The new Ho Chi Minh City will expand space for debate and monitoring of voters' opinions on cyberspace.

The new Ho Chi Minh City will be larger in scale and voters and leaders of city departments and branches believe that the program "People ask - Government answers" needs to be renewed, not avoided, and the responsibility of departments and branches in performing public duties should be enhanced.

On the afternoon of June 21, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council held a conference to summarize the two programs "People ask - Government answers" and "Dialogue with the City Government" for the period 2022-2025, to evaluate the effectiveness of innovation in operating methods and enhance interaction between the government and the people.

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Council held a conference to summarize the two programs "People ask - Government answers" and "Dialogue with the City Government". Photo: THANH THUY

The summary conference recorded many comments from voters and leaders of departments and branches, in the context of merging provinces and cities and implementing a two-level local government model.

Expanding interaction channels, using virtual assistants to support and respond to people

Voter Tran Viet Trung, residing in Thu Duc City, said that the new Ho Chi Minh City will be larger and the tasks will be heavier. Therefore, voters expect the program to be improved to suit the scale of the new Ho Chi Minh City, especially to closely follow the lives of the people after the merger.

The leaders of the city's departments and agencies also said that the program has brought great results, changing the thinking of the authorities. Through the broadcasts, the leaders of the agencies have to ponder, think and find solutions to answer voters' opinions, sometimes through policy mechanisms; such as the amendment of the Land Law in recent times.

In addition, delegates also said that the current rate of resolving more than 80% of voters' opinions and recommendations is quite high but needs to be improved. In the near future, the program needs to take advantage of science and technology to receive more voters' opinions.

On this occasion, Ho Chi Minh City also awarded certificates of merit to 30 groups and 81 individuals with many achievements in implementing the two programs. Photo: THANH THUY

Mr. Le Truong Hai Hieu, Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, said that the following versions of the program need to be substantial, not evasive, in order to improve the responsibility of departments and branches in performing public duties.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City, suggested that the program should continue to be maintained and improved in terms of content and form, possibly increasing the frequency to two programs per month; expanding multimedia interaction channels, taking advantage of science and technology, especially virtual assistants to answer people. Gradually, it is possible to aim to establish a separate app about the program so that people can follow and give their opinions.

Democratic forum, increasing government accountability

In her concluding remarks, Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council Nguyen Thi Le said that the two programs were implemented effectively and were very meaningful. They were not only a bridge between the people and the government but also a democratic forum, clearly demonstrating the responsibility of the government apparatus in performing public duties and serving the people.

Many legitimate recommendations from the people through the programs have been accepted, adjusted in policy and become important content in major resolutions and action programs of the city.

Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council Nguyen Thi Le said there will certainly be suitable programs, suitable tools, and most importantly, those that are in line with the people's wishes. Photo: THANH THUY

The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council hopes that delegates will enhance their sense of responsibility, ensure that the information provided to the people is complete, feasible, and most importantly, accurate. "The frequency of resolving voters' petitions must not stop at 82% but must be higher. Regardless of the name or form of the program, it must be at a new level," Ms. Nguyen Thi Le suggested.

In addition, she also said that it is necessary to diversify the forms of reception and resolution. The City People's Council continues to widely communicate the operating methods of the new Ho Chi Minh City government so that the new exchange method is more practical; further promote the Vietnam Fatherland Front and mass organizations, and monitor the resolution of opinions and recommendations.

In the context of larger scale, area and population, creating opportunities for sustainable development, building Ho Chi Minh City into a modern megacity, leading the economic development of Vietnam and enhancing its position in the international arena.

The Chairman of the City People's Council said that calculations must be made so that every voice of the people is heard.

According to her, the two programs will end, but based on the conclusions from today's summary and the city's new apparatus, there will certainly be suitable programs, suitable tools, and most importantly, those that are in accordance with the people's wishes.

She requested to continue promoting digital transformation to improve the interaction and effectiveness of the programs. Completing the online question-and-answer management system, applying artificial intelligence and building an open data warehouse will help the program stay close to reality, meet the people's wishes, and expand the space for voters' criticism, recommendations and supervision in cyberspace.

"It is necessary to improve the quality of both content and form, closely following the activities of monitoring, criticizing, and recommending policies, with the spirit of not leaving anyone behind, not leaving any wishes unheard, not leaving any issues without clear responses, so that the City People's Council can continue to be a solid and effective bridge between the Party's will and the people's hearts" - Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council Nguyen Thi Le concluded.

82% of comments and suggestions were responded to and resolved.

After 4 years of implementation, the program “People ask - Government answers” ​​broadcast on Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV) and “Dialogue with the City Government” broadcast on Voice of Ho Chi Minh City People (VOH) have organized 42 television episodes, 29 radio episodes, broadcast live for nearly 70 hours, received more than 3,200 opinions, of which 82% have been resolved or officially responded. Since then, many long-standing issues have also been resolved.

According to city voters, thanks to flexible interaction via social networks, comments, hotlines, and local recordings, the program has reached a wide audience and attracted voters' attention. The program's content focuses on core issues closely related to real life, such as administrative reform, land management, urban planning, environment, and specific mechanisms for the development of Ho Chi Minh City.

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/tp-hcm-moi-se-mo-rong-khong-giant-phan-bien-giam-sat-y-kien-cu-tri-tren-khong-gian-mang-1018981.html