Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang cancel fireworks display on Tet holiday

Many localities have announced that they will not set off fireworks during Tet, after the Secretariat issued a Directive on organizing Tet in 2017.

The Secretariat requested localities not to set off fireworks during Tet.

On December 23, Mr. Dao Tan Bang, Chief of Office of the Da Nang City Party Committee, signed a document announcing the conclusion of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee on not setting off fireworks.

According to Mr. Bang, at the regular meeting on December 22, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee agreed to not organize fireworks displays on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Da Nang City being directly under the Central Government and the Dinh Dau New Year 2017, in accordance with the spirit of Directive No. 11 of the Central Party Secretariat.

In addition to not setting off fireworks, Da Nang City Party Secretary Nguyen Xuan Anh signed a document on organizing activities and practicing thrift and fighting waste on the occasion of the 2017 Lunar New Year.

Accordingly, on the occasion of Lunar New Year and the 87th anniversary of the Party's founding, no receptions will be held at the headquarters of Party and government agencies. No visits or New Year greetings will be organized to units and localities; all forms of giving New Year gifts to superiors are strictly prohibited; no use of money, vehicles, or public assets against regulations for personal activities during the New Year.

In Quang Ninh, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Van Doc has just directed and requested that localities in the province not set off fireworks during the upcoming Lunar New Year, regardless of funding source. Previously, Quang Ninh planned to set off fireworks in 10/14 districts, towns and cities.

Mr. Doc requested that all levels and sectors seriously and fully implement the contents of Directive No. 11-CT/TW of the Secretariat on organizing Tet 2017, including the direction not to organize fireworks during Tet, to save time and funds to take care of Tet for the poor.

Quang Ninh Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Van Doc also requested to focus on preparing good conditions for people to enjoy spring and celebrate Tet 2017 happily, healthily, safely, economically, especially paying attention to spending time and money to take care of Tet for the poor, disadvantaged people, and policy families.

Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism To Van Dong also said that Hanoi has decided to set off fireworks on the occasion of Lunar New Year with 6 high-altitude locations and 24 low-altitude locations, at a cost of about 10 billion VND. However, Hanoi will seriously implement the new Directive of the Secretariat.

The Director also said that according to the Secretariat's directive, regardless of whether the cost of the fireworks display is socialized or from the budget, Hanoi will stop. As before, this year the cost of Hanoi's fireworks display is sponsored by businesses, if it is not carried out, the money will stay with the businesses. "I am sure Hanoi will be very happy on Tet without having to spend tens of billions of dong on fireworks display," Mr. Dong said at a recent press conference.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Thi Thu also confirmed that the City will comply with the Secretariat's directive and will not set off fireworks during the New Year's Eve, although it had previously prepared a plan to set off fireworks during the New Year's Eve and Lunar New Year using socialized funds, not from the budget.

According to Ms. Thu, although fireworks are also a tourist attraction and not having fireworks on New Year's Day may make residents and tourists feel sad, the City has also prepared a number of cultural programs to serve people to welcome the spring.

In a locality suffering from the consequences of floods in the Central region, Mr. Ho Quoc Dung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province, said that the provincial government and he personally welcomed the direction of the Secretariat on organizing Tet 2017. Binh Dinh will not set off fireworks and will allocate all of this funding to people in flooded areas.

“In addition to not setting off fireworks, we are also reviewing our expenses, with a spirit of saving to reserve resources to support reconstruction after the severe natural disaster in Binh Dinh province,” said Mr. Dung.

In Ba Ria-Vung Tau, at the meeting on the afternoon of December 23, Mr. Nguyen Lap, Chairman of the People's Committee of Vung Tau City, also affirmed that "fireworks will definitely be stopped" according to the directive of the Central Party Secretariat.

Previously, on December 20, the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province announced its agreement to organize the event "Countdown to New Year's Eve 2017", initially the program was expected to include fireworks.

According to Directive No. 11-CT/TW on organizing Tet 2017 of the Secretariat, leaders of the Party, State, central agencies, departments, branches and organizations do not organize visits and New Year greetings to localities; localities do not wish the Central Government a Happy New Year; giving Tet gifts to superiors in any form is strictly prohibited.

At the same time, localities are required not to set off fireworks during Tet, and to spend time and money to take care of Tet for the poor, disadvantaged people, and policy families.

The Directive also emphasized that local authorities need to pay attention to taking care of the material and spiritual lives of the poor, border and island people, especially those affected by floods in the Central region, and support those affected by marine environmental pollution incidents...

According to baochinhphu.vn