23:15' 04/05/2008 (GMT+7)
Customers buy food in a fast-food store on Hai Ba Trung Street in HCM City.
Food advertisements are leading children to potentially dangerous diseases, warns Viet Nam Association for Standardisation and the Protection of Consumers deputy chairman Do Gia Phan.
Children prefer foods that contain too much sugar, salt and fat, for no other reason than they like the advertising, he says.
The result is they have energy but are malnourished.
The State should ban products that too easily make people fat, he argues.
Nutrition Institute Communication Centre director ,Dr Hoang Kim Thanh, says that not one single food contains sufficient nutrition.
This means that eating too much of one type of food will lead to obesity and the possibility of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Even dairy produce, such as milk and cheese, which are said to be good for children, can cause obesity and harm the liver and kidneys if they are over consumed because of their high protein content.
Figures show obesity is rising in urban Viet Nam.
For example, in HCM City, about 6 per cent of children under five and 23 per cent of primary-school children are overweight.
One 11-year-old has set a record at 79 kg.
Children don’t have enough knowledge to know what is good for them and are often attracted by advertisements, says Dr Thanh.
"Why don’t you let me eat cheese which helps me grow taller." a mother quotes her son 7, as saying.
Attracted by an amusing advertisement, the boy became addicted to cheese.
His mother says she bought cheese for him when he was an infant because it provides calcium and other nourishment, but he refused to eat it.
It was only after watching an amusing advertisement that he changed his mind.
Not only television but newspapers, magazines and leaflets entice children to food. Dairy, beverage and fast-food companies deliver their produce to supermarkets, schools and kindergartens for children to sample.
Children drink milk to collect the games that are offered with the product.
One five-year-old child weighs 32 kg.
"She eats only a half bowl of rice at a meal but still gets fat because she consumes the snacks, cake, chips and sausage that are advertised on television," complains her mother.
New regulations
The International Customer Service Association has proposed regulations to govern the advertising of food and beverage - without alcohol - for children.
The proposal is now awaiting World Health Organisation approval.
In the meantime, Dr Pham Thanh Tuyen advises parents to control advertising that might influence their children.
"Parents can limit the times that children watch food advertisements by having them participate in other activities," the physician says.
And they shouldn’t spoil children by buying them all the food they want.
Sunday 4 May 2008
Body of drowned US tourist found in Sapa
06:03' 05/05/2008 (GMT+7)
Three divers from northern coastal Quang Ninh province on May 4 noon found the body of a US tourist who drowned in Ca Nhay water fall two days ago in Ban Ho village, Sa Pa district of northern Lao Cai province.
An official from Ban Ho village, Dao Van Son, said that the body of Cottr Hnolivev was found about five metres under the rock’s chink, not far from the site where he swam and fell into a whirlpool on the afternoon of May 2. He was touring the village with two other visitors, an American and a British, and two Vietnamese guides.
The local rescue forces could not find his body as they lack special diving equipment, so divers had to be sent in from Quang Ninh.
Ca Nhay Fall in Ban Ho is a beautiful place located at the foot of Hoang Lien Son mountain. There are many deep caves and whirlpools in the area.
This is the first accident for foreign visitors at the tourist spot. Earlier, two Vietnamese were drowned when they were swimming under the fall.
Three divers from northern coastal Quang Ninh province on May 4 noon found the body of a US tourist who drowned in Ca Nhay water fall two days ago in Ban Ho village, Sa Pa district of northern Lao Cai province.
An official from Ban Ho village, Dao Van Son, said that the body of Cottr Hnolivev was found about five metres under the rock’s chink, not far from the site where he swam and fell into a whirlpool on the afternoon of May 2. He was touring the village with two other visitors, an American and a British, and two Vietnamese guides.
The local rescue forces could not find his body as they lack special diving equipment, so divers had to be sent in from Quang Ninh.
Ca Nhay Fall in Ban Ho is a beautiful place located at the foot of Hoang Lien Son mountain. There are many deep caves and whirlpools in the area.
This is the first accident for foreign visitors at the tourist spot. Earlier, two Vietnamese were drowned when they were swimming under the fall.
SOCIAL IN BRIEF 4/5
23:56' 04/05/2008 (GMT+7)
Heavy rains flood streets in HCM City
Heavy rains flooded many streets in Ho Chi Minh City, causing traffic jam and environmental pollution.
An hour heavy rain on May 2 flooded many streets, including Hong Bang in District 5, Minh Phung – Cay Go in District 11, February 2 in Dicstrict 10.
Hung Vuong street in District 6 alone was between 30-40 centrimetres under water, causing traffic jamp.
Hundreds of houses in Ward 7, District 3, were flooded by 40 centimetres. Water receded after three or five hours.
HCM City entrepreneurs donate eye treatment for people in Quang Ngai
VND 100 million was presented by the Entrepreneurs’ Club 2030 in Ho Chi Minh City to Quang Ngai province on May 2 to help eye operation and treatment for 200 poor blind people.
Apart from free operation and treatment, poor patients will get free medicines, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
The operation will be implemented by doctors from the Quang Ngai Eye Centre and the Binh Son hospital.
Quang Ngai now has around 3,000 poor blind people, who need support for treatment and operation.
100-bed hospital to be built in Kien Giang province
A 100-bed public hospital will be built in September under the current free clinic in Kien Giang province.
The VND 70 billion public hospital should help expand the clinic’s services to more patients who could otherwise not afford health care, said Tran Lam, head of the clinic and chairman of the province’s Association for Poor Patient Sponsorship.
“The hospital receives money from enterprises nationwide,” Mr Lam said.
The current fourth floor clinic covering 500sq.m provides free examinations and medicines to more than 200 poor patients daily. The clinic will serve as the base for the new hospital.
The clinic recently added one more floor to the building to provide acupuncture services.
Similar to the free clinic, each patient going to the hospital will be provided with free examinations, medicine, food and transportation.
The hospital also plans to bring in modern equipment to ensure the patients receive the best care possible.
Lam noted that the hospital would work to provide services in line with private hospitals.
All doctors and nurses in the hospital will be volunteers.
