Tran Van Lam, a deputy from Bac Giang province, speaks at the working session (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) — Enteringthe second day of discussions on anti-corruption measures, National Assembly(NA) deputies November 7 acknowledged the judiciary branch’s recent attempts toimprove, however the quality and efficiency still has not met with voters’expectations.
NA Deputy Truong TrongNghia of the Ho Chi Minh City delegation said bureaucratic tardiness was “adreadful thing” for the public and it bogged down the growth of the country.
“There are very simplecases which last forever, documents already signed by authorities long ago butpeople are made to wait weeks before they can get their hands on them, forcingpeople to resort to bribes or middlemen to facilitate the process,” he said.
Disputing Nghia’sremarks that corruption in the judicial is “prevalent,” Mai Khanh, a deputy fromthe northern province of Bac Ninh called such remarks “groundless.”
“There’s no denying thatour judicial system is flawed, what with weak infrastructure and equipment,limited capacity of judicial workers. But, in 500,000 cases that the courtshandle each year, and hundreds of thousands of prosecutions, how can one sayfor sure the rate of cases with corruption?” Khanh argued.
Khanh said thatexaggerated praise is not recommended, but one should also refrain fromunreasonable criticism.
Citing reports by theMinistry of Public Security, Procuracies and Courts, deputy Nguyen Huu Cau alsolauded efforts by relevant authorities to keep crimes in the country this yearlower than in 2016 – the number of social order crime cases was down by 5.48percent, while organised crimes and crimes involving weapons fell by 45.86 and21.58 percent, respectively.
Nguyen Manh Cuong, adeputy from Hanoi, argued for a platform that allows people to rate the servicedelivery quality of judicial agencies.
Cuong also said in theera of ubiquitous social media, the existence of news about judicial corruptioncould cause public distrust if the judicial sector fails to provide properexplanations.
“The judicial sectorneeds to be more proactive in its efforts to account for issues,” he said.
Nguyen Mai Bo, NA deputyfrom the An Giang province delegation, said amongst civil servants in thecountry, court staff – especially judges – are the most scrutinised. “Beforethe verdict is handed down, judges are monitored by prosecutors and lawyers,not including the press in public trials. In addition, judges are watched overby various procuracies as well as higher courts indefinitely,” he said.
Defending the judicialbranch against allegations of rampant corruption and other moral failings, Bocited data showing that only 0.45 percent of cases are annulled due to‘subjective errors’ on the judges’ part, and 1.09 percent due to courts’errors.
Wrongful verdicts
Prosecutor General LeMinh Tri of the Supreme People Procuracy gave his account on the NA’s querieson miscarriage of justice.
Tri said that 2016,there were 70 cases of unjust sentences, and the judicial sector is set tobring this number down to 32 cases in this year.
The prosecutor generalsaid that wrongful verdicts cannot be entirely avoided, but the important thingis that “judicial workers are brave enough to own up to their mistakes anddeliver appropriate efforts to remedy the consequences, and try not to make thesame mistakes again.”
Regarding questions onwhether there is corruption in the judicial sector or in inspection andauditing work, Tri said this is “a difficult task” because if such peoplecommit wrongdoings, “it would be hard to collect evidence against them.”
“However, no effortswould be spared in controlling and minimising [such wrongdoings] to ensure a transparentjudicial system,” Tri said.
Speeding up seriouscorruption cases
Deputy Prime MinisterTruong Hoa Binh delivered his report on the government’s anti-corruptionefforts at the discussion, stating that despite the intensity of the“no-holds-barred” fight against corruption recently, the complexity of thesituation hampers the effectiveness of the fight.
Binh admitted to severallimitations of the anti-corruption fight such as slow introduction of “key”legislation, tardy revision of existing law, and ineffective asset recovery.
The Deputy PM said thatin the future, the government will continue to review and amend existing lawson socio-economic management, especially in sectors where corruption couldlikely occur, as well as complete the draft amended law on anti-corruption andthe amended law on complaints to submit to the NA.
Binh also promised thatgovernment agencies should be more transparent in bidding processes, giving andreceiving gifts, accountability of leaders, and equitisation processes.
On November 7 afternoon,NA deputies discussed the settlement of complaints and denunciations bycitizens this year.
According to reportsfrom the Government, the NA Standing Committee and the National Assembly’s LawCommittee, the number of complaints and denunciations has declined, butthere have been more complicated cases where comprehensive solutions have notbeen found.
Reporting to the NA onactions taken in response to citizens’ complaints and denunciations in 2017,Government Inspector General Le Minh Khai said that the number of cases thisyear was lower than last year in all categories. However, many cases remainedunsolved year after year, he said.
Deputies Le Minh Son fromthe southern province of Tien Giang and Ngo Duy Hieu from Hanoi both called formore regular and closer communications between officials and citizens to speedup the resolution of such cases.
According to theGovernment’s report, the number of land-related complaints accounted for 60.4percent of the total, followed by housing problems with 11.7 percent.
Among denunciations,those relating to the administrative sector accounted for 62.3 percent, mainlydenouncing officials and civil servants for violating laws on the land usemanagement, engaging in fraud regarding finances, investments in basicconstruction and implementation of social policies.
