Correctly determine eligibility for exemption from Party membership activities.

(Baonghean) - In recent years, following Guidance No. 27-HD/BTCTU dated March 26, 2009, of the Central Organization Committee, many grassroots Party members have been granted "exemption from Party activities"; most due to old age, poor health, difficulty in travel, and lack of opportunities to interact with the masses and society. However, in reality, some individuals have "used" these reasons to request exemption from Party activities. This issue requires Party committees at the block, village, and hamlet levels to uphold their responsibilities, closely monitor the situation, and encourage the spirit and will of Party members to contribute their strength and intellect to the grassroots Party organization.

The Party cell of Block 6, under the Party Committee of Ben Thuy Ward (Vinh City), has 57 members. The average age of the Party members in the cell is 71 years old, with the youngest member currently being 56. Mr. Nguyen Dinh, the Party cell secretary, said: “For the past 10 years, the Party cell has not admitted any new members because 92% of the families in the block are cadres and civil servants, so the younger generation has gone to school or work. However, the Party cell is regularly supplemented with retired comrades from agencies and units in the city. Without that source of replenishment, the Party cell would probably not exist. Currently, our Party cell also has 10 comrades who are exempt from Party activities. During the process of considering exemptions, the Party cell committee thoroughly reviewed the matter, ensuring it was done according to principles. Those exempted from activities are due to old age, illness, long-term treatment, or being temporarily absent for a whole year because they are living with their children and grandchildren in other provinces and cities…”

A meeting of the Party cell of Hamlet 6, My Son Commune, Do Luong District.

Also in Ben Thuy ward, the Party branch of Block 13 has 50 members, but 10 of them are exempt from Party activities. Thus, up to 20% of the Party members in the branch are exempt from Party activities. During the discussion, Mr. Tran Dinh Su, the Party branch secretary, stated: “To be considered for exemption from Party branch activities, Party members must submit a written request, and the Party branch committee must conduct a thorough verification. These comrades are still guaranteed all rights as stipulated in the Party Charter and must pay their Party dues in full. If Party members eligible for exemption from activities can still attend Party branch meetings, their request will be granted, and they will be provided with complete information. However, due to various reasons, ensuring compliance with Regulation No. 45-QD/TU dated November 1, 2011, of the 11th Central Committee of the Party on "Implementation of the Party Charter," which stipulates that these Party members "are informed by the Party branch committee or the Party branch secretary about new resolutions and directives of the Party, laws of the State, and the activities of the Party branch and Party committee as with Party members currently participating in Party activities," has sometimes been inadequate for the Party branch…”.

In addition, there is also the phenomenon where, even after overcoming difficult circumstances such as recovering from illness or improving their health, many party members do not return to party activities. In particular, some party members, upon receiving their retirement notice and completing the transfer of their party membership, do not submit it to the Party committee in their place of residence and do not participate in party activities, causing negative public opinion. Regarding the monitoring and inspection of the process for granting exemptions from Party activities at the grassroots level, Comrade Tran Van Giao - Secretary of the Party Committee of Truong Thi Ward (Vinh City) said: “In terms of procedure, all 25 Party branches in the ward followed the correct steps and procedures. Because most Party members in the branches are elderly, the percentage of Party members exempted from activities is over 10%. Among them, there are also some comrades who, although not very old and in good health, have submitted applications for exemption. According to Party regulations, this request is legitimate and has been approved by the Party branches. However, if we talk about the will and responsibility of Party members, it is not high enough, because every month, many Party members who are elderly, from 80 to over 90 years old, still regularly participate in Party branch activities.”

According to statistics from grassroots Party committees, the average number of Party members exempted from Party branch activities is over 10%, with some specialized branches reaching nearly 40%. Discussing this issue, Comrade Hoang Van Phi - Secretary of the Hung Nguyen District Party Committee - stated: “Party members exhibiting such behavior are not in line with the moral character of a Party member and the spirit of the Party Charter. Party members who intentionally exploit regulations to request exemption from Party activities may have diminished willpower and responsibility, placing personal interests above collective interests. This requires each Party branch to prioritize inspection and supervision work and strengthen the education of awareness and responsibility among Party members.” However, currently, most grassroots Party branches and committees are implementing the exemption from Party activities according to Guidance No. 27-HD/BTCTU, dated March 26, 2009, of the Central Organization Department. Accordingly, the criteria for exemption from Party work and activities include elderly Party members, those with poor health, and those who voluntarily request exemption. This guideline states that: Elderly Party members are those who have reached the retirement age as stipulated in the Labor Code: men over 60 years old, women over 55 years old. If this criterion is applied, along with the low awareness of retired Party members, many Party branches will face a shortage of members, leading to the risk of having no Party branches at the commune, ward, or town level.

According to Regulation No. 45-QD/TU of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam on "Implementing the Party Charter," the conditions for requesting exemption from Party activities are that Party members who are elderly or in poor health and unable to participate in activities must submit a request or directly report to the Party branch to request a reduction or exemption from Party work and activities. The Party branch will consider and decide. The Party branch committee or secretary will report to the immediate superior Party committee. Party members exempted from Party work and activities are entitled to the following rights: to attend Party congresses; to be informed by the Party branch committee or secretary about new resolutions and directives of the Party, laws of the State, and the activities of the Party branch and Party committee, as with active Party members; to be considered for the Party Badge if they meet the criteria; and to be exempted from Party member performance evaluations during the period of exemption from Party work and activities. However, it is mandatory for party members exempted from party activities to set a good example and encourage their families to comply with the Party's guidelines and policies, the laws of the State, and local regulations. If they violate Party discipline, they will be disciplined as if they were active party members, according to the Party Charter. Based on this, Party branches need to strengthen connections with mass organizations, residential areas, and agencies and units to understand the "shifts" in the work positions of party members, thereby developing appropriate solutions for managing and evaluating the quality of party members.

Text and photos:Nguyen Nguyen