Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the function (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue on May 24 asked theMinistry of Health, Ministry of Education and Training, and Ministry ofCulture, Sports and Tourism to quickly address their slow disbursement ofpublic investment.
According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Manh Hung, as ofMay 20, the ministry had disbursed nearly 233 billion VND (10.2 million USD),equal to 17 percent of the yearly target.
DeputyMinister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Khanh Hai reported that in the firstfour months of this year, his ministry’s disbursement reached 15.1 percent ofthe yearly target. The capital belonging to the 2017 plan that was rescheduledto be disbursed in 2018 has yet been disbursed.
Meanwhile,a report of the Health Ministry showed in the first five months of this year,the ministry disbursed over 233 billion VND, equivalent to only 4.43 percent ofestimates.
The ministry’s disbursement of public investment was 81 percent of the yearlytarget in 2016, and the figure in 2017 was 54.7 percent.
DeputyHealth Minister Pham Le Tuan attributed the slow disbursement tempo to thedisbursement of the Bach Mai II Hospital project and Viet Duc Huu Nghi II Hospitalproject under the Project 125.
He said it was difficult for the ministry to carry out the Project 125 projectswithin 3 years as the fact shows that it takes 5-7 years to accomplish theconstruction of big, modern hospitals.
DeputyPM Hue said the two projects are examples of weaknesses in public investment.
According to him, the ministry’s change from Engineering Procurement andConstruction (EPC) contract to small bidding packages is a reason for the slowprogress of the project 125.
Herequested ministries, particularly the three above-mentioned ministries, tofigure out reasons, and define the responsibility of the heads of theministries as well as individuals and organisations involved in the slowtransfer and disbursement of public investment. -VNA
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