Keyword: democracy, democracy at grassroots level, grassroots democracy law, implementation of democracy law at grassroots level.

1. Typical examples

At the National Congress on further promoting the development and implementation of Democracy regulation at grassroots level in July 2018, there were many good and effective perspectives and lessons learned in the development and implementation of the Regulations at grassroots level of some provinces and cities throughout the country, the author would like to summarize  and introduce to make lessons for application study of some provinces in their democracy implementation at grassroots level in order to successfully develop rural areas with new development, reduce poverty, develop local socio-economy. There are some typical examples specified as follows:

a. Implementing democracy regulation at grassroots level in association with implementing National target program on new rural development in Ninh Binh province

Starting to develop new rural areas, Ninh Binh province is a locality with a low starting point, reaching at average of 5 criteria/commune, some communes with only 1 - 2 criteria; poor infrastructure, limited resources; a part of local people show the spirit of awaiting, relying on others. Its party committees, government levels have concentrated on evaluation study and provided many creative and effective ways as follows:

Firstly, hundreds of training courses for officials, public servants, people from the provincial to village, hamlet levels on implementing grassroots democracy and developing new rural areas are organized; followed by the organization of activities for party cells and mass organizations in combination with information on the mass media to raise awareness for party committees, government, political system at all levels, officials, party members and local people, thereby organizing many emulation movements so that the people actively participate in developing new rural areas, thus changing the appearance of their villages and hamlets.

Secondly, the institutionalization and the guideline of “People know, people discuss, people implement, people check, people enjoy benefits” is properly performed. Accordingly, right from the commune level, developing rural, land use planning schemes, regrouping of lands, economic restructuring, developing infrastructure, production plans, cultural life, environmental sanitation, developing party, political system, policies on social security, mobilizing contributions, etc., are published on mass media for people to know, discuss, decide and monitor in the spirit of the Ordinance on implementing democracy in communes, wards and townships. Particularly, attention is paid to the amendment and supplement of conventions of villages and hamlets on the contents of developing new rural areas, facilitating the process of discussion, decision and participation of the people. Many contents must be consulted by the people on many times, thoroughly presented to people for understanding, monitoring through their People’s Inspection Committee, Community Investment Supervisory Board.

Thirdly, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee issued a Decision to assign 55 responsible agencies and units and 98 twin enterprises with 55 specific communes to help communes with many difficulties in developing new rural areas with the guideline of “Commune is main unit, responsible agency and unit is crucial, enterprise is necessary”, after two years of implementation, 16/55 specific communes have met standards in new rural development.

Fourthly, in addition to regulations on 19 criteria of new rural development which have been issued, Ninh Binh province has added the 20th criterion of “Comments on people’s satisfaction” to review, recognize communes meeting new rural development standards. Accordingly, after completing the dossier application for recognition, the commune steering committee must issue written questionnaires to consult people whether the commune has met the conditions for developing new rural area or not and only in case of 90% votes agreed, the commune can be accessed for the recognition. This is a creative way, contributing to the 2nd ranking nationwide of the Satisfaction Index of Public Administrative Services (SIPAS) of Ninh Binh provincial state administrative agencies in 2017.

In three years from 2015 to 2017, the Vietnamese Fatherland Front Committee, provincial socio-political organizations at all levels implemented 687 supervision turns; coordinated and advised the leaders at all levels to organize 193 direct dialogues with the people. The members in Provincial Party Standing Committee organized annually direct dialogues with officials, party members, members of youth union, members and labours. Thereby, it promoted the democracy of the people; promptly understood their feelings and attitudes; handled justifiable recommendations and proposals; handled difficulties in production and business; strengthened the closely-connected relationship between the Party and the people.

After more than 7 years of implementing the new rural development, Ninh Binh province has mobilized investment in new rural development with a total amount of nearly VND 33 trillion, including over VND 8.1 trillion mobilized from the contribution of the people; over 1,000 ha of land mobilized from the donation of people for farming land regrouping, arranging and constructing rural traffic roads, over 100 thousand working days mobilized. At the end of 2017, communes reached an average of 17 criteria/commune in new rural development, none of them reached less than 10 criteria. There had been 80/119 communes meeting new rural development standards, 2/8 districts reaching standards and completing the new rural development (Hoa Lu District and Tam Diep City). Ninh Binh province is evaluated as a highlight in the movement of new rural development.

