Russia to begin construction on 6th submarine for Vietnam
St Petersburg-based Admiralty Verfi shipyard will commence work on its 6th submarine for Vietnam on May 28, according to Russian media sources.
This is the final submarine the Russian shipbuilder is providing to Vietnam pursuant to a contract signed in 2009.
The first submarine, dubbed HQ-182 Hanoi successfully made its first maiden voyage on January 8, 2014.
The second vessel named HQ-183 Ho Chi Minh City docked at Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay on March 19, 2014.
Vietnam received the third named HQ 184-Haiphong in March. The fourth was floated out and the fifth was handed over last summer.
Collectively, the six submarines have been nicknamed “black holes” for their ability to remain undetected underwater.
Nationwide activities mark 60th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory
A number of activities were organised across the country to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory over the French colonialists (May 7, 1954 – May 7, 2014).
On behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chief of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People’s Army, visited and presented a gift to General Le Duc Anh, former President, former Minister of National Defense; and General Nguyen Quyet, former Chief of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People’s Army.
On April 29, two photogragphy exhibitions opened in the northern province of Hai Duong to mark the 60th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory.
The exhibition displays over 90 documents and photos of great historical value, featuring the whole process of the national struggle against the French colonists, under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, as well as highlighting the Dien Bien Phu Victory.
Also the same day, the Da Nang city Youth Union, in co-ordination with the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, kicked off a film week entitled ‘The Memory of Dien Bien‘.
The film week, which runs until May 7, is expected to help the younger generation learn more about the resounding Dien Bien Phu victory.
The Quang Ngai provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences on April 29 jointly organised a photography exhibition featuring the life and career of Lieutenant General Pham Kiet, a brilliant military official of Vietnam People’s Army, and his great contribution to the national struggle for liberation and revolutionary cause.
Also on April 29, a propaganda painting exhibition on Dien Bien Phu Victory opened in the northern port city of Hai Phong.
More than 200 posters and paintings provide visitors with insight into the Vietnamese people’s resistance war against the French, as well as the history of the glorious Dien Bien Phu victory. The exhibits also honour President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap, whose names are strongly associated with the Dien Bien Phu victory.
Hanoi paroles prisoners on National Liberation Day
The Hanoi Police on April 29 announced an amnesty and commutation for 145 inmates from its three detention camps on the occasion of National Liberation Day (April 30).
Among the total, 25 will be released on parole, and 119 will have their prison terms commuted by one to nine months.
At Detention Camp No1, Lieutenant General Dinh Van Toan, deputy director of the Hanoi Police, congratulated prisoners eligible for the amnesty and commutation and asked others to perform well to be considered in the next phase of amnesty.
He also asked the camp to take more care of the prisoners so that they would soon enjoy the State’s leniency and tolerance and reunite with their family.
The same day, the southern province of Tay Ninh also decided to release 51 inmates and reduce prison sentences for 379 others.
Man fined for illegally trading cobras
A 40-year-old man from Nam Truc district in the northern province of Nam Dinh has been fined 150 million VND (1,740 VND) for illegally transporting forest animals.
He was caught a month ago transporting 26 cobras from the central province of Quang Tri to the northern province of Quang Ninh.
The fine was issued following a Decision signed on April 28 by Nguyen Duc Cuong, chairman of the Quang Tri People’s Committee.
The 26 cobras, which are known as Ophiophagus Hannah and specified by the Government as a rare species, have been released into their natural habitat.-
Traffic accidents down in first four months
More than 8,600 traffic accidents occurred nationwide in the first four months of 2014, killing 3,173 people and injuring another 8,512.
According to the National Committee for Traffic Safety, declines were seen in the number of cases (13.4 percent), fatalities (4.8 percent) and injuries (16.6 percent) against the same period last year.
In April alone, the nation saw 2,056 traffic accidents, resulting in 746 deaths and leaving 2,050 people injured. These figures showed declines of 294 cases, nine deaths and 275 injuries from one year ago.
