Gov’t asked to clarify causes of complaints, denunciations

Hanoi (VNA) – Though complaints and denunciations have tended downward in 2016 compared to last year, the number of complicated cases has increased, and the Government needs to clarify the causes of this situation.

National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien made the request at the ongoing fourth session of the NA Standing Committee on October 4, when the Government, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuracy reported on the settlement of complaints and denunciations.

Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate Phan Van Sau said the number of citizens coming to state administrative agencies to file complaints, denunciations and opinions has declined 5.4 percent. The total number of petitions has dropped 10.6 percent from the same period of 2015.

Despite those decreases, the complaint and denunciation situation remains complicated in the Central Highlands and some central and southern provinces, especially after the serious marine pollution in four central provinces earlier this year.

State administrative agencies have solved 29,117 of the 37,039 complaint and denunciation cases under their jurisdiction so far this year.

Through the settlement, nearly 486.8 billion VND (21.8 million USD) and 42ha of land have been proposed to be recovered for the State or returned to organisations and individuals. Up to 2,002 people have had their interests protected, while 329 others were found to be involved in administrative violations, Sau reported, adding that eight cases involving five suspects have been handed over to investigation agencies.

According to the Government Inspectorate, the main cause of the current complaint and denunciation situation is that land-related policies and laws have yet to harmonise relations among the State, investors and land users.

The State’s mismanagement of land, natural resources, environment, food safety, basic construction investment, and social policies in resettled areas is also to be blamed.

NA Vice Chairman Hien said two other causes are increasingly complicated socio-economic relations and state agencies’ low sense of responsibility.

Chairwoman of the NA’s Committee for Legal Affairs Le Thi Nga added another cause is a lack of transparency in the settlement of issues. She asked the Government to immediately examine ongoing cases of public concern so that they will not grow more complicated.-VNA