The Provincial Chairman's 'coffee shop'

In a corner of the Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee Office, there are a few stone benches, surrounded by ornamental plants and a signboard reading "Business Cafe - Enterprise"...

Chairman and Secretary of Dong Thap receive businesses at 6:45 a.m. at the chairman's cafe - Photo: VAN TRUONG

Every morning the president and vice presidents come here to directly listen to and resolve businesses' recommendations.

This coffee shop was born from the idea of ​​Mr. Nguyen Van Duong (Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee), so businesses jokingly call it the Chairman's Coffee Shop. Many difficulties and problems of businesses have been resolved right at this shop.

Many inappropriate policies were amended and supplemented based on suggestions from businesses. In late April and mid-June 2016, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc twice reminded and suggested that provinces learn from Dong Thap province leaders to take time to meet and drink coffee, directly solving difficulties for businesses.

Waiting for businesses to come and complain

At 6:30 a.m., the sky was gray and it looked like it was about to rain. Mr. Duong walked from the People's Committee Office's dormitory to the coffee shop. A few minutes later, the specialists from the Provincial People's Committee Office arrived.

Mr. Duong glanced at his watch: “It’s about to rain, maybe no one will come today.” He still patiently waited, opened his tablet to review his work schedule, and took the opportunity to read the documents that had just been transferred from the office.

A moment later, a black car appeared. Ms. Ta Thu Thuy - director of Phuong Thanh Company in Chau Thanh District - entered the coffee shop, shaking hands and greeting everyone. Doctor Luong Ngoc An, director of Thai Hoa Hospital in Cao Lanh City, also arrived by motorbike.

“I heard from my colleagues that you have something urgent to tell me, right?” - Mr. Duong began. Mrs. Thuy hesitated: “Yes, my company has just received a document from the Tax Department announcing a fine of more than 200 million VND for late payment of corporate income tax. I hope you guys will consider it. At this time, rice export is difficult and if you get fined again, it will be too bad!”

Mr. Duong continued to ask: "I remember that businesses investing in the agricultural sector enjoy preferential investment policies. Has your company enjoyed any incentives?"

Ms. Thuy replied: "No, not yet." Mr. Duong turned to talk to the Tax Department leader for a while and then said: "We checked again and found that you were not at fault in this matter, so the province agreed not to fine you. Today, the Tax Department will send an officer directly to your place to guide you through the procedures to request the Provincial People's Committee to grant investment incentives."

A few days later, Ms. Thuy received a decision from the Provincial People's Committee approving Phuong Thanh Company to enjoy investment incentives until the end of 2019. Thus, Ms. Thuy was not only not fined 200 million VND but also enjoyed incentives of about more than 1 billion VND.

Ms. Thuy revealed: “The day I had coffee with Chairman Duong, I told him about how I missed the ferry and almost missed meeting the provincial leaders. Three days later, someone came to the company and gave me a priority ferry pass. It is very rare to see a leader who cares about every little thing for the business like that.”

Dr. An's Thai Hoa Hospital also received good news that the Provincial People's Committee agreed to support more than 30 billion VND to implement social security policies for patients.

Mr. Vo Van Hanh - director of Thuan Thanh Thap Muoi Company Limited - said he rented 2 hectares of land in Thap Muoi district to build a factory. The application had been submitted for seven months but had not been resolved, so he went to the chairman's coffee shop to meet Mr. Duong to complain. His problem was that in order to get a red book for a construction permit, he had to pay land rent.

His investment field is preferential and tax-free, so the tax authority requires him to submit complete completion documents, meaning the construction must be completed before tax exemption can be considered.

The Department of Construction said that they would only grant a construction permit after he had fulfilled his tax obligations and received a red book. The “chicken or egg” administrative procedure left him exhausted, while the project remained on paper.

Mr. Duong then directed to untie the knot at the Tax Department, to resolve Mr. Hanh's debt in construction-related procedures. Once the project is completed, it will be added later.

Thai Binh Dong Thap Company also encountered similar difficulties when investing in building Phu Hiep market and was solved by Mr. Duong in the same way. Currently, these two enterprises are carrying out construction.

Eliminate the "ask-give" problem

Mr. Nguyen Van Duong said that in the past, the province also handled administrative procedures or recommendations from businesses according to the process. Businesses sent documents to the Provincial People's Committee, then the leaders considered which department, branch, or agency was responsible for the issue and signed and transferred it to them for consultation.