During the month, traffic police have handled nearly 1.4 million traffic law violation cases, collecting total administrative fines of 803 billion VND (37.7 million USD) and detaining 8,700 cars and 157 motorbikes.
Vietnamese war heroes commemorated in Germany
The Vietnamese community in Germany held requiems in Berlin and Nurnberg to commemorate war heroes who laid down their lives to safeguard the home country’s sovereignty.
The April 27 ceremony at Tu An pagoda in Berlin was attended by local Vietnamese community and Buddhist followers.
Monk Thich Tu Nhon said that the event was to express gratitude to those who devoted their lives to defending the country’s sea and island sovereignty and to remind Vietnamese nationals of the self-reliance spirit.
In Nurnberg, Buddhist monks and followers gathered at Vinh Nghiem pagoda to pray for the peace of the deceased.
The day-long requiem was also aimed to tell Vietnamese people to treasure the sacrifices made by soldiers and their compatriots.
Children encouraged to wear helmets
A programme encouraging primary school children to wear helmets on the road was launched on April 28-29 in the southern province of Dong Nai.
Tens of thousands of helmets will be donated to children and teachers in the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Dong Nai, which are prone to traffic accidents due to high flows of transport.
Campaigns to raise public awareness of the significance of wearing helmets for self-protection is essential, said the National Traffic Safety Committee.
Launched by the the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP), the Helmets for Kids campaign aims to reduce the number of traffic crash injuries and fatalities.
More than 25,000 helmets have already been presented to first graders in the three provinces under the three-year-old project.
Sustainable living space nurtures innovative ideas
A sustainable living space at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology was opened on April 29, aiming to promote sustainable consumption practices in Vietnam.
Tran Van Nhan, Director of the Vietnam Cleaner Production Centre, said that the space is showcasing samples of 2,000 sustainable products that have been developed by Vietnamese and Dutch experts in cooperation with 500 businesses from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Businesses that want to expand their network and boost partnerships in the field can send their products to the space for display, he added.
The space will also offer a platform for people to practice sustainable consumption under the GetGreen Vietnam project.
Doctor Marcel Crul from the Dutch Delft University of Technology said that the space will open up opportunities for experts and businesspeople to share ideas, harbouring initiatives on sustainability and innovation.
Kon Tum team brings war hero remains home
Seventeen sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts have been retrieved from Laos and Cambodia where they laid down their lives during wars.
The retrieval was part of the search campaign during the 2013-24 dry season carried out by the K53 team of the Military Command of the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum.
On April 29, the provincial Military Command reported that the remains included 15 found in Cambodia’s Rattanakiri province and two in Lao provinces of Champassak and Attapeu.
They will be laid to rest in Vietnam as long as related procedures in Laos and Cambodia are completed.
Co To’s facelift attributed to access to national grid
From a poor island district with poor infrastructure, Co To island in the northern province of Quang Ninh has strived to become a famous tourist destination. One of the biggest breakthroughs for the island came with its access to the national grid last year, reports the Communist Party of Vietnam online newspaper.
From October 16, 2013, backward, the district had to use generators to produce electricity. To cater to the power demand of over 6,000 islanders, each year Co To district had to spend over 30 billion VND (1.4 million USD), including 10 billion VND from the State and the rest paid by islanders.
This large expense partly held back the development of some spearhead economic industries, including tourism, fishing and the processing of fish.
For that reason, Quang Ninh province and the Northern Power Corporation (NPC) have decided to bring power to the district. A project worth over 1.1 trillion VND was officially launched on November 4, 2012, to build diverse works, including 23.226 kilometres of 110kV line, 25.064 kilometres of undersea cable, and 43.333 kilometres of 22kV overhead line.
The national grid has created a facelift to the district, remarkably improving locals’ lives. Islanders do not hesitate to use power for economic development.
Ngo Van Tuat, in Co To town, said that earlier, as the power fee was very expensive, he had to pay at least 200,000 VND per month. When his family used the power from the national grid, he only had to pay 100,000 VND for several electronic devices.
“With the inexpensive electricity fee, I bought more fridges to keep seafood fresher and saved more money,” he said.
The electricity also brought the island greater opportunities for developing tourism – the sector that was set as a spearhead industry for the district.
According to Nguyen Duc Thanh, Secretary of the district Party Committee, over the past 30 years, some 1,300 houses worth 90 billion VND were built on Co To island. However, within six months of having access to the national grid, people built over 500 houses worth 100 billion VND for accommodation and to welcome visitors.
At present, many families are expanding their houses to provide accommodation with greater comfort for visitors.
During the 2014 tourism reason, the district invests more in express buses and trams to serve tourism.
“The district’s socio-economic development has seen a breakthrough thanks to the national grid,” said Thanh.
Home helpers to enjoy official labour rights
A Government resolution will take effect this May recognising home help as a career with special protections, reported Thanh Nien (Young people) newspaper.
Tong Thi Minh, head of the Ministry of Labour, War Invalid and Social Affairs’ Labour and Wages Department, said her office is drafting details of the resolution which takes effect on May 25.
The details will not provide a precise contract format but compel employers to provide new hires with a list of tasks their job requires. This list will effectively prohibit the employer from forcing an employee to do other tasks.
The resolution also bans employers from all kinds of abuse and sexual harassment, and requires them to include meals, lodging and travel support in the contract, as well as the helpers’ wages, Minh said.
She said the resolution does not require employers to pay social insurance for helpers as the payment is only obligatory for employers with at least 10 employees.
Ngo Thi Ngoc Anh, Director of the Hanoi-based Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in Development, said the resolution should specify the responsibility and power of local governments on the matter.
Her centre has been running a home helper protection project for two years in Hanoi, nearby northern Nam Dinh province, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long, and central Khanh Hoa province.
Anh said officials in areas she encountered had no understanding of how to resolve a breach of contract dispute.
Questioned about Anh’s concerns, Minh said the contract can be filled with labour officials at the ward or commune level. Disputes will be dealt with by district government officials, and can be brought to court in the event that local officials fail to offer satisfying solutions.
She said leaflets and training courses will be provided at several localities to help officials know what they need to do.
Tin Tuc, a daily of the Vietnam News Agency, quoted Nelien Haspels, an expert on gender issues at the International Labor Organisation Asia-Pacifi,c as saying that ILO considers the resolution an important step toward protecting home helpers and recognising their contributions to socio-economic values.
An ILO survey noted that the number of home helpers in Vietnam has risen with the expansion of the middle-class: from 157,000 in 2008 to 246,000 in 2015.
The survey also said most helpers are required to work too many hours and are vulnerable to sexual harassment and different kinds of abuse.
Home helpers have expressed excitement over the new regulations which give them better control over their jobs, according to Tin Tuc, which noted that their employers are unhappy for the same reason.
Nguyen Thi Luyen from Nam Dinh province, who works at a luxury apartment building in Hanoi, said: “The thing that makes me happiest is that home help has been recognised as a career under the law and we can no longer be belittled as servants.”
Her colleague Diep said they have been working under verbal contracts or negotiations settled between brokerage companies and the families.
“Families try all they can to cut into our wages,” Diep said.
But Bich Hoa, an employer from Hanoi, said the helpers need to have training certificates to deserve the recognition.
Hoa said most helpers follow habit or their employers’ instructions, and few are professionally trained.
The ILO survey also said most of the helpers are poor women from rural areas and usually have only a ninth grade education at most.
Some employers objected to the new scheduling regulations, saying they do not suit the nature of the job.
The resolution requires overtime for working extra hours, or on official holidays; it also grants home helpers 12 vacation days a year.
Nguyen Thanh Truyen from Hanoi said it’s hard to define a time frame for the job while Bich Trang, also from the capital city, said one hires a helper to reduce one’s workload and it isn’t possible to give them so many days off.
Inland people send support for Truong Sa
Representatives hailing from provinces and organisations have set sail for Truong Sa island district, the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam.
