Unifying commune-level leadership: The key is people

(Baonghean) - The model of Party Secretary cum Chairman of the People's Committee of commune, ward, and town (commune level) has demonstrated many outstanding advantages in innovating the Party's leadership methods, creating clear changes in many localities. However, through the grassroots Party Congresses in the province, this model is being narrowed, although Directive No. 36-CT/TW, dated May 30, 2014 of the Politburo on Party Congresses at all levels towards the 12th National Congress of the Party (Directive 36) continues to encourage its application in localities with sufficient conditions.

To be cadres, to be a common movement

Nghi Lam Commune (Nghi Loc) is a purely agricultural locality with many difficulties. During the 2010 - 2015 term, when applying the unification model, comrade Nguyen Xuan Ty, who held the position of Party Secretary and Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, steered the local movement to develop with many outstanding marks. The commune has attracted a number of projects such as: Hoang Nguyen tunnel brick factory; export fine art wood production facility; industrial sewing factory... creating jobs for 400 - 500 workers. Services have developed with a system of culinary restaurants creating a brand for customers near and far. In addition, the agricultural sector has also made changes in the structure of crops and livestock towards specialization, increasing production value.

Positive economic movements have created a strong driving force for Nghi Lam to carry out the construction of the new rural area. Currently, the commune has completed 18/19 new rural criteria and is striving to reach the finish line in 2015. For 5 consecutive years, the commune Party Committee has achieved the title of Clean and Strong; the government has been recognized as excellent. Sharing his work process, comrade Nguyen Van Ty said that to shoulder both roles, in addition to his own efforts, it is necessary to have a team of well-trained cadres, especially deputy cadres in the Party Committee, government and heads of departments who are all-rounded, have professional capacity, good practice, consensus, and high unity for the local movement.

Comrade Hoang Nghia Thai (left), Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Hoa Commune, Thai Hoa Town, talks with farmers. Photo: Huu Nghia

In Nghia Long commune (Nghia Dan), the application of the unified model has created a strong turning point for the locality. From a purely agricultural commune with a low starting point, it was not until 2009 that it escaped the list of communes 135, the proportion of ethnic minorities accounted for more than 73%, but with appropriate steps in converting the structure of crops and livestock, attracting investment in the area, Nghia Long has developed rapidly and spectacularly. As a result, on June 22, the cadres and people of Nghia Long were honored and proud to organize a reception to receive the commune meeting the NTM standards. That is also the premise for a commune in area 2 like Nghia Long to set the goal of becoming a fairly good commune in the Southeast region of Nghia Dan district in the 2015-2020 term. The above successes are the efforts of the entire Party Committee, government and people of Nghia Long, in which we must acknowledge the great role of the head of the commune in the 2010 - 2015 term, comrade Truong Dinh Thong, Party Secretary, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee. Discussing the effectiveness of the unification model, comrade Thong affirmed: "This is a model with many outstanding advantages, ensuring smooth leadership and direction. However, the head must have real vision, be the center of solidarity and clearly define when to play the role of secretary, when to play the role of chairman to avoid overlap in performing professional tasks; at the same time, must trust and assign work to subordinates so that they can confidently promote their capacity, role and position".

Similarly, in Nghia Hoa commune (Thai Hoa town), the application of the unified model over the past 2 years has created a clear change in the socio-economic life of the locality. In March 2014, comrade Hoang Nghia Thai was transferred by Thai Hoa town to take up the position of Party Secretary and was elected by the People's Council to concurrently hold the position of Chairman of the People's Committee. Young and dynamic, comrade Thai has worked with the local political system to implement many economic models such as growing oranges, lilies and is currently collaborating with Vinamilk Dairy Factory to implement the dairy farming model for 7 households with a total of 42 dairy cows to increase people's income. In addition, promoting internal resources and making the most of external resources has contributed to accelerating the construction of rural infrastructure such as roads, schools, cultural houses, etc., creating a new look for Nghia Hoa countryside. Currently, the commune is preparing documents to submit to Thai Hoa Town for review and the province for appraisal to reach the NTM target in 2015. Comrade Hoang Nghia Thai said: "Taking on two roles, the leader must be proactive and quick in his work. Besides, the subordinate cadres, especially the deputy cadres, must be really strong to support the leader in both party work and expertise. Party cadres and branches of the People's Committee must also be improved in both expertise and politics so that when assigned tasks, they can complete them well."

Difficult human resource problem

From practice, it is shown that the implementation of the model of Party Secretary cum Chairman of the Commune People's Committee has outstanding advantages in improving the efficiency of local administration. However, through the grassroots Party Congress, term 2015-2020, the model of Secretary cum Chairman of the Commune is gradually being narrowed, even in some localities that applied it for the term 2010-2015, but now it is no longer implemented. Through discussions with some Party leaders, it is known that there are many reasons for not continuing to apply this model, the most difficult of which is the personnel issue.

Comrade Phan Tien Hai, Standing Deputy Secretary of Nghia Dan District Party Committee, said: “The application of the unified leadership model at the commune level depends on many factors, in which people are the deciding factor. First of all, the personnel for the head position, and second, the subordinate cadres assisting the head. From those requirements and based on the actual local situation, Nghia Dan district will not implement this model in the 2015-2020 term.”

Comrade Truong Dinh Thong (standing in the middle), former Secretary, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Long commune, directed the implementation of GTNT - Photo by Huu Nghia

In Thanh Chuong district, the model of secretary cum chairman was implemented in Thanh Phong commune in the 2005-2010 and 2010-2015 terms by comrade Nguyen Van Ngoc. Through evaluation after the 2 terms, the socio-economic situation and Party building work of Thanh Phong achieved many positive results. However, after the congress for the 2015-2020 term, comrade Nguyen Van Ngoc only held the "role" of the commune Party Committee Secretary. Comrade Le Thiet Hung, Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of Thanh Chuong District Party Committee, said: Currently, the directives of the Central and Provincial Party Committees are only encouraging, applied where conditions permit. Therefore, there has not been any synchronization in direction and policies... This unintentionally creates some difficulties for cadres when taking on both positions.

It must be seen that the unified leadership model at the commune level has basically created synchronization, unity, and timeliness in leadership, direction, and administration of all aspects of local work; ensured consistency between the leadership of the Party Committee and the management and administration of the government; limited the situation of making excuses, doing things for or loosening the leadership between the Party Committee and the government at the grassroots level. At the same time, it has enhanced the role and responsibility of the head, linked the responsibility of the head of the Party agency with the head of the grassroots government, promoted dynamism and creativity in leadership, direction, and administration; contributed to the implementation of the policy of administrative reform and streamlining the staff of the grassroots cadre apparatus.

Therefore, the first step is to innovate the Party's leadership method, limit stagnation and shirk responsibility, thereby having solutions to do well the ideological work, adjust the content and working methods, create a favorable environment to promote socio-economic development. However, to unify does not stop at the model, it requires clear and specific guidelines, instructions, mechanisms and policies to orient the grassroots. Along with that, the work of training cadres must be carried out drastically to create sources for key positions, as well as improve the effectiveness of the political system. Finally, there is the issue of building a monitoring mechanism using both regulations, policies and laws to avoid authoritarianism and arbitrariness. Only then will the model of unifying key leadership positions at the commune level be "enthusiastically" implemented and replicated by the grassroots level.

Nhat Le - Minh Chi