8,945 ethnic minority households in Yen Bai escape poverty thank to soft loans
As many as 8,945 ethnic minority households in Yen Bai province have escaped poverty thanks to soft loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policy.
The bank has provided VND 138.602 billion for 29,775 ethnic minority households via its network in Yen Bai province.
Concretely, the bank has helped local poor households buy 40,465 horses, buffaloes and cows; more than 2,300 goats; over 72,000 pigs; 256 tonnes of fish, plant 16,566 hectares of forest.
The support was given through over 3,000 savings and loans receiving units in 232 villages.
Gov’t offers financial aid to fishermen
The Ministry of Finance has recently issued guidelines on the Government’s policy to support fishermen.
Any fishermen wanting to buy or build new fishing boats with engines of more than 90 Horse Power (HP), or boats to be used to provide fishing boats, will receive annual support of 70 million VND from now to 2010.
Fishermen can receive a sum of 10 million VND if they want to use more fuel-efficient engines for their boats that have a capacity of 40 to 90 HP each, and 18 million VND for engines with a capacity of more than 90 HP.
The Government will help fishermen pay 30 percent of their insurance fees while seamen will receive 100 percent support for life insurance fees.
Vietnam Red Cross launches humanitarian campaign
The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) has launched a campaign marking the 118th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19) and the 145th anniversary of World Red Cross and Crescent Day (May 8).
The campaign is entitled “Each organisation, each individual associated with one humanitarian address”.
Speaking at the launch ceremony in Hanoi on May 4, Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan called on all organisations and individuals to take part in the campaign which aims to help disadvantaged people across the nation.
The Vice State President presented gifts to two Hanoi families who were exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin during the American war. The VNRC donated 50 wheelchairs to wounded soldiers and disabled people in Hanoi.
According to the VNRC, the campaign aims to help about 651,000 disadvantaged people in 2008.
The campaign will be launched in Ho Chi Minh City on May 18 with nearly 10,000 people walking in support of AO/dioxin victims and other disabled people.
Nearly 30,000 ethnic minority families given business loans
Some 29,775 ethnic minority families in the northern province of Yen Bai have been given 138.602 billion VND in loans to help their businesses at preferential interest rates.
The money has been used in the breeding industry, to plant 16,566 hectares of forests, and to change outdated methods in agricultural production.
Thanks to the loans, as of the first quarter of 2008, nearly 9,000 ethnic minority families had escaped from poverty.
Global care supports ethnic pupils in Lao cai province
20 ethnic pupils who have overcome many hardships to achieve good results in their studies in the northeastern mountainous province of Lao Cai have received scholarships from the Global Care organization of the Republic of Korea.
On the occasion, their families were also provided with breeding animals worth 20 million VND each.
The Global Care organization has also established a group named “Young talent” to help poor outstanding pupils.
Apart from receiving 300,000 VND per month during school time, fees at university or vocational schools and help in finding a job, the pupils were also presented with clothes and learning aids.
Canada gives aid to control pollution
The Canadian Government has provided Vietnam with a non refundable grant worth 15 million USD to improve the capacity of Vietnamese managers handling industrial-pollution control.
A memorandum of understanding, as part of the Village Project Executive Group (VPEG), was signed on May 2 between Natural Resources and Environment Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen and Canadian ambassador Gabriel Lessard.
The grant will benefit nine cities and provinces – Bac Ninh, Binh Duong, Long An, Quang Ngai, Soc Trang, Ha Tay, Hanoi, Hai Duong and Da Nang in the next five years, starting in 2008.
The Vietnam-Japan friendship association marks its 40th anniversary
The Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association in Ibaragi prefecture, Japan held a ceremony on May 3 to mark its 40th anniversary and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Speaking on the occasion, the association’s chairman, Shimoyama Toranosuke, highlighted Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements in recent years and the Vietnamese government’s cooperation in implementing the association’s activities effectively.
Mr Shimoyama expressed his wish to develop sustainable relations between Japan and Vietnam to ensure a lasting peace, happiness and prosperity in the interests of the two peoples in particular and the world in general.
Professor Furuta Motoo from Tokyo University also delivered a speech giving an overall picture of Vietnam over the past 20 years of Doi Moi (Renewal).
At the Cultural House in Ibaragi prefecture, north of Tokyo, there are many stands displaying photos and newspapers cutting about Vietnam and the relationship between the two countries and the association’s activities in support of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims in recent times.
Vietnamese community in Angola turns towards home country
Many significant activities have been held by the Vietnamese community in Angola to support their compatriots in Vietnam.
As much as US $22,500 was given to the Fund for the Poor, Study Encouragement Fund, Fund for Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, Fund of Community Support, Fund to Build Houses of Gratitude.
About 5,000 Vietnamese expatriates are currently living and working in Angola. Most of them live on small trade, but now they have applied hi-tech in business and work in tourism, hotels, and restaurants.
Notably, an avenue was named after Ho Chi Minh in Luanda, the capital of Angola. That means this African country has deep feelings for the beloved leader of Vietnam and Vietnamese people.
University cements scholarship deal
A five-year cooperation agreement was signed between the HCM City Technology University and the cement manufacturing joint venture company Holcim Vietnam last Friday.
Under the agreement, Holcim will provide scholarships worth VND110 million per year from now until 2013 for top students as well as the disadvantaged struggling to graduate from university.
Holcim will also supply 200 to 300 tonnes of cement per year for Technology students’ activities during their "Green Summer" campaigns to develop remote areas in the country.
Tech University students will be able to take tours of Holcim’s plants and factories or even intern there to familiarise themselves with the industry.
Eighty wedding guests get food poisoning
Ha Tay Province’s Phuc Tho District Preventive Medicine Centre said nearly 80 people were treated on Wednesday evening for vomiting and diarrhoea.
The patients were among 600 people who had attended a wedding party on the morning of the same day.
Eight food samples were tested, as the patients were suspected of suffering from food poisoning.
Three dead in Vung Tau seaside drowning
Three people, including two teenagers, drowned while swimming off the Vung Tau beaches on Wednesday.
At one point in the day the weather and wind direction changed suddenly, overturning the floatation devices of many swimmers and carrying them out to sea.