From the practice, it can be confirmed that, proper implementation of grassroots democracy regulations is one of the indispensable requirements in the process of implementing new rural development. Democratic practice is not only a target, motivation but also a “key” to gather great solidarity and mobilize the combined strength as well as promote the creativeness of the people.

b. Thai Binh improves performance of People’s Inspection Board, Community Investment Supervisory Board

The People’s Inspection Board of communes, wards and townships in Thai Binh province were established at the end of 1991 in accordance with the Ordinance on Inspection and they were put into quite order and effective operation. In 2008, implementing Decision No. 80/2005/QD-TTg dated 18 April 2005 of the Prime Minister on promulgating the Regulation on supervision of the community investment, Thai Binh province unanimously agreed not to elect new Investment Supervisory Board of the community but consolidate the People’s Inspection Board to be qualified to perform the investment supervision task of the community, the subject of community’s investment supervision is the People’s Inspection Board. This practice not only promotes the role and responsibilities of people’s inspection boards in communes, wards and towns, but also prevent work duplication between the two organizations.

By 2017, 286/286 communes, wards and towns in the province established their People’s Inspection and Community Investment Supervisory Board with 2,373 members (averagely 8 members/board, the minimum number are 5 members/board; the maximum number are 11 members/board), of which 187 heads of People’s Inspection Boards are concurrently Deputy heads of Commune, Ward’s Vietnamese Fatherland Front, including 347 women; 915 Party members, 526 pensioners; 278 People’s Inspection Boards had developed their operational regulations. Members of people’s inspection boards, community investment supervisory boards are strengthened, consolidated and regularly trained for knowledge of laws to properly perform the task of supervising the implementation of law regulations, policies, settlement of complaints and denunciations, proposals, feedbacks, the implementation of the law on democracy at grassroots level, etc., contributing to promote democracy, fight against corruption and negativity, protecting legal rights and benefits of citizens, agencies and organizations. Each people’s inspection board, investment Supervisory board of the community in the province is funded VND 6,000,000/year for operation.

Annually, the People’s Inspection Boards and Community Investment Supervisory Boards develop their operation program, assign tasks to the members in charge of residential clusters, promptly detect and report critical cases, signs of violation to party organizations or state agencies. They concentrate on supervising the settlement of complaints and denunciations at communes and wards, policies and regimes on social security, preferential treatment for people with meritorious services, social protection and land use management; implement resolutions of People’s Councils at all levels, decisions and directions of People’s Committees; supervise activities and ethics of officials and public servants.

In the task of new rural development, in accordance with the decision of the Provincial People’s Committee, the People’s Inspection Board, Community Investment Supervisory Board supervise works of electricity, road, school, clinic, etc., through supervision, 769/2,119 cases have been detected with violations that were proposed to competent state agencies for handling. Conducting supervising the collection and payment of various kinds of funds, checking, taking over and making final payment of infrastructure works contributed by the people without losses, supervising the implementation of grassroots democracy regulations, particularly the contents that are publicly available to the public to know about, discuss, check and decide on; Of 2,065 supervision cases, 769 violations have been detected, which then have been proposed for handling as per due authority.

For the management and use of land, the People’s Inspection Board and Investment Supervisory Board has focused on supervising the land use planning for investment projects, constructing industrial zones, welfare infrastructure, resettlement area, planning new rural areas, etc., with 768 supervision cases, 339 violations detected. The Boards have supervised 849 handling cases of complaints under their jurisdiction related to land, housing disputes, compensation for land recovery, regimes and policies for people with merits, etc., actively contributing to settling the letters of complaint and denunciation right from grassroots levels, avoiding the status of pending, cross-level and prolonged letters.

In five years from 2012 to 2017, the People’s Inspection Board, Community Investment Supervisory Board detected and proposed 2,051 cases, including 1,861 responded cases, 449 unsettled cases, VND 4.14 billion amount paid to budget, 59 disciplined officials and public servants. The cases of detected violations were discussed on democracy, carried out the investigation, verification, analysis and assessment in an objective and accurate manner so as to make appropriate recommendations.

