VietNamNet spoke with Congressman Dinh Xuan Thao, who is also Chief of the Institute for Legislation. Here Thao reveals the complexities in information research for NA members.
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Thao was born on March 15, 1954 in Quang Binh and now lives in
According to Thao, none of the NA representatives has a higher level of competence than the others, even the NA Chair and Vice-Chair.
VietNamNet talked with him about legislation and his position at the Institute for Legislation, which was established in 2008 under the aegis of the NA Standing Committee.
Thao said that the institute must build its prestige through producing works that meet the needs of NA deputies. They supplied information for two recent NA and NA Standing Committee meetings. The institute received 7392 questions from NA deputies in the last two sessions and it sent answers to deputies in a timely manner.
The Institute for Legislation is in charge of researching theoretical and practical issues related to NA organization and operations, researching and processing information to support NA activities and building a database to serve NA reforms.
VietNamNet: NA specialized committees are responsible for examining laws. Does your institute’s operations overlap?
Dinh Xuan Thao: Specialized committees verify the entire bill and our institute works out a report focusing on new and big issues as reference documents for NA deputies.
Our reports are provided to the NA Standing Committee and deputies in addition to the evaluation reports of specialized committees.
Our information is useful for specialized committees too. They collect opinions from experts and consultants and offer their viewpoints, while we collect both the comments of experts and critics.
For example, when the NA discussed building a nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan, the Ministry of Industry and Trade wanted to build the plants at any cost, using second-generation piles. The Vietnam Union of Scientific and Technological Association (VUSTA) criticized the plan and said it would be dangerous to build the plants now.
As a result, our institute’s position was that
Another example is the Law of the Sea, which has been ready since 1999 but has not been approved yet.
Before the 5th NA session, many NA deputies were very determined to pass it, saying that if the government submitted the law, the NA would approve it. Yet when the draft law came to the NA Standing Committee a second time, there were different opinions.
When our institute was asked to comment, I noted, on behalf of the institute, that the bill should not be put forward to the NA because it doesn’t meet the requirements.
This bill is based on the International Law of the Sea and it is not standardized for application. In addition, this law is sensitive because it will be a virtual statement of sea sovereignty for
Up to the 6th session, this bill was considered more carefully and not submitted until 2010.
VietNamNet: So the information supplied by your institute must be different from other NA committees?
Thao: In many countries, the research agency of the congress is not allowed to raise their voice or show bias, but can only provide objective information.
Still, when it supplies information, the institute can still take a stance and offer its choices and opinions about an issue, based on scientific grounds.
VietNamNet: How will the institute improve its operations this year?
Thao: 2010 is an important year for research works that will focus on amendments to the Law on Elections of the 13th NA. Amendments to the Constitution will be prepared, but only after the National Party Congress (scheduled in January 2011).
In other countries, each congressional representative has two assistant offices, at the local and central level. In
Other countries have different models for research agencies to serve congress members. We will choose a suitable one for
VietNamNet: In the operations of NA agencies, for example the NA Standing Committee, what should be improved?
Thao: Yes, for example the NA Standing Committee should have the right to vote against the submission of a document to the NA, in case that document is submitted to the NA Standing Committee for the first time and there are different opinions about it.
Under current law, the NA Standing Committee doesn’t have that right, it can only discuss to reach agreement or if most of the members don’t agree, the document will be further perfected.
This issue needs further research because the power of the NA Standing Committee in our country is as not big as
In terms of rights, all NA deputies are equal. Even the NA Chair or Deputy Chair cannot influence other deputies when they head meetings.
VietNamNet: You are very busy with your jobs at the NA’s Committee for Economics and the Institute for Legislation. How much time do you have for meeting with your constituents in Kien Giang?
Thao: I meet with the people of Kien Giang four times a year, before and after the NA sessions, to gather experience and information.
Supervisory activities at the local level are very effective because if NA deputies don’t do their job well, especially in transportation, healthcare, education, the people will complain immediately. Recently, NA deputies from Kien Giang questioned the Ministry of Transportation about their construction of bridges without roads. One week later, the Minister of Transportation solved the cases. The people were very happy and they highly appreciated the work of the NA deputies.
Le Nhung
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