Forty-six people were rescued over the course of Wednesday and Thursday. However, strong winds and heavy rains prevented the rescue team from saving three of the stranded victims .
Heavy rains in North should help irrigation
The Central Weather Forecast Bureau said the North and North Central regions would experience showers and gales today and tomorrow.
These rains are caused by strong winds and low barometric pressure.
The rains will supply a great amount of water for hydroelectricity reservoirs and irrigation networks.
However, mountainous areas should take precautions against strong winds, hail and landslides.
Three die after binge drinking on wine
Can Tho General Hospital on Thursday said three out of four people who had arrived suffering from wine poisoning died.
The remaining patient was moved to HCM City for further treatment.
The poisoning victims were initially hospitalised on Monday with symptoms of low blood pressure and severe respiratory problems.
Catholic congress in Hai Phong
Catholics in the northern port city of Hai Phong convened their fifth congress from April 28-29 to identify major tasks for the next five years.
At the congress, 137 parishes pledged to uphold patriotic tradition and the emulation movement to firmly advance the city during the process of industrialisation and modernisation.
They agreed to promote the movement to build cultured life in residential areas and strive to fight social evils.
Also on April 29, nearly 200 outstanding Catholics from parishes across central Binh Dinh Province attended their fourth congress.
ICF pays to remove VN girl’s tumour
Doctors successfully removed a 7kg tumour from the face of a Vietnamese girl in Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida in the US, with financial support from the International Children’s Fund (ICF), according to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Mexico.
It’s reported that the tumour first appeared on Lai Thi Dao’s tongue when she was three years old and quickly spread. The tumour, one-third of the girl’s weight, made it difficult for her to eat, speak and move around.
The ICF raised US$107,000 for the girl’s surgery.
Australia gives VN 170 scholarships
The Australian Government will provide 170 scholarships to Vietnamese students for postgraduate study at Australian universities in 2009.
Australia Development Scholarships are given out to students interested in studying business, trade, public policy, law, development research, management, agricultural science and environmental research, public health, English teaching and educational management in universities in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.
Two dead in bus-truck smash
Two people were killed and 20 others injured when a truck collided head-on with a bus on National Highway 1 in Quang Nam Province early yesterday morning.
The south-bound bus was travelling from Hai Duong when it crashed into the truck at Tam Xuan 2 Commune in Nui Thanh District, police said.
The collision totalled the bus, killing the driver and a passenger, and injured 20 of the 33 passengers on board.
Survivors from the bus said the collision was so severe that many passengers were thrown out of the front window onto the road.
Vice President calls for joint actions for disadvantaged people
Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan has called on mass organisations, individuals and all strata of people to jointly take actions to help disadvantaged people.
The Vice President made the call at a ceremony to launch the campaign “each organisation, each individual helps one humanitarian address”, held by the Vietnam Red Cross Society in Hanoi on May 4.
She said the campaign is a good and practical initiative in response to the 118 th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh and the 145 th anniversary of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Day which will fall on May 8.
The campaign aims to bring help to an estimated 651,000 disadvantaged people this year. The assistance ranges from cash donations, capital for business start-up to free medical treatment.
The campaign will later be launched in Ho Chi Minh City on May 18. Around 10,000 people will take part in a march to support Agent Orange victims and disabled people.
Traffic accidents claim over 200 lives during holidays
The week-long holidays from April 25 to May 1 saw 217 traffic accidents occur across the country, killing 207 people and injuring 105 others.
According to the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department, most of the accidents were caused by speeding and traffic law violations.
Major hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City reported that the number of traffic victims with head injuries suddenly increased last week, especially on the two national holidays on April 30 and May 1.
In the period, traffic congestions were seen in many places, especially tourist and entertainment.
Heavy rains flood streets in HCM City
Heavy rains flooded many streets in Ho Chi Minh City, causing traffic jam and environmental pollution.
An hour heavy rain on May 2 flooded many streets, including Hong Bang in District 5, Minh Phung – Cay Go in District 11, February 2 in Dicstrict 10.
Hung Vuong street in District 6 alone was between 30-40 centrimetres under water, causing traffic jamp.
Hundreds of houses in Ward 7, District 3, were flooded by 40 centimetres. Water receded after three or five hours.
HCM City entrepreneurs donate eye treatment for people in Quang Ngai
VND 100 million was presented by the Entrepreneurs’ Club 2030 in Ho Chi Minh City to Quang Ngai province on May 2 to help eye operation and treatment for 200 poor blind people.
Apart from free operation and treatment, poor patients will get free medicines, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
The operation will be implemented by doctors from the Quang Ngai Eye Centre and the Binh Son hospital.
Quang Ngai now has around 3,000 poor blind people, who need support for treatment and operation.
100-bed hospital to be built in Kien Giang province
A 100-bed public hospital will be built in September under the current free clinic in Kien Giang province.
The VND 70 billion public hospital should help expand the clinic’s services to more patients who could otherwise not afford health care, said Tran Lam, head of the clinic and chairman of the province’s Association for Poor Patient Sponsorship.
“The hospital receives money from enterprises nationwide,” Mr Lam said.
The current fourth floor clinic covering 500sq.m provides free examinations and medicines to more than 200 poor patients daily. The clinic will serve as the base for the new hospital.
The clinic recently added one more floor to the building to provide acupuncture services.
Similar to the free clinic, each patient going to the hospital will be provided with free examinations, medicine, food and transportation.
The hospital also plans to bring in modern equipment to ensure the patients receive the best care possible.
Lam noted that the hospital would work to provide services in line with private hospitals.
All doctors and nurses in the hospital will be volunteers.
8,945 ethnic minority households in Yen Bai escape poverty thank to soft loans
As many as 8,945 ethnic minority households in Yen Bai province have escaped poverty thanks to soft loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policy.
The bank has provided VND 138.602 billion for 29,775 ethnic minority households via its network in Yen Bai province.
Concretely, the bank has helped local poor households buy 40,465 horses, buffaloes and cows; more than 2,300 goats; over 72,000 pigs; 256 tonnes of fish, plant 16,566 hectares of forest.
The support was given through over 3,000 savings and loans receiving units in 232 villages.
Gov’t offers financial aid to fishermen
The Ministry of Finance has recently issued guidelines on the Government’s policy to support fishermen.
