Deputy Prime Minister: Increase sanctions on smuggled goods
To ensure people's safety, especially food safety, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan allowed research to pilot the maximum application of legal regulations to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of penalties in the direction of ensuring sufficient deterrence against the transportation of smuggled goods, including illegally imported poultry.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and leaders of Quang Ninh province visit people in Bac Son commune, Mong Cai city. Photo: VGP/Tu Luong
Continuing the working program in Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province, on December 9, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and the Government delegation had a working session with the People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province on solutions to resolve the situation of illegally imported chickens into our country.
At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam affirmed that discarded chickens are the main cause of bird flu in Vietnam, because up to 60% of chicken samples tested positive for bird flu, and 100% of samples showed antibiotic residues exceeding the permitted level.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said that the results of testing and inspecting smuggled and discarded chickens showed that antibiotic residues in the tested samples exceeded the permitted level. Thus, in the long term, if people continue to use discarded chickens for short-term benefits, their health will be adversely affected. This is an important basis to affirm the determination of all levels, sectors and localities to prevent and eventually end the situation of smuggled and discarded chickens entering our country.
According to Secretary of Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee Pham Minh Chinh, to solve the problem of smuggling and smuggled poultry, it is necessary to focus on three directions: diplomacy, international law and perfecting policies for people in border areas, creating stable and legal jobs for people in border areas.
Mr. Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that he will be responsible to the Government for punishing all subjects specializing in smuggling chickens in the Mong Cai area, and at the same time proposed that the Government allow Quang Ninh to apply some separate sanctions, more flexible in the field of smuggling poultry across the border.
Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan stated that ensuring people's safety, especially food safety, is the responsibility of the Government. This is also a legitimate demand of the people and the desire of National Assembly deputies.
The Deputy Prime Minister agreed with Quang Ninh's proposal and allowed research to pilot the maximum application of legal regulations to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of penalties in the direction of ensuring deterrence against the transportation of smuggled goods, including illegally imported poultry.
Strengthen the coordination mechanism between forces to maximize the role of relevant agencies in the field of controlling smuggled chickens. Choose appropriate monitoring points, prioritize mobile control on national highways in Quang Ninh. In addition, it is also necessary to promptly reward and motivate forces participating in preventing, detecting and arresting smuggled chickens.
As for domestic poultry farming businesses, it is necessary to increase supply and continue to mobilize people to detect households trading in these products.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and the delegation worked with the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province. Photo: VGP/Tu Luong
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the Government chose discarded chicken as a pilot product, on that basis completing policies and perfecting mechanisms to continue to overcome outstanding issues in the field of food safety.
The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Health to promptly conduct research to adjust and supplement in order to perfect a number of mechanisms and policies in handling administrative violations in a number of fields to suit actual conditions.
The Deputy Prime Minister assigned targets that from now until February 15, 2013, the control rate of smuggled chicken in border areas must be increased to 70%, road transport must be controlled to 80%, and control during consumption at domestic wholesale markets must be 90%.
The Deputy Prime Minister also asked local authorities to take better care of the lives of poor households in border areas. This will help people change their awareness and minimize illegal activities, including cross-border smuggling.
According to VPchinhphu-M