The results made by the Boards have helped the party committees and local authorities at all levels gradually complete and contribute to developing a strong and evident political system, Thai Binh Party Committee and people have achieved crucial and relatively comprehensive achievements in all aspects and fields.

c. Quang Ngai organizes dialogues of Party committee and authorities in settling complicated cases at grassroots level

Quang Ngai’s Party Committee, authorities have identified that: In the process of socio-economic development, the implementation of projects will arise many disputes, complaints, denunciations, petitions. If these are not timely, actively dealt with and provided measures to settle right from the beginning at grassroots level, it will become complicated and difficult to be solved. Therefore, in order to satisfactorily and completely settle such problems, it is necessary to directly meet with people, make direct dialogue with them to listen, receive, answer and direct the settlement, making people feel their democratic rights are really promoted, while the officials clearly understand the feelings and aspirations of the people in order to adjust their guidelines and practice to make it appropriate to reality. Therefore, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee issued the Regulation on direct interaction and dialogue between secretaries of party committees at all levels in the province and local people. The Regulation is issued in order to contribute to innovating the leadership style of party committees and organizations; strengthening the close relationship between the Party and the people, promoting, expanding the people’s democracy and enhancing the roles and responsibilities of the Party Committees and authorities, especially the leaders in gaining information at grassroots levels in order to promptly direct for settlement, minimize the occurrence of hot spots.

After the promulgation, the Party committees have organized thoroughly grasping, implementing, developing programs and plans for dialogue with the people. Up to now, the dialogues have gone into proper order and become a regular activity, which is the core content of the secretaries of Party committees at all levels.

Regarding 2016 and 2017 alone, Standing Provincial Party Committee organized 4 dialogues in 04 localities and units; 14/14 secretaries of district and city committees participated in 90 dialogues with people in communes, wards and towns; 300 turns of party committee secretaries in communes, wards and townships met and dialogued with people in 320 villages and population groups. The settling result of cases after the dialogues reached about 85%, including many pressing and outstanding problems such as: relocating Duc Pho market, Quang Ngai market, opposing the toll collection of BOT station in Tu Nghia district section, contributing to minimize the status of cross-level complaints and denunciations.

Through dialogues pressing and outstanding cases, complaints and petitions of the people are directly listened to, received, responded and provided settling direction by the heads of the Party Committee and Authorities in reasonability and affection, creating a democratic, open, close environment among party committees, authorities and the people. Thereby, the leaders can clearly understand thoughts, aspirations and urgent needs from people in order to adjust the guidelines, policies, management and operation in line with reality. At the same time, they combine propaganda, mobilize and explanation for people to understand and consent with the guidelines, policies and laws of the Party and the State.

2. Study and promote experience of typical examples in implementing democracy law at grassroots level

Firstly, the propaganda and dissemination of the Party’s undertakings and policies and the State’s laws to the people, especially the ethnic minority areas, is renovated.

The Party committees, authorities, the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations should pay attention to directing and organizing extensive propaganda to officials, party members, labours and all classes of people with many forms of diversity, innovation, in addition to the traditional forms (meeting, deploying and listing at headquarters), it should be added with various modern forms applied information technology such as through electronic portal, mass media, books printed in ethnic languages, radio in ethnic languages; theatrical forms such as organizing competitions, communication activities of mobile propaganda teams; incorporating into training programs for officials, etc., in order to raise awareness and actions of organizations in the political system, officials, Party members and people on democracy and exercise the democratic rights(1). At the same time, the inspection and supervision work must be strengthened; propaganda and replication of typical examples and models for developing and implementing the grassroots democracy regulations. The inspection and supervision of the implementation of democracy regulations at grassroots level has properly assessed the current status, results of content and information, quality and efficiency of the information disseminated to the people, ensuring timely and comprehensively providing information to people, entering into the real nature of issues; pointed out advantages, shortcomings, limitations and violations in order to correct, rectify and draw experience and strictly handle defects and violations (if any); replicated typical examples, models of creatively developing and implementing, contributing to promoting democracy, developing and consolidating the great national solidarity.

Secondly, properly strengthening and promoting the role of Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations in developing and implementing democracy regulations at grassroots level.

The Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations functions as not only a bridge connecting the Party, the State and people, representing the democracy of the people in participating in state management, but also shows the significance of promoting great democracy, which are the forums for expressing the voices of people in consultation with the Party and the State, and at the same time inspect and supervise the activities of the Party and the State. The Fatherland Front therefore must properly coordinate with authorities at all levels to thoroughly grasp and implement contents under the Regulation on democracy in combination with the implementation of the guideline “People know, people discuss, people implement, people check, people enjoy benefits”; promote the role of the people in implementing the regulations in association with the patriotic emulation movement and the program of new rural development and civilized urban area. The quality of social supervision and feedback must be improved, especially the supervision of People’s Inspection Board, Community Investment Supervisory Board, the operation of local authorities, ensuring publicity of issues for the people to know about, discuss and give comments before issuing, supervising the settlement of complaints and denunciations, implementation of administrative procedure reform must be focused on; collect and make payment for the funds contributed by the people, settle the voters’ proposals; publicize the inspection conclusions; Thereby, recommending and proposing the Party and State agencies in completing and organizing the implementation of policies and laws ensuring the efficiency and practicality.