Any fishermen wanting to buy or build new fishing boats with engines of more than 90 Horse Power (HP), or boats to be used to provide fishing boats, will receive annual support of 70 million VND from now to 2010.
Fishermen can receive a sum of 10 million VND if they want to use more fuel-efficient engines for their boats that have a capacity of 40 to 90 HP each, and 18 million VND for engines with a capacity of more than 90 HP.
The Government will help fishermen pay 30 percent of their insurance fees while seamen will receive 100 percent support for life insurance fees.
Vietnam Red Cross launches humanitarian campaign
The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) has launched a campaign marking the 118th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19) and the 145th anniversary of World Red Cross and Crescent Day (May 8).
The campaign is entitled “Each organisation, each individual associated with one humanitarian address”.
Speaking at the launch ceremony in Hanoi on May 4, Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan called on all organisations and individuals to take part in the campaign which aims to help disadvantaged people across the nation.
The Vice State President presented gifts to two Hanoi families who were exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin during the American war. The VNRC donated 50 wheelchairs to wounded soldiers and disabled people in Hanoi.
According to the VNRC, the campaign aims to help about 651,000 disadvantaged people in 2008.
The campaign will be launched in Ho Chi Minh City on May 18 with nearly 10,000 people walking in support of AO/dioxin victims and other disabled people.
Nearly 30,000 ethnic minority families given business loans
Some 29,775 ethnic minority families in the northern province of Yen Bai have been given 138.602 billion VND in loans to help their businesses at preferential interest rates.
The money has been used in the breeding industry, to plant 16,566 hectares of forests, and to change outdated methods in agricultural production.
Thanks to the loans, as of the first quarter of 2008, nearly 9,000 ethnic minority families had escaped from poverty.
Global care supports ethnic pupils in Lao cai province
20 ethnic pupils who have overcome many hardships to achieve good results in their studies in the northeastern mountainous province of Lao Cai have received scholarships from the Global Care organization of the Republic of Korea.
On the occasion, their families were also provided with breeding animals worth 20 million VND each.
The Global Care organization has also established a group named “Young talent” to help poor outstanding pupils.
Apart from receiving 300,000 VND per month during school time, fees at university or vocational schools and help in finding a job, the pupils were also presented with clothes and learning aids.
Canada gives aid to control pollution
The Canadian Government has provided Vietnam with a non refundable grant worth 15 million USD to improve the capacity of Vietnamese managers handling industrial-pollution control.
A memorandum of understanding, as part of the Village Project Executive Group (VPEG), was signed on May 2 between Natural Resources and Environment Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen and Canadian ambassador Gabriel Lessard.
The grant will benefit nine cities and provinces – Bac Ninh, Binh Duong, Long An, Quang Ngai, Soc Trang, Ha Tay, Hanoi, Hai Duong and Da Nang in the next five years, starting in 2008.
The Vietnam-Japan friendship association marks its 40th anniversary
The Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association in Ibaragi prefecture, Japan held a ceremony on May 3 to mark its 40th anniversary and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Speaking on the occasion, the association’s chairman, Shimoyama Toranosuke, highlighted Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements in recent years and the Vietnamese government’s cooperation in implementing the association’s activities effectively.
Mr Shimoyama expressed his wish to develop sustainable relations between Japan and Vietnam to ensure a lasting peace, happiness and prosperity in the interests of the two peoples in particular and the world in general.
Professor Furuta Motoo from Tokyo University also delivered a speech giving an overall picture of Vietnam over the past 20 years of Doi Moi (Renewal).
At the Cultural House in Ibaragi prefecture, north of Tokyo, there are many stands displaying photos and newspapers cutting about Vietnam and the relationship between the two countries and the association’s activities in support of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims in recent times.
Vietnamese community in Angola turns towards home country
Many significant activities have been held by the Vietnamese community in Angola to support their compatriots in Vietnam.
As much as US $22,500 was given to the Fund for the Poor, Study Encouragement Fund, Fund for Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, Fund of Community Support, Fund to Build Houses of Gratitude.
About 5,000 Vietnamese expatriates are currently living and working in Angola. Most of them live on small trade, but now they have applied hi-tech in business and work in tourism, hotels, and restaurants.
Notably, an avenue was named after Ho Chi Minh in Luanda, the capital of Angola. That means this African country has deep feelings for the beloved leader of Vietnam and Vietnamese people.
University cements scholarship deal
A five-year cooperation agreement was signed between the HCM City Technology University and the cement manufacturing joint venture company Holcim Vietnam last Friday.
Under the agreement, Holcim will provide scholarships worth VND110 million per year from now until 2013 for top students as well as the disadvantaged struggling to graduate from university.
Holcim will also supply 200 to 300 tonnes of cement per year for Technology students’ activities during their "Green Summer" campaigns to develop remote areas in the country.
Tech University students will be able to take tours of Holcim’s plants and factories or even intern there to familiarise themselves with the industry.
Eighty wedding guests get food poisoning
Ha Tay Province’s Phuc Tho District Preventive Medicine Centre said nearly 80 people were treated on Wednesday evening for vomiting and diarrhoea.
The patients were among 600 people who had attended a wedding party on the morning of the same day.
Eight food samples were tested, as the patients were suspected of suffering from food poisoning.
Three dead in Vung Tau seaside drowning
Three people, including two teenagers, drowned while swimming off the Vung Tau beaches on Wednesday.
At one point in the day the weather and wind direction changed suddenly, overturning the floatation devices of many swimmers and carrying them out to sea.
Forty-six people were rescued over the course of Wednesday and Thursday. However, strong winds and heavy rains prevented the rescue team from saving three of the stranded victims .
Heavy rains in North should help irrigation
The Central Weather Forecast Bureau said the North and North Central regions would experience showers and gales today and tomorrow.
These rains are caused by strong winds and low barometric pressure.
The rains will supply a great amount of water for hydroelectricity reservoirs and irrigation networks.
However, mountainous areas should take precautions against strong winds, hail and landslides.
Three die after binge drinking on wine
Can Tho General Hospital on Thursday said three out of four people who had arrived suffering from wine poisoning died.
