Overcoming the state of deference, avoidance, fear of collision, and bias in supervision and criticism

Conference scene. Photo: MH

On the morning of June 5, the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front held a conference to summarize 10 years of implementing Joint Resolution No. 525/NQLT/UBTVQH13-DCTUBTWMTQVN on voters' contact by National Assembly deputies; and to summarize 5 years of implementing Joint Resolution No. 403/2017/NQLTUBTVQH14-CP-DCTUBTWMTQVN detailing forms of supervision and social criticism of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Many innovations in voter contact activities

Implementing Joint Resolution No. 525/NQLT/UBTVQH13-DCTUBTWMTQVN, dated September 27, 2012 on the contact of voters of National Assembly deputies; the Standing Committee of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and the Provincial National Assembly Delegation organized the signing of the Regulations on coordination of work for each term; linked the propaganda and dissemination of Resolution No. 525 to relevant levels and sectors.

Accordingly, the activities of contacting voters of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation have increasingly innovated in form and content. In addition to contacting voters at the constituencies, the two sides have coordinated to organize contact with voters at the residence of National Assembly deputies with 106 sessions; contact voters on the topics of health, planning work, contact with workers, etc.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Thanh - Vice Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee chaired the discussion at the conference. Photo: MH

In synthesizing voters' opinions and recommendations, in addition to relying on the sources of voters' opinions expressed directly at meetings, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee also collects voters' opinions in many forms such as direct meetings, sending by post or information sources posted on mass media; through exchanges between departments and branches at working and monitoring meetings of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee.

The two sides have also paid attention to coordinating and supervising the settlement of opinions and recommendations of voters and people; especially for outstanding and urgent issues, which voters have repeatedly proposed, the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, the Provincial People's Council Standing Committee, and the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Standing Committee have coordinated to organize supervision and survey to detect difficulties and problems, thereby making recommendations to competent authorities and urging the Provincial People's Committee to have solutions to ensure compliance with legal regulations.

Comrade Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet - Head of the City Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Vinh City proposed a number of solutions to continue improving the quality of voter contact. Photo: MH

At the conference, through their discussions, delegates also frankly pointed out a number of limitations: most of the voter contacts are mainly with village, block, commune, and union cadres, and there are not many voters who are direct workers.

The opinions and recommendations are biased towards the direct interests of the people, there are not many opinions of a "suggestive" nature, contributing to national policies, strategies and guidelines. There are limitations in organizing for National Assembly deputies to report to voters on the results of their duties as deputies and the action programs they promised to voters within a year.

The conference was held online to 21 district-level units and connected to commune levels in the province. Photo: MH

Coordination between the two agencies in monitoring, urging, and supervising the settlement of voters' petitions under local authority is sometimes not regular, close, and effective.

Some local agencies and units have not paid attention to thoroughly resolving and explaining voters' opinions and recommendations. These are issues that need to be further addressed so that the coordination between the Standing Committee of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Provincial National Assembly Delegation in the coming time will be more effective.

Comrade Ho Nam - Head of the District Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghi Loc district presented solutions to improve the quality of supervision by the Fatherland Front. Photo: MH

Need for 4 forms of supervision and 3 forms of social criticism

Regarding the implementation of Joint Resolution No. 403/2017/NQLTUBTVQH14-CP-DCTUBTWMTQVN, dated June 15, 2017 detailing forms of social supervision and criticism of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, after 5 years, the supervision and criticism activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees at all levels in the province have been carried out more systematically and effectively.

The monitoring content focuses on issues of public concern, such as: environmental pollution treatment; implementation of policies on education in particularly difficult ethnic minority areas; state management of food hygiene and safety; public reception and resolution of complaints and denunciations; implementation of policies to directly support people from poor households in difficult areas; implementation of policies and mechanisms to protect and develop forests; compensation, support for site clearance and resettlement to implement the Hua Na Hydropower Project; work of cadres and party members...

Comrade Le Van Ngoc - Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee concluded the conference, emphasizing a number of contents, requirements, and solutions that need attention to improve voter contact, monitoring and criticism activities of the Fatherland Front at all levels. Photo: MH

Thereby contributing to creating positive changes in the supervised fields; contributing to building a clean and strong Party and government; protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the people; strengthening social consensus and the close relationship between the Party, government and people.

However, social supervision and criticism activities are not uniform among levels and localities; there are still signs of deference, avoidance, fear of collision, and selectiveness in supervision and criticism activities; the four forms of supervision and three forms of social criticism have not been fully promoted in a manner appropriate to the content and actual conditions of each locality; many opinions and recommendations after social supervision and criticism are not profound and not highly convincing.

Leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province awarded Certificates of Merit to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in implementing Joint Resolution No. 525/NQLT/UBTVQH13-DCTUBTWMTQVN on meeting voters of National Assembly deputies. Photo: MH

Leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province awarded Certificates of Merit to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in implementing Joint Resolution No. 403/2017/NQLTUBTVQH14-CP-DCTUBTWMTQVN detailing forms of supervision and social criticism of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. Photo: MH

On this occasion, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee awarded Certificates of Merit to 14 collectives and 2 individuals with outstanding achievements in implementing Joint Resolution No. 525/NQLT/UBTVQH13-DCTUBTWMTQVN on contact with voters of National Assembly deputies; 33 collectives and 2 individuals with outstanding achievements in implementing Joint Resolution No. 403/2017/NQLTUBTVQH14-CP-DCTUBTWMTQVN detailing forms of supervision and social criticism of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.