Deputy PM requests not harming public confidence in market management

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh at the working session (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has requested enhanced inspections and more determination in the fight against petty corruption, preventing people and businesses from harming confidence in market management staff.

During a working session with the General Department of Market Surveillance in Hanoi on February 14 afternoon, Deputy PM Binh, also head of National Steering Committee 389, proposed building a strong and healthy market management staff.

Determinedly fighting "petty corruption"

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit are complicated issues. To protect consumers and help businesses, market management staff must ensure a healthy business environment, use modern management tools, protect intellectual property, fight fraud and effectively grasp information.

The Deputy PM noted that the general department needs to strictly follow instructions of the Government, the PM, National Steering Committee 389, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and Steering Committee 389 in localities on inspections and market control. In particular, they must seriously realise Resolution 41 on the fight against smuggling and trade fraud.

"It is a regular important task associated with political affairs and professional work each year,” the Deputy PM said.

On specific tasks, Binh asked market management staff to continue with forecasting work and fully grasp the movement of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in areas under their watch.

Besides, through market inspection and control, the staff should review shortcomings to report to the government, ministries and agencies to fix them.

The official asked the general department to strengthen organisational apparatus and personnel, arrange personnel in the correct positions and appoint competent, capable, qualified and experienced officials to leadership positions.

The Deputy Prime Minister urged the general department to coordinate with Party units and authorities of localities in the arrangement of organisational apparatus.

"It is necessary to enhance inspection over public service and determinedly fight petty corruption, preventing people and businesses from harming confidence in market management staff," he stressed.

Market management staff inspect goods (Photo: VietnamPlus) 

Smuggling remains a concern

Reporting to the Deputy PM, General Director of Market Surveillance Department Tran Huu Linh said market management staff nationwide checked more than 150,000 cases, finding 90,000 violations and contributing 500 billion VND (21.7 million USD) to the State budget. The estimated value of unsold confiscated goods was in excess of VND 92 billion.

Despite these successes, the department still has difficulties in personnel work and task fulfillment because it has been operating for four months and personnel appointment is incomplete, according to Linh.

Meanwhile, smuggling, illegal trading, smuggling, production and consumption of counterfeit goods and those infringing intellectual property rights, and trade fraud are increasingly complex.

Moreover, the explosion of information technology makes e-commerce grow fast but this is also a challenge for market management staff because technology at the general department remains backward without separate databases like other units.

Notably, the people's sense of law abidance is not high, the legal framework remains overlapping and sanctions are not strong enough to make market management staff efficient.

A total 48 out 63 market management departments have been established so far. The general department also focuses on improving professional qualifications and skills for cadres, building legal policies, adopting information technology and promoting communication work, leader of the general department said.

On the side of the MoIT, Deputy Minister Dang Hoang An said the fight against fake and counterfeit goods remains difficult, especially amid burgeoning e-commerce at present.

An said he hoped that the government would make it easier for the general department to have more facilities and equipment to improve professional efficiency.

“Although it is difficult, when it has not been overcome, the MoIT still works effectively, at least like the previous days,” said An.-VNA