Ship HQ-996 with those people on board left Khanh Hoa’s Cam Ranh port on April 28.
During the trip til May 7, the delegation will deliver gifts, totalling some 2 billion VND (95,200 USD), to soldiers and residents on Song Tu Tay, Son Ca, Nam Yet, Sinh Ton, Co Lin and Truong Sa Lon islands and Platform DK1.
A ceremony will also be held to commemorate the soldiers who dedicated their lives to protecting Truong Sa archipelago and the country’s southwestern waters.
Secretary of the Khanh Hoa provincial Party Committee Le Thanh Quang said that the visit delivers the support of inland people for the construction of an economically and militarily strong Truong Sa district.-
Vietnam grateful to Russian embalmers of late leader
Russian scientists and medical experts joining in preserving the embalmed body of the late President Ho Chi Minh, the founder of modern Vietnam, converged at a gathering in Moscow on April 28.
Speaking at the event, Political Commissar of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Safeguarding High Command, Maj. Gen. Pham Van Lap recalled the memories in September 1967 when Russia assisted Vietnam in training three doctors with embalming techniques.
During 1969-1975 fierce wartime, Russian medical specialists and officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People’s Army successfully moved the remains of the President to far-flung areas to safety for six times, he said.
The embalmed President was later laid inside a mausoleum dedicated to him. Since the mausoleum inaugurated in late August 1975, it received over 50 million visitors, from both at home and abroad, to pay tribute to the late leader whose mummified body is always kept at the best state.
Since 2004, the Russian Institute of Biomedical Problems in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Management Board have succeeded in making embalming fluids.
Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Xuan Son, in his speech, reiterated his gratitude to participants for their dedicated support and endeavours.
Dien Bien Phu victory spotlighted at Moscow seminar
On April 29, Moscow hosted a seminar on Vietnam’s Dien Bien Phu victory and the victory by the Red Army of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War.
The event was held by the Moscow Academy of Economics and Law (MAEL) and the Russian Veterans Association in Vietnam in collaboration with the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association.
Speaking at the seminar, Russian military experts emphasized that the Dien Bien Phu victory was the result of the hardship struggle of Vietnamese soldiers and people against French colonialists in the context that the country had gained independence but still faced numerous difficulties.
This was the victory of the ingenious combination between a modern military strategy with Vietnam’s classic guerrilla that showed that an army with rudimentary weapons smashed a powerful military machine to make a global shaking Dien Bien Phu victory.
The resounding victory not only brought peace to Vietnam, but also contributed to restoring peace in Indochina, forcing France to sign the Geneva Agreement.
Delegates said that today’s young generations should be educated about the historic victories of Vietnam and the Soviet Union with the great sacrifice of millions of outstanding people so as to make them better understand the value of peace.
Vietnamese ambassador to Russia Pham Xuan Son said despite happening in different timelines, the victories of the Vietnamese and Soviet Union people had a very close link that is a continuation of the history of the heroism of the two peoples.
Moreover, the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War was also a positive factor in encouraging revolutionary movements in the world in general as well as in Vietnam.
“The Vietnamese people are always grateful to the Soviet Union for its tremendous support in Vietnam’s past struggle for national independence and the current national construction.” Son noted.
Measles on the rise in Binh Duong
The southern province of Binh Duong has recorded nearly 100 cases of measles of which approximately 70% are children and the rest are adults.
Measles cases in adults and children in Binh Duong are still showing signs of increasing.
Over the past two weeks, the provincial general hospital has received a steady stream of patients suffering from the bacterial infection typhus, commonly associated as the cause of the measles virus.
Adult patients are classified for examination and treatment at the infectious disease area while children patients are monitored for health condition at the paediatrics department.
Despite the increasing number of patients admitted to the hospital for inpatient treatment in recent days, the hospital has received a large number of severe cases that required the support of respiratory machine or intensive treatment.
