Provincial People's Council: Inheriting tradition, upholding the role of elected deputies

Further inheriting and upholding achievements and lessons learned from provincial People's Council in the previous tenures, the 5^th provincial People's Council for the 2021-2026 tenure has had many innovations, better realizing its functions and tasks as prescribed by the law at the basic requirements during the local renewal and sustainable development cause after consolidating its apparatus. Especially the province’s elected deputies well promoted their role in Covid-19 prevention and control last year.

Innovating operational methods

After the first session, the 5^th provincial People's Council consolidated its apparatus, initially gaining positive results; successfully held the second session; maintained its standing board sessions to consider and give opinions on a number of contents in accordance with practical requirements, many of which were urgent. Especially, provincial People's Council accompanied provincial People's Committee in flexibly and promptly resolving urgent problems, especially promulgating provincial policies on supporting many subjects, effectively serving the local Covid-19 prevention and control.

Nguyen Truong Nhat Phuong, Vice-Chairwoman of provincial People's Council gave contributive ideas to  provincial People's Council’s special subjects on supervision

In 2021 and the first quarter of 2022, provincial People's Council enhanced its role and responsibility in deciding the local important issues as stipulated in order to promptly solve arising problems under its competence. Provincial People's Council also decided many important policies pertaining to the local socio-economic development process, national defense and security assurance, policies on social welfare, especially support policies for people during the 4th Covid-19 wave at the local real situation, creating consensus and support of the local people from all strata.

With its determination to constantly innovate and improve operational methods, provincial People's Council has continued promoting IT application in organizating sessions. The monitoring activities of provincial People's Council are conducted regularly, covering all fields with focus, especially supervision on the implementation of support policies for people affected by Covid-19 pandemic in the province.

Along with that, provincial People's Council issued 3 resolutions for Covid-19 prevention and control, including the Resolution on support regime for community-based Covid-19 groups; the Resolution on policies to give more food subsidies for Covid-19 patients and medical staff who are on around-the-clock duty at Covid-19 treatment facilities and the Resolution on housing rental support for employees at lodging facilities.

Hallmark of elected deputies

2021 was an "unforgettable" time for the authorities and people of Binh Duong province. During the 4th Covid-19 wave, along with Ho Chi Minh city, Binh Duong was a "hot spot" with the complicated developments of the pandemic. The local business-production activities were stagnated, negatively affecting all aspects of socio-economic life. In the difficult context, right after consolidating its apparatus as stipulated, provincial People's Council Standing Committee united and made efforts in overcoming difficulties to achieve important results. Especially, provincial People's Council upheld the role of an elected body. Each delegate actively and effectively participated in the local Covid-19 prevention and control.

The image of elected deputies "rushing” to the anti-Covid-19 front line, going to "hot" spots to give gifts and participating in anti-pandemic support together with localities well upheld the pioneering and exemplary role of elected deputies. Trinh Duc Tai, Head of provincial People's Council’s Commission for Culture and Social Affairs shared that he experienced a lot from reality in the process of participating in Covid-19 prevention and control in Tan Uyen town’s Tan Phuoc Khanh ward. Even at the peak of the pandemic, many ward-level officials were infected with Covid-19 under pressure and overload with work, but the province’s policy sending provincial managers to support the locality in Covid-19 prevention and control was seen as " tonic" giving strength to the local Covid-19 treatment facility to overcome common difficulties, gradually stabilizing and helping control the local Covid-19 situation. “We are back at the grassroots, being close to the people, which is seen as happiness. Through meeting with voters, we can capture their sentiments to consider and recommend many timely support policies," said Mr. Tai.

From the urgent requirements of Covid-19 prevention and control, under the centralized leadership of provincial Party Standing Committee, Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, People's Council were proactive and flexible in directing and coordinating with provincial People's Committee to issue important policies pertaining to Covid-19 prevention and control. In addition to promulgating timely regimes and policies to support Covid-19 prevention and control, provincial People's Council issued the Resolution No. 27/NQ-HDND establishing a monitoring delegation on the results of the implementation of anti-Covid-19  measures. This is an important monitoring content in 2022, deployed throughout the province in order to promptly grasp difficulties in implementation of central and provincial policies for appropriate petitions.

Experience from reality

Pham Van Chanh, member of provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of provincial People's Council said that with the close direction of provincial Party Committee, the guidance of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the close coordination of provincial People's Committee, Fatherland Front Committee, sectors and localities have helped the organization and operation of provincial People's Council increasingly improve in terms of quality, effectiveness in line with the local overall development requirements. From practical activities, provincial People's Council has drawn many profound lessons. Those are the spirit of solidarity; the joint effort of each elected deputy; the enthusiasm and the joint effort are among leading factors determining the operational quality and effectiveness of provincial People's Council, especially its key officials.

Another lesson is that the activities of provincial People's Council must absolutely comply with the law and be placed under the leadership of the Party Committee. The determination and flexibility of provincial People's Council Standing Committee play a very important role in improving the operational quality, effectiveness of provincial People's Council. Along with that, good coordination between provincial People's Council Standing Committee, Fatherland Front Standing Committee and People's Committee is of great significance - this is also a decisive basis for the operational quality and efficiency of provincial People's Council, contributing to the local socio-economic development and political security stability.

For Covid-19 prevention and control, provincial People's Council has also drawn many valuable lessons. This is the work of flexibly adapting and directing in order to properly perform functions of the elected body, actively contributing to Covid-19 prevention and control, and contributing to ensuring people’s health and life. Another thing is to strongly uphold the role of provincial People's Council deputies in monitoring activities in order to promptly capture the thoughts and aspirations of voters and people for appropriate petitions.

In 2022, provincial People's Council Standing Committee will further uphold a sense of responsibility, actively perform all functions and tasks in accordance with the law, joining hands with provincial People's Committee in well realizing Covid-19 prevention-control and completing socio-economic development,  national defense - security tasks in the province. Particularly, provincial People’s Council Standing Committee will focus on a number of main activities, including organizing provincial People's Council’s thematic monitoring activities on the results of implementing support policies for people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic under the plan; implementing two thematic monitoring contents of the National Assembly; further renovating the activities of organizing the sessions of provincial People's Council; improving the quality of Q&A activities at the sessions; accompanying provincial People's Committee in promptly and effectively solving problems arising between the two sessions; improving the quality of supervision activities, attaching special importance to  overseeing public investment, State administrative reform ...

Reported by Ho Van-Translated by Kim Tin