Quang Ninh seeks to remove difficulties facing firms amid pandemic hinh anh 1A view of Ha Long city in Quang Ninh province (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh (VNA) - A series of different scenarios and measures to support businesses and people in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh in the case of a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic were proposed at meeting in the locality on April 21.

According to the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, about 530 enterprises with over 15,000 workers in the locality have been affected by COVID-19. The disease also caused negative impacts on about 41,000 freelance workers there.

Local departments and sectors reported that local enterprises have encountered difficulties related to materials for production, wages for employees; and suspension or reduction of operational scale, especially those operating in the transport, tourism and service sectors.

At the meeting, business representatives asked the provincial People's Committee to help enterprises access credit packages with preferential interest rates.

They also called for extensions of tax and land rent payment deadlines, restructuring of debts and reduced interest rates for those affected by the disease.

Other measures such as accelerating the implementation of social housing projects to retain and attract workers and tourism promotion programmes were discussed.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Bui Van Khang affirmed that the local authorities are ready to listen to opinions from businesses, thus helping them find proper solutions to these problems.

Attention has been given to removing difficulties facing businesses in each group of sectors, he said, adding that for workers who had lost their jobs due to the disease, the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has been working to ensure the full implementation of support policies for them./.
VNA