BÀ RỊA – VŨNG TÀU — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked the southern province of Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu to review socio-economic targets for higher and more comprehensive growth in 2017.

During a working session with provincial authorities yesterday, the PM hailed the province for being one of the top localities in terms of foreign direct investment attraction.

The province has carefully screened investors to prevent projects that pose risk of pollution, he said.

However, he pointed out that seaports, their logistics services and tourism are yet to match potential while transport infrastructure and the support industry are underdeveloped.

Cái Mép – Thị Vải seaport still faces challenges such as underdeveloped logistics services and limited State management so that containers passing through Cái Mép port only reach 20 per cent of designed capacity.

Moreover, the private economy only accounts for a mere 23.91 per cent of the economic structure, with its capital making up 15 per cent, while that of the foreign-invested economy makes up nearly 41 per cent.

As Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu stands at a development turning-point, PM Phúc urged the province to make thorough preparations for promising projects such as Long Son petrochemical complex and Hồ Tràm resort.

Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu is a gateway to the region with a modern seaport system and part of a key zone in the National Tourism Programme.

As home to 93 per cent of the total oil reserves and 16 percent of the natural gas nationwide, the province ranks third nationwide in terms of revenue to the State budget with a value of VNĐ67 trillion (US$2.9 billion) per year.

Apart from oil and gas, the province is one of the energy, heavy industry, seaport, tourism and seaport centres nationwide. The Phú Mỹ Electricity Centre and the Bà Rịa power plant now supply over 4,000MW out of the country’s total 10,000MW of electricity.

Visiting war heroes

On the same day, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc visited the Long Đất nursing centre for war invalids and revolutionary contributors.

The visit took place on the threshold of the 70th anniversary of the War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947).

Since its establishment in 1977, Long Đất centre, based in Long Hải town of Long Điền District, has cared for and given treatment to more than 500 severely wounded soldiers. It also nurses between 2,500 – 2,700 other national contributors from southern localities each year.

Expressing his gratitude to war invalids who devoted their life to the fight for honourable causes of national liberation and international duties, PM Phúc affirmed the Party and the State are consistently implementing the policy of caring for national contributors, regarding it as a basic and important task of the country’s social welfare system.

The Party, the State, and all Vietnamese people always keep in mind their dedication and sacrifices, he stressed.

To mark this year’s War Invalids and Martyrs Day, assistance and support has been given to all invalids, martyrs’ families and women holding the Vietnamese Heroic Mother title.

Solemn incense offering ceremonies will also be held at all martyrs’ cemeteries nationwide to pay homage to those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence and freedom, the Government leader said.

He asked war invalids to uphold the undaunted revolutionary tradition and continue to be a bright example for younger generations to follow. He also hoped the staff of the Long Đất centre will make concerted efforts to care for war invalids.

On this occasion, PM Phúc visited the 95 year-old Vietnamese Heroic Mother Võ Thị Ngọ and war veteran Phạm Văn Đực in Bà Rịa City of the province. — VNS