"There's no shortage of local officials, but there's a shortage of people doing the right job."

Professor Nguyen Quoc Suu believes that while recent reports indicate there is no shortage of commune-level officials, the lack of officials who are doing the right job is certain. This is a challenge that needs to be overcome.

On the morning of October 31, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics organized a scientific seminar to contribute opinions to the draft documents of the 14th Party Congress.

During a discussion on the topic of 40 years of Renovation and the results of the 13th Party Congress term, Professor Nguyen Quoc Suu, Deputy Director of the Academy of Public Administration and Management ( Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics), stated that reforming the administrative apparatus is an issue that the Party and State have continuously raised, especially in the last decade.

However, by 2025, the reform of the administrative apparatus will become a "revolution, a great revolution" and will accomplish a great deal.

Professor Nguyen Quoc Suu expressed his opinion during the discussion session on the draft documents for the 14th Party Congress.

PHOTO: GIA HAN

"This issue has been raised, but for a long time it has been discussed and opinions gathered, so the work has not been completed and has not achieved high effectiveness. Now, this is the right decision, a thorough step in the revolution to streamline the administrative apparatus. Considering the entirety of history, this is a very significant revolution," Mr. Suu stated.

Professor Sửu analyzed that when the organizational revolution was decided so quickly and decisively, the Party had already determined that there would be challenges and difficulties. Therefore, General Secretary Tô Lâm once said that we must "run and queue at the same time," adjusting as we go. This means adjusting to suit and overcome any challenges and difficulties that may arise.

Speaking about the challenges and difficulties of the streamlining of the administrative apparatus, Mr. Suu said that, through monitoring and research, the three levels of government, especially the two levels of local government, are facing three emerging challenges.

Firstly, while the transition from a four-tiered to a three-tiered government system clearly defines the decentralization process, the philosophy of decentralization needs to be redefined. Looking at the decentralization outlined in the 28 recent decrees from ministries down to the commune level, it still shows signs of a dual, subordinate system of decentralization within the four-tiered government structure.

Mr. Suu argued that when the administrative apparatus is reduced from four levels to three, the philosophy of decentralization needs to be redefined. How can localities decide, act, and be held accountable? Decentralization must be clearly defined. What localities must do and what rights they have must be clearly stipulated in law.

He suggested that the three-tiered government system should define a corresponding philosophy of decentralization and integrate existing philosophies of decentralization to suit Vietnam's geo-cultural, geo-economic, and geo-political context.

Discussion session on 40 years of Renovation and the results of the 13th Party Congress term.

PHOTO: GIA HAN

The number of commune-level officials should not be standardized.

The second challenge, Professor Nguyen Quoc Suu pointed out, is that from July 1st until now, the commune level has only been a transit point, providing public services, and has not yet become a level of government due to time constraints and the many tasks that need to be done.

"The recent report indicates that there is no shortage of staff, but there is certainly a shortage of people doing the right jobs," Professor Suu stated.

Therefore, Mr. Suu argued that there needs to be a change and that the number of commune-level officials should not be standardized. A ward with 40,000-50,000 residents is clearly different from a ward with 140,000 residents in terms of the services needed, yet the personnel performing those services are the same.

"It will be difficult for us to work if we wear uniforms like this," Mr. Suu suggested.

To address the shortage of qualified personnel, Mr. Suu suggested a review is necessary. He cited the example of the district, where previously the education department had 16-18 people managing 50 schools, but now, at the ward level, there are only 2 people in charge of education and they have to manage 20 schools.

"Although 20 schools are fewer than 50, the workload is sometimes greater because all the tasks from the district level, and some tasks from the provincial level, have been transferred down. Clearly, there are more tasks, but only two people are doing them, and those two people don't have the right expertise. This is a challenge," Mr. Suu explained.

According to Professor Suu, the third difficulty and challenge also relates to personnel. He analyzed that previously, many people did one job, but now, after the merger, one person has to do multiple jobs. Therefore, economic policies and incentive schemes to retain personnel must change, but these policies have not yet been changed.

"There's a lot of work, a lot of responsibility, but the money remains unchanged. This is very difficult," Mr. Suu added.

Based on his analysis, Professor Nguyen Quoc Suu proposed adding to the draft document of the 14th National Congress the major tasks to be accomplished in 2025, especially the building of an efficient, effective, and effective public administration system.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/can-bo-xa-khong-thieu-nhung-thieu-nguoi-lam-dung-viec-185251031113632461.htm