Nghe An: Strictly handle officials and party members involved in gambling

(Baonghean)-In recent years, gambling has been on the rise, with many sophisticated forms and methods. Notably, the number of cadres, civil servants, officials, and party members participating in gambling is increasing, causing negative impacts on the people...

Complex developments, sophisticated tricks

According to statistics from the authorities, the number of gambling cases accounts for a relatively high proportion compared to other types of crimes (about 15% of criminal cases), second only to drug crimes and property theft. The number of gambling cases/subjects discovered and arrested by the provincial police in 2014 and 2015 is nearly 1/3 of the number of gambling cases/subjects discovered and arrested in ten years (from May 2004 to December 30, 2013).

In addition to traditional methods, gamblers have begun to apply information technology and science and technology (gambling via the internet and mobile information systems), making it difficult for authorities to detect and arrest them.

Gamblers were arrested by Vinh city police in Nghi Phu commune in project 416B, April 2016 (Illustration photo)

Gamblers use many cunning tricks to deal with the authorities such as: organizing mobile gambling on means of transport; gambling at hotels, solid houses, with guards, and surveillance cameras; setting up camps in rugged mountains and forests. They even take advantage of festival seasons or funerals and weddings to gamble, affecting the nation's fine traditions. Sadly, the situation of cadres, party members, and civil servants participating in gambling seriously affects the reputation of party organizations, agencies, and the government, causing bad public opinion among the masses.

Typical cases include Mr. Nguyen Duy Nho - Member of the District Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Tan Ky District People's Committee and 3 other officials caught red-handed and prosecuted for gambling, Mr. Ho Ngoc Mai - Party Secretary, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Director of Bac Nghe An Irrigation One Member Co., Ltd. was caught red-handed by the Provincial Police for gambling and was administratively fined 1.5 million VND.

Dismissal and expulsion from the Party of officials involved in gambling

Faced with the complicated developments of gambling, on January 4, 2016, the Provincial Party Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 02-CD/TU requesting departments, branches, unions, district, city, town Party Committees, and affiliated Party Committees to strengthen prevention and control of gambling. On April 28, 2016, the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Commission issued Official Dispatch No. 118/CV-UBKTTU requesting Party Committees and Inspection Commissions at all levels to step up propaganda work, strengthen inspection and supervision, establish hotlines, suggestion boxes, denounce violations, and strictly handle cases of gambling violations according to the law.

Most recently (June 6, 2016), the Provincial People's Committee issued telegram No. 15-CD/UBND assigning specific tasks to functional agencies and authorities at all levels to strengthen the prevention and fight against gambling.

This demonstrates the determination of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee in the fight to prevent and combat gambling in the area. Mr. Truong Hong Phuc - Secretary of Do Luong District Party Committee said: Unifying a form of disciplinary action against cadres and party members who participate in gambling in all forms will overcome the situation of being lenient, "raising high and hitting lightly" causing concerns and doubts about the strictness and fairness of the law among the people.

Evidence of a gambling case seized by authorities.

In Do Luong district, cadres and party members who were discovered participating in gambling were all strictly handled to ensure Party discipline. Specifically, in 2015, Do Luong had 7 party members who were disciplined (dismissed from office, expelled from the party) for participating in gambling, including 3 party members holding positions including: Nguyen Cong Hoa, Vice Chairman of the People's Council of Thai Son commune, Nguyen Van Son - Head of the medical station of Trung Son commune, Nguyen Hai Duong - teacher of Primary School 2 of Dai Son commune.

In the first 6 months of the year, disciplinary action was taken to expel from the party and remove from office 01 party member who participated in gambling, Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Secretary of the Party cell of Hamlet 8, Quang Son commune.

The Party Committee of Do Luong district has also developed a specialized Resolution on strengthening the Party's leadership in the fight against social evils, including gambling, to declare war on this evil.

In Tan Ky district, after the incident in which a member of the Standing Committee of the district Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the district People's Committee was arrested and prosecuted for participating in gambling, on November 3, 2015, Tan Ky District Party Committee issued Directive 02-CT/HU on strengthening the Party's leadership in preventing and combating gambling in the district, and implementing the signing of commitments to party members and the masses in the hamlets.

Many gambling cases with large amounts of money, high denominations.

Mr. Bui Thanh Bao - Secretary of Tan Ky District Party Committee said: The Directive received the consensus and support of cadres, party members and the masses. We request the entire political system to participate in the fight against and prevent gambling, expand the forms of receiving denunciations, provide hotline numbers of comrades in the District Party Committee Standing Committee and district police leaders to 268 hamlets and villages in the area.

As for cadres and party members, participating in gambling regardless of their position or function will be strictly dealt with, without precedent, without forbidden areas. In the first six months of 2016, the Inspection Committee of Tan Ky District Party Committee disciplined (dismissed from office, expelled from the Party) the Chief of Nghia Thai Commune Police and the Chairman of Tan Long Commune Farmers' Association for violating what party members are not allowed to do, participating in gambling...

In addition to the involvement of all levels and authorities, to declare war on gambling in the area, each cadre, party member, and the masses need to enhance their role and sense of responsibility in monitoring, detecting, denouncing, and actively coordinating with authorities in preventing, stopping, and repelling this evil.

Khanh Ly