BÌNH ĐỊNH — Representative of Nam Triệu Ltd Company have confirmed that they will be giving financial assistance valued at VNĐ2 billion (US$88,150) to fishermen in the central province of Bình Định during the time that the ships are repaired and maintained.

"The assistance would range from VNĐ50 million ($2,200) to VNĐ125 million ($5,500) depending on specific levels of failures,” company official Trần Văn Nguyện informed.

"We offered the money with a desire to alleviate the difficulties faced by fishermen. Our company and the fishermen reached an agreement on financial support and they voluntarily withdrew their petitions, which was their right. We just wanted to help them come back to the sea as soon as possible," Nguyện said.

Fishermen in the province, who received loans from commercial banks to buy steel ships, have reported the ship malfunctions over the past few weeks.

According to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, there are 18 sub-standard steel fishing ships, of which 13 were built by Nam Triệu One Member Ltd Company and five were built by Đại Nguyên Dương Shipbuilding Company. 

According to a recent examination by the Bình Định Province’s agriculture department, the ships have been found to suffer from frequent breakdowns and degradation.

Under the contract between fishermen and Nam Triệu company, the broken ships must be repaired in the company’s shipbuilding factory in northern Hải Phòng City. However, moving the ship to the city is extremely expensive. Hence, the company had a discussion with the fishermen and arranged to have the ships repaired in another factory near the province.

Considering the due date of the bank loan payment, five ship owners in Hoài Nhơn District said that the assistance money should range between VNĐ250 and 300 million.

Lê Hoàng Thanh, a ship owner said that the company negotiated with owners and asked for an assurance that they would not take legal action. Meanwhile, Trần Đình Sơn, a ship owner in Phù Mỹ District, said the company asked him to withdraw his petition and offered VNĐ100 million as assistance. Sơn, however, thought the company had paid him to cover its deceitful business, and returned the money.

Trần Châu, deputy chairman of Bình Định People’s Committee, expressed his surprise at the withdrawal of the petition by seven ship owners as a few weeks ago the owners had requested the authority’s intervention. Following which, the authority had asked the police and the Agriculture and Rural Development Department to conduct an investigation.

"Although the ship owners withdrew their petitions, the evaluation teams continued to find the causes behind the failure of the ships," Châu said. —VNS