The machine is still too cumbersome
Speaking with Lao Dong, Dr. Nguyen Van Dang - Researcher of Public Administration and Policy (Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics) - commented that these contents have received much attention, positive discussions and expectations for breakthroughs related to the innovation of the political system in our country in the coming time.
According to the researcher, the concept of “political system” has been officially used in our country since the 6th Central Conference, Session VI. However, the three components that make up the political system, including the Party, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations, have been formed and operating since 1945.
Institutional innovations, focusing on innovation in the organization of the political system, are one of the basic conditions that have determined the great achievements after 40 years of national renovation. However, in addition to these achievements, the components, operating mechanisms, and methods of operation of the political system have been and are revealing many inadequacies, while the country's conditions have changed a lot.
Dr. Nguyen Van Dang said that the political system in our country is still too cumbersome, with many levels, levels, and focal points. The functions, tasks, powers, organizations, and working relationships between many agencies and departments are not really clear, still overlapping, with unclear legal status at some levels; and the number of subordinate units with legal status is increasing. This situation leads to many consequences, both immediate and long-term.
“The most obvious consequence is the hardship and time-consuming nature of people and businesses when they have to comply with State management regulations. Next is the budgetary cost to ensure the operation of the entire apparatus. Currently, salary payments and regular annual expenditures account for 70% of the budget. Overlapping, unclear responsibilities and authorities also lead to the risk of causing trouble, shirking responsibility, or more seriously, encroachment, “making excuses for others”, hindering, and even neutralizing each other among units,” Mr. Dang shared.
Need to review the entire team of cadres and civil servants
Dr. Nguyen Van Dang noted that the experience of building a comprehensive model of the political system from many countries, typically the United States after gaining independence, or Japan and South Korea after World War II, shows the decisive role of political leaders as well as the most outstanding intellectuals of the country. In other words, successful political system models are the product of the combination of determination, vision, progressive thinking and intelligence of political leaders and elite intellectuals.
While emphasizing the importance of the political system model, Mr. Dang also paid special attention to the role of the staff. Because no matter how well a system is designed, if the people are not qualified, it will be difficult to operate.
Dr. Nguyen Van Dang emphasized that the group of civil servants and public employees must ensure professional capacity to perform well assigned tasks, and the group of strategic-level cadres must be the force that inspires and leads the entire system and apparatus.
According to Mr. Thang Van Phuc - former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, administrative reform is a long story, a "breakthrough" in removing institutional bottlenecks. It is not that the Party and State do not have political determination. It is not that we do not implement. This issue is clearly shown in the Party's Resolutions.
Former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs - Mr. Thang Van Phuc - said that, first of all, it is necessary to review the entire staff and civil servants. Each agency and organization must determine its functions and tasks to be relatively stable for 5 to 10 years. From these functions and tasks, what are their products? How many people and what qualifications are needed for that product? From there, it is possible to determine how many senior civil servants, how many main specialists, how many regular civil servants and how many service people are needed for that department. Only then can we determine how many positions are needed to arrange and recruit appropriately.
