Blaze destroys Ca Mau home appliances shop

A fire destroyed the Huynh Mai home appliances shop in Hoang Dieu Street, District 2, Ca Mau City last night.

Several employees of the shop said that they could not extinguish the blaze as the flames rose high, covering the whole establishment. The shop had stored many goods for the Lunar New Year (Tet), a number of them inflammable.

Several fire engines were sent to the site and they extinguished the blaze after two hours.

No loss of human life was reported. However, property worth hundreds of millions of dong was reportedly lost in the fire.

The authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

On the same day, a fire destroyed a tourism boat and a crane boat at the Vam Lang Boat Repair Company in Go Cong Dong District, Tien Giang Province. Property worth an estimated VND2 billion (US$950,000) was lost in the fire.

Minister urges transport firms to lower fares

Many transport enterprises have reduced their transport fees as legally required, but not enough, a senior official of the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, head of the ministry's Price Management Department made the comment after announcing the results of inspections into 40 transport companies in Ha Noi, HCM City and Da Nang and in the two provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Duong. The inspection was performed this month in localities known to have the largest coach and taxi industries.

The inspections came after a wave of cuts to petrol prices since July 18, 2014 have failed to be reflected in transport fares. The drastic drops in petrol prices have been as big as 38.9 and 33.1 per cent, justifying considerable reductions to fares.

The government strongly suggested, and then later required transport companies to change their prices accordingly. Most transport enterprises slashed their fares on at least two occasions by three to 21.7 per cent of the fare.

According to the recent inspections, however, five out of 20 enterprises in Ha Noi failed to lower their prices sufficiently to match lower input petrol costs. In Da Nang it was worse with three out of four enterprises failing to fairly price their new fares.

In southern Binh Duong Province, Thu Dau Mot City's Road Transport Co-operative was only enterprise that had not reduced its fares. The enterprise was transferred to the ministry's inspectors for punishment.

HCM City and Dong Nai Province were the only two localities where enterprises cut transport fees as legally required, Tuan said.

He said the inspection team has asked the departments of transport in these cities and provinces to urge reluctant enterprises to quickly reduce their fares according to new petrol prices.

The ministry would set deadlines for these enterprises to change their fares or else face punishment, he said.

Building sites cleaned up before Tet

The Ha Noi Transport Department has ordered contractors to clean up all construction sites in the capital before Sunday, a couple of days before the start of Lunar New Year (Tet).

It told contractors to re-check barriers at construction sites, such as at the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project or the Trung Hoa Interchange, to make sure they were safe.

The city's traffic police office and the city's urban traffic management office were also told to scrutinise the traffic-light system and road signs to ensure traffic flows smoothly.

HCM City holds outdoor games on traffic-safety education

Outdoor activities were held on February 10 on traffic safety at Truong Dinh Primary School in HCM City's outlying district of 12.

Games, fashion shows related to traffic safety, and helmet-wearing demonstrations were part of the event.

The activities are part of the Helmets for Families programme held by the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation in co-operation with National Traffic Safety Committee, Ministry of Education and Training and global healthcare company Abbott.

The programme, which began last year, donates helmets to students and teachers at the beginning of each school year. Parents of the students also take part in helmet exchanges where they trade their substandard helmets for high-quality certified helmets at subsidised costs.

Man fined for smuggling

The People's Committee of southern Tay Ninh Province yesterday fined Bui Van Son VND515 million (US$24,100) for illegally transporting 600 packets of tobacco from Cambodia to Viet Nam.

Local police claim they found Son hiding the smuggled tobaccos under a seat of a container truck he was driving on Monday. Police seized both the tobacco and the truck.

Son, 38, from HCM City's Tan Phu District, is a driver for a transport service company in HCM City.

New weighing system proposed to check overloading

HCM City's Department of Transport has proposed to the municipal People's Committee, the use of a new weighing scale that will be installed underground and will automatically detect overloaded vehicles.

