The campaign to study and follow Ho Chi Minh’s moral examples, carried out over the past three years in Ho Chi Minh City, has succeeded in fostering public confidence in the local government, says Pham Phuong Thao, chairwoman of the city People’s Council.
In a recent talk with SGGP, Ms. Thao said the campaign has attracted the active participation of a great number of Party members, government officials and people.
During the last three years, about 500,000 Party members and civil servants have been acquainted with the moral contents of the campaign, she said.
The campaign has also helped consolidate and rectify the Party, she added.
In Ho Chi Minh City, many Party cells have conducted the flag-saluting ceremony, telling stories about late President Ho Chi Minh and honoring Party members or civil servants who’ve recorded outstanding achievements in studying and following Ho Chi Minh’ moral example.
This campaign has two goals, Thao said. The first is to consolidate the Party’s strength, and the second, to build a spiritual and moral foundation for the whole society.
Chairwoman Thao said that through the campaign, the Party will better appraise its members, selecting those with talent and virtue to Party committees at all levels.
Building the Party is not only the duty of every Party member but also the obligation of every citizen. Therefore, the campaign also requires authorities at all levels to focus more effort on resolving issues the public is concerned about, she added.
Once Party members and government officials fulfill these tasks, they will help build and consolidate the Party, making it stronger and strengthening the good relations between the State and the people, she said.
Accurate appraisal
Asked what difference the campaign has made in the appraisal of Party members, Ms. Thao said: “Previously, as many as 70 percent of Party members at all levels were appraised as meeting standards required by the Party. I think that situation resulted from running after achievements.”
“Since the campaign began implementation, the situation has changed considerably. Through the campaign, the sense of responsibility among every Party member and government official has been improved.
“The appraisal of Party members has also been done more seriously and accurately,” she said.
As evidence, she noted that in 2008, 73 percent of the Party units in HCM City were recognized as clean and strong, but last year the number dropped to just 58 percent, she said.
The city Party Committee believes the 2009 figure is more practical and reliable, she added.
Officials get closer to people
Asked what the most noticeable change in civil servants has been through the campaign, Thao said: “HCM City’s civil servants were previously often referred as the “three NOs”: No smile, No explanation and No politeness” when they came into contact with citizens.
“But all that has changed now. They have improved their style of work, reduced paperwork, cut short the time limit for administrative formalities, and are more polite and courteous when dealing with people.”
They have also tended to listen to people more than before, she said, adding that there was a case in which a deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee talked with local residents for about seven hours.
Thao also credited the campaign with positive results in the fight against corruption and wastefulness.
Recently, authorities have taken back a large number of State-owned houses, land and other assets that were used wrongly or inefficiently, recovering VND14 trillion (US$737 million) for the city budget. This amount will be invested in infrastructure and social welfare works, she said.
The great effort made by city authorities in the fight against corruption and wastefulness has gained the people’s confidence in the efficiency of the city’s governing apparatus, she said.
