Promoting potential and advantages, Cua Lo strives to soon become a type 2 urban area

(Baonghean) - On the occasion of the Congress of the Party Committee of Cua Lo town for the 2015 - 2020 term, comrade Nguyen Nam Dinh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Cua Lo Town Party Committee gave an interview to Nghe An Newspaper.

View of Cua Lo Town. Photo: Sy Minh

Reporter:Could you please tell us about the outstanding results achieved by the Party Committee and people of Cua Lo Town in implementing the Resolution of the 4th Town Party Congress, term 2010 - 2015?

Comrade Nguyen Nam Dinh:During the 2010-2015 term, in difficult conditions due to economic recession, complicated weather and epidemics, the Party Committee and people of Cua Lo Town were united, unanimous, and made efforts to successfully implement the Congress Resolution and achieved important results in the following areas:

1. Average annual economic growth rate of 9.8%; economic structure in 2015: services 58.4%, industry - construction 36.2%, agriculture - forestry - fishery 5.4%. Total production value increased by an average of 11.5% annually, from 3,246 billion VND in 2010 to 5,619 billion VND in 2015. Average added value per capita in 2015 reached 64.5 million VND. Budget revenue (excluding land fees) increased by an average of 17.3% annually, from 92 billion VND in 2010 to 204.5 billion VND in 2015.

2. The number of tourists increased by an average of 6% per year, from 1.85 million to 2.43 million; revenue increased by an average of 20% per year, from 725 billion VND to 2,076 billion VND. Up to now, the town has 275 accommodation establishments with nearly 8,000 rooms and over 16,000 beds, enough to serve 170,000 - 180,000 guests/day and night. The number of workers in the tourism industry increased from 6,237 in 2010 to 7,600 in 2015. The Cua Lo tourism brand continues to be preserved and promoted.

3. Industry and handicrafts increased by an average of 21.9% per year. Key products such as milk, confectionery, unburnt bricks, and wooden furniture were maintained; 4 craft villages were recognized by the province; 267 enterprises and cooperatives were operating effectively.

4. Agriculture and fishery stand out with effective models such as growing safe vegetables, mushrooms, flowers, ornamental plants, squash, raising pheasants, clean chickens, snakehead fish, eels... Currently, the town has 22 pairs of offshore fishing vessels with a capacity of 90 to 400 CV, with an aquatic product output of 11,400 tons.

5. The total social investment in the period 2010 - 2015 reached over 7,385 billion VND, many key projects were invested in construction, exploited and promoted effectively; attracted large projects, notably Trang An confectionery, 4-star Muong Thanh - Cua Lo hotel; built 21 km of new asphalt roads and 21 km of concrete roads. In 2014, the town was recognized by the Government as the first coastal tourist city in the country.

6. The quality of comprehensive education, spearheads, school and class size, staff, managers and teachers are increasingly improved and ranked among the top in the province. There are 21/22 general schools meeting national standards.

7. Implement social security policies well, support the construction and repair of 142 houses for policy beneficiaries; provide training, career guidance, vocational training, and introduce nearly 5,000 labor export workers. The poverty rate has continuously decreased from 10.6% in 2010 to 2.55% in 2015.

8. National defense and security are ensured. Military posture is built in defense areas. The fight against crime and social evils is strengthened, political security and social order and safety are ensured.

9. The work of building the Party and the political system has been focused on and achieved many good results. The quality of grassroots party organizations has been improved, the political system in the educational areas has been strengthened; the work of training, fostering, planning and standardizing the staff has been well implemented.

Reporter:During the past term, what limitations and weaknesses did the Party Committee of Cua Lo Town see that needed to be focused on overcoming?

Comrade Nguyen Nam Dinh:The Party Committee of Cua Lo Town seriously reviewed and clearly recognized the limitations and weaknesses that need to be focused on and have solutions to overcome as follows:

Leaders of Cua Lo Town inspect the progress of Song Ngu Son project. Photo: PV

Economically:There are 4 targets that have not been achieved: economic growth rate; total production value; average added value per capita; and economic sector structure ratio. Tourism is still seasonal, monotonous, and not linked to agriculture - fishery - small-scale industry.

About social culture:There are 2 targets that have not been achieved: the rate of trained workers; the rate of population using clean water. The quality of cultural and urban civilization movements is not high. The construction of national standard schools and high-achieving schools has not met the set targets. The team of good doctors, pharmacists, and medical staff is lacking in quantity; the sense of responsibility and service attitude change slowly. The implementation of population policy in some wards, agencies, and units is still difficult.

The quality of some meetings and supervision activities of the People's Council is not high. The advisory work of some departments, management, direction and operation of the government in compensation, site clearance, tourism, land, environment... is still passive, not focused and lacks determination. Administrative reform, anti-corruption and waste prevention have not met requirements.

The leadership capacity and fighting strength of some grassroots party organizations, as well as self-criticism and criticism of some party members have not been strengthened. The quality of activities of some party committees, branches, and new party members is not high, and there is a tendency for party members to age in the blocs. Planning and training of grassroots cadres and mass organizations are still difficult. Implementation of the Resolution of the 11th Central Committee, Session 4, in some bases is still confusing.

Reporter:What lessons have been drawn by the Party Committee of Cua Lo Town in the process of leading and directing the implementation of the Congress Resolution that can be applied in practice in the coming period, comrade?

Comrade Nguyen Nam Dinh:Cua Lo Party Committee draws 4 lessons to continue applying in practice as follows:

- Promote democracy, intelligence, solidarity and consensus within the Party and among the people.

- Identify and choose the right focus to focus on leadership and direction.

- Do well in all stages of personnel work, especially key personnel.

- Promote local internal resources, potentials and strengths; mobilize resources and support from superiors and businesses.

Reporter:What directions and solutions does the Town Party Committee have for Cua Lo Town to continue to promote its potential advantages, strive to soon become a type 2 urban area, an important growth pole of the province?

Comrade Nguyen Nam Dinh:The town focuses on exploiting its potential and advantages to the fullest, strengthening connections, mobilizing all resources for rapid and sustainable development; prioritizing economic development, services and tourism as the spearhead; expanding space, building synchronous infrastructure and developing to the West and the South; strongly improving the investment and business environment; taking planning, environmental protection, culture and human resources as the driving force for sustainable development. Economic development is associated with ensuring social security and national defense and security. Improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of party organizations and party members, building a strong political system.

Based on such viewpoints and development directions, the goals of this term of Cua Lo Town are: To improve the leadership capacity and fighting strength of grassroots party organizations, promote democracy, intelligence, solidarity, innovation, development, strive to build Cua Lo coastal tourism city to soon become a type 2 urban area, a growth pole and spearhead of the province; create the premise to build a green, clean, beautiful, rich, civilized, modern coastal tourism city, a bright spot in tourism in the whole country; people's lives are constantly improved; build and develop Cua Lo culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable development; ensure solid national defense and security; take the lead in innovation - integration - acceleration, contributing to building a rich and strong homeland of Nghe An; maintain the title of a strong Party Committee.

Reporter:Thank you very much, comrade!

PV(Perform)