HCM City -- HCM City Party Secretary Đinh La Thăng requested all commune Party secretaries increase their leadership capabilities and promote the role of Party organizations in local authorities to better serve local residents.

Thăng made his instruction on Friday, February 3 at a meeting with 322 commune Party secretaries in an effort to solve existing difficulties.

“You live closely with residents, you should listen, fully understand, work and try your best to solve all problems for them,” he said.

The city Party Secretary also warned that commune Party secretaries must be model leaders to earn the love and respect of residents.

Sharing good results with the city Party Secretary, Thái Thị Kim Thanh, Party secretary of District 1’s Bến Nghé Ward, reported that the ward had established a volunteer force to cope with serious traffic jams as well as increased awareness about environmental protection for local residents.

Party Secretary of District 8’s Ward 8, Nguyễn Trọng Nghĩa, revealed that his Party committee often organized meetings with local residents and received and solved many complains from residents immediately.

“District 8 will be hard to develop if the city can not cope with the traffic jam situation,” he added.

Nguyễn Văn Sử, Party Secretary of Bình Hưng Hòa Ward, Bình Tân District, was worried about setting the yearly target for fighting crime.

“For example, my ward must limit the number of criminal cases and if the number exceeds 34, we will get criticism,” Sử added.

He pointed out that this way of assessment could lead to criminal cases being hidden or not solved.

Sử also complained that in Bình Tân District, there are 20 serious flooding places, but he hasn’t seen the city’s Anti-Flooding Centre work with the district in coping with such flooding areas.

Đinh La Thăng recommended that Sử should visit the Anti-Flooding Centre to talk about the problem.

At present, HCM City has 322 communes and towns. Of which, there are 52 communes with a population of over 40,000 and three others over 90,000 residents.

There is a lot of work to be done in the commune, but a limited number of human resources along with low salaries; therefore, how to encourage commune staff to work well is a very important mission.

On the same day, the city Party Secretary also visited the HCM City Development Commercial Joint Stock Bank (HDBank) and Vietjet Air, all under the management of Sovico Holdings.

Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo, deputy chairwoman of the HDBank’s management board and CEO of Vietjet Air, reported that in 2016, HDBank had total assets of over VNĐ152 trillion (US$6.75 billion) and loans of over VNĐ90 trillion ($4 billion). The bank gained a pre-tax profit of nearly VNĐ1.3 trillion ($57.7 million) and its bad debt ratio was 1.65 per cent.

In 2017, HDBank plans to increase total assets up to VNĐ193 trillion ($8.57 billion), loans to over VNĐ123.5 trillion ($5.5 billion), pre-tax profit to VNĐ1.65 trillion ($73.3 million) and the bad debt ratio will be under 1.5 per cent.

Thảo also revealed the activities of Vietjet Air with total turnover last year of VNĐ27.5 trillion ($1.22 billion) with a State budget contribution of nearly VNĐ2 trillion ($89 million). Vietjet Air had 84,532 flights and transported 14 million passengers.

In 2017, Vietjet aims to reach a turnover of VNĐ42 trillion ($1.86 billion) with 119,157 flights, transport 19 million customers and contribute VNĐ3 trillion ($133 million) to the State budget.

Speaking with the staff of HDBank and Vietjet Air, Thăng highly appreciated what HDBank and Vietjet Air have gained and contributed to the socio-economic development of HCM City.

He also hoped that HDBank and Vietjet Air would join the city in increasing quality and competitive ability as well as its economic restructuring process.

Thăng suggested HDBank should invest in banking services while Vietjet Air should move its headquarters to HCM City.

He also pledged to create the most favourable business environment for all enterprises, including HDBank and Vietjet Air, to strongly develop. -- VNS