The city has been trying to control road damage and traffic safety violations resulting from overloaded vehicles plying the roads.

The weighing scale would work as follows: when overloaded vehicles drive over the scale, the scale's in-built censor will transmit a warning about it being overloaded to computers connected to the scale.

After receiving the warnings, the concerned authorities, no matter whether they are stationed, can intercept and order the violating vehicle to drive to the nearest weighbridge station to do paperwork related to the violation and unload the excess weight before being allowed to continue with its journey.

According to the department, the new weighing system is fair and objective as the overloading information is stored automatically in a database, without requiring any manpower. What is outstanding about the new scale is that only overloaded vehicles will be stopped for checking, instead of all vehicles having to undergo such checks.

The system, consisting of 12 scales, is expected to be installed on the gate roads to the city, entrances to big ports and warehouses, as well as on roads that bear heavy lorry traffic.

During a recent report sent to the municipal People's Committee, the department pointed out that the current use of portable weighing scales was problematic. This was because the scales had to be installed manually for checking a suspicious vehicle and the installation depended on weather conditions, and made it difficult to operate, especially during rainy days.

The concerned agency would therefore be unable to stop all vehicles suspected of being overloaded for checking, allowing many overloaded vehicles to get away with violating the rules.

To make matters worse, because the city is crisscrossed by numerous main and branch roads, the violating vehicles tend to bypass these roads as they are aware of the scale being posted on these routes.

This explains why only 13.8 per cent of the vehicles checked have so far been found guilty of overloading.

Order restored at bus stations ahead of Tet

Authorities in the capital city have undertaken special measures to cope with the overcrowding and chaos at train and bus stations ahead of the Lunar New Year.

The surge in traffic at bus and train stations is being attributed to growing transport demand from city residents in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year festivities.

Overcrowding at both the My Dinh and Giap Bat bus stations is being managed better, compared with last year.

The My Dinh bus station started receiving 35,000 to 40,000 passengers a day after its operational area was expanded to 3.2 hectares. The station is striving to target building a safe, cultural and respected station and a passenger service model.

In addition to the expansion of the station, Nguyen Phi Thanh, Deputy Director of My Dinh Management Enterprises, said traffic organisation at the station and in the surrounding areas has been well managed, helping residents being transported quickly, conveniently and safely.

In the past, there was only one gate for the entrance and exit. Therefore, coaches, taxis and passengers used the same entrance, causing a traffic jam and disorder. Since the beginning of this year, the entrance and exit have been separated, putting an end to the chaos and scenes of motorbikes and taxi drivers clinging to the side of the coaches to pick up passengers at the station.

This year, the station has also installed free wi-fi for passengers; creating favourable conditions for them and helping them conveniently choose which branded bus service they want to use for travelling to their hometowns for Tet.

The station also plans to add 200 more vehicles to clear the blockade of passengers during the peak traffic days.

Passengers who transit through the My Dinh bus station can recognise the remarkable change after the station was expanded and reorganised.

In contrast with the chaos of the past, the station has now become spacious and convenient for passengers, said Nguyen Bich Lien from Ha Noi's Tay Ho District, who often uses the station to take a bus to Thai Binh—her husband's hometown.

Instead of price hikes, which were common during previous years, the price of a ticket for a bus from Ha Noi to the Thai Binh Province has actually been reduced by VND10,000 (US$0.46) despite the fact that Tet is approaching, she pointed out.

Although the amount of passengers going through the Giap Bat station is not as high as the My Dinh station, it has been growing. It is estimated that normally around 20,000 people transit through the station daily and the number could rise to 30,000 in the coming days.

According to Nguyen Tat Thanh, director of the Giap Bat Station Management Enterprise, its management board has co-ordinated with relevant authorities for strengthening management during the peak traffic days; assigning responsibilities to them for regulating the traffic from a distance and ensuring that order surrounds the resting areas and ticketing offices.

