Improving the quality of Party grassroots organizations and Party members: A comprehensive approach is needed.

(Baonghean)Both in theory and practice, Party building, Party branches, and Party members are paramount issues. Strong grassroots Party organizations in terms of politics and ideology, enhancing leadership capacity and fighting strength, are decisive factors in the strength of the entire Party and determine the success in fulfilling the political tasks of each Party committee…

A meeting of the Thai Son 2 Party Branch, Mon Son commune. Photo: Van Hai

Following Resolution 22 of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (10th term) on "Improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of grassroots Party organizations and the quality of Party cadres and members," the provincial Party committee issued Resolution No. 09 dated March 13, 2012, on "Improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of grassroots Party organizations in Nghe An province, 2011-2015." To date, the grassroots Party organization system has undergone many positive changes across all types and regions. In 2001, the province had 1,437 grassroots Party organizations, but by the end of 2013, this number had increased by 135, eliminating the "blank" spots of grassroots Party organizations in communes, wards, and towns. Not only has the number increased, but the quality has also improved; in 2001, 63.04% of grassroots Party organizations achieved the "clean and strong" status, and by 2013, this had increased to 68.6%. The majority of Party branches have leveraged their strengths and innovated their leadership and guidance methods, thus creating positive changes in the implementation of political tasks.

In 2001, the entire province had 2.64% of weak grassroots Party organizations, 269 hamlets and villages without Party branches, and 147 hamlets and villages without Party members; by 2013, the percentage of weak grassroots Party organizations had decreased to only 0.13%, with only 93 hamlets and villages without Party branches and 73 hamlets and villages without Party members. In consolidating grassroots Party organizations, Party committees at all levels prioritized improving the quality of Party members, promulgating mechanisms for monitoring Party members and regulations on the content and methods of classifying Party members, and doing a good job of introducing Party members to participate in activities in their places of residence. The percentage of Party members who completed their tasks well or better reached 85.5% in 2013, while the percentage of Party members violating discipline decreased from 1.06% in 2011 to only 0.27% in 2013. To help grassroots Party organizations in special areas consolidate and improve their quality, Nghe An province directed the promotion of cadre rotation to grassroots levels. Specifically, 25 border guard officers were assigned to the position of Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of border communes, and 77 border guard officers were assigned to participate in Party activities in villages and hamlets in vulnerable areas. Military task forces were organized to stay in the area and participate in building the grassroots political system. Implementing the project "Bringing university, college, and vocational school graduates to communes," from 2003 to the present, Nghe An has received 3,390 people (including 1,117 university graduates, 277 college graduates, and 1,996 vocational school graduates) to assume professional positions at the commune level; 199 young intellectuals were sent to work in poor mountainous communes, and 26 university graduates were selected to serve as Vice Chairmen of the People's Committees of poor highland communes in Tuong Duong, Ky Son, and Que Phong districts.

The Party Committee of the Provincial Agencies Bloc focuses on issuing and implementing solutions to improve the moral character, lifestyle, sense of responsibility, and work capacity of Party members and officials; improving the quality of Party branch activities; and strengthening the leadership of Party organizations in implementing administrative reforms within agencies. The Party Committee of the Enterprise Bloc pays attention to leading the development, improvement, and effective implementation of coordination regulations and relationships within enterprises, such as the relationship between the Party committee and the Board of Directors, with the company director, and between the Party committee and the trade union executive committee and the youth union; clearly defining the coordination relationship in carrying out production and business tasks; and promoting the pioneering spirit, exemplary conduct, and sense of responsibility of officials and Party members holding key leadership positions in enterprises.

Thanks to a focus on innovation and improving the quality of personnel work, the quality of commune and town officials in Tan Ky has been enhanced. 97% of the district Party Committee members hold university degrees in their respective fields, and 100% have at least intermediate-level political training (including 83% with advanced or bachelor's degrees in political science). 92% of district-level officials and civil servants hold university degrees; at the commune and town level, 78% of key officials have at least intermediate-level professional training (with 35% holding university degrees); and 84% have at least intermediate-level political training. Personnel planning has been implemented rigorously, linking planning with placement, utilization, training, and development; and personnel evaluation has received due attention. In 2013, Tan Ky had 61% of its Party branches achieving the "clean and strong" status, with no weak Party branches, and 77% of its Party cells achieving the "clean and strong" status (of which 25% achieved the "exemplary clean and strong" status)...

To enhance the leadership capacity and fighting strength of grassroots Party organizations, a comprehensive set of solutions must be implemented to address specific issues: Strengthening the quality of Party committees and increasing the responsibility of the Party secretary as the top leader; being more proactive and determined in standardizing and improving the quality and capacity of grassroots Party committee cadres; continuing to rectify, innovate, and improve the quality and form of Party activities, including Party committee activities, grassroots Party committee activities, and Party branch activities; linking the building and consolidation of grassroots Party organizations with the completion of regulations on the functions, tasks, and operating methods of various types of grassroots Party organizations, improving the quality of Party branches and Party members; perfecting the operational regulations of grassroots Party organizations to define the functions, authority, and responsibilities between Party organizations and other organizations in the political system; promoting the role of mass organizations and all strata of the people in actively participating in Party building; improving the quality of leadership and guidance of higher-level Party organizations over grassroots Party organizations; Continue to refine policies, regulations, and systems to ensure they are appropriate for the new tasks at the grassroots level.

Vu Hong Hao

Provincial Party Committee's Organization Department