On January 29, speaking with Lao Dong, Mr. Duong Thanh Hai, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang An Ward (Tay Ho, Hanoi) said that immediately after the incident of exchanging small change at a number of business establishments in Tay Ho Palace was reported, the local authorities immediately took action to inspect and handle the violating establishments.
"To prevent the phenomenon of exchanging small change, the authorities and police of Quang An ward regularly inspect and remind incense and flower businesses in the Palace to comply with regulations. However, there are still some stalls secretly doing this.
After Lao Dong Newspaper reported that some businesses were still accepting small change, the local government and police immediately issued a report and fined the violators VND30 million. After the report was made, the businesses committed to comply with the regulations," Mr. Hai informed.
Previously, on January 28, Lao Dong Newspaper published an article reflecting on the phenomenon of some stalls at Tay Ho Palace openly exchanging and selling small bills at a difference of 20 - 30%.
Not only taking place at the stalls outside Tay Ho Palace, inside the Palace, many shops, although not on display, still accept exchanging small change in large quantities with high difference rates.
Mr. Truong Tien Hoi, Head of the Tay Ho Palace Management Subcommittee, informed that because exchanging small change is a need of many visitors when coming to the Palace at the beginning of the year, despite strict management, there are still some households that exchange money and receive a difference. However, these are just a few isolated cases.
"Regarding the phenomenon of exchanging and trading in small change as reported in the newspaper, the local government and the local police regularly check and remind, but cannot thoroughly implement it. There are people who comply very well, but there are a few who still deliberately violate the law, so it is very difficult.
We have received the information reported by the newspaper and have discussed it with the relevant authorities. We support the heavy fines so that there will be no more business activities that violate state regulations on sacred places of worship," said Mr. Hoi.
