Delegate Vo Thi Minh Sinh earnestly requested the Government to completely resolve the existing problems regarding compensation and resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project.

On the afternoon of May 26, continuing the 5th Session, the 15th National Assembly worked at Dien Hong Hall, National Assembly House under the chairmanship of Comrade Vuong Dinh Hue - Politburo member, Chairman of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly listened to the Reports and Presentations on the draft Law on Management and Protection of National Defense Works and Military Zones; then discussed in the hall the results of the supervision of the settlement of voters' petitions sent to the 4th Session of the 15th National Assembly.

Panorama of the working session on the afternoon of May 26 at Dien Hong Hall, National Assembly House. Photo: Quang Khanh

THE PAIN THAT LASTED FOR YEARS

Speaking at the discussion, National Assembly delegate of Nghe An delegation Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province mentioned a very urgent issue that Nghe An voters had proposed in previous sessions but had been slow to be resolved, which was the existing problems and obstacles in compensation and resettlement of the Ban Ve Hydropower Project in Tuong Duong district; the largest hydropower project in the North Central region, approved for investment by the Prime Minister on June 19, 2003, and started construction on April 7, 2004.

To implement the project, 3,022 households with more than 14,300 people from 34 ethnic minority villages supported the investment policy, handed over clean land so that the project could be implemented on schedule and put into operation from April 10, 2010.

However, informing the National Assembly, the delegate of Nghe An Delegation said: Up to now, after 13 years of operation of Ban Ve Hydropower Plant, the compensation and resettlement support policy of the project has not been completely resolved, the time has been prolonged. At the same time, the post-flood issues and the existing problems and obstacles in the compensation and resettlement support of Ban Ve Hydropower Plant Project due to the impact of the circulation of storm No. 4 and the flood on Nam Non River in August 2018.

National Assembly Delegate of Nghe An Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province spoke at the discussion. Photo: Quang Khanh

Nearly 5 years have passed since the historic flood, Nghe An province has had many solutions to support social security, along with the efforts of Power Generation Corporation 1, Vietnam Electricity Group, but the lives of the people here are still full of hardships and deprivation.

“There are still temporary living conditions for some households when they are urgently evacuated. There is still a state of anxiety and worry every time the rainy and stormy season comes. There is still the waiting and hope for a stable life soon. There is still the waiting and hope of the deceased, who have to carry their “feelings” back to their grandparents and ancestors, leaving behind anguish for their families, relatives, neighbors and us, the National Assembly deputies in the area,” delegate Vo Thi Minh Sinh emotionally spoke at Dien Hong Hall.

To address this issue, on March 28, 2019, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung chaired a meeting with relevant ministries and branches and issued Notice No. 143 dated April 13, 2019 of the Government Office and on November 16, 2022, the Government Office continued to issue Document No. 7715 announcing the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh on this matter, but according to delegates, it is still a wait.

ENSURING "3 QUALITIES" WHEN RESPONDING TO VOTERS' PETITIONS

Previously, in his discussion speech, the delegate from Nghe An expressed his high agreement with the report of the National Assembly Standing Committee, especially the strong innovation in the way of organizing and implementing supervision activities in general and the hard work to have a report on the results of supervising the settlement of voters' petitions with 6 appendices attached, which was very elaborate, specific, clear, and coherent, helping the delegate understand better and be more confident when answering voters.

National Assembly deputies attend the working session on the afternoon of May 26 at Dien Hong Hall, National Assembly House. Photo: Quang Khanh

The delegates also acknowledged the Government's determination in focusing on directing and urging ministries, branches and central agencies to study, receive, resolve and respond to voters' recommendations and have solutions to amend and supplement policies and laws for some specific cases. Thereby, contributing to removing difficulties and obstacles, increasing consensus, reducing complaints and denunciations; stabilizing the situation of social order and security and creating trust for voters and people nationwide.

However, regarding voters' satisfaction with the results of the Government's and central ministries' responses, citing data from the report that 2,589/2,593 petitions (99.8%) were resolved and answered by voters, the delegate expressed: "We are completely assured about this data, this is a fairly ideal number that each of us is looking forward to."

However, in order not to miss out on voters' recommendations in previous sessions, especially those that are being received, researched and resolved, and to meet voters' wishes and satisfaction when receiving feedback on their recommendations, delegate Vo Thi Minh Sinh stated that the results of responding to voters' recommendations should not only include statistics on quantity, explanation, information provision or general assessment, but must ensure three qualities: "Must be substantive, true to nature and improve the quality of response".

National Assembly deputies from Nghe An at the working session on the afternoon of May 26 at Dien Hong Hall, National Assembly House. Photo: Quang Khanh

On that basis, the delegate of Nghe An Delegation proposed to continue to pay attention to fully supervising the settlement of recommendations that are being received, studied and resolved from previous sessions; at the same time, it is necessary to clarify the connotation of the phrases "resolve" and "explain" in responding to voters' recommendations.

At the same time, it is necessary to increase the rate of petitions that are resolved and have satisfactory solutions; minimize the rate of explanations, answers or information provision, because this is what makes people very dissatisfied.

According to delegate Vo Thi Minh Sinh, it is necessary to continue researching the application of information technology to survey and measure voters' satisfaction with the results, and to resolve and respond to voters' petitions.