Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highlighted positive progress made in public administrative reform in the past three months, saying ministries and sectors had examined cumbersome administrative procedures and made proposals to perfect law-regulated documents. However, he asked these ministries and sectors to make further efforts to tackle specific issues regarding administrative reform.

The important task in April and the second quarter of this year, he said, is to build a master plan on restructuring of the Government apparatus to enhance the capacity building of ministries and relevant agencies and avoid loopholes. 

The PM asked ministries to continue implementing the “one-stop” mechanism regarding administrative procedures and draft their evaluation reports on socialisation work of areas under their management to be submitted to the Government in its monthly meeting in June.

He praised Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi for their efforts in dealing with unlicensed construction projects that have sparked public anger recently. He stressed the need to firmly tackle wrong doings to restore order in implementing construction projects. He asked the Ministry of Construction to examine and perfect law-regulated documents on urban management and construction as well as architectural planning. He agreed with a pilot project to establish inspection forces on construction in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

It was reported at the meeting that Vietnam achieved a six-year record GDP growth rate of 7.7 percent in the first quarter of this year. Notably, the industrial and construction sector and the service sector obtained growth rates of 9.3 percent and 7.8 percent, respectively.

Prime Minister Dung asked ministers to stick to the three key tasks this year i.e. sustaining economic growth rate of 8.5 percent, making a breakthrough in administrative reform and curbing corruption and wastefulness. Accordingly, efforts will be made to prevent natural calamities and epidemics, regulate electricity use to ensure production and people’s consumption, boost the export of key staples and make full use of opportunities to attract foreign investment.

He instructed the Ministry of Public Security to take measure to reduce traffic accidents by encouraging road users to wear helmets. He assigned the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training and the Youth Union to draw up vocational training programmes linked to job generations, particularly for those in rural areas.

Cabinet members discussed the regulation on releasing and supplying information for press agencies.

PM Dung affirmed that it is essential to issue the regulation on releasing and supplying information for press agencies in order to successfully implement the Press Law and minimize current shortcomings in press activities. He asked functional bodies to complete the regulation as soon as possible.

Mr Dung asked ministries and agencies to review approved programmes to complete the Government’s programme of action to implement the Resolution “The Strategy on the Sea until 2020” adopted at the 4^th conference of the 10^th Party Central Committee. He reminded them of programmes on border and territorial waters, surveys on sea acreage and its potential and the development of the sea-borne economies such as aquaculture, oil and gas, maritime transport and tourism. 

Cabinet members gave opinions on a scheme to adjust the common minimum salary level in the 2007-2012 period, a draft decree on inspectors and collaborators and a draft decree on trade development promotion in disadvantaged regions.

They also heard a report on corruption prevention and control in the first quarter of 2007 and a draft report on the Prime Minister’s decision to approve a securities market development scheme.