Tighten security and order in industrial parks to 'attract' investment

(Baonghean) - In recent times, along with building an attractive investment environment, ensuring security and order in economic zones and industrial parks has received special attention from authorities at all levels and functional sectors.

» Priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners

Potential risks of losing security and order

The provincial police and the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board signed a regulation on coordination to ensure security and order. Photo: PV

Up to now, the province has 1 economic zone and 9 concentrated industrial zones, along with many small industrial clusters formed in many localities. Rapid economic development has led to many changes in people's lives, especially the more complicated political security and social safety situation. Although the authorities at all levels have taken many measures and made efforts to stabilize the situation, some complicated problems still exist.

In particular, the situation of workers striking and spontaneously going on strike is still common, causing insecurity and order, affecting the operation of industrial parks, slowing down project progress as well as affecting the investment environment. Specifically, from 2015 to now, at a number of enterprises, there have been a number of complicated incidents related to security and order such as: The strike of nearly 2,000 workers of BSE Electronics Co., Ltd. occurred on February 13 to request the company's leadership to increase Tet holiday time and demand some related benefits; The food poisoning incident at Namsung Vina Co., Ltd. caused 178 workers to be hospitalized for treatment... Or in October 2016, more than 2,500 workers of Matrix Vinh Co., Ltd. went on strike to request the leadership to resolve some policies that they considered unsatisfactory...

In addition, during the implementation of the projects, there are still many complicated issues related to security and order related to site clearance and production causing environmental pollution. Typically, in June 2016, during the construction of the Vissai Cement Grinding Station and Port of The Vissai Cement Group in Nghi Thiet Commune (Nghi Loc), some people without consensus repeatedly caused disorder and obstructed the construction.

In addition, some problems such as property theft during construction projects, workers taking advantage of loopholes to steal company products, self-managed security in workers' dormitories, etc. still occur frequently. If these problems are not prevented and resolved promptly, they will lead to many consequences, damaging the image of Nghe An as an investment environment in the eyes of investors.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Son - Head of Enterprise and Labor Management Department, Southeast Economic Zone Management Board said: "When incidents occur, the main cause is determined to be that enterprises have not really paid attention to ensuring security and safety for enterprises, and planning and investment in infrastructure construction of industrial parks are still limited. In addition, workers' awareness of the law is not really adequate and discipline is not high."

Ensuring a safe investment environment

In that situation, ensuring security and order in economic zones and industrial parks to build a safe investment environment has been given special attention by the province and all levels and sectors. Since 2008, the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board has signed a coordination regulation with the Provincial Police to ensure security and order in the economic zones and industrial parks in the province.

On that basis, the two sides regularly exchange information on security and order, coordinate with local authorities, promptly resolve arising issues, especially emerging problems related to regimes, policies, labor agreements and labor use, combat violations of the law, and create a safe environment for businesses to operate effectively.

When a strike occurs, the police force coordinates with the Provincial Federation of Labor, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone to focus on thoroughly resolving the issue, ensuring long-term stability, not allowing subjects to take advantage of or incite; guiding enterprises to implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws, and building a system of internal rules and regulations on ensuring security and order and urging units to seriously implement them, creating a healthy working environment, avoiding causing frustration for workers.

Officers of the Provincial Police Department of Economic Security and security guards of Matrix Vinh Company discuss plans to ensure security and order. Photo: Mai Hau

Major Nguyen Thanh Nhan - Deputy Head of Nghi Loc District Police said: "The Nam Cam Industrial Park is operating in the district. To ensure order here, the district police have widely announced the criminal hotline number so that people can promptly report when they discover crimes, and resolutely fight against all types of crimes, thereby creating favorable conditions for enterprises to produce and trade.

At the same time, provide professional guidance on security for enterprise security forces; strengthen the management of entry, exit, and residence of foreign workers; coordinate in launching the mass movement to protect national security in industrial zones and clusters, thereby propagating and disseminating legal regulations on ensuring national security and order, environmental sanitation, labor safety, regimes, policies... of workers. All of this aims to create a "clean" environment of national security and order so that enterprises can confidently invest in production and business. Only then will people have jobs, creating conditions for local socio-economic development."

Currently, in the economic zones and industrial parks, key projects are being implemented such as: VSIP Nghe An Industrial Park, Urban Area and Services; Quynh Lap I Thermal Power Plant; Hoa Sen Steel Plant; projects of The Vissai Group, Masan Group; Royal Foods Group Thailand... To ensure security and safety for investors to construct projects on schedule, departments and branches actively propagate and mobilize people to strictly implement regulations on site clearance, ensuring security, order and social safety. Thanks to that, up to now, projects in the area have been given the most favorable conditions for implementation.

It can be said that for foreign enterprises investing in Nghe An, the issue of ensuring security, order and social safety is of concern. Mr. Beak Heng Hyun - General Director of BSE Vietnam Electronics Co., Ltd. (Nam Cam Industrial Park) said: "When investing in Nghe An, we received enthusiastic support from the leaders and authorities here. Security is also given special attention, so we are completely assured to invest in production lines, technology, machinery and equipment to develop production and business".

Phuong Thao