of the Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control, according to its authority. At this meeting, the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Committee decided to expel from the Party Mr. Le Phung Dieu - Party Cell Secretary, Head of the Protection Forest Management Board of Ky Son district, former Party Cell Secretary, Head of the Protection Forest Management Board of Quy Hop district, etc.

To continue to simplify, publicize, be transparent, reduce implementation time and costs, and create more convenience for people and businesses in handling administrative procedures, on April 19, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 247/KH-UBND on reviewing and simplifying administrative procedures in Nghe An province in 2022.

Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee requested 6 departments: Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Transport, Justice, Construction, Department of Home Affairs, Department of Industry and Trade to simplify 15 procedures, groups of administrative procedures in the fields of construction; land; domestic goods circulation; judicial records, civil status; emulation - rewards and roads. The Party Executive Committee of Nghe An province has issued Resolution No. 05-NQ/TU on promoting administration in Nghe An province in the period of 2021-2030 to promote the combined strength of the entire political system to build a public and transparent administration; strongly improve the province's investment and business environment. At the same time, it is also preparing steps to issue a Resolution on digital transformation of Nghe An province to 2025, with a vision to 2030. Linking the digital transformation process with administrative reform to improve the quality, effectiveness, efficiency of State management and the quality of public service provision by authorities at all levels; Strive to always maintain a position in the group of 30 provinces and cities with high index on digital government.

At the meeting of the Standing Committee of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee on May 28, 2022, to listen to and give opinions on the draft Resolution on digital transformation, Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the National Assembly Delegation, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council emphasized that the ultimate goal of digital transformation is to benefit the people and businesses; promote socio-economic development; improve the effectiveness of the Party's leadership, the effectiveness and efficiency of the government and the political system.

Thanks to the strong and decisive direction of the provincial leaders, there has been a strong change in both awareness and working style of the staff and civil servants, contributing to eliminating the long-standing public opinion of "open province, tight department" and turning it into "open province, supportive department". Administrative reform has also achieved many positive results. Mechanisms and policies continue to be improved; administrative procedures are simplified, publicized, transparent, reducing implementation time and costs; the level of satisfaction of people and businesses is improved. Along with that, the organizational apparatus is gradually streamlined, reducing focal points, improving operational efficiency. The staff, civil servants and public employees are arranged and organized more reasonably, their quality is improved; the sense of responsibility, public ethics, discipline and administrative discipline have many positive changes.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh My - Deputy Director of Nghe An Provincial Public Administration Service Center said that the reception and settlement of administrative procedures of departments, branches and sectors at the Public Administration Service Center has been strictly controlled through the Public Service Portal and the Provincial Electronic One-Stop Information System to ensure transparency, clarity and punctuality, which is highly appreciated by people and businesses. Currently, there are 18 specialized departments and sectors under the Provincial People's Committee and 3 specialized agencies in the vertical sector located in the area with 1,333 administrative procedures received at the center.

Up to now, Nghe An has been an attractive destination for investors. Many projects with capital of thousands of billions of VND have been invested, contributing to creating a new look for the local socio-economy. For example, projects of Vingroup, Masan, Hoa Sen Factory, Song Lam Cement Factory; VSIP Nghe An Industrial, Urban and Service Park, WHA Industrial Park, Nghi Thiet Cement Grinding Station; Vinpearl Cua Hoi Hotel, Entertainment and Resort Villa Complex, DKC Petroleum Depot, Vissai Seaport. Ju Teng International Group and suppliers are exploring investment and business opportunities and implementing projects at Hoang Mai I Industrial Park,...