Southern province to focus on key industries

TAY NINH — President Nguyen Minh Triet yesterday asked the southwestern province of Tay Ninh to focus on developing industries that would foster a breakthrough in modernisation and industrialisation.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the provincial Party Committee Congress for the 2011-15 term, which was held to review the results of the province's socio-economic development and national defence in the last term, and discuss the tasks for the coming term.

Triet praised the province for its achievements, including for an increase of average gross domestic production to 14 per cent annually, income per capita of nearly US$1,400 per year and a poverty rate of less than 3 per cent.

The province's social order and political security remained stable and friendly relations with Cambodian bordering provinces were developing fruitfully, he said.

However, Triet noted that the province's economic achievements were assured, and its competitiveness remained low. Industry was developing modestly, accounting for a low proportion of the local economy. Urban planning remained shambolic.

Triet asked the provincial Party Committee Congress to focus on analysing its potential and advantages, while honestly appraising obstacles and disadvantages, in order to develop strategies, targets and measures necessary to attain the province's development goals.

The province needed to ensure their socio-economic development plan matched the development of the southern major economic zone as a whole, while ensuring the development of social welfare and environmental protection; as well as exploiting the province's advantages offered by a border with Cambodia.

Agriculture also needed to be paid adequate attention in order to ensure food security and heighten the quality of export agriculture products. The province should help the forestry sector provide sufficient incomes for people involved in the industry.

Triet said the province must address the concerns of people, especially by paying more attention to residents in remote areas, poor households, beneficiaries of social welfare and create more favourable conditions for ethnic minority people to improve their living standards and escape from poverty.

The province's Party Committee needed to strengthen national defence and prevent social vices and general crime.

Finally, Triet suggested that the participants at the congress discuss the reasons for weaknesses in policy implementation, and necessary measures needed to tackle these problems. They also needed to spend time discussing the draft strategy documents created by the Party Central Committee for amendment and submission to the National Party Congress earlier next year. —VNS