Vietnam Industrial Parks InfoGate ! Industrial Zones ! Export Processing Zones ! National Assembly said to back bauxite-mining policy

NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong has said that the NA Standing Committee will have a report on bauxite mining in the Central Highlands. Could you clarify this?

The policy to zone for mining bauxite is a policy established by the 9^th and the 10^th Party Congress. The Politburo on April 24, 2004 also issued an announcement approving this policy.

The NA Standing Committee has decided to include a section in its economic-social report about bauxite mining. In addition, there will be detailed discussion of the planning, the goals, and the implementation of the bauxite-mining project. This report is very long so it will be delivered to NA deputies for reference.

The common spirit is how best to to develop the bauxite mining industry in the Central Highlands and the whole country, ensuring economic, security and defence effectiveness.

The lead investor of the bauxite-mining project is the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Group (TKV). There is no plan at present to call for foreign investment in this project. Emphasis is on choosing modern technology, protecting the environment very strictly and using local manpower.

At meetings with voters before the 5^th NA session, what issue were voters interested in related to the bauxite mining policy?

We know that voters in the Central Highlands area were very concerned about the environmental issues. Many retired senior officials and ordinary people also paid special attention to this issue.

However, the bauxite ore is an underground resource located in a poor region. It will be very good for the economy if bauxite is mined, to develop industry in general and to improve the infrastructure and the life of local people.

Some said that Vietnam’s workforce is abundant, so much that we have to export manpower, so first of all we should train workers to serve this project, rather than use foreign workers.

A French group in Vietnam is preparing to train workers for this project. We will only employ skilled foreign technicians.

The government has to submit its report on bauxite mining. Does the NA Standing Committee verify the government’s report? If NA deputies don’t agree with the government’s report, what will happen?

The NA assigns committees to verify the government’s report. The NA Committee for Economics and Budget will evaluate the economic effects. The NA Committee for Science, Technology and Environment will assess the environmental and scientific aspects. NA bodies are responsible for supervision.

The NA completely supports this general policy.

As I said, this policy was approved by the Party and the State at the 9^th and 10^th Party Congress. Then, on April 24, the Politburo issued an announcement about the policy of organizing and managing bauxite mining to develop the country and [especially the] the Central Highlands.

Certainly the NA will give its full support to this policy. Deciding how the project is carried out, what elements are necessary, how the planning will be done is the responsibility of the administrative structures.

National Assembly Office Vice Chairman Nguyen Si Dung announced that when the 5^th NA session opens on May 20, it will assess government proposals for amendment of the laws on personal income tax, value added tax and taxation management. This is the basis for considering the exemption and reduction of personal income tax to stimulate demand and ensure social welfares.

After discussing the government’s scheme on reform of financial policy for education and training, the NA will issue a resolution on “the Financial Management Mechanism for Education”.

The 5^th NA session, from May 20 to June 20, is also expected to pass 12 laws and amendments to laws. These include laws on public debt management; criminal record; government compensation; urban planning; Penal Code amendments; Vietnamese representative offices abroad; Amendments to Article 126 of the Housing Law and Article 121 of the Land Law; intellectual property rights; Amendments to the Cinema Law; amendments to the Cultural Heritage Law; Amendments to the Law on capital construction investment; and on cryptography.

The NA will also do preliminary work for laws on medical examination and treatment, radio frequency and telecommunications.

In this session, the NA will also discuss adjusting the GDP growth rate; State budget overspending; additional Government bond issues for 2009; and plans for an innovative financial regime for education and training between 2008 and 2012.

Issues to be reviewed include the unemployment situation in the first months of the year; recent results of the poverty reduction programmes; and ways of mobilizing additional investment for the programmes in the near future.

The NA plans to spend 2.5 days for a question-and-answer session that will allow deputies to pose questions directly to ministers.

Dung said the NA would not consider the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group’s investment project in Venezuela because the project scale is not large enough to require its submission to the NA.