Strengthening social monitoring and criticism

(Baonghean) - Party Congresses at all levels for the 2015-2020 term all set out requirements for the Vietnam Fatherland Front to promote its role in social supervision and criticism. While carrying out local political tasks, it also protects the legitimate rights and interests of the people.

Many limitations and shortcomings were discovered.

From 2014 to present, the Fatherland Front of Quy Hop district has focused on monitoring the implementation of policies for the elderly in some communes of Chau Dinh, Dong Hop, Minh Hop, Chau Tien... and has discovered some shortcomings. In Chau Dinh commune, the review to ensure that the elderly enjoy the right policies according to the decrees is not strict and clear. There are still 6 families that have not been resolved the funeral expenses for the deceased elderly. Similarly, in Minh Hop commune in 2014, 7 elderly people passed away but only 2 were granted funeral expenses. The implementation of health care for the elderly in localities is still low: Minh Hop is 10.3%, Dong Hop is 12.5%...

The provincial Fatherland Front supervises the management and use of plant protection drugs in the province.

The Fatherland Front of Quy Hop district also supervises through the Community Investment Supervision Board and people's inspection activities. With this form, the Fatherland Front of the district has discovered violations and recommended handling the implementation of the policy to support poor households to build toilets in Chau Loc commune; requested Bon village, Chau Ly commune to return money to 11 households with an amount of more than 10 million VND collected in excess of regulations; requested construction units to implement according to the design, ensuring the quality of some traffic and irrigation works in Long village (Chau Thai commune), Mon village (Chau Quang commune)...

In general, the Fatherland Front of districts, cities and towns in the province has chosen to monitor many issues of a "corner" nature of society. For Nghia Dan district, through the supervision of the Fatherland Front on mobilizing people's contributions to build new rural areas, it has been discovered that in the communes of Nghia Khanh, Nghia Trung, Nghia Lien, Nghia Loi and the town, democracy has not been clearly demonstrated in the mobilization process.

Specifically, the above-mentioned units have not organized a separate meeting to solicit public opinions on the contribution policy, but often include it in the meeting of voters of the People's Council of the commune or another meeting; do not organize a separate vote and summarize the vote on this content, but often vote together in other contents. Documents and records related to how much has been mobilized, how much has been spent, how much is left over - how much is missing and how to resolve the surplus - missing, have not been prepared systematically and clearly.

Vietnam Fatherland Front officials discuss people's use of pesticides.

In Nghi Loc district, the results of monitoring administrative reform and handling of citizens' complaints and denunciations in some communes have pointed out some shortcomings and limitations that have been overcome by the receiving and handling agencies, such as handling citizens' requests at the one-stop department without an appointment letter; monitoring and archiving of petition handling records is not complete and scientific... Some of the monitoring contents that have been implemented and have created high consensus among the people are the collection and use of funds contributed by the people in Nghi Tien, Nghi Thai, and Nghi Kieu communes.

Through that, it was discovered that some types of funds were not strictly managed by the commune, but were left to the hamlets and organizations to collect and spend on their own. According to Mr. Dau Khac Than, Vice Chairman of the District Fatherland Front Committee, in 2 years (2014 - 2015), the District Fatherland Front organized 4 monitoring sessions; at the commune level, there were 8/30 specialized monitoring units. After the monitoring sessions, the Fatherland Front announced the results as well as recommendations and proposals to the Party Committee, the authorities at the same level and the monitored subjects to receive and overcome.

Comrade Nguyen Van Huy, Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, said: “In the process of implementing Decision No. 217 of the Politburo, the plans and monitoring contents proposed by the Provincial Fatherland Front were highly approved by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, and the Provincial People's Committee and sectors created favorable conditions for implementation. The recommendations and proposals through the monitoring of the Provincial Fatherland Front were also received by the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee, and sectors and directed units and establishments to overcome quite seriously. Many contents have been adjusted and overcome, creating practical effects, bringing trust to the people".

Issues raised

The establishment of an independent thematic monitoring team is a new activity. Therefore, the implementation of Decision 217 is somewhat confusing, and not many monitoring sessions have been organized. Especially at the commune level, many establishments have not been able to implement thematic monitoring activities. For example, in Nghi Loc district, although it is considered a locality that has implemented Decision 217 well, only 8/30 communes and towns have implemented it.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Thanh, Head of the Democracy - Law Committee, Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, said that in addition to the small force, the capacity and qualifications of the front officials at all levels are still limited, while monitoring activities require officials to have qualifications and deep understanding of the supervised field as well as related documents and regulations.

To carry out monitoring activities, the provincial Fatherland Front has established 3 advisory councils consisting of 44 members, including retired scientists and experts in the socio-economic fields, and some current officials in departments and branches with expertise in each specific field. Advisory boards have also been established at the district and commune levels.

However, at present, the conditions for ensuring the operation of the provincial advisory council; district and commune advisory boards such as funding support and means for members to participate in monitoring are still very difficult. For example, in Nghia Dan district, due to financial difficulties, up to now, the district has not established an advisory board at the district level but only coordinates with district-level departments and offices to conduct monitoring.

In order for the Fatherland Front at all levels to effectively perform its role of social supervision and criticism, Party committees at all levels need to build and improve the quality of the Front's staff. At the same time, there must be a mechanism to support funding and provide timely guidance on spending levels, spending methods, and spending contents in social supervision and criticism activities. Where Party committees and authorities pay attention and have a high spirit of openness, supervision will be carried out well, thereby promoting the people's mastery, contributing to building a clean and strong Party and State, and fulfilling the goals set forth by resolutions of Party congresses at all levels.

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