Government's staff cuts behind schedule

Wed, 02/12/2003 - 12:30


Ha Noi, Feb. 12 (VNA) -- The Government's plan to cut 69,000 jobs before 2002 has fallen short of its target because of poor handling by State agencies and businesses, a senior government official said.

Deputy Minister of the Interior Thang Van Phuc said more efforts were required from the central Government, local authorities and State employees to implement the staff cuts, which are necessary to slash Government spending and reform its administrave system.

Viet Nam sets up 5th HIV testing center

Wed, 02/12/2003 - 12:25

Ha Noi, Feb. 11 (VNA)-- Ha Noi has become the fifth to set up a voluntary HIV consultation and testing centre, which is expected to expand to 35 other cities and provinces nationwide.

The centre is capable of servicing 100 people a day and fully meet their needs for consultation on prevention and treatment as well as blood tests, said the centre director.

Vietnamese missions assigned to assist economic development

Wed, 02/12/2003 - 11:22

Ha Noi, Feb. 11 (VNA) -- Vietnamese representative offices abroad have been assigned tasks to serve the homeland's economic development.

In this regard, a decree to specify these rep. offices' operation was issued by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on Monday.

The four-chapter 16-article decree aims at raising these missions' capacity to serve the national economy in the new stage and to help the Government promote external trade activities and cooperation in investment, development, science and technology, tourism and services.

Revised tax policy to meet ASEAN and WTO standards

Mon, 02/10/2003 - 16:15

REVISED TAX POLICY TO MEET ASEAN AND WTO STANDARDS


Ha Noi, Feb. 10 (VNA) -- This year will see a massive revision of the tax system, stressing transparency, in line with GATT/WTO principles, said Deputy Finance Minister Truong Tri Trung.

The senior tax policy maker said the revision would target seven major policies, including value added tax (VAT), the enterprises' revenue taxes, high income taxes, and import-export tariffs.

Poverty reduction program contributes to economic development

Mon, 02/10/2003 - 16:11


Ha Noi, Feb. 10 (VNA) -- The National Programme on Hunger Elimination and Poverty Reduction (Programme 135) has contributed to socio-economic development, markedly improving the living conditions of the poor in more than 2,300 poor communes.

In 2002, through the programme, more than 890 billion VND from the central budget were channelled to 2,233 communes with special difficulties and 51.6 billion VND from the local budget to 129 communes.

Great Buddha bronze statue put to worship

Mon, 02/10/2003 - 16:09


Ha Noi, Feb. 10 (VNA) -- A 6.5m-high, 30-tonne bronze statue of the Great Buddha, the biggest of its kind in Viet Nam, has been put to worship at Non Nuoc Pagoda in Soc Son district on the outskirts of Ha Noi.

Superior Bonze Thich Thanh Quyet in charge of Non Nuoc Pagoda said that the restoration of the pagoda and the inaugural ceremony of the statue on Saturday night would contribute to the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi.

Leaders on visits to enjoy Tet with people

Thu, 02/06/2003 - 16:53

Nam Dinh, Feb. 6 (VNA) -- State President Tran Duc Luong on Thursday made visits to northern Nam Dinh and Ha Nam provinces to extend best wishes to local leaders and people on the occasion of Tet (lunar new year celebrations).

In Nam Dinh, the President attended a ceremony to launch a campaign of planting bamboo trees to prevent the local dyke system from floods on the Red River at My Trung commune of My Loc district.

Mekong Delta set to double catfish farming

Thu, 02/06/2003 - 16:52


Ho Chi Minh City, Feb. 5 (VNA) -- Despite the on-going row between Viet Nam and the U.S. over catfish dumping, local farmers are pushing ahead on an investment plan to double the amount of catfish produced in the next five years in the provinces along the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.

The provinces have recently introduced a two-year master plan to boost tra and basa (the most popular varieties of Vietnamese catfish) production and consumption in the region, in order to meet the fishery sector's target of 3 billion USD in export turnover for 2005.

Viet Nam calls for joint efforts to peacefully solve Iraq issue

Thu, 02/06/2003 - 16:47

VIET NAM CALLS FOR JOINT EFFORTS TO PEACEFULLY SOLVE IRAQ ISSUE


Ha Noi, Feb. 6 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has called for concerted efforts to solve the Iraq issue by peaceful means, saying "UN weapons inspectors need more time to give their own conclusion."

"All parties concerned should cooperate in an active way to solve the Iraq issue by peaceful means," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh on Thursday.

Pilgrims seek spriritual high

Thu, 02/06/2003 - 16:44


Ha Noi, Feb. 5 (VNA) -- The Tet (lunar new year) festival is always an ideal occasion for visiting pagodas in Vietnamese cultural life.

"We come home to visit our relatives, seek local business opportunities and travel throughout the country to visit ancient communal houses and pagodas," a group of Viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese) said when they recently returned to the country.

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