Dialogue with people, resolving grievances from the grassroots
(Baonghean) - Dialogue activities between the Chairman of the People's Council and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level with the people have helped the government resolve issues in a reasonable manner right at the grassroots level, limit petitions and complaints that go beyond the level of the government, and increase people's participation in the local socio-economic development process.
Listening to people's opinions
One of the "channels" effectively organized by Thai Hoa town is for leaders of Party committees and authorities of wards to directly dialogue with people to listen and answer questions about problems in implementing policies and strategies on socio-economic development in the locality.
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| Thanks to skillful mass mobilization, the Farmers' Association of Phu Tan hamlet, Tay Hieu commune (Thai Hoa town) has gathered a large number of members to establish a beekeeping cooperative. Photo courtesy |
In Hoa Hieu ward, in 2018, the ward leaders organized a dialogue conference with the people of Dong Tam block; they received 11 opinions and recommendations from the people. The dialogue conference in Tan Lien block had 4 opinions related to clearing traffic corridors, investing in canal construction, policies for households with special difficulties, etc.
“The ward proactively holds dialogues to grasp and promptly resolve difficulties in people’s lives and recommendations. Immediately after the dialogue, the ward Party Committee and government focus on directing the resolution of legitimate recommendations. Thereby, strengthening people’s trust in the Party Committee and government.”
Implementing the policy of dialogue with the people, the Standing Committee of Thai Hoa Town Party Committee coordinated with the Town Fatherland Front to direct 10/10 wards to organize dialogues between the Chairman of the People's Council, the People's Committee of the commune and ward with the people. Accordingly, many pressing issues of the people such as land clearance; or the merger of hamlets that people still have many concerns about, the wards organized dialogues in residential areas to analyze and explain clearly so that people can understand clearly, creating high consensus in implementing the policy. In particular, the leaders of the wards promoted the sense of responsibility, listened to and accepted the people's opinions with an open-minded attitude, and answered the people's questions.
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| Flower street construction movement in Thai Hoa town. |
The opinions and recommendations of the people after the dialogues are monitored by the Town Fatherland Front. At the following meetings, the head of the local government must report the results of handling the people's recommendations at the previous dialogue.
“The biggest gain is changing people’s awareness. If before people were only interested in making recommendations, now people are concerned about the local existence and are interested in contributing solutions for general socio-economic development.”
Selecting pressing issues and difficulties that have long been raised at the grassroots level and have been of interest to the people for thematic dialogues, thereby focusing on resolving outstanding issues and difficulties is the way the Fatherland Front of Nghi Loc district has organized dialogue activities between the Chairman of the People's Council and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level with the people in recent times. Accordingly, in 2018, 30 communes and towns in the district organized 57 dialogues; of which 32 were thematic in form related to land work, policies, site clearance, environmental sanitation, security and order, new rural planning, etc.
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| People of Nghi Kieu commune (Nghi Loc) dialogue with the Party Committee and government. Photo: Le Thanh |
The opinions raised by the people at the dialogue conferences were discussed and clarified by the Chairman of the People's Council and Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level, and were agreed and acknowledged by the people. Many opinions that were not agreed upon by the people were questioned again, creating a democratic, frank and responsible atmosphere. Some opinions under the authority of higher levels were also received and compiled by the government to be included in the report summarizing the opinions, recommendations and aspirations of the people.
Vice Chairman of the Fatherland Front of Nghi Loc district Dau Khac Than assessed: The organization of the dialogue has received the attention and positive response of the people, the basic dialogue opinions are on point, accurately reflecting the current reality and requirements. Through this forum, it has contributed to enhancing the role and responsibility of the Fatherland Front and its members in participating in government building, of the staff and grassroots government, creating a useful information channel for localities to coordinate in resolving the existing problems, difficulties and obstacles of the people (especially at thematic dialogue conferences).
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| Models of growing cucumbers on rice fields in Nghi Hoa commune, raising chickens in Nghi Kieu commune and growing melons in greenhouses in Nghi Long commune (Nghi Loc). Photo: Hoa - Le |
Timely removal of obstacles
Implementing the policy of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on organizing dialogue activities between the Chairman of the People's Council and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level with the people, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee has developed and implemented a plan to organize dialogue activities between the Chairman of the People's Council and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level with the people, considering this an important political task of the year, contributing to political stability, building and consolidating a strong government from the grassroots. As a result, in 2018, the whole province organized 826 dialogues between the Chairman of the People's Council and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level with the people.
The dialogue content mainly focused on the shortcomings in the implementation of legal regimes and policies in the area, issues related to the management and operation responsibilities of local authorities; administrative reform, implementation of democracy at the grassroots level, public ethics, land management, etc. Many groups of pressing issues in life were discussed such as: Basic construction investment, financial management, environmental resources, etc. Leaders at all levels listened to and had effective solutions, creating trust among the people.
In 2018, the province organized over 826 dialogue conferences, of which 447 were held at the communal People's Committee halls, and 379 were held at the cultural houses of the blocks, hamlets, and villages. The dialogue conferences attracted more than 68,000 participants, including 21,659 officials from the blocks, hamlets, and villages to the commune and district levels and 47,487 people participating in the dialogue; 6,699 people participated in speaking with 9,130 dialogue opinions.
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| Officials of Nghi Hoa commune (Nghi Loc) talk with people. |
In particular, the Party Committee and the authorities at the commune level have actively coordinated with the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee at the same level to receive and fulfill promises on implementing the people's recommendations. Not only organizing general dialogues, some localities have also proactively selected difficult issues and issues of concern for dialogue in residential areas. Immediately after the dialogues, localities have classified each opinion and recommendation raised by the people, concretized them into documents, assigned tasks to resolve, and responded specifically to the people.
Evaluating this activity, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Nguyen Ngoc Nguyen said that the organization of the dialogue conference between the government and the people has truly promoted the mastery of the people at the grassroots level; at the same time, it has created a positive change in the awareness of leaders at all levels about the responsibility of the Fatherland Front, organizations and people in participating in Party building and government building; and enhanced the responsibility of key cadres at the grassroots level in leading and operating local work, continuing to better implement grassroots democracy.
"Through dialogue, the people's direct democratic rights have truly been promoted."
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| The physical education and sports movement is developing strongly in each residential area. Photo in Nam Xuan commune, Nam Dan district. |