Mixed views on minister’s reply to public investment queries

Hanoi (VNA) – Voters in some northern localities had mixed views on Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung’s answers to questions about public investment raised by National Assembly deputies on June 15.

Nguyen Dang Cuong, Director of the Lucavi Co. Ltd in Thuan Thanh district of Bac Ninh province, agreed with deputy Hoang Quang Ham of Phu Tho province on queries about the scattered allocation of capital, especially the sluggish disbursement of 80 trillion VND (3.5 billion USD) for national key projects.

That the minister attributed the problem to the just recent enforcement of the Public Investment Law or bottlenecks in investment procedures was not persuasive, he said.

Voter Vu Thi Hang, Chairwoman of the People’s Council of Hung Thang ward in Ha Long city, said it is a fact that many projects invested with trillions of VND have been used ineffectively or even deserted for years, which is wasteful. 

It is necessary to review projects costing much money and report them to the Government so that businesses that used the provided capital ineffectively will be strictly punished, she noted.

Meanwhile, Hoang Van Cuong, Director of the Quan Minh Co. Ltd in Van Don district of Quang Ninh province, said Minister Dung’s answers were relatively straightforward, detailed and clear.

The existing Public Investment Law has been improved much from the previous one. However, under the law, a number of projects will still lag behind schedule if they need opinions from the NA and have management boards set up before implemented, he said, adding that this law should be better aligned with the reality.

Lucavi Director Nguyen Dang Cuong also applauded Minister Dung’s straightforward answers and highly valued the official’s acceptance of responsibility for shortcomings in the supervision and management of public investment.

Voter Nguyen Van Nam, Director of the Bac Ninh Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital, said to reduce State budget deficit and public debt in the long term, the engagement of the whole political system is needed aside from the solutions suggested by Minister Dung and the Government.

Minister Dung was among officials fielding questions about issues under their remit at the ongoing third session of the 14th National Assembly. The question and answer sessions were broadcast live by media outlets.-VNA