Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Linh: Authorities devoted to enterprises, enterprises thirsty for success

Updated: 13:18, 18/01/2017

(BGO) - In the current integration cause, the business community is a key force to the province’s socio-economic development. In order to tap the potential of local businesses, the provincial People’s Committee has launched a start-up movement for 2016 – 2020. On the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet), Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Linh granted an interview to Bac Giang Newspaper on the movement.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Linh (on the right) visited a fruit garden in Nghia Phuong commune (Luc Nam district).

Reporter: Among numerous efforts the province’s authorities have made to improve the local investment and business environment, what are those you feel the most satisfied with?

Chairman: First of all, I want to affirm that local enterprises and entrepreneurs have played a crucial role in creating economic growth and jobs, ensuring social security, and promoting international integration extensively and intensively. Over the past years, Party committees and authorities at all levels and people have continually provided support for businesses, which reflects the determination of the whole political system, with the provincial Party Committee’s issuance of a resolution on improving the business climate in 2016-2020 as an example. Local authorities have always listened to investors’ complaints on transport infrastructure, electricity and water supply, working attitude of civil servants, and inspection activities for timely solutions. The Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee has requested leaders of departments and sectors to take responsibility for addressing difficulties and obstacles facing local firms. The province has also ensured cleared land available for investors to construct facilities and do their business. For example, the Quang Chau Industrial Park has around 100 hectares; the Van Trung IP, 200 hectares; and the Song Khe – Noi Hoang IP, adjacent to Bac Giang city, 30 hectares ready for use.

The determination of the whole political system has created drastic changes in the awareness and action of local authorities and people in improving the business environment, thus luring more investment.

Reporter: Last year, the provincial People’s Committee launched the start-up movement. What do you think are barriers to the movement that need to be removed?

Chairman: According to the province’s 2016 socio-economic report, local commercial banks mobilised about 30.5 trillion VND (1.5 billion USD), but their loan outstanding balance decreased. We are glad that local residents have higher income for saving but this capital source has not yet been poured into production and businesses to generate higher yields. The reason for such is that the people are not venturesome enough to start businesses due to old-fashioned mindset. Therefore, it is necessary to raise public awareness of entrepreneurship benefits, thus encouraging them to nurture “get-rich” ambition, not only in industry and services but also in agriculture.

Another barrier is “emotionless” response in part of our political system and the contingent of officials and cadres responsible for supporting start-up movement. Several State administrative agencies, banking and judicial sector showed signs of criminalising economic ties, which disheartened enterprises. We still see “interest group” behaviours of civil servants such as giving unfair treatment to businesses, resulting in hurting trust of the people and business community. In fact, there are overlapping planning on urban areas, land, trade, services and lack of transparency in investment incentives and administrative procedures. Infrastructure at industrial parks remains weak, transport system is asynchronous and workforce is yet to meet businesses’ requirements. Such barriers need to be fully identified to seek timely solutions.

Reporter: It is said that the provincial competitiveness index is “a figure speaks for thousands words”. How do you assess Bac Giang’s index in recent years?

Chairman: In recent years, the province’s index has improved. The province scored high in criteria such as supporting business in accessing markets and land but gained low grades for legal regulations and enforcement, and unfair treatment to firms.

In order to utilise strengths and fix shortcomings in business climate improvement, the provincial authorities directed units and agencies to take drastic actions with specific timeline and supervision. Bac Giang strives to be among top 15 localities nationwide scoring the highest provincial competitiveness indexes.

Reporter: The administration’s devotion will satisfy and build up trust in the business circle. As the leader of the provincial administration, you are concerned about this issue, aren’t you?

Chairman: Although Bac Giang is a province with numerous difficulties such as a per capita GDP of only 170 USD when it was re-established in 1997, it boasts civilisation and revolutionary traditions and always has an aspiration to be as developed as other localities. It is a must to promote a start-up movement and turn businesses into a pillar of the local economy so as to ensure strong growth and per capital income comparable to the national average. The nature of the start-up movement is to establish a large number of companies to help create jobs, increase budget revenue and foster sustainable development.

The provincial Party Committee and officials, along with authorities at all level, will strive to build a healthy business environment and remove existing barriers to expand the start-up movement and inspire the legitimate wish to become rich in each Bac Giang person. We need to push forward with administrative reform and support to businesses in terms of land, credit, legal procedures and communication. Every official and civil servant must make all-out efforts, do as they say, and, more importantly, brainstorm to seek solutions and mechanisms to fuel the vigorous and sustainable development of the start-up movement. They have to build up people and enterprises’ trust in the administration, especially the leaders of each agency, unit and locality. The meter of the start-up movement is that more and more businesses are set up and sustainably develop while Bac Giang has more and more companies with good brands and substantial contribution to the society.

Reporter: Do you have any messages to the local business community on the occasion of the Lunar New Year?

Chairman: Twenty years since the province’s re-establishment, we are proud of Bac Giang’s development breakthroughs but they have yet to be on par with local potential. In the current period of reform and integration, it is an urgent need to provide favourable conditions for enterprises to grow. Promoting the start-up movement is indispensable since it benefits the society, the province, as well as each individual. It is the political responsibility and conscience of each civil servant to foster the start-up movement, thereby showing the administration’s resolve to work for the sake of people and businesses. With the aspiration for development, I hope that local enterprises will overcome difficulties and challenges and join efforts in economic development, thus helping to build Bac Giang into a strong and wealthy province.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, on behalf of the provincial Party Committee, People’s Council and People’s Committee, I wish all local residents and businesses along with Bac Giang people living nationwide and overseas health, happiness and success!