The remaining patient was moved to HCM City for further treatment.
The poisoning victims were initially hospitalised on Monday with symptoms of low blood pressure and severe respiratory problems.
Catholic congress in Hai Phong
Catholics in the northern port city of Hai Phong convened their fifth congress from April 28-29 to identify major tasks for the next five years.
At the congress, 137 parishes pledged to uphold patriotic tradition and the emulation movement to firmly advance the city during the process of industrialisation and modernisation.
They agreed to promote the movement to build cultured life in residential areas and strive to fight social evils.
Also on April 29, nearly 200 outstanding Catholics from parishes across central Binh Dinh Province attended their fourth congress.
ICF pays to remove VN girl’s tumour
Doctors successfully removed a 7kg tumour from the face of a Vietnamese girl in Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida in the US, with financial support from the International Children’s Fund (ICF), according to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Mexico.
It’s reported that the tumour first appeared on Lai Thi Dao’s tongue when she was three years old and quickly spread. The tumour, one-third of the girl’s weight, made it difficult for her to eat, speak and move around.
The ICF raised US$107,000 for the girl’s surgery.
Australia gives VN 170 scholarships
The Australian Government will provide 170 scholarships to Vietnamese students for postgraduate study at Australian universities in 2009.
Australia Development Scholarships are given out to students interested in studying business, trade, public policy, law, development research, management, agricultural science and environmental research, public health, English teaching and educational management in universities in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.
Two dead in bus-truck smash
Two people were killed and 20 others injured when a truck collided head-on with a bus on National Highway 1 in Quang Nam Province early yesterday morning.
The south-bound bus was travelling from Hai Duong when it crashed into the truck at Tam Xuan 2 Commune in Nui Thanh District, police said.
The collision totalled the bus, killing the driver and a passenger, and injured 20 of the 33 passengers on board.
Survivors from the bus said the collision was so severe that many passengers were thrown out of the front window onto the road.
Vice President calls for joint actions for disadvantaged people
Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan has called on mass organisations, individuals and all strata of people to jointly take actions to help disadvantaged people.
The Vice President made the call at a ceremony to launch the campaign “each organisation, each individual helps one humanitarian address”, held by the Vietnam Red Cross Society in Hanoi on May 4.
She said the campaign is a good and practical initiative in response to the 118 th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh and the 145 th anniversary of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Day which will fall on May 8.
The campaign aims to bring help to an estimated 651,000 disadvantaged people this year. The assistance ranges from cash donations, capital for business start-up to free medical treatment.
The campaign will later be launched in Ho Chi Minh City on May 18. Around 10,000 people will take part in a march to support Agent Orange victims and disabled people.
Traffic accidents claim over 200 lives during holidays
The week-long holidays from April 25 to May 1 saw 217 traffic accidents occur across the country, killing 207 people and injuring 105 others.
According to the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department, most of the accidents were caused by speeding and traffic law violations.
Major hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City reported that the number of traffic victims with head injuries suddenly increased last week, especially on the two national holidays on April 30 and May 1.
In the period, traffic congestions were seen in many places, especially tourist and entertainment.
Friday 2 May 2008
Bird flu breaks out in one more southern province
15:15' 02/05/2008 (GMT+7)
Bird flu has been discovered in the southern province of Vinh Long, killing nearly 400 chickens of a farmer family in Xuan Hiep commune, Tra On district, reported the local veterinary agency
According to Labourer Newspaper, chickens died on a massive scale on April 26. On April 28, the veterinary agency announced its test results, which showed that the chickens had died of bird flu. None of the chickens were vaccinated.
Vietnam currently has three provinces with this disease, Can Tho and Vinh Long in the south and Son La in the north.
Meanwhile, Youth Newspaper reported that foot-and-mouth disease in cattle is now in the two central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh.
Blue ear disease in pigs continues to develop and it currently exists in ten provinces, including Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Thua Thien-Hue in the central region, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh in the north.
Bird flu has been discovered in the southern province of Vinh Long, killing nearly 400 chickens of a farmer family in Xuan Hiep commune, Tra On district, reported the local veterinary agency
According to Labourer Newspaper, chickens died on a massive scale on April 26. On April 28, the veterinary agency announced its test results, which showed that the chickens had died of bird flu. None of the chickens were vaccinated.
Vietnam currently has three provinces with this disease, Can Tho and Vinh Long in the south and Son La in the north.
Meanwhile, Youth Newspaper reported that foot-and-mouth disease in cattle is now in the two central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh.
Blue ear disease in pigs continues to develop and it currently exists in ten provinces, including Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Thua Thien-Hue in the central region, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh in the north.
Empty houses litter city as real-estate skyrockets
22:08' 02/05/2008 (GMT+7)
While limited land funds are making it difficult for Hanoi to keep up with public works projects and ensuring enough accommodations, hundreds of villas in many urban areas are sitting half finished and abandoned.
Half-finished and abandoned houses in the new Linh Dam residential area in Hanoi.
In new urban areas, such as in Xuan La Ward of Tay Ho District, unfinished buildings covered in moss and pathways overgrown with grass sit next to beautiful apartment buildings.
A similar view can be seen in Van Quan Urban Area in Ha Dong City. Dozens of villas are unoccupied and covered with weeds. The area is littered with injection needles thrown out by drug addicts.
The situation is even worse in Me Tri Urban Area. Weeds, garbage, injection needles and condoms are piling up in unused villas.
Hoang Ngoc Thanh, who owns a house in the urban area, said many houses around his seem abandoned, although they were only built several years ago.
"I never see the owners of these houses," said Thanh.
Thanh said he bought his house from his cousin, who bought it from another acquaintance.
The fact that many houses in these urban areas are left abandoned is evidence that many houses have been sold to people purchasing the houses only for speculation. This has led to a huge waste in funds.
These abandoned houses provide a platform for socially vulnerable groups to carry out illegal activities, and is harmful to the surrounding environment.
Citizens from Me Tri Urban Area said they were worried about their safety, with drug addicts in the area.
A security guard from the same area said they had difficulty keeping an eye on the drug addicts and prostitutes staying in the abandoned houses.
The situation so far has no solution in sight.
