The National Conference on Activities of People’s Councils and People’s Committees ended in Hanoi on Sept. 12.

In closing the conference, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong stressed that the event is of special significance as it took place at a time when the country is reviewing the 12th term of the National Assembly and the 2004-2011 term of the People’s Councils at all levels, as well as 20 years of implementation of the 1991 Party Political Programme and 10 years of implementation of the 2001-2010 Socio-economic Development Strategy while building the Strategy on Socio-economic Development for the 2011-2020.

The Party is also looking back on its work since the 10 th Congress and Party committees nationwide are convening congresses in preparation for the 11 th National Party Congress.

The legislative chief said despite numerous difficulties in the 2004-2011 term, the country has maintained stability and growth thanks to the efforts of the people and political system as a whole, to which local administration have made positive contributions. People’s Councils have taken a real role in deciding important issues and improving their supervision as well as their contact with voters, Trong said. Those reforms received agreements and support from the people. However, there remained shortcomings in activities of the People’s Councils and Committees, in particular bureaucracy, corruption and a lack of coordination.

Chairman Trong asked People’s Councils to continue reform activities, strengthen their supervision role and enhance coordination with the Fatherland Front for better performance.

He also stressed the need to improve the organisation of people’s councils and people’s committees. “As the representative of the people, people’s councils should have capable and experienced staff as well as sufficient funding and working facilities so that they can perform effectively,” said the National Assembly Chairman.

On the pilot programme of abolishing People’s Councils at districts and ward level at 10 provinces, the NA Chairman said that was an important and big issue relating to the constitution and many legal documents. He recommended that this issue needs to be studied comprehensively and dialectically in order to find out an optimal and feasible solution that receives approval of the public./.