Vietnam’s Central Steering Board for Corruption Prevention and Control has set up 11 teams to keep a check on anti-corruption activities in eight provinces, six ministries and the national social insurance agency. 

>> Vietnam, Japan discuss anti-corruption in ODA-funded projects >> Vietnam nabs another railway official over alleged $780,000 Japanese graft>> Vietnam arrests 4 railway officials in alleged $780,000 Japanese bribe scandal The establishment of these teams was announced at the 5th meeting of the board in Hanoi on Wednesday under the chair of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, who is also head of the board. Of the 11 teams, four will inspect the investigation, indictment, prosecution, and trial of serious corruption cases in eight provinces, including Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and Bac Lieu. The four teams are scheduled to work in these provinces for two months, from September 15 to November 15, 2014. Meanwhile, the remaining seven will examine, inspect, and beef up activities to prevent and combat corruption in the Vietnam Social Insurance Agency and six ministries: Finance; Transport; Defense; Agriculture and Rural Development; Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs; and Culture, Sports and Tourism. These teams will work for three months, from August 30 to November 30, 2014. The objectives of these inspections are to recognize what has been achieved and find what needs to be improved in the fight against corruption, said Pham Anh Tuan, deputy head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission (CIAC). Speaking at the meeting, General Secretary Trong said, “The board will draw experience from the inspections to improve the effectiveness of the fight against corruption in ministries and localities in the future.” The head of the CIAC, Nguyen Ba Thanh, briefed the meeting on the investigation, prosecution, and trial of 12 serious corruption cases that have been directed by the commission.   Meeting participants also discussed issues related to these cases, including the one in which Japan Transportation Consultants, Inc. (JTC) admitted to paying over US$780,000 in bribes to win an ODA-funded project in Vietnam. The Ministry of Public Security has so far arrested and indicted six people who are former senior railway officials involved in that alleged graft to be uncovered in March this year, the CIAC said. These defendants have been charged with “abusing positions and/or powers while performing official duties,” and “negligence of responsibility, causing serious consequences” pursuant to Articles 281 and 285 of the Penal Code, it added. Speaking to conclude the meeting, General Secretary Trong stressed that the combat against corruption is a very important but complex task that must be done consistently and decisively.

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