A land consultant said these houses were unaffordable for the average buyer and would be difficult to sell.
"These houses keep waiting for their owners," said the consultant.
Even with empty houses littering the area, land and house prices have yet to go down.
Nguyen Chi Si, the director of Ha Noi No 2 Construction Investment Company, said the prices keep rising because of speculation.
While some policies have been implemented to prevent speculation, they have proven ineffective because the houses and land are being traded illegally, according to Si.
"If this keeps up, home ownership will be unreachable for most of the population," said the land consultant.
Nguyen Manh Ha, head of the House Management Department, said that houses must be bought by people intending to live in them.
The State should prevent speculation by collecting tax on land usage and on the house, said Ha.
While limited land funds are making it difficult for Hanoi to keep up with public works projects and ensuring enough accommodations, hundreds of villas in many urban areas are sitting half finished and abandoned.
Half-finished and abandoned houses in the new Linh Dam residential area in Hanoi.
In new urban areas, such as in Xuan La Ward of Tay Ho District, unfinished buildings covered in moss and pathways overgrown with grass sit next to beautiful apartment buildings.
A similar view can be seen in Van Quan Urban Area in Ha Dong City. Dozens of villas are unoccupied and covered with weeds. The area is littered with injection needles thrown out by drug addicts.
The situation is even worse in Me Tri Urban Area. Weeds, garbage, injection needles and condoms are piling up in unused villas.
Hoang Ngoc Thanh, who owns a house in the urban area, said many houses around his seem abandoned, although they were only built several years ago.
"I never see the owners of these houses," said Thanh.
Thanh said he bought his house from his cousin, who bought it from another acquaintance.
The fact that many houses in these urban areas are left abandoned is evidence that many houses have been sold to people purchasing the houses only for speculation. This has led to a huge waste in funds.
These abandoned houses provide a platform for socially vulnerable groups to carry out illegal activities, and is harmful to the surrounding environment.
Citizens from Me Tri Urban Area said they were worried about their safety, with drug addicts in the area.
A security guard from the same area said they had difficulty keeping an eye on the drug addicts and prostitutes staying in the abandoned houses.
The situation so far has no solution in sight.
A land consultant said these houses were unaffordable for the average buyer and would be difficult to sell.
"These houses keep waiting for their owners," said the consultant.
Even with empty houses littering the area, land and house prices have yet to go down.
Nguyen Chi Si, the director of Ha Noi No 2 Construction Investment Company, said the prices keep rising because of speculation.
While some policies have been implemented to prevent speculation, they have proven ineffective because the houses and land are being traded illegally, according to Si.
"If this keeps up, home ownership will be unreachable for most of the population," said the land consultant.
Nguyen Manh Ha, head of the House Management Department, said that houses must be bought by people intending to live in them.
The State should prevent speculation by collecting tax on land usage and on the house, said Ha.
Nation’s rice strategy a success
18:02' 02/05/2008 (GMT+7)
The rush to buy rice ended across the country on the back of falling rice prices, following moves by food companies and market regulators to defuse the worst panic buying in many years.
Official figures show that Vietnam currently has 1.23mil tonnes of rice available in stock, which authorities say testifies that the price rises and rush buying was a result of rumours, speculation and distribution impediments rather than a rice shortage.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Development (MARD), in an official report released to the public on Tuesday, forecast that Vietnam is well on track to producing 36.55mil tonnes of paddy (unhusked rice) this year, if there are no adverse weather conditions.
"If there are no serious natural calamities, Vietnam’s 2008 rice output could reach or even surpass the 36-million-tonne target, ensuring national food security as well as rice exports," said deputy minister of MARD Diep Kinh Tan.
Prices fell to VND16,000-17,000 per kg of premium quality rice yesterday. Rice prices started to climb from VND11,000-13,000 last week to around VND20,000-22,000 per kg over the weekend.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent an urgent notice on Sunday, affirming that Vietnam is fully able to provide food for domestic consumption while ensuring some rice exports.
The Viet Nam Food Association asked members to transfer more rice to stabilise the HCM City market, while the Northern Food Corporation has ensured its outlets all listed prices at VND11,000 for a kilo of export-standard rice. After feverish buying in anticipation of further price rises, business is back to normal at rice shops, with very few buyers yesterday.
The Government on Tuesday issued an official letter asking the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and MARD to closely observe and ensure smooth production, distribution and export of rice as planned.
The Prime Minister also asked the two ministries, as well as the ministries of Public Security, National Defence and Information and Communications, to review and draw lessons from last week’s rice market instability.
Authorities were required to more closely regulate the rice market against smuggling, speculative hoarding and false rumours.
Official figures
With paddy output predicted at 36.5mil tonnes, domestic consumption of paddy in 2008 is forecast at 27.8mil tonnes. That includes 1mil tonnes reserved for breeding, and 5.8mil tonnes in animal feed and post-harvest loss.
The remaining 8.75mil tonnes of paddy, equivalent to 4.5mil tonnes of rice, will be available for export, the report shows.
The Government’s export target of 3.5 to 4mil tonnes was feasible, while still ensuring national food security.
MARD’s official statistics show that Vietnam produced 19.8mil tonnes of paddy in the last six months. Five million tonnes of paddy output, equivalent to 2.8mil tonnes of rice, is earmarked for export.
The General Department of Customs reported that Vietnam exported 1.6mil tonnes of rice in the first four months of 2008, earning US$775mil in revenue, up 73% on the same period last year.
Weak distribution systems
Mekong region countries consider ‘rice cartel’
BANGKOK — An organisation of rice exporting nations similar to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is set to be established by countries in the Mekong region as global prices of the grain surge.
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam have agreed in principle to form a rice cartel, Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej told a meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday.
Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam had agreed to join the Organisation of Rice Exporting Countries (OREC), he said.
Myanmar has also agreed to join, he said, though the country is not a large rice exporter.
Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said the organisation should begin meeting soon.
Thailand is the world’s largest rice exporter, shipping some 9.5mil tonnes last year.
Global rice prices have soared this year, a trend blamed on higher energy and fertiliser costs, greater global demand, droughts, loss of land to biofuel plantations, and speculation.
