Disturbance at BOT stations will be severely punished.
The Prime Minister's telegram has just been issued requesting ministries, branches, agencies and local authorities to jointly deal with those who intentionally cause trouble at BOT toll stations.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has just signed Official Dispatch No. 82/CD-TTg dated January 18, 2018 on ensuring security and order at toll stations for road use services under the form of BOT (build - operate - transfer) contracts.
The dispatch stated that, in recent times, implementing the Party and State's policy of attracting investment in the form of public-private partnership (PPP), including BOT contracts, the transport infrastructure system has had many positive changes, contributing to creating a favorable environment for socio-economic development, economic integration in the region and the world, and receiving support from the people.
Attracting investment in transport infrastructure under the BOT form is a consistent policy that needs to continue to be implemented in the coming time to develop the infrastructure system, especially transport infrastructure.
The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Information and Communications to direct news agencies and newspapers to absolutely not report or publish comments that encourage those who obstruct toll collection activities.
However, besides many achievements, the process of implementing transport infrastructure projects under the BOT investment form has had some shortcomings and inadequacies that need to be focused on and overcome.
These shortcomings are being exploited by bad elements to incite and sabotage... causing disruption to security, order and traffic safety, negatively affecting the attraction of socialized investment.
In particular, the incident at Cai Lay toll station, Tien Giang province and some other BOT toll stations is very complicated, but there has not been any drastic intervention from local authorities.
Some localities have not yet seen the seriousness of the problem of bad guys taking advantage of this and only consider it the task of the transport sector.
The complicated situation at toll stations in some provinces, especially the southern provinces, if not handled by the entire political system, especially the local authorities at all levels, may be exploited by bad elements, encroaching, potentially causing insecurity and disorder, including reactionary organizations taking advantage to sabotage the Party and State's policies and guidelines, affecting security and order through sabotaging the BOT investment form.
In order for all levels and sectors to closely coordinate and focus on solutions to resolve ongoing problems at BOT traffic projects, in order to soon restore security and order at BOT toll stations nationwide, the Prime Minister requested:
1. Local Party committees and authorities, especially provincial and municipal Party committee secretaries and chairmen of people's committees of centrally-run provinces and cities, need to directly direct the thorough resolution of the situation of insecurity and disorder in the area, and immediately take strict measures to deal with those who incite, cause disturbances, deliberately sabotage, and cause social disorder in accordance with the provisions of law.
2. The Ministry of Transport shall coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and local People's Committees to organize traffic more scientifically, install traffic signs and reasonably divide lanes at toll stations on bypass routes, especially at stations where problems are occurring.
3. The Ministry of Transport shall immediately provide the Ministry of Public Security with specialized files and documents related to the subjects of incitement, sabotage, and harassment at toll stations, including acts of spreading false information, complicating the situation, in order to take strict measures to deal with the elements causing disorder and insecurity, especially the leaders, repeatedly, in order to ensure the strictness of the law.
4. The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Public Security to preside over, together with the Ministry of National Defense, local police and People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities, to review and immediately handle those who deliberately violate the law; especially drivers who obstruct traffic (such as turning around many times, deliberately stopping in front of toll stations and then going to do other things, etc.), destroying equipment at toll stations; organizations and individuals who cause disturbances, sabotage, and act in a reactionary manner. If there are sufficient elements to constitute a crime, prosecute them for investigation and handle them strictly before the law.
5. The Minister of Public Security directs local police directors to promptly resolve security and order at toll stations and strictly handle cases of non-compliance; at the same time, direct the Traffic Police Department to hold online meetings with local traffic police to thoroughly grasp solutions to ensure order and traffic safety in the area.
6. The Ministry of Information and Communications directs news agencies and newspapers to provide strong and continuous information and organize specialized propaganda campaigns to reflect honestly and objectively on the BOT investment policy. Directs news agencies and newspapers to absolutely not report or publish comments that encourage subjects who obstruct toll collection activities.
At the same time, strictly handle those who spread false information with the aim of sabotage, causing insecurity and disorder.