Communes and wards will cover larger areas and handle more tasks after the merger of provinces, elimination of districts, and merger of communes, which will comprise a two-tier local government model: provincial level (provinces and centrally-run cities) and grassroots level (communes, wards, and special zones on islands).

According to the draft of the amended Law on Local Government Organization, the grassroots level will not only take on the duties and powers of current commune-level authorities but also inherit those of district-level authorities.

Additionally, provinces will delegate and authorize their duties and powers to grassroots local governments to enhance their governance capacity, improve efficiency and effectiveness in state management, and promote local socio-economic development.

In particular, provinces will promote decentralization and authorize local agencies to manage and develop urban areas and economies.

Thus, one key issue in adopting the two-tier model is the need to raise the qualifications, competence, and expertise of commune-level officials and public servants.

National Assembly Deputy Pham Van Hoa from Dong Thap said that after districts are removed, commune secretaries could become provincial Party Committee members. 

However, with current qualifications and competence, commune officials and public servants cannot yet meet the demands of this role.

“Therefore, it’s likely that provincial and district officials will be reassigned to take key leadership roles and provide expertise at communes,” Hoa predicted.

The Dong Thap National Assembly deputy also noted that upcoming mergers will result in a surplus of officials and public servants across provincial, district, and commune levels, requiring a screening process.

“This is an inevitable requirement in reforming the organizational structure and staffing. The screening must be comprehensive, based on criteria like ethics, work style, qualifications, and competence, retaining only those who meet the standards. For the rest, we could consider streamlining staff with appropriate benefits, especially for non-specialized officials,” Hoa said.

Meanwhile, National Assembly Deputy Ta Van Ha, Vice Chair of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee, proposed forming an assessment council to select cadres based on clear criteria such as formal education, practical experience, and commitment to responsibility in order to select capable, daring, and proactive officials.

He emphasized that talented people must be retained after the streamlining to avoid wasting capable cadres. The process needs transparency, and candidates need to undergo real-world challenges and will be replaced if they cannot meet requirements.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently proposed that after administrative unit rearrangements, provincial People’s Committee chairpersons will appoint commune chairmen, vice chairmen, and members until the next term to be elected.

To limit negative issues like favoritism or seat-grabbing, Hoa remarked that the most critical factor remains the impartiality of top leaders and the collective leadership capacity of the organization in giving advice and proposals.

Agreeing on tying accountability to leaders to ethical, competent, and qualified official selection, Ta Van Ha, deputy chair of the National Assembly’s Committee of Culture and Social Affairs, said: “We need a transparent, public framework for selecting officers. As this is a revolution, it should include a revolution in recruiting, hiring, and using officials to ensure the right person for the right job.”

Ta Van Ha emphasized that beyond qualifications, local officials need to have the ability to understand people and handle grassroots tasks.

“Officials must know every person and understand every field, every custom, from villages to clans. It is not only about expertise, but also about familiarity with the area and a close connection with the people,” Ha said.

However, Hoa believes that adapting to new, people-centric roles isn’t a big challenge if officials have “heart and vision”.

He noted that initially, new commune officials might struggle, but the core is solid expertise. “Understanding and connecting with people will develop over time,” he said.

Still, he stressed that moral character, qualifications, and a strong sense of responsibility are the foundation. “With heart and vision, officials will quickly integrate and bond with the people.”

Hoa cited the example of regular police officers in Sa Dec City. They are from other places, not locals, but can still fully meet the job requirements.

Most social polls have found that people applaud the idea of eliminating district-level units and organizing a two-tier government apparatus. They believe that the streamlining is an important step forward that will improve the efficiency of the government and ease the burdensome apparatus.

The Vinh