Deputy Pham Tri Thucfrom the central province of Thanh Hoa said shortcomings in land-related lawsand policies had allowed the violations. He urged the Government to make majorchanges to land-related laws and also amendments to laws on denunciations andcomplaints.- VNA
NA Deputy Truong TrongNghia of the Ho Chi Minh City delegation said bureaucratic tardiness was “adreadful thing” for the public and it bogged down the growth of the country.
“There are very simplecases which last forever, documents already signed by authorities long ago butpeople are made to wait weeks before they can get their hands on them, forcingpeople to resort to bribes or middlemen to facilitate the process,” he said.
Disputing Nghia’sremarks that corruption in the judicial is “prevalent,” Mai Khanh, a deputy fromthe northern province of Bac Ninh called such remarks “groundless.”
“There’s no denying thatour judicial system is flawed, what with weak infrastructure and equipment,limited capacity of judicial workers. But, in 500,000 cases that the courtshandle each year, and hundreds of thousands of prosecutions, how can one sayfor sure the rate of cases with corruption?” Khanh argued.
Khanh said thatexaggerated praise is not recommended, but one should also refrain fromunreasonable criticism.
Citing reports by theMinistry of Public Security, Procuracies and Courts, deputy Nguyen Huu Cau alsolauded efforts by relevant authorities to keep crimes in the country this yearlower than in 2016 – the number of social order crime cases was down by 5.48percent, while organised crimes and crimes involving weapons fell by 45.86 and21.58 percent, respectively.
Nguyen Manh Cuong, adeputy from Hanoi, argued for a platform that allows people to rate the servicedelivery quality of judicial agencies.
Cuong also said in theera of ubiquitous social media, the existence of news about judicial corruptioncould cause public distrust if the judicial sector fails to provide properexplanations.
“The judicial sectorneeds to be more proactive in its efforts to account for issues,” he said.
Nguyen Mai Bo, NA deputyfrom the An Giang province delegation, said amongst civil servants in thecountry, court staff – especially judges – are the most scrutinised. “Beforethe verdict is handed down, judges are monitored by prosecutors and lawyers,not including the press in public trials. In addition, judges are watched overby various procuracies as well as higher courts indefinitely,” he said.
Defending the judicialbranch against allegations of rampant corruption and other moral failings, Bocited data showing that only 0.45 percent of cases are annulled due to‘subjective errors’ on the judges’ part, and 1.09 percent due to courts’errors.
Wrongful verdicts
Prosecutor General LeMinh Tri of the Supreme People Procuracy gave his account on the NA’s querieson miscarriage of justice.
Tri said that 2016,there were 70 cases of unjust sentences, and the judicial sector is set tobring this number down to 32 cases in this year.
The prosecutor generalsaid that wrongful verdicts cannot be entirely avoided, but the important thingis that “judicial workers are brave enough to own up to their mistakes anddeliver appropriate efforts to remedy the consequences, and try not to make thesame mistakes again.”
Regarding questions onwhether there is corruption in the judicial sector or in inspection andauditing work, Tri said this is “a difficult task” because if such peoplecommit wrongdoings, “it would be hard to collect evidence against them.”
“However, no effortswould be spared in controlling and minimising [such wrongdoings] to ensure a transparentjudicial system,” Tri said.
Speeding up seriouscorruption cases
Deputy Prime MinisterTruong Hoa Binh delivered his report on the government’s anti-corruptionefforts at the discussion, stating that despite the intensity of the“no-holds-barred” fight against corruption recently, the complexity of thesituation hampers the effectiveness of the fight.
Binh admitted to severallimitations of the anti-corruption fight such as slow introduction of “key”legislation, tardy revision of existing law, and ineffective asset recovery.
The Deputy PM said thatin the future, the government will continue to review and amend existing lawson socio-economic management, especially in sectors where corruption couldlikely occur, as well as complete the draft amended law on anti-corruption andthe amended law on complaints to submit to the NA.
Binh also promised thatgovernment agencies should be more transparent in bidding processes, giving andreceiving gifts, accountability of leaders, and equitisation processes.
On November 7 afternoon,NA deputies discussed the settlement of complaints and denunciations bycitizens this year.
According to reportsfrom the Government, the NA Standing Committee and the National Assembly’s LawCommittee, the number of complaints and denunciations has declined, butthere have been more complicated cases where comprehensive solutions have notbeen found.
Reporting to the NA onactions taken in response to citizens’ complaints and denunciations in 2017,Government Inspector General Le Minh Khai said that the number of cases thisyear was lower than last year in all categories. However, many cases remainedunsolved year after year, he said.
Deputies Le Minh Son fromthe southern province of Tien Giang and Ngo Duy Hieu from Hanoi both called formore regular and closer communications between officials and citizens to speedup the resolution of such cases.
According to theGovernment’s report, the number of land-related complaints accounted for 60.4percent of the total, followed by housing problems with 11.7 percent.
Among denunciations,those relating to the administrative sector accounted for 62.3 percent, mainlydenouncing officials and civil servants for violating laws on the land usemanagement, engaging in fraud regarding finances, investments in basicconstruction and implementation of social policies.
Deputy Pham Tri Thucfrom the central province of Thanh Hoa said shortcomings in land-related lawsand policies had allowed the violations. He urged the Government to make majorchanges to land-related laws and also amendments to laws on denunciations andcomplaints.- VNA
VNA