Dr. Nguyen Van Tinh, the hospital’s Deputy Director said, “The number of measles patients has increased sharply, including two separate paediatric critical cases and two severe adult cases have begun to recover.”
The local health sector also suggested the people should bring their children for vaccination against measles and take preventive measures to limit the spread in the community.
Vietnam pledges continued assistance for disabled people
Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Trong Dam and US Special Advisor for International Disability Rights Judith E.Heumann co-chaired an April 29 roundtable in Hanoi to share experience in supporting people with disabilities.
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs reported at the event that Vietnam now has almost 6.7 million disabled people, accounting for 7.8% of the population. Of the total, more than 5 million are living in rural areas and only around 1.6 million are capable of working.
Participants agreed that the country has always prioritised conducting policies to ensure the rights of the disabled and boost their participation in social affairs.
With the aim of providing vocational training and generating jobs for 250,000 people with disabilities by 2015, the Vietnamese Government has been improving its legal system relating to the issue.
The country also signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability in 2007 and is expected to ratify it this year.
Besides receiving social and legal support, disabled people in Vietnam have gained better access to infrastructure in transport, culture, sports and information technology.
The MoLISA he Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs will continue programmes to raise people’s awareness of the disabled, and intensify activities to help them better integrate into the community.
Vietnam attends Going Global 2014
Vietnamese officials are joining more than 1,000 delegates at the 2014 Going Global – one of the greatest international conferences of higher education organised by the British Council – in Miami Beach from 29 April to 1 May.
Bui Van Ga, Vice Minister of Education and Training, is scheduled to chair a breakfast session on higher education partnerships in Vietnam and join Brazilian and Turkish education leaders to talk about the role of internationalisation in driving the world’s fastest growing economies.
The ‘Vietnam-UK: Partnership for Mutual Development‘ breakfast session will be held on May 1, bringing together 40 vice-chancellors and international leads from UK and US leading higher education institutions.
Participants will be introduced to unique and innovative partnerships with employers and researchers that have been enabling the UK and Vietnam to develop and grow steadily, offering postgraduate qualifications and sponsorship from industry.
This will be presented through a project on establishing a Vietnam-UK research led international standards university, initiated by Aston University (UK) and the University of Danang (Vietnam), with strong support from the British Council.
To date the Vietnam – UK Institute for Research and Executive Education has been founded, laying the foundations for the future Vietnam – UK University.
Tran Ngoc Ca, Head of the US-based Science and Technology Office under the Ministry of Science and Technology, will talk about 10 prioritised areas within Vietnam’s science and technology development strategy until 2020 and share his expertise in developing public – private – community partnerships to facilitate innovation in science and technology and forming collaboration work with US partners in key areas such as biotechnology and agriculture, STEM education and research exchange, amongst others.
Vice Minister Ga will join the president of the Education Council of Turkey and the president of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development of Brazil to discuss the role and impact of internationalisation in emerging economies.
The delegation from Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training led by Vice Minister Ga will also have a bilateral meeting with Sir Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council and Martin Williams, Director, Higher Education, Department of Business, Skills and Innovation.
Dien Bien Phu victory to be spotlighted at int’l seminar
Around 200 domestic and foreign scientists from Russia, the US, France, China, Laos and Vietnam will attend a seminar in Hanoi on May 5 to examine the significance and magnitude of the 1954 Dien Bien Phu victory over French colonialism.
The historic Dien Bien Phu victory – the climax of the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring Strategic Offensive – was the greatest victory recorded by the Vietnam People’s Army and Vietnamese people in their protracted war of resistance against the French colonialists.
The victory is a glorious landmark and forever pride of Vietnamese people. It sent shockwaves reverberating around the world signaling the end of French colonialism while concurrently giving rise to the national liberation movement around the world.
Dr Nguyen Van Nhat, Director of the Vietnam Institute of History, emphasises that the seminar aims to affirm the clear-sighted and wise leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh in selecting the most appropriate war strategy and mobilising forces for the historic campaign.
The May 7, 1954 victory demonstrated the heroic sacrifice and great contribution of armed forces, conscripted labourers and people nationwide, especially those in north-west and liberated zone IV.
