Numerous deputies used their alloted seven minutes to address the trade deficit; pollution and the widening income gap during the second day of 12th National Assembly's discussion session telivised live nationwide on Nov. 2.

Many also praised the Government's effort to avoid recession, promote high economic growth and ensure stability and national defence.

The successful hosting of such regional events as ASEAN's 17th Summit, the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly 31 and Defence-Military Meetings that helped raise the country's international prestige too were lauded.

Discussing the Government review of this year's socio-economic targets and the previewing of the 2011 plan, deputies identified their perceived shortcomings in State management.

Deputy Vo Thi Hong Thoai, southernmost Bac Lieu province, sought measures to reduce "excessive" imports.

It would be difficult to meet the target of reducing "excessive" imports from 19 per cent of the total cost to 14 percent by 2015 without a "breakthrough policy," she said.

The deputy suggested fostering support industries through incentives such as those offered to foreign direct investors as a way to reduce unnecessary imports.

The deputies also worried about inflation, which they said would reach 9 rather than the targeted 7 percent, and that last month's heavy flooding of central Vietnam would lower GDP to less than the estimated 6.7 percent.

Many deputies complained that the Government and its agencies have not given pollution sufficient attention, particularly the treatment of waste water in production.

Deputy Le Dinh Khanh, northern Hai Duong province, said the target to have 55 percent of industrial parks and export processing zones with waste water treatment systems at the end of this year – just five percent higher than last year – was "unacceptable."

"I suggest that all working IPs and EPZs must be ordered to install complete standard waste water treatment systems," he said urging the Government, provincial and municipal administrations to strictly enforce the law.

The deputy also questioned why the target for the delivery of clean water to urban areas has been lowered to 78 percent in 2011 from 82 percent in 2009.

Deputy Duong Trung Quoc, southern Dong Nai province, asked why climate change has not been included on the assembly's agenda.

The deputy also argued that Hungary 's "red mud" catastrophe shows the need for caution in plans to mine bauxite in Tay Nguyen (the Central Highlands).

"The bauxite project needs to be re-examined," he said.

The deputy cautioned that the near bankruptcy of the Vietnam Shipbuilding Corporation, or Vinashin, could be repeated with the bauxite project if the National Assembly's supervisory role was neglected.

Environment and Natural Resources Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen's reassurances about the measures implemented to ensure the safety of the proposed bauxite project did not satisfy deputy Quoc.

The minister told the assembly that Vietnam National Coal, Mineral Industry Corporation environmental impact assessment of the project "has been very specific, scientific and ensures environmental safety."

The project will accord with the world's highest standards and Vietnam 's strictest regulations, he said.

The minister also reported that an assessment council of senior scientists has travelled to Australia , China and Brazil to study their experience in the mining of bauxite.

Many deputies assessed the collapse of Vinashin and suggested measures to revamp it and better manage State enterprises.

Deputy Be Xuan Truong, northern Bac Kan province said the successful revamp of Vinashin was crucial because Vietnam , a seafaring nation, could not be without a ship-building industry.

"If not, maritime strategies would not be accomplished and the country would have to depend on others," he warned.

Deputies also linked Vinashin's failure and numerous other socio-economic problems with inadequate personnel training.

Deputy Hoang Van Toan, northern Vinh Phuc province, said the capacity of both workers and managers was inadequate.

Nguyen Thi Hong Ha, Hanoi , said that although the number of skilled workers accounted for 40 percent of the labour force, their quality did not meet the demands of ever increasing high technology, particularly the support industries and rural ecology.

Investing in personnel training would be decisive to the successful accomplishment of socio-economic strategy, she said.

The deputies also discussed how to narrow the widening income gap between geographical locations and called for the Government to invest more in agriculture and rural Vietnam./.