Party cell model of commune, ward and town agencies: "Party work" must be for "people's work"

(Baonghean) -After more than 5 years of implementing Instruction No. 10-HD/BTCTU dated October 10, 2007 of the Central Organizing Committee on the establishment of Party cells in communes, wards and towns in the province, besides the effectiveness it brings, this model also reveals limitations and shortcomings that need to be resolved...

Close monitoring and close assessment

In fact, in our province, before the policy on establishing Party cells in communes, wards and towns in 2007, based on practical requirements, a number of units under the Vinh City Party Committee had implemented this model and maintained it relatively effectively. For example, the Party cell in Le Loi ward was established in October 1996 and has been maintained until now. Talking to us, comrade Nguyen Van Long - Secretary of the Ward Party Committee said: "The establishment of an agency Party cell has many benefits such as easier implementation and assignment of inspection tasks; the responsibility of Party members for work is increased because of regular supervision; the annual assessment of Party members' quality is closer because Party members in the same agency should clearly understand the results of each person's task performance. From there, it is possible to detect and prevent negative manifestations and violations of cadres, Party members and civil servants in communes and wards more promptly".

In fact, since its establishment until now, the Party Cell of Le Loi Ward has played a good role as a political nucleus, both demonstrating its leading role and being a center of solidarity at the highest agency of the locality. For example, in the field of administrative reform, building culture and civilized office, the Party members in the Party Cell are exemplary people who directly implement and supervise the implementation, bringing about practical results, creating trust among the masses in the "servants of the people".

In Hung Hoa, the commune party cell was established in 2011 with 25 party members, now 29 party members. As an insider, Party cell Secretary Tran Cao Cuong (Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee) said: "Working together in the commune party cell creates conditions for young party members to learn experiences, management and operation methods from the leaders, the spirit of criticism and self-criticism is also higher because they do not have to be shy and respectful like when working with senior party members of the same age as their fathers and uncles in the hamlet party cell". Here, although according to Regulation 76, party members return to their residential area to work twice a year, the Party cell committee assigned the task of assigning party members who work at the agency party cell to attend monthly meetings with the residential hamlet party cell to grasp information, directly reflect and advise on timely solutions to concerns and problems at the grassroots level.

Up to now, Vinh City has 25/25 ward and commune party committees that have established agency party cells, only one party cell had to be dissolved due to ineffective operation, which is Nghi Kim commune party cell. Comrade Nguyen Van Duyet - Deputy Head of the City Party Committee's Organization Board said: Compared to block and hamlet party cells, the agency party cells of communes and wards have built and implemented working regulations more thoughtfully, seriously and specifically. Some units have maintained a good order of assigning cadres in charge and monitoring residential areas, helping key cadres of communes and wards to promptly grasp the thoughts and feelings of party members and people at the grassroots level, pressing local issues as well as emerging issues that need to be resolved.

Comrade Duyet also said that the model of Party cells in communes and wards solves difficulties in arranging Party activities for Party members who are grassroots cadres and civil servants who are not local or are promoted, transferred, or mobilized from other places. If the rotation mechanism is implemented, cadres go to the grassroots regularly like Vinh City without Party cells in agencies, it will be difficult for cadres and Party members as well as for Party committees to evaluate and comment on cadres...

Although it is a mountainous district, Quy Chau has also established 12 commune and town party cells. In Chau Hoi commune, the agency party cell has 13/20 party members in the commune Party Committee Executive Committee, so this is the "leading" party cell among 19 party cells of the commune. According to comrade Lim Duong Sinh, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the Commune People's Council, Secretary of the agency party cell, the establishment and operation of the agency party cell has overcome the situation of being too lenient in activities at the village party cell, leading to superficial comments. Now the spirit of self-criticism and criticism is higher than before, and comments are more frank. According to the assessment of the Organizing Committee of Quy Chau District Party Committee, the implementation of the model of commune and town agency party cells in the area has managed, trained, and shaped party members in both party and professional aspects, promoting the strength and collective intelligence of the cadres and party members, contributing to the good implementation of grassroots political tasks.

By the end of May 2013, the whole province had 143 Party cells/480 communes, wards and towns. 7 localities established 100% of the Party cells of communal agencies that are still in operation today: Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Do Luong, Thai Hoa, Quy Chau. In general, after being established, many Party cells of communal agencies, especially wards, towns and communes in the central region, have demonstrated their core role in leading and directing the construction and development of socio-economic development, stabilizing national defense and security in the locality, being the center of solidarity, creating unity and synchronization between Party organizations, authorities, fronts and political organizations in localities, being exemplary in implementing the Party's policies, guidelines and resolutions...

Party members of the Hong Son commune agency (Do Luong) hold regular activities.
with village cadres

Difficulties in specific regions

Besides some localities where the establishment and operation of Party cells of communes, wards and towns have been clearly effective as mentioned above, the whole province still has up to 96 Party cells that have been established but had to be dissolved due to ineffective operation. Typically, Nam Dan has 16/16 Party cells, Quynh Luu has 26/38 Party cells; Nghi Loc has 24/24 Party cells; Thanh Chuong has 5/5 Party cells; Tan Ky has 22/22 Party cells, Yen Thanh has 3/10 Party cells. Sharing the reason for the dissolution of Party cells of communes, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam - Standing Deputy Secretary of Nghi Loc District Party Committee said: The main reason is that this model is not suitable for the characteristics of the district with 21 communes with Catholic people, 7 coastal and sea communes.

