Improving the effectiveness of public service.

(Baonghean) - The establishment of citizen reception committees has promptly resolved people's difficulties and requests, increasing people's trust in state agencies. This contributes to maintaining political stability and social order and security.

On November 25, 2013, the Law on Receiving Citizens' Complaints was enacted by the National Assembly and came into effect on July 1, 2014. The Law on Receiving Citizens' Complaints has provided stricter regulations on the responsibility of receiving citizens' complaints; the rights and obligations of those who come to file complaints, denunciations, suggestions, and feedback; and the organization of citizen reception activities at citizen reception offices and locations of agencies, organizations, and units, as well as the conditions ensuring these activities. As a result, to date, most complaint and denunciation cases in the province have been resolved promptly and definitively, building public trust in state agencies.

Officials from the Citizen Reception Office of Vinh City listen to the opinions of the people.

Adhering closely to the provisions of the Law on Receiving Citizens' Complaints, the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee have issued numerous guiding and directing documents on the work of receiving citizens' complaints and resolving their grievances; and organized training conferences on the Law on Receiving Citizens' Complaints for key officials at all levels. In addition to establishing and putting into use the Provincial Citizens' Complaint Reception Office, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a plan directing the establishment of permanent Citizens' Complaint Reception Boards at all levels and sectors. Currently, many localities have established permanent Citizens' Complaint Reception Boards, which are initially operating effectively.

Nghi Loc District is the first locality to establish a permanent Citizen Reception Board. On October 29th, the District People's Committee issued a decision to establish the Citizen Reception Board, consisting of 3 officials: the Deputy Chief of the Office who also serves as the Head of the Citizen Reception Board, a dedicated officer from the Inspection Department, and an officer from the Internal Affairs Department who performs the duties concurrently. The office and facilities are fully equipped, and the citizen reception office is conveniently located, facilitating access for both citizens and officials. Mr. Tran Van Hai, Head of the Nghi Loc District Citizen Reception Board, stated: "Previously, citizen reception was conducted twice a month and was mainly handled by the Inspection Department, which directly processed citizens' requests, complaints, and petitions, resulting in slow resolution times. Now, everything is centralized, and the Board is tasked with coordinating with relevant departments and agencies to expedite the resolution process. This has created favorable conditions for citizens and enhanced the responsibility of the relevant departments and agencies." As a result, the number of citizens coming is spread out, avoiding concentration on the two regular public service days.

In terms of the number of complaints and denunciations, Vinh City has the largest number, accounting for more than one-third of the total number of complaints and denunciations in the province. On average, Vinh City receives 300 complaints and denunciations per month, but since the establishment of the Citizen Reception Board, this number has decreased to about 150. Mr. Chu Van Mai, Deputy Chief of the Office and Head of the Citizen Reception Board of Vinh City, said: "Previously, people often took their complaints to many different departments and offices, making it difficult for specialized agencies and prolonging processing time. But with the establishment of the Citizen Reception Board, people can come at any time and have their complaints received quickly, then forwarded to the relevant units for processing. The Board also regularly monitors and supervises the processing, thus shortening the time and increasing the responsibility of the relevant departments and offices." In addition, after receiving applications and complaints, officials at the Citizen Reception Department provide thorough guidance and explanations, helping people understand legal regulations, thereby reducing frustration and preventing prolonged disputes.

A typical example is the complaint filed by Mr. VT (residing in Mau Don hamlet, Hung Loc commune, Vinh City). On October 30th, Mr. T. went to the Vinh City Citizen Reception Office to submit a complaint. In the complaint, Mr. T. accused his son of appropriating a 500m2 plot of land in Nghi Phu commune by deceiving him into submitting land transfer documents and forging his signature. After receiving the complaint, the Vinh City Citizen Reception Office forwarded the file to the Vinh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Recognizing that Mr. T.'s complaint was unfounded because the land gift to his son was a voluntary act by Mr. T. in 2011, the Citizen Reception Office invited Mr. T. for a meeting on December 18th. During the meeting, representatives from the Citizen Reception Office guided and explained the relevant legal regulations to Mr. T., as well as analyzing how the complaint would damage the father-son relationship.

After being informed and having the matter explained, Mr. T. agreed to withdraw his complaint. Similarly, in the case of the land dispute between Mr. P. D. T., from Hamlet 6, Hung Chinh Commune, Vinh City, and his younger brother, Mr. P. D. H., concerning a plot of land for building a church, the Citizen Reception Board explained to Mr. T. that the land had been used by Mr. H. for many years and was recognized by the State. Mr. T. suing his brother would affect their family relationship and lead to ridicule from neighbors. The Board also advised Mr. T. to discuss and negotiate with his family on the basis of reconciliation to find common ground. Just a few days later, Mr. T. went to the Citizen Reception Board to withdraw his complaint and stated that everything had been satisfactorily resolved.

To date, more than 10 localities in the province have established Citizen Reception Boards. While initial results have been positive, the implementation process is facing obstacles that need to be addressed. Some localities are in the process of establishing Citizen Reception Boards but are not complying with regulations. According to regulations, the structure of the District-level Citizen Reception Board does not include a deputy head, only a head. This has inadvertently created many difficulties for the operation of the Citizen Reception Boards. Furthermore, the number of personnel allocated to the Board is insufficient compared to actual needs. Mr. Chu Van Mai, Head of the Citizen Reception Board of Vinh City, stated: The regulation without a deputy head is unreasonable because when the head is absent, files cannot be approved promptly, leading to delays in processing and resolution.

Furthermore, given the high volume of complaints in Vinh City, having only four dedicated staff members is insufficient. The nature of the work in receiving citizens is stressful, and the absence of even one staff member would significantly impact the overall operation of the Committee. Sharing this view, Mr. Tran Van Hai, Head of the Citizen Reception Committee of Nghi Loc District, stated: The Committee only has one dedicated staff member, while the other two are performing other duties; there are no specific guidelines on policies and regulations for those working in citizen reception, and the operating budget has not been approved and is awaiting guidance from higher authorities, thus creating difficulties in operations. Therefore, to improve the effectiveness of citizen reception work, adjustments to human resources are needed to better suit the actual situation.

Nguyen Hung