The Giap Bat station has received applications for air ticket reduction from 96 enterprises out of 149 transport enterprises, which had registered for a price reduction of between 3 and 16 per cent.

To prevent a traffic jam at the stations and make travel more favourable for residents, Ha Noi plans to employ 35 cars to transport poor people and workers to their homeland for the Tet holiday free of charge, said Nguyen Hoang Linh, deputy Director of the Ha Noi Transport Department. The city has also devised a scheme to dispatch coaches to pick up workers and students at dormitories and from industrial zones.

Ha Noi authorities are also conducting inspections of price tickets at stations and in vehicles, and have established a hotline for passengers, who can provide information about a bus owner's collections and complain if ticket prices are not in keeping with regulations.

After inspecting the My Dinh station on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc appreciated the efforts of the station staff in improving the station's activity and addressed some of the shortcomings, such as overcrowding and how public order and traffic safety can be ensured.

The Prime Minister also asked the Ha Noi Transport Department and bus stations to arrange for vehicles so that all residents can return home for Tet. He directed them to avoid a situation, where unregistered cars are allowed to operate at the stations, due to which residents face difficulty while travelling.

400 malaria cases reported in Gia Lai

The central Gia Lai Province has reported more than 400 malaria cases since the beginning of this year, especially nearly 300 cases in the KrongPa District.

Director of the Krong Pa health department Dinh Viet Buu said that most ofthe malaria cases were among the ethnic and minority people who live and work in the forest.

Buu added that no malaria deaths have been reported in the district. However, the situation is very complicated due to the local people's inadequate awareness of disease prevention, especially of malaria.

A large number of them are busy working in the fields and woods, and rarely have access to medical centres. They visit medical centres only when theirdisease reaches a late stage, causing difficulties for the health sector, accordingto Buu.

He pointed out that information andawareness on malaria prevention for the people should be increased. People who live and work in or near thewoods should strictly follow measures such as killing mosquitoes with the help of chemicals,wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers and sleeping inside mosquito nets.

The health official said that the health sector has sent staff to hamlets andvillages to spray mosquito repellents and provide more than 11,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets to local residents, especially those who lived and worked in theforest in the past. — VNS

Chickenpox outbreak spreads through children

Doctors at paediatric hospitals in HCM City said the yearly chickenpox outbreak had come earlier than usual, with the number of patients increasing daily.

The number of children with chickenpox had risen rapidly over the past two weeks, said Dr. Do Chau Viet, head of HCM City Paediatric Hospital No 2's infectious disease ward.

Between two and three children entered the hospital for treatment each day, he said. Some more complicated cases had become serious skin or blood infections.

Usually chickenpox spreads between March and May, but it's come unusually early this year and peaked quickly, according to health officials.

Dr Truong Huu Khanh, head of HCM City Paediatric Hospital No1's neurology and infectious disease ward, said he was worried the situation could reach an alarming level in the coming days, particularly during Tet, if no immediate action was taken to control it. Data showed that about 10 children were diagnosed with chickenpox at the hospital in December, but this month the number had reached 20 cases a day, he said.

Khanh revealed four serious cases were receiving in-hospital treatment.

Parents needed to take the initiative and bring their children to the hospital for their vaccinations, he said.

The Department of Health in HCM City last week confirmed instances of chicken pox at a preschool in Binh Thanh District. The outbreak at Tuoi Ngoc Preschool for Children with Autism infected eight students and teachers. The Centre for Preventive Medicine in Binh Thanh District disinfected the school.

City health experts guided teachers and managers on how to prevent the spread of the disease among children and faculty. Medical workers are keeping a close eye on the school.

Chickenpox is a viral infection caused by the varicella zoster virus, according to health officials. It spreads in droplets inhaled into the respiratory tract. Complications are rare, but serious, and can occur in healthy children.

Chickenpox tends to affect children under 10. In older children and adults, the disease can be more severe. It spreads very easily from one child to another.