It heightened revolutionary vigilance, upheld revolutionary will, and strengthened military potential to be ready to defend national sovereignty and the socialist regime amidst hostile forces’ insidious schemes.
The historic victory helped foster international relations and cooperation in the fields of politics, diplomacy, military, security and economics to raise Vietnam’s prestige on international arena.
The seminar will be held by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS).
Japan awards Sunrise Order to VJFA President
Japan has presented its distinction Sunrise Order to Nguyen Vu Khai, Chairman of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association, for his significant contribution to the development of Japan-Vietnam cooperation.
The information was released by the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi on April 29.
Khai has received a Japanese scholarship for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) course in Japan.
In 1995, as Secretary of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance (JVFPA), Khai actively contributed to maintaining and expanding the alliance’s activities with the aim of strengthening parliamentary exchange between the two countries.
In 2002, after being elected to the Diet (Parliament), he became an official member of JVFPA and the first President of the Vietnamese Students’ Association in Japan. He usually shared experience in studying in Japan, helping increase the number of Vietnamese students in the country.
Since he was appointed as VJFA Chairman, he has initiated a series of cultural exchanges between Japan and Vietnam and assisted in establishing 18 VJFA chapters in many Vietnamese provinces.
He is currently introducing Japanese culture through translating Japanese poems into Vietnamese.
Brunei navy patrol ship visits Vietnam
KDB Darulehsan of the Royal Brunei Navy with 70 officers and crewmen on board docked at Haiphong port city on April 29, beginning an official four-day visit to Vietnam.
During their stay, the Brunei officers and crewmen will pay a courtesy visit to Haiphong authorities, call on the Navy Command, and play volleyball with Vietnam People’s Navy officers.
This is the first visit to Vietnam by a Royal Brunei Navy ship to help strengthen friendship, cooperation, mutual trust and understanding between the two countries’ armies and peoples.
PM approves Lang-Hoa Lac water project
The Prime Minister has approved a US$254.45 million water improvement project for the Hanoi outskirt districts of Hoai Duc, Thach That, Quoc Oai and Son Tay town.
The total investment in the project will be sourced with US$230.39 from Asian Development Bank (ADB) loans, with the remainder coming from Vietnamese counterpart funds.
The project, using water sources from Da River, aims to solve social welfare problems and improve the living environment for the people in the outskirt areas, creating favourable conditions for the capital city’s economic development.
Work on the project is expected to begin later this year and be completed prior to 2020.
Major drug trafficking ring busted in HCM City
Ten people were arrested on April 28 in an alleged narcotic trafficking conspiracy operating out of Ho Chi Minh City that police say operated throughout the metropolitan area.
Police forces in Binh Thanh district HCM City, following up on tips provided by local residents, arrested the ringleader 24 year-old Nguyen Khac Hieu from Binh Thanh district along with his suppliers and couriers.
Hieu declared that his ring has been operating on a fairly large scale, specializing in synthetic drugs involving many coconspirators in numerous districts of HCM City, including Go Vap, Tan Phu, Phu Nhuan, and Thu Duc.
He purchased synthetic drugs from three main suppliers, namely 38 year-old Nguyen Trong Thien Thu from district three, 29 year-old Nguyen Viet Son from Go Vap district, and 34 year-old Vong Chi Vinh from Tan Phu district.
Police also seized 150 gram of synthetic drugs and 75 ecstasy pills. Detainees reportedly confessed they had already sold 500 grams of synthetic drugs and around 500 ecstasy pills in the preceding two months.
Further investigations are continuing.
UK Charity focuses on humanitarian work in three SEA nations
The Vietnamese Embassy to the UK on April 28 hosted an annual meeting of the Executive Board of the Medical and Scientific Aid for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia (MSAVLC).
(MSAVLC)- a British charitable organization- has closely linked with a half-century of humanitarian work in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
MSAVLC President and Secretary General Peter Lidgard said 2013 was a challenging year for his organization when half of the 8 executive board members had to quit because of health reasons.