Because in reality, the district is having to increase party members who are cadres, civil servants, and public employees from the district to the commune level to participate in activities at the hamlet party cells (some special communes have border guards to strengthen) to improve the capacity and fighting strength of the grassroots party organization. That is also the reason why Thu Thuy is currently the only ward in 7 units of Cua Lo Town to dissolve the agency party cell model. Mr. Nguyen Hong Son - Secretary of the ward Party Committee said: With the characteristic that the ward has 4/6 hamlets with Catholics, of which there is 1 hamlet with all Catholics. The percentage of party members in the Catholic hamlet party cells is low, even some party cells have all reinforced party members, for example, Party cell 3 has 6 party members but no Catholic party members, Party cell 4 has 4 comrades, of which 1 Catholic party member is the Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee; Party cell 6 has 4 party members, of which 3 are working in the ward... so all 19 ward officials and civil servants have to attend activities at the block party cells.

It must also be added that the situation of "old bamboo but no new shoots", the lack of young party members to supplement the capacity and fighting power of village party cells is also the reason why some rural localities such as Do Luong and Quynh Luu cannot be established or are established and then dissolved. Many opinions suggest dissolving this model to increase party members in rural party cell activities to overcome the situation of poor content of activities, little information, low quality of activities, not meeting the requirements in implementing the Party's programs, resolutions, and State's legal policies at the grassroots level.

On the other hand, recently, according to the reflection of leaders of some localities at meetings with the Provincial Party Committee's Organizing Committee, many Party cells of commune agencies have not been effective and have revealed many limitations and weaknesses in their activities such as being distant from the masses, being afraid to contact people, and being afraid to participate in activities with rural Party cells. The activities of Party cells of commune agencies have overlapping content with the content of meetings of Party Committees, authorities and mass organizations of communes and towns. The development and promulgation of resolutions of Party cells are general, similar to those of the Party Committee of communes, not realistic and specific to the requirements, functions and tasks.

Mr. Dao Anh Dung - Party Cell Secretary and Hamlet Chief of Hamlet 2, Hong Son Commune, Do Luong frankly expressed: "The grassroots Party cell is where all policies and resolutions of the Party, laws of the State, and socio-economic development plans of the locality are deployed to Party members and the masses, but the incumbent cadres are all concentrated in the commune, which can easily lead to distance from the grassroots, leaving the hamlet Party cells empty and as a result, the implementation of the Party's resolutions is very easy to be careless, formal, and ineffective...". This is not without basis because in reality, in some localities, especially at the commune level, the disease of "distance from the grassroots", lack of inspection and supervision is one of the main causes leading to serious violations in the field of land management and use; regimes, policies...

Need unified, effective solutions

Through the study of the reality at the grassroots level, it can be seen that currently, there are two opposing opinions. One is to propose to stop implementing this model because it is not effective, on the contrary, it makes cadres distant from the grassroots, distant from the people, weakening the village party cell. The second is to affirm that this model is suitable and to propose to continue maintaining it, but it is necessary to soon develop regulations on the functions and tasks of the type of party cell in agencies, communes, wards, and towns, with specific instructions on the content of party cell activities to avoid confusion and encroachment in the process of performing tasks.

Mr. Nguyen My Tang - Head of District and Sector Division (Provincial Party Committee Organization Board) said: Through the implementation in Nghe An, it can be seen that Party cells of communes, wards and towns should only be established in places with sufficient conditions, promoting efficiency without affecting the quality of residential area Party cells, and should not be established in special areas (religious areas, ethnic minority areas, remote areas, etc.) and places without sufficient conditions. However, Mr. Tang also said that any model will have its own advantages, disadvantages, advantages and difficulties. What is important is how each locality and unit implements it effectively and the awareness of cadres and civil servants who are party members when participating in activities and performing their civic duties at their place of residence. Because even in some mountainous areas such as Ky Son, Quy Chau, and Tuong Duong, the model of Party cells of communes and wards is still well maintained in 100% of units.

Currently, the Central Committee's directive is to continue to maintain it in favorable places and to stop in unfavorable places. However, to have a unified general guideline and direction, it is necessary to have a comprehensive summary, assessment, and specific orientation for the implementation of Instruction No. 10, along with reviewing, amending, and supplementing the working regulations of the Party Committee to suit the conditions of each locality. Thus, the establishment and operation of Party cells in communes, wards, and towns according to Instruction No. 10-HD/BTCTU dated October 10, 2007 has revealed in practice the positive aspects and the aspects that need to be overcome. The issue of establishment or non-establishment, the issue of operation or dissolution seems to depend on the actual conditions, but the core is that "party work" must be for "people's work", that is, the establishment and operation of Party organizations have effects and roles in relation to the political tasks of the grassroots and the lives of the people.

Article and photos: Khanh Ly