Information awards open to the press

The National External Information Service Awards for 2014, held by the Party Central Committee's Commission for Publicity and Education and the Steering Committee for External Information Service, have begun preparations for the coming ceremony.

According to the organising board, the awards honour the best work in Vietnamese and foreign languages targeting overseas Vietnamese and foreign audiences.

Submissions, which must have been published or broadcast by authorised Vietnamese agencies or the foreign media between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014, are eligible for the awards.

Submitted articles, including press photos, can come from print and online newspapers or radio and television broadcasts. They should positively promote the image of the nation, its culture, history and its people as a nation of peace, stability, development, active international integration and great potential.

The submissions should also have provided in-depth information about the Party's positions and policies; its stance on regional and international issues; and countered fabricated or distorted information about Viet Nam, especially in recent coverage about the sovereignty of sea and islands, national borders, religion and human rights.

In particular, the board will look for articles that had informative value and were able to mobilise support, friendship and co-operation with foreigners and overseas Vietnamese.

The awards presentation ceremony will take place on May 19. The Vietnam News Agency will chair the competition.

Deadline for submissions is March 31.

For more information about the awards, please contact the jury at the following email address [email protected].

HCM City supports poor people over Tet

Many Tet programmes for disadvantaged people are being carried out by HCM City organisations before the start of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

The HCM City-based Viet Nam Women's Union has presented gifts to 1,058 poor women, people with disabilities, and families who have members serving as soldier in islands in the city from February 2 to 14. Many entertainment programmes also have been held.

HCM City-based Viet Nam Youth Federation yesterday presented gifts to addicts and prostitutes who are being treated and educated at the city's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs' Binh Duc Welfare Centre, Duc Hanh Treatment Centre, Phu Van, Phu Duc, Phu Nghia education, labour, and welfare centres in Binh Phuoc Province. The organisation also presented gifts to the elderly and children at shelters and welfare centres.

According to the federation, they will also receive gifts.

Last Sunday, a Love Spring programme was held for young people, people in need, and those with disabilities.

During the programme, navigation eyeglasses equipped with a sensor created by Dr Nguyen Ba Hai, lecturer of the city University of Technology and Education and deputy chairman of Viet Nam Youth Federation, were given to visually-impaired people. A sensor system attached to the eyepiece emits sounds that allows them to recognise obstacles up to 1.2m in front of them. A total of 300 gifts were handed out to people attending the event.

Moreover, hundreds of traditional Vietnamese Banh Chung and Banh Tet (square and cylindrical glutinous rice cakes) used for Lunar Tet were presented to disadvantaged families, and homeless people.

Old warm clothes were collected during the programme to present to children and adults in northwestern provinces.

In industrial parks, entertainment programmes with gifts for provincial workers who do not return to their hometown during Tet holidays were held by the HCM Communist Youth Union.

Last Sunday, the HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy organised a campaign called Voluntary Spring to provide medicine and health examinations free to elderly people at health centres in the city's outlying district of Cu Chi's Thai My Commune.

Tobacco Association increases aid for curbing tobacco smuggling

The Viet Nam Tobacco Association recently announced that they will increase the aid for catching tobacco smugglers from VND1,100 (US$0.05) to VND3,500 (US$0.17) per pack of fake tobacco seized.

These funds will be taken from the association's financial resources, contributed by Vietnamese tobacco companies.

As stated in its latest circular, the association will support several government organisations, including the National Steering Committee on Combating Smuggling, Commercial Fraud and Counterfeit Goods, and local committees on the same matter.

The funds will be divided to support the process of destroying fake tobacco seized and the authorities who directly participate in preventing and controlling the smuggling of tobacco and fake tobacco products.

Can Tho to build new administration center southward

The government of Can Tho City will develop a new administration center in the southern part of the city, which is expected to give a boost to urbanization there.