Global demand for Thai rice has soared after Vietnam and India imposed limits on exports to ensure domestic supply.
Thailand has repeatedly insisted it will not limit exports, but on Tuesday the Government announced it was releasing its stockpile of 2.1mil tonnes into the domestic market to keep prices stable.
MOIT deputy minister Nguyen Cam Tu attributed the temporary shortage to current distribution systems.
Vietnam currently has two rice distribution systems. One is used for supplying rice for export, while the other is reserved for the domestic market. The former was being handled well by the Government and operating smoothly. However, the latter is still at the mercy of the market’s whims.
"We now lack major commercial companies that can be used as effective tools by the Government to regulate the market for rice and other food items," Tu said.
Current food and foodstuff distribution systems are organised unprofessionally so they develop independently without close co-operation, according to Hoang Tho Xuan, director of the MOIT’s Department of Domestic Market.
"Consequently, the market has many distributors but none of them are strong enough to hold enough sway over the market when fluctuations like the last price hike occur," said Xuan.
"Worse still, most activities carried out by current food and foodstuff distributors are out of the control of authorised agencies. In particular, people sell to merchants and then merchants sell to merchants, following their own principles."
With that kind of organisational style, the domestic food market does not have major distributors to support the market and protect it from fluctuations. This created opportunities for speculative practices to arise, he said.
Not only rice, but many other essential commodities, such as fertilisers and steel products, also face distribution problems, he added.
The rush to buy rice ended across the country on the back of falling rice prices, following moves by food companies and market regulators to defuse the worst panic buying in many years.
Official figures show that Vietnam currently has 1.23mil tonnes of rice available in stock, which authorities say testifies that the price rises and rush buying was a result of rumours, speculation and distribution impediments rather than a rice shortage.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Development (MARD), in an official report released to the public on Tuesday, forecast that Vietnam is well on track to producing 36.55mil tonnes of paddy (unhusked rice) this year, if there are no adverse weather conditions.
"If there are no serious natural calamities, Vietnam’s 2008 rice output could reach or even surpass the 36-million-tonne target, ensuring national food security as well as rice exports," said deputy minister of MARD Diep Kinh Tan.
Prices fell to VND16,000-17,000 per kg of premium quality rice yesterday. Rice prices started to climb from VND11,000-13,000 last week to around VND20,000-22,000 per kg over the weekend.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent an urgent notice on Sunday, affirming that Vietnam is fully able to provide food for domestic consumption while ensuring some rice exports.
The Viet Nam Food Association asked members to transfer more rice to stabilise the HCM City market, while the Northern Food Corporation has ensured its outlets all listed prices at VND11,000 for a kilo of export-standard rice. After feverish buying in anticipation of further price rises, business is back to normal at rice shops, with very few buyers yesterday.
The Government on Tuesday issued an official letter asking the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and MARD to closely observe and ensure smooth production, distribution and export of rice as planned.
The Prime Minister also asked the two ministries, as well as the ministries of Public Security, National Defence and Information and Communications, to review and draw lessons from last week’s rice market instability.
Authorities were required to more closely regulate the rice market against smuggling, speculative hoarding and false rumours.
Official figures
With paddy output predicted at 36.5mil tonnes, domestic consumption of paddy in 2008 is forecast at 27.8mil tonnes. That includes 1mil tonnes reserved for breeding, and 5.8mil tonnes in animal feed and post-harvest loss.
The remaining 8.75mil tonnes of paddy, equivalent to 4.5mil tonnes of rice, will be available for export, the report shows.
The Government’s export target of 3.5 to 4mil tonnes was feasible, while still ensuring national food security.
MARD’s official statistics show that Vietnam produced 19.8mil tonnes of paddy in the last six months. Five million tonnes of paddy output, equivalent to 2.8mil tonnes of rice, is earmarked for export.
The General Department of Customs reported that Vietnam exported 1.6mil tonnes of rice in the first four months of 2008, earning US$775mil in revenue, up 73% on the same period last year.
Weak distribution systems
Mekong region countries consider ‘rice cartel’
BANGKOK — An organisation of rice exporting nations similar to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is set to be established by countries in the Mekong region as global prices of the grain surge.
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam have agreed in principle to form a rice cartel, Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej told a meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday.
Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam had agreed to join the Organisation of Rice Exporting Countries (OREC), he said.
Myanmar has also agreed to join, he said, though the country is not a large rice exporter.
Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said the organisation should begin meeting soon.
Thailand is the world’s largest rice exporter, shipping some 9.5mil tonnes last year.
Global rice prices have soared this year, a trend blamed on higher energy and fertiliser costs, greater global demand, droughts, loss of land to biofuel plantations, and speculation.
Global demand for Thai rice has soared after Vietnam and India imposed limits on exports to ensure domestic supply.
Thailand has repeatedly insisted it will not limit exports, but on Tuesday the Government announced it was releasing its stockpile of 2.1mil tonnes into the domestic market to keep prices stable.
MOIT deputy minister Nguyen Cam Tu attributed the temporary shortage to current distribution systems.
Vietnam currently has two rice distribution systems. One is used for supplying rice for export, while the other is reserved for the domestic market. The former was being handled well by the Government and operating smoothly. However, the latter is still at the mercy of the market’s whims.
"We now lack major commercial companies that can be used as effective tools by the Government to regulate the market for rice and other food items," Tu said.
Current food and foodstuff distribution systems are organised unprofessionally so they develop independently without close co-operation, according to Hoang Tho Xuan, director of the MOIT’s Department of Domestic Market.
"Consequently, the market has many distributors but none of them are strong enough to hold enough sway over the market when fluctuations like the last price hike occur," said Xuan.
"Worse still, most activities carried out by current food and foodstuff distributors are out of the control of authorised agencies. In particular, people sell to merchants and then merchants sell to merchants, following their own principles."
With that kind of organisational style, the domestic food market does not have major distributors to support the market and protect it from fluctuations. This created opportunities for speculative practices to arise, he said.
Not only rice, but many other essential commodities, such as fertilisers and steel products, also face distribution problems, he added.
Low skills stymie rural workers
22:21' 02/05/2008 (GMT+7)
Rural labourers are finding they can’t hack it in cities
A huge number of labourers from rural areas are migrating to the cities to find work, but due to low qualifications most are finding they can only pursue low-paying manual labour.
