Poor leadership, wrongdoings and dismissal should be considered normal.

In the morning, I opened the newspaper and was surprised by the "strange" headlines: "Department directors should be considered directly as senior experts because they are very afraid of failing the exam", "Ha Giang Party Secretary Trieu Tai Vinh: Disciplining elected officials is very difficult", "Should keep the demotion, from department director to employee is very... wasteful".

The above articles reflect the discussion in groups a few days ago by National Assembly deputies on Amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Law on Cadres, Civil Servants and the Law on Public Employees.

The spirit is… to favor officials even if they make mistakes.

Discussing the promotion exam, delegate Y Khut Nie (Dak Lak delegation) expressed “concern” for current and future department directors: “Previously, there was a regulation on promotion exam, but later it was changed to an exam, and there are department directors who are not even senior specialists. In a certain position, it should be considered as senior specialist for ease and clarity. Department directors who let people take the exam are very afraid that if they take the exam, they will fail.”

Regarding the issue of disciplining officials who commit violations, Ha Giang Provincial Party Secretary Trieu Tai Vinh said that in current practice, it is very difficult to consider disciplining elected officials and civil servants. "It is necessary to calculate, because currently it is stuck and it is impossible to discipline those officials," Secretary Vinh said about the failure to discipline a Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council where he "rules".

Deputy Head of the Central Inspection Commission Hoang Van Tra (Phu Yen delegation) suggested that disciplinary action should be taken against demotion because, "A comrade who is a deputy promoted to the position of chief but cannot manage, his capacity does not meet the requirements, should be demoted to deputy or to head of department. But now, if he violates above the level of warning and is removed from office, from director of department to specialist or employee, it is a waste of professional qualities."

Agreeing with Mr. Tra, delegate Ngo Trung Thanh (Dak Lak delegation) also suggested that the form of demotion should be retained because "currently a department head, demoting to deputy department head is only possible. Of course, if there is still a vacancy. There is no need to dismiss him, losing the whole process of people striving", delegate Thanh said. Delegate Y Khut Nie (Dak Lak delegation) also said that the form of demotion should be retained so that cadres can strive (!).

No screening, no talented and virtuous staff

Why should we give preferential treatment to the position of department director as suggested by delegate Y Khut Nie when the recruitment exam is the best way to ensure fairness and select talented people?

If a director takes the exam for promotion but is afraid of failing, then it is necessary to review the professional capacity and leadership capacity of that director. In such cases, there are only two possibilities: either the organization chose the wrong person, or the director climbed to the position thanks to… good “running”.

Privileges and benefits are making it difficult for personnel work to make a breakthrough. Mr. Trieu Tai Vinh's statement clearly shows that. The mindset that leaders cannot be disciplined even if they make mistakes or that once they become leaders, they are tacitly accepted for life is still firmly rooted in the thinking of many people.

Is it difficult to discipline elected officials? Illustrative photo

The vision of a Provincial Party Secretary who said that “disciplining elected officials and civil servants is very difficult” disappointed the people. A reader on TNO shared frankly: “People with ethics, dignity, integrity, self-respect, character and integrity should handle themselves by resigning for the people’s benefit, why wait until they are disciplined!”

If you commit a mistake, you must be disciplined and dismissed. Everyone understands this naturally because it is the law of social elimination. Only then can society develop, public administration be healthy and able to meet the increasing needs of society in the present era.

It is impossible and should not stubbornly hold on to the idea that "if all the discipline is gone, who will do the work?" So do not worry about "violations above the warning level and being demoted from the position of director to specialist or employee is a waste of professional qualities."

A country of nearly one hundred million people is not short of talented people to fill the gaps, because those who are weak in ability are often corrupt, corrupt, and violate ethics and character.

Reality shows that, except for cases of rapid appointment of children of high-ranking officials, most leaders come from the bottom up. It is time to normalize the situation of leaders being dismissed for incompetence or being dismissed for wrongdoing and returning to their original professional work. Civil servants and public employees come and go. If this screening rule is ignored, it will lead to a public administration that lacks transparency, is weak, and is stagnant.

President Ho Chi Minh said: "All successes or failures are due to good or bad cadres."

He also reminded: "If we train a bunch of cowards who are easy to control, "beat them up, stand them up", and do not dare to take responsibility. That would be a failure for the Party."

To learn from Uncle Ho, one must absorb his teachings. More importantly, one must do as he taught.