The new administration center under the Tay Do Cultural Center project is planned to cover approximately 11 hectares, said Vo Thi Hong Anh, vice chairwoman of Can Tho City.

The city government has assigned relevant agencies to adjust the zoning plan for the Tay Do Cultural Center project. The new administration center of Can Tho City will be for local government agencies, while local Party offices are still located at the current administration center in Ninh Kieu District.

Anh told the Daily that the relocation will be implemented in 2015-2020 and will bring about positive impact on the development of Can Tho in general and the city’s southern region in particular.

Multiple large projects will be also carried out this year, including a Muong Thanh complex of a commercial center, five-star hotel and luxury apartments. Besides, Vingroup is looking for approval from the municipal government for an amusement park, golf course and luxury residential area on Au Islet.

A number of investors from South Korea and Japan are seeking to invest in the industrial zones in southern Can Tho City, the vice chairwoman said.

She added smooth progress of the large projects will breathe new life into industrial and urban development, particularly the real estate market in the economic hub of the Mekong Delta region.

Trinh Quang Tien, chairman of the Can Tho Real Estate Association, said the property sector prospects in Can Tho City looked bright. The new administration center project coupled with new housing regulations and easier access to bank loans will support the development of the local property market.

Le Minh Tham, branch director of Nam Long Company in Can Tho, said the city government should also focus on infrastructure investments in addition to the new administration center to facilitate consistent development in the southern area.

HCM City hosts pre-Tet meeting with foreign rep.offices

The HCM City People’s Committee on February 10 ceremoniously celebrated the occasion of the Lunar New Year (TeT) with foreign dignitaries.

Speaking on the event, HCM City People’s Chairman Le Hoang Quan briefed the international guests on the city’s socio-economic situation. Last year, the city recorded a 9.6% GDP growth rate while its import and export turnover reaching US$30.7 billion and over US$32 billion, respectively.

2014 continued to be an important year marking the city’s external affairs and international integration. Last year, the city welcomed more than 120 delegations from nations around the globe to boost trade promotion and investment as well as signing important cooperative documents, Quan said.

He also attributed the city’s achievements to great contributions and support from international friends, adding that that HCM city has committed to ensuring socio-political stability, creating an open investment climate and a friendly living space for foreign investors.

Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, John Mc Anulty in turn, expressed delight to enjoy the Tet holidays in Vietnam noting that 2014 was a successful year for the city through more investments in major infrastructure projects.

HCM City currently takes the lead in attracting foreign investments thanks to its open-door policies.

Korean ODA helps reduce poverty in Lao Cai

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has launched a US$14 million project aimed at improving the living conditions of ethnic minority residents in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

Prominent figures in attendance at the ceremony on February 10 included Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Jun Dae Joo, KOICA Chief Representative Chang Jae Yun and Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung.

The ODA programme will contribute to bring healthier and happier lives to ethnic minorities by improving their living conditions, enhancing their education and providing better medical care in the three-year period from 2015-2017, said Chang Jae Yun.

Vietnam celebrates World Radio Day

World Radio Day was celebrated on February 10 at VOV headquarters in Hanoi in recognition of the importance of radio as a tool to encourage international cooperation amongst broadcasters and encourage freedom of expression over the airwaves.

Themed – Youth and Radio –  this year’s celebration aimed to promote youth involvement in broadcasting focusing on young people’s involvement in broadcasting as producers, announcers, and reporters.

Prominent figures in attendance at the event included VOV General Director Nguyen Dang Tien, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam Ms Katherine Muller Marin, and a large representative group of representatives from UNESCO in Vietnam and numerous other leading organizations.

Speaking at the ceremony, VOV General Director Nguyen Dang Tien affirmed that in an age of the internet multimedia and the fast paced development of new media forms, broadcasting has remained the mainstay means of conveying information to the general public.

Over the past 70 years of establishment and development, VOV has been on the right track and has transformed into the leading multimedia group and the leading news agency.  It has and continues to exert considerable influence both at home and in the region.