Activities of the Fatherland Front and people mass organizations should be focused on the propaganda and mobilization of the people to participate in learning regulations, monitoring the implementation of specific local projects, consolidating the People’s Inspection Board, strengthening communities in villages, hamlets, subdivisions, residential groups. Implementation of the regulations should be associated with developing the Party in the spirit of Central Resolution No. 6 (2nd time), promote the leadership of the Party committee and Local party branches; properly implement democracy in the Party. In fact, wards, communes, towns, residential blocks, hamlets which have been paid attention and closely directed by the Party committees, authorities, have properly implemented democracy regulations at commune level.

Thirdly, promoting democracy is associated with the rules of law, strictly handling negative cases, corruptions, wastes and resolutely handling cases of exploiting democracy, ethnicity and religion combating against the Party and State, causing disorder in security and acts of violating the people’s democracy. It raises the consciousness in law by the people, living and working under the Constitution and laws for people, formulates mechanisms for people to give their opinions to the People’s Councils and Committees of communes, wards or townships for decision. People are put at the centre of the policy making process as the principle, requirement and purpose of implementing grassroots democracy in our country currently.

(1)    Provinces with proper implementation of propaganda contents: Can Tho has propagated 46,487 meetings with 1,899,558 attending turns; Vinh Phuc have developed 2 columns of “Democracy at grassroots level” broadcasting on provincial radio and television; Yen Bai has performed propaganda on implementation of Democracy regulations at grassroots level on Yen Bai newspaper; Ho Chi Minh City monthly maintains organizing a program of “listening and exchanging” on the City Television, program of “Dialogue with the City authority” on its Radio; Lam Dong has developed a column of “Smart people mobilization” monthly broadcasting on its television and radio broadcasting in order to timely provide news on examples of proper implementation of Democracy regulations at grassroots level; In Lao Cai, Ha Giang and Nghe An, books are printed in ethnic minority languages and there is a column on implementing democracy at grassroots level in developing new rural areas in languages of Thai and H’Mong ethnic minorities on provincial radio and television, etc. Dong Thap has organized the model of: Households competing in “Joining hand in expediting new rural development”, “Community managing comprehensive new rural development”.

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l References:

1. The Central Steering Committee’s thematic report on the implementation of the Democracy regulation at grassroots level in service of the National conference on assessment of implementing Conclusion No. 120-KL/TW of 11th Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam on continuing to promote, improve the quality and efficiency of the development and implementation of Democracy regulation at grassroots level in July, 2018.

2. The 17-year review report of the implementation of Directive No. 30-CT/TW of Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam dated 18 February 1998 on developing and implementing democracy regulations at grassroots level in provinces and cities throughout the country.

3. Materials of Conference on assessing the results of the inspection and experience exchange on the development and implementation of Democracy regulations at grassroots level in clusters of Northern mountainous and border provinces; Central provinces; Southern provinces.

4. Material from the National Conference on assessing of results of implementing Conclusion No. 120-KL/TW of 11th Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam on continuing to promote, improve the quality and efficiency of the development and implementation of Democracy regulation at grassroots level.

5. Directive No. 30-CT/TW dated 18 February 1998 of 8th Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam on the development and implementation of Democracy regulations at grassroots level.

6. Decree No.29-NQ-CP dated 11 May 1998, Decree No. 79/2003/ND-CP dated 7 July 2003 on the Democracy regulations in commune level.

7. Ordinance on implementing democracy in communes, wards and townships (Ordinance No. 34/2007/PL-UBTVQH11 dated 20 April 2007).

8. Conclusion No. 65-KL/TW dated 4 March 2010 by the 10th Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam on continuing implementation of Directive No. 30-CT/TW of 8th Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam on implementing Democracy regulations at grassroots level.

9. Conclusion No. 120 KL/TW dated 7 January 2016 of 11th Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam on continuing to promote, improve the quality and efficiency of the development and implementation of Democracy regulation at grassroots level

MA. NGUYEN THANH HUYEN

Inspection Committee of Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee