Hanoi (VNA) -A National Assembly (NA) task force will monitor compensation disbursement andimplementation of social welfare policies for fishermen and others affected bythe mass fish deaths in central Vietnam last April.

Fishermen and other stakeholders in the seafood industry were badly hurt by themass fish deaths in the four central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri,and Thua Thien – Hue. The deaths were caused by toxic waste disposal.

The task force was established recently following a resolution approved by theNA Standing Committee on implementing policies and laws related to seafoodproduction enterprises and individuals engaged in the fisheries sector, “inconjunction with ensuring national defense and security.”

In the first month of the year, the task force will work with Governmentrepresentatives on the above-mentioned issues.

Vo Trong Viet, member of the NA’s Standing Committee, Chairman of the NACommittee on National Defence and Security Committee, will lead the supervisorytask force.

Other task force members comprise personnel from different NA organs,representatives of the State Audit agency, Vietnam Fisheries Society (VFS),Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), and a number ofexperts.

The central agencies – in addition to the government – that will fall under thetask force’s supervisory purview include the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Defence, Ministry ofPlanning and Investment, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Science andtechnology, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Ministry of Healthand Ministry of Information and Communication.

The Government Inspectorate and the State Bank of Vietnam are also subject tosupervision by the new task force.

At the local level, it will also monitor central provinces and municipalitieswhere seafood harvesting, production, and processing activities take place.

Other entities subject to its supervision are seafood enterprises, seafoodproject management boards, and commercial banks that grant loans for seafoodproduction.

The task force’s supervision agenda will focus on four key areas.

First, it will oversee the promulgation of, consolidation of, and amendments toexisting legislations concerning seafood production and processing, as well aslegislation aimed at ensuring national safety and security conducive to seafoodproduction.

Second, it will scrutinise government’s directives, from central to locallevel, regarding the implementation of State laws and policies for seafoodproduction in tandem with national defence protection.

Third, it will evaluate enterprises and individuals’ implementation of Statelaws and policies. Factors affecting the efficiency and sustainability ofseafood production and processing, such as the development of fisheriesinfrastructure, support for fishermen, development of marine economic zones,and fisheries cooperation with other countries will also be overseen. Specialattention will be paid to violations in seafood exploitation, production andprocessing, in addition to national defence and security issues.

Fourth, it will regularly review its activities, and draw experiences andlessons to contribute materially to the betterment of State law and policies onseafood production in conjunction with national defence.

The task force will submit its supervisory reports to NA deputies during theparliament’s fourth plenary meeting later this year.-VNA