Socialist Republic of Vietnam

HA NOI (November 17, 2003) — Minister of Transport Dao Dinh Binh told the National Assembly the number of traffic accidents on Viet Nam’s roads had fallen, but admitted that his ministry had failed to sort out ongoing problems of road safety and construction.

In a question and answer session broadcast live on television on Thurday, Binh said traffic had become more law-abiding as a result of the timely publication of guiding documents, greater efforts in dealing with violations, and the raising of people’s road safety awareness.

Nguyen Minh Thuyet, a deputy from Lang Son Province, Doan Van Hong from Dong Thap, Nguyen Dinh Xuan from Tay Ninh, and Ton That Bach from Ha Noi, all asked the minister questions about traffic safety.

Binh said that overall the number of accidents had fallen compared with last year, partly as a result of greater participation in road safety education by mass organisations, and stricter traffic management by the State.

But he said the number of road deaths remained high, and had even increased in 20 cities and provinces.

Water traffic accidents had also increased in the first 10 months of 2003, compared with last year, he said.

Nguyen Tan Tuan, from Khanh Hoa Province, asked the minister to explain the stopgap solutions often adopted in dealing with serious accidents, which did not show any active participation by the ministry.

Hoang Thanh Phu, from Thai Nguyen Province, asked how the ministry would deal with roadside squatters who caused many serious traffic accidents.

"We will be more determined in dealing with squatters," Binh told the National Assembly. "We won’t be afraid of hurting anyone."

The problem would be firmly dealt with, especially on key highways, he said.

"We do not approve, nor support, any industrial and residential areas along highways and are determined to seriously deal with such settlements, particularly along the routes we think important," Binh said.

Speed limits

Nguyen Hong Linh from Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Nguyen Thi Kim Cuc from Tien Giang, and deputy Hong from Dong Thap, asked Binh what he was doing about inappropriate speed limits on some highways.

Binh said most limits in inappropriate places had been replaced by traffic signs urging drivers to drive at a speed they considered suitable.

He conceded his ministry was at fault on the issue, which has attracted a great deal of debate in recent months among drivers and haulage firms.

"We will seriously criticise ourselves and work out measures so that no such fault will happen again," Binh said.

But deputy Duong Trung Quoc from Dong Nai was not satisfied with this answer, and commented that it was only as a result of public pressure that the ministry had taken any action.

He added that an apology from the ministry could not adequately compensate for the economic impact caused by the excessively slow speed limits.

Building transport infrastructure

Truong Huu Chi, representing Dong Nai Province, said the ministry’s plans to develop the country’s transport infrastructure were not sufficiently far-sighted to handle Viet Nam’s rapid industrialisation and modernisation.

Binh replied that every plan included future projections, and pointed out that the Thang Long bridge was built with two railway lines to handle future growth in rail transport demand.

He said plans for roads and bridges for Ha Noi had been regularly updated since 1970: at first the Government had only foreseen the need for the Thang Long and Thanh Tri bridges.

Then the Chuong Duong bridge had been built, and now the ministry was planing four more bridges.

Binh said the transport infrastructure plans were always being updated.

In response to questions from Gia Lai’s Ha Son Nhin, and Neang Kin Chen from An Giang, about sub-standard construction work and financial losses, Binh said his ministry had now strengthened its legal powers and management systems to improve the situation.

He said the solutions included a transparent accounting system, greater responsibility from building partners, better management of the State in building transport projects, and stricter inspections and evaluations of on-going work.

Asked about the slow speed of some construction projects, Binh said the situation was caused by land clearing and a shortage of money.

The upgrade of Highway 6, which started in mid-2002, was still not finished because land remained uncleared in the two provincial towns of Hoa Binh and Son La in the northern mountains, he said.

Natural disasters and difficult geological or hydrological conditions also delayed projects sometimes, Binh said.

He updated the National Assembly about several projects in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, including the construction of a 233km stretch of Highway 1 from Can Tho to Nam Can, the new Can Tho bridge, and the widening of Highway 1A from Tien Giang to Vinh Long.

Asked why the ministry was the biggest debtor, and how he would resolve the problem, Binh said most transport projects were unprofitable.

The main reasons included unwise investment, weak forecast capacity, and low contract bidding prices.

Binh said from now on all firms bidding for transport projects were banned from making a bid that would lead to losses. —VNS