However, the remaining members have spared no efforts to take on the mission of the organization to continue operations and medical assistance for the people from Vietnam Laos and Cambodia, especially women and children living in mountainous areas, victims of Agent Orange (AO) and the disabled and orphans.
During 2013 alone, the MSAVLC called for donations from kind-hearted people across the UK with a large amount of funding, wheelchairs and hearing aid equipment for the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) in Hanoi and Ha Tinh.
It also sponsored training programs, medical equipment purchase and healthcare projects for Vietnam’s central and northern provinces and HCM City.
Also during the past year, Peter Lidgard and his wife Mary who is also a member of the executive board conducted a nearly four-month trip to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to assess the implementation of MSAVLC-funded humanitarian projects and to learn the practical needs of funding recipients to improve the organization’s operational efficiency.
At the meeting, ambassador Vu Quang Minh spoke highly of the MSAVLC’s long-term operation and practical assistance for the people of the three SEA nations as well as its enduring contributions it made for the past decades to developing stronger relations between Vietnam and the UK.
“The Vietnamese Embassy is ready to serve as a bridge for the MSAVLC to strengthen its connectivity with other organizations having relations with Vietnam under the “Vietnam-UK Network” umbrella. The Embassy is accelerating the implementation of a new fund-raising model to contribute to the association’s fund and hopes the scheme will also receive support from Cambodian and Lao embassies in the near future.
In addition, the Embassy proposed making a documentary about the MSAVLC’s charitable activities in the lead up to the 50th of anniversary of its establishment in 2015.” Minh concluded.
Prosecutions to come in the Chu Va bridge collapse case
Police in Lai Chau Province have decided to charge individuals they say were responsible for the collapse of Chu Va 6 suspension bridge.
Police in Lai Chau said they have gathered evidence and sent it to the Institute of Criminal Sciences under the Ministry of Public Security.
Major-General Tran Duan, head of police force in Lai Chau Province, said the manufacturer of the anchor screws used did not make them according to the standards required by the bridge design. The faulty screws reduced the bridge’s load-bearing capacity and led to the collapse, according to police.
Police in Lai Chau Province announced their decision to prosecute the case on April 29. The decision was based on the conclusions of the Institute of Criminal Sciences. Meanwhile, the investigation is still expanding to include all related individuals and agencies.
On February 24, the bridge collapsed while a funeral procession was crossing. About 20 people fell into the rocky gorge underneath. The accident killed eight and left 38 injured. After the Ministry of Transport confirmed in their report that overload was not the cause, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Ministry of Public Security to quickly investigate the case and submit the results in April.
Nguyen Khac Chu, Chairman of Lai Chau Province People’s Committee, said they were plans for building a temporary bridge.
Hand, foot and mouth disease spreads in Vietnam
Hand, foot and mouth disease has affected more than 17,400 people in 62 out of 63 cities and provinces nationwide this year, while Vietnam still struggles with measles.
The information was given by the Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health.
According to the department, despite seeing a 20% reduction in the number of new patients compared to last year overall, a number of localities have recorded increases. Among those, HCM City saw 2,700 patients so far this year, up 29% from last, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province had 1,100 cases, up 34%, Ca Mau treated 940 cases, up 15%.
The disease is mainly transmitted through the digestive track, mostly affecting children. It also poses a high risk of becoming an epidemic. In serious cases patients can suffer from complications such as meningitis, pneumonia and heart problems, causing deaths if they do not receive proper treatment in a timely manner.
Dr. Tran Dac Phu, Head of the Preventive Medicine Department, said the Ministry of Health has taken measures to control the disease in affected areas to prevent it from spreading.
He added that Hanoi and HCM City face a higher risk of being hit by the disease. However, the biggest difficulty is that there is no vaccine for the disease.
Vietnam has between 100,000 and 150,000 hand, foot and mouth patients per year, including 30-40 fatalities. The number of patients has been increasing since 2011.
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