Manager of a private company in Thanh Hoa Province, Pham Dang Khuyen (left), instructs farmers to make rattan products for export. Most rural workers are untrained.
This trend has highlighted the poor vocational orientation among the masses of job-seekers pouring into the cities.
Rural labour accounts for more than 70% of all labour nationwide, and most labourers have not undertaken any vocational training course. Meanwhile, about 331,430 ha of farming land will be rezoned for other activities during the 2006-2010 period, which means that more than 2.5mil farmers will lose their means of making an income, according to statistics from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.
It’s a problem that’s reflected in most of the restaurants and garages in Hanoi, where it is easy to find workers who are from the rural areas of northern Vinh Phuc, Ha Tay, Nam Dinh and Thanh Hoa provinces.
Many of these workers start manual work to survive day to day, and do not spend much time to plan for a better job in the future.
Nguyen Van Tuan from Giao Thuy District, in the northern province of Nam Dinh, said he came to the capital to find work, following the lead of many of his friends who left the countryside for the big smoke.
Tuan said that after three years in the city, he still hadn’t found a stable job. He used to work as a waiter, gas station attendant and also collected and recycle old electronic products.
Each time he grew dissatisfied with his work, he returned to Giao Thuy. But his time back in the countryside was always short, as the low income he made from farming motivated him to again try his luck in the city.
With a salary between VND600,000-VND1mil per month, people like Tuan find it hard to survive in the city without any savings to help them establish a new life.
Some employers in the city raise concerns about rural workers, saying that they are not reliable as many decide to quit their jobs to return to the countryside.
"Most of the people we hire from rural areas have the idea that they can quit their jobs whenever they want, and that’s why we can’t totally trust them," said one restaurant owner in Hanoi.
Focus on training
Training rural labourers is the primary target in plans on tackling the problem. But so far, vocational training hasn’t provided a solution, due to poor labour management methods and ineffective training.
Many rural labourers have only completed secondary school and have no other qualifications or training.
Lam Van Cong from Ha Hoa, Phu Tho has worked as a cleaner in a hotel since he was 16 years old. Cong said that when he started his job, he didn’t have any idea about what he was supposed to do.
"Other cleaners helped to guide me sometimes and I became used to my job without taking any vocational training courses," said Cong.
"If I take a course, it will cost me money and time."
Trinh Van Truong from Tinh Gia, Thanh Hoa and five of his friends have worked at garage in the city for four years. They all learnt how to do the work while doing the job.
"If I take vocational training courses at a centre, it takes one year and a substantial amount of money," said Truong.
"Meanwhile, while working at the garage I learn the skills required for the job while also making some money."
Tran Tien Dat, director of a vocational training centre of Nha Be District, HCM City, said authorities needed to boost public awareness on the need for proper vocational training and the long-term benefits of this type of training.
"Most labourers need a job but they don’t have any direction to find a suitable job," said Dat.
"The short term benefit is still their first priority so they don’t want to waste any time taking a course."
Rural labourers are finding they can’t hack it in cities
A huge number of labourers from rural areas are migrating to the cities to find work, but due to low qualifications most are finding they can only pursue low-paying manual labour.
Manager of a private company in Thanh Hoa Province, Pham Dang Khuyen (left), instructs farmers to make rattan products for export. Most rural workers are untrained.
This trend has highlighted the poor vocational orientation among the masses of job-seekers pouring into the cities.
Rural labour accounts for more than 70% of all labour nationwide, and most labourers have not undertaken any vocational training course. Meanwhile, about 331,430 ha of farming land will be rezoned for other activities during the 2006-2010 period, which means that more than 2.5mil farmers will lose their means of making an income, according to statistics from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.
It’s a problem that’s reflected in most of the restaurants and garages in Hanoi, where it is easy to find workers who are from the rural areas of northern Vinh Phuc, Ha Tay, Nam Dinh and Thanh Hoa provinces.
Many of these workers start manual work to survive day to day, and do not spend much time to plan for a better job in the future.
Nguyen Van Tuan from Giao Thuy District, in the northern province of Nam Dinh, said he came to the capital to find work, following the lead of many of his friends who left the countryside for the big smoke.
Tuan said that after three years in the city, he still hadn’t found a stable job. He used to work as a waiter, gas station attendant and also collected and recycle old electronic products.
Each time he grew dissatisfied with his work, he returned to Giao Thuy. But his time back in the countryside was always short, as the low income he made from farming motivated him to again try his luck in the city.
With a salary between VND600,000-VND1mil per month, people like Tuan find it hard to survive in the city without any savings to help them establish a new life.
Some employers in the city raise concerns about rural workers, saying that they are not reliable as many decide to quit their jobs to return to the countryside.
"Most of the people we hire from rural areas have the idea that they can quit their jobs whenever they want, and that’s why we can’t totally trust them," said one restaurant owner in Hanoi.
Focus on training
Training rural labourers is the primary target in plans on tackling the problem. But so far, vocational training hasn’t provided a solution, due to poor labour management methods and ineffective training.
Many rural labourers have only completed secondary school and have no other qualifications or training.
Lam Van Cong from Ha Hoa, Phu Tho has worked as a cleaner in a hotel since he was 16 years old. Cong said that when he started his job, he didn’t have any idea about what he was supposed to do.
"Other cleaners helped to guide me sometimes and I became used to my job without taking any vocational training courses," said Cong.
"If I take a course, it will cost me money and time."
Trinh Van Truong from Tinh Gia, Thanh Hoa and five of his friends have worked at garage in the city for four years. They all learnt how to do the work while doing the job.
"If I take vocational training courses at a centre, it takes one year and a substantial amount of money," said Truong.
"Meanwhile, while working at the garage I learn the skills required for the job while also making some money."
Tran Tien Dat, director of a vocational training centre of Nha Be District, HCM City, said authorities needed to boost public awareness on the need for proper vocational training and the long-term benefits of this type of training.
"Most labourers need a job but they don’t have any direction to find a suitable job," said Dat.
"The short term benefit is still their first priority so they don’t want to waste any time taking a course."
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