Nghe An: Collecting comments on the draft Law on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Investment; Law on Youth (amended)

Deputy Heads of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation: Nguyen Thanh Hien and Tran Van Mao chaired the conference to collect comments on the draft Law on Investment under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) method. Attending were representatives of relevant departments, branches and sectors. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Promoting publicity and transparency of information in public investment

In the morning, the conference gathered comments on the draft Law on Investment in the form of public-private partnership (PPP), which is a form of investment implemented on the basis of a project contract between a competent State agency and an investor or project enterprise to build, renovate, operate, trade, manage infrastructure works, and provide public services.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation Nguyen Thanh Hien affirmed that the demand for capital for investment in technical infrastructure in Vietnam in general and each locality in particular is very large, while the State budget is limited, and the capital of donors is increasingly narrowing, the investment model in the form of public-private partnership (PPP) is considered a lever to mobilize resources from the private sector both domestically and internationally for infrastructure investment in the current situation.

However, in order for the Draft Law on Investment under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) method to be more suitable to reality and ensure flexibility in actual implementation, delegates need to focus on contributing ideas to develop content related to: Scope of law adjustment; PPP investment field; investment limit and scale; competent authority to decide on investment policy for PPP projects; State audit activities in PPP investment, State capital sources in projects; roles and functions of relevant agencies...

Representatives of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment presented their opinions at the conference to collect comments on the draft Law on Investment under the form of public-private partnership. Photo: Thanh Quynh

At the conference, delegates basically agreed with the general content of this draft law.

In addition, there were 8 comments on some draft contents such as: Strengthening coordination and supervision between localities, specialized agencies and community supervision of toll collection activities at investment projects in the form of PPP to take place honestly, reasonably and in accordance with regulations.

At the same time, it is proposed to stipulate that the proportion of State capital supporting the project shall not exceed 49% of the total investment. The Government shall be assigned to stipulate the minimum investment scale limit of the PPP Project in accordance with each industry, each field and the socio-economic development stage of the locality.

Some delegates commented that the PPP project is essentially a public investment project, so the State Audit must audit the entire project, including the investment from private capital sources, and specify more the process of handling petitions in selecting investors in accordance with the Law on Anti-Corruption and a number of other laws; more clearly define the authority of the head in deciding on investment policies; clearly define the content and supervision of the local community with the project being implemented to ensure feasibility...

Vinh City Wholesale Market – a public-private investment project that has been in operation since 2015. Photo: Nguyen Son

Many opinions suggest reviewing and reconsidering relevant laws that directly affect the Law on Investment under the public-private partnership method; regarding the publicity and transparency of information in investment under the PPP method, it is necessary to regulate the time for posting information...

On behalf of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, the Deputy Heads of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation acknowledged and summarized the opinions of the delegates participating in the drafting of the Law, and submitted it to the National Assembly for consideration at the next session.

Should a Ministry of Youth be established?

In the afternoon, the Provincial National Assembly Delegation held a conference to collect comments on the draft Law on Youth (amended). Comrade Tran Van Mao - Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation chaired the conference. Attending were representatives of relevant departments, branches and sectors.

Delegates focused on 14 issues, notably the contents related to: Orientation for building the Youth Law; structure of the draft law; youth age; principles for ensuring the implementation of rights, obligations and policies of the State towards youth; resources for implementing State policies towards youth; international cooperation on youth; dialogue with youth; rights and obligations of youth; State management of youth...

One issue that many delegates commented on was whether to establish a Ministry of Youth or just to elevate the role of the National Committee on Vietnamese Youth and assign some additional State management functions on youth to this committee.

Regarding the above issue, comrade Pham Van Toan - Deputy Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union suggested that in the current situation of streamlining the payroll, establishing a new ministry is not feasible. At the same time, according to the provisions of current law, the function of State management of youth has been assigned to the Ministry of Home Affairs, assigning one task to two agencies is not consistent with the policy of streamlining the apparatus.

Along with that, the Central Youth Union is the Standing agency of the National Committee on Vietnamese Youth and will take advantage of the advantages in grasping the thoughts and aspirations of young people to advise and propose the development of policies and laws that are closely related to the lives of young people.

Comrade Pham Van Toan - Deputy Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union contributed ideas to build the Draft Law on Youth (amended) at the conference. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Agreeing with the above viewpoint, many comments suggested that, in order to avoid overlap and further strengthen the State management of youth, the Law needs to decentralize more authority and responsibility to the National Committee. At the same time, it is necessary to clearly define the position and responsibility of this committee with specific responsibilities such as: researching, surveying, proposing the development of policies and guidelines on youth; presiding over the coordination with the Youth Union, youth organizations and sectors and levels to implement the youth action program; coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs to strengthen State management of youth work; organizing the implementation of decisions of the Government and competent agencies on international cooperation and people's diplomacy...

The above regulations will ensure the consistency of the legal system, in accordance with regulations on inter-sectoral coordination in law enforcement.

More clearly define the rights and obligations of young people

Many opinions at the conference said that the policies stipulated in the Draft Law on Youth are still general, lack specificity and do not create motivation for the youth force. Therefore, it is necessary to propose specific policies related to a number of special subjects such as: youth volunteers, ethnic minority youth, youth volunteers participating in socio-economic development tasks and performing tasks of building and defending the Fatherland; youth working and studying abroad...

Some delegates reflected that the draft law's provisions on the rights and obligations of youth overlap and have no new points compared to the provisions on the rights and obligations of citizens in other laws. The draft law has not yet created a favorable legal corridor for youth to develop and contribute; it has not yet demonstrated the role and mission of youth - a great social force in deciding the future and destiny of the nation. From there, it is recommended to build in the direction of a framework law with regulations and principles that highlight the system of policies and laws related to youth.

Nghe An Youth Union launched the 2019 Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign. Photo courtesy of Phuong Thuy

Delegates also paid attention to and commented on issues related to youth age; Youth Month; responsibilities of relevant agencies and organizations in implementing the provisions of the Youth Law...

Concluding the conference, Mr. Tran Van Mao, Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, acknowledged and accepted the delegates' comments and contributions to the draft Youth Law. These comments will be compiled and submitted to the National Assembly in the upcoming session.