VOV has regularly launched new and innovative broadcasts encouraging freedom of thought on a vast array of novel and thought provoking subjects, Mr Tien underscored.

It has been particularly cognizant of the importance of the nation’s youth and their involvement not only in the broadcasting industry but in encouraging and instilling in them an inherent appreciation for the freedom to think and express their ideas.

Ms Katherine Muller-Marin in turn acknowledged the important role of radio while Vietnam is moving forward to develop an inclusive, resilient and sustainable learning society. She said that one goal of that learning society is for everyone to have access to quality learning opportunities everywhere and at all times.

UNESCO has been working with the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam to support education not only in schools but also through Community Learning Centres, museums, pagodas and in various forms.

One of the ways to educate people is through communication. Radio is a wonderful medium to bring education and information to people within a learning society, she said.

She said this is the fourth year World Radio Day has been celebrated. Therefore, we should remember and highlight the young people’s contribution towards media activities. Broadcasting is one of the most attractive media for young people who are both audiences and producers.

On the occasion, VOV General Director Tien presented – For the cause of broadcasting – insignia to Ms Marin and posed for photographs with the guest of honour.

Central province grants State title to 37 individuals

Authorities from the central province of Quang Nam posthumously bestowed the title of “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” on 37 individuals who made great contributions during the country’s resistance wars on February 10.

The presentation of the title is among practical activities to reflect the Party, State and people’s recognition of the heroes’ sacrifices and dedication.

The honoured individuals included martyrs and outstanding service members in Dai Loc, Dien Ban, Que Son, Tien Phuoc, Thang Binh, and Hiep Duc dictricts.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Thanh Phuoc expressed his hope that the next of kin of the honoured heroes will continue to promote the revolutionary tradition and contribute to their locality’s development.-

Vietnamese abroad join in celebrations of Lunar New Year

A myriad of activities are being held abroad as Vietnamese expatriates across the world join their compatriots in celebrating the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet), the most important holiday for all Vietnamese wherever they are.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia hosted a banquet in Phnom Penh on February 10, with the participation of overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese businesses operating in Cambodia and representatives from Vietnamese provinces bordering Cambodia.

Cambodian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Say Sam Al and many governmental officials attended the event to share the joy.

In the Republic of Korea, the Vietnamese people association has organised a variety of activities such as traditional national costume shows in Seoul and Changwon cities and cooking contests and traditioinal games in Daechon and Gwangchu cities.

The voluntary team also prepared traditional Tet dishes such as “banh chung” (square glutinous rice cakes), “banh tet” (cylindrical glutinous rice cakes), and “gio cha” (pork pies), along with art performances and Tet markets to introduce the special features of Vietnamese culture to Korean friends.

Earlier on February 8, the Vietnamese Embassy in New Zealand held a get-together in Wellington for the Vietnamese community in the country. Nearly 400 people attended the event to enjoy traditional Tet dishes and songs and dances.

An event hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore attracted nearly 1,500 expatriates and representatives from the Singaporean Foreign Ministry and the diplomatic corps.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela also organised a celebration in Caracas capital.

Leaders extend New Year greetings to religious communities

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan paid a visit to the city’s Archdiocese on February 10 to wish local Catholic dignitaries and followers a happy new year in the Year of the Goat.

He highlighted the significant role that the Catholic community played in helping the city surmount difficulties last year to fulfil its socio-economic development targets.

The city’s leader hoped that with his reputation and clout, Archbishop Bui Van Doc will encourage Catholic dignitaries and followers to continue working for a thriving city and nation.

Quan then visited the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics’ Ho Chi Minh City chapter and the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South).

He said he hopes the committee will continue working closely with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other organisations in improving the material and spiritual lives of religious groups and disadvantaged people.

Many southern provinces, including Binh Duong and Ben Tre, have been organising meetings with local religious communities to wish them a happy new year.

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