“Sometimes it takes more than three months for the Provincial People’s Committee to issue an official dispatch in response to a business’s petition. While waiting for the Provincial People’s Committee to resolve the matter, businesses have lost business opportunities or fallen deeper into difficulties. Many people have frankly said they have lost faith in the government. I feel guilty about all of that,” said Mr. Duong.

In early 2016, Mr. Duong directed the placement of several stone tables, some bonsai pots, and hanging of a dozen orchid pots next to the canteen of the Provincial People's Committee Office so that he could receive businesses early in the morning before meetings or business trips.

He established a specialized department to solve difficulties for businesses and assigned the Foreign Affairs Department of the Provincial People's Committee Office to notify and receive registrations to meet provincial leaders from 6:30 a.m. every day at the chairman's cafe via the "hotline" number 0919.022299 (email: doingoai.vpubdt@gmail.com).

Businesses that register and submit content in advance will be researched and advised by the industry so that he can respond right away while drinking his morning coffee. For issues that require document verification, he will direct the specialized department to review and respond as quickly as possible.

“Dong Thap is still poor and needs the cooperation of businesses. Dong Thap province invites businesses to invest, and we must make young people consider this land of pink lotus as a startup land. The road to get here is too far and arduous, and if we sit at a desk and force businesses to follow procedures and regulations like other places, who would want to come?

The people of the Western region are inherently hospitable. When inviting guests, we must welcome and entertain them properly. My colleagues and I, the provincial leaders, thought so, so we set up this coffee shop, and go to work an hour early to meet businesses. By getting rid of the begging and giving, businesses feel like they have lifted a thousand-pound burden, and we feel more comfortable too," Mr. Duong shared.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duong (sitting on the left) meets and resolves business requests at the chairman's coffee shop every early morning - Photo: VAN TRUONG

Over the past six months, dozens of businesses have come to the chairman to meet Mr. Duong to complain, even to give advice and suggestions to help the locality develop. Many of the cases that businesses have raised have been resolved by Mr. Duong in a flash, while the authorities have been making appointments back and forth for months.

For example, on June 15, Mai Linh Company Branch in Dong Thap "accused" of having difficulty in re-issuing badges to invest in new vehicles, causing a lack of vehicles to serve passengers and affecting the lives of taxi drivers. After hearing this, Mr. Duong directed to immediately issue badges to this company because people can travel by new, safer vehicles, creating jobs for drivers. And when checking and inspecting, if this company makes any mistakes, they will handle and fix them later.

Or Joint Stock Commercial Bank B. Dong Thap branch requested to cancel the decision to fine 4.2 million VND by the Provincial Tax Department for late payment of VAT of more than 65,000 VND; corporate income tax of more than 244,000 VND. Although the fine is not much, it will affect the bank's reputation. When knowing the reason for late tax payment is due to incorrect use of the form, the Provincial People's Committee requested to cancel this penalty decision.

There are also some businesses such as My Phu Hung Company in Cao Lanh City who come to the coffee shop just to give their opinions and suggestions. This company believes that the decision on registration fees for cars and motorbikes that the People's Committee of Dong Thap Province is currently applying is inappropriate, often higher than neighboring provinces. This makes people dissatisfied and some people ask acquaintances to buy cars and register them in other provinces, then bring them back to Dong Thap to use, causing a loss of revenue.

After listening, Mr. Duong directed the Department of Finance to coordinate with the Provincial Tax Department to review, adjust and supplement this regulation to suit the reality. "Anything that is beneficial to the people and businesses and in accordance with the law must be done immediately.

I have just directed relevant departments and branches to shorten the time to handle administrative procedures at this agency as much as possible so that businesses can receive investment licenses as quickly as possible, not just on the exact date and time as prescribed," said Mr. Duong.

Provincial Party Secretary drinks coffee with young businessmen

When not on a business trip, Mr. Le Minh Hoan (Secretary of Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee) also stops by the chairman's cafe to listen to businesses' feedback and coordinate with the Provincial People's Committee to come up with solutions.

Mr. Hoan himself also has a monthly coffee date with the Dong Thap Province Young Entrepreneurs Club. Sometimes at this cafe, sometimes at another.

His goal was to enjoy coffee at all the cafes in Cao Lanh City. Here, he would not only listen to their complaints but also advise them on how to solve the difficulties they encountered when starting a business.

Mr. Hoan is often invited to speak about economics, startups, etc. in various places. When he knows which training courses are useful for businesses, he sends out emails to inform businesses in his province to register to attend and directs the Provincial People's Committee to support them with 50% of the cost.

According to Van Truong/TTO