Late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet: Vision, personality, generosity

In recent days, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet (November 23, 1922 - November 23, 2022), many commemorative programs and scientific seminars were held in Ho Chi Minh City and a number of provinces and cities.

In Ho Chi Minh City, on November 22, a national scientific conference took place with the theme "Comrade Vo Van Kiet - Outstanding leader of the Party and the Vietnamese revolution".

Nearly 90 papers were sent to the Organizing Committee and at the conference there were 9 speeches by leaders, experts, scientists, and representatives of the late Prime Minister's family.

Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet with engineers and workers in the electricity industry. (Photo courtesy of the Prime Minister's family). Source: Nhan Dan

Head of the Central Propaganda Department Nguyen Trong Nghia said that the papers analyzed and interpreted to deepen the homeland, family, patriotic ideals, revolutionary aspirations... of the late Prime Minister, thereby expressing respect and deep gratitude to him, who made many great contributions to the nation's revolutionary cause.

In his speech, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung emphasized that in his leadership positions, from Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Chairman of the State Planning Commission (later the Ministry of Planning and Investment), the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet was always the one who initiated and promoted the process of economic innovation.

Here, Mr. Dung mentioned the "fence-breaking" when the late Prime Minister was still Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee. That is, in 1977, Ho Chi Minh City fell into a state of famine, Mr. Kiet established a "rice purchasing team", directed the "fence-breaking", organized the purchase of rice at "agreed prices" to promptly meet the rice needs of the city's people. Although this action went against the regulations of the time and could even be severely disciplined, it was supported by many people. This later became a typical example of a "breakthrough" in the centralized planning mechanism in the distribution of goods.

All my work is for the benefit of the people.

In the book “Vo Van Kiet - A Hundred Years in a Word of the People” (Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House - 2022) distributed to delegates at the conference, former President Nguyen Minh Triet wrote an article about the previous leader. He shared: “Someone asked me, as the former President of Vietnam, how I evaluate Mr. Vo Van Kiet's legacy to the country, to the people, to the Party.

In my opinion, Mr. Sau left behind many legacies. Legacies that can be seen with the eyes and that everyone knows: Tri An hydroelectric plant, Thac Mo hydroelectric plant, the 500kV North-South power transmission line... And there are also the spiritual legacies of Mr. Sau Dan - Vo Van Kiet, which are the vision, the personality, the generosity, the chivalry of a revolutionary of the previous generation. Rare and precious. We can learn from them forever with time."

Former President Nguyen Minh Triet at the scientific conference “Comrade Vo Van Kiet - Outstanding leader of the Party and the Vietnamese revolution” on November 22, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tung Tin

Having held the position of Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, a follower, the former President expressed: “I learned from him first of all that we must be close to the people, listen to their opinions, trust the people and all our actions must be for the benefit of the people. At the same time, we must also be ready to take responsibility before the people and before the country.”

In her speech sent to the conference, former Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and former Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council Pham Phuong Thao shared her thoughts and feelings in the article: "The fourth generation" always remembers Uncle Vo Van Kiet.

“Uncle always encouraged and created conditions for the fourth generation - those who shouldered the mission of building and protecting the Fatherland after the liberation day. Uncle sent them much respect, many expectations and always invited them to participate in large projects, large youth construction sites, ... through which they could train and mature,” Ms. Thao wrote.

According to Ms. Thao, many young people at that time still clearly remember that after the late Prime Minister's talk with young people at Tao Dan Park, there was a great march of young people to the border and to youth projects.

""Hello fourth generation" is all the message, the message of love that Uncle Vo Van Kiet has for young people", Ms. Thao expressed.

Mrs. Vo Hieu Dan, daughter of the late Prime Minister, shared that through the workshop, she and her family have come to understand more about a father and grandfather who was loyal to the country and devoted to the people. His life and career are like a mirror that illuminates the lives of his children and grandchildren.

The late Prime Minister's daughter also expressed her gratitude for the attention of the Party and State leaders who spent time, effort, respect and love to organize a series of events to commemorate the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet in recent days.