Promoting the motto “Business thrives - Lao Cai develops”, right after its establishment (October 2010), the Lao Cai Business Association has endeavored to gather members and launched many solutions and activities to create a solid bridge for business community development, said, Mr. Nguyen Huy Long, Chairman of the Lao Cai Business Association and Director of Huy Long Mechanical Engineering Co., Ltd, in an interview granted to Vietnam Business Forum.
How do you assess the performance of the Lao Cai business community in 2020 and the first months of 2021?
Lao Cai province was home to 5,672 registered enterprises with a total capital of VND77,917 billion and 2,143 company branches and representative offices, as of May 2021. Most of them are small in size, mainly engaged in tourism, transportation, trade, import and export.
Due to Covid-19 epidemic outbreak from early 2020, most Lao Cai province-based enterprises, particularly in trade, service and tourism, have faced unprecedented challenges and narrowed their operations.
Supporting local enterprises to confront these difficulties, Lao Cai province has adopted many solutions to foster economic growth, investment and public investment. The Provincial People's Committee established a working group to this effect, led by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and membered by department directors and business association leaders, to assist local enterprises and help relevant agencies to streamline procedures and reduce the time of handling business and investment administrative procedures.
In that context, the Lao Cai Business Association has actively exchanged, captured information, and promptly identified difficulties to propose solutions to all tiers of authorities. The association has also worked with relevant agencies to carry out business support packages in respect of tax, credit and social security. Given effective assistance, many businesses have gradually revived their business operations, created jobs for workers and joined hands with the community to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
How has the association played the role of “gathering and bridging enterprises" and "protecting interests of its members"?
The association has brought together many members in all industries such as industry, agriculture - forestry, construction, commerce, finance and banking, thus becoming the "common roof" of local enterprises. It is also tasked to develop the Party force across enterprises. When it was established in September 2016, the Party cell had only one branch with 5 members. So far, it managed 38 Party members in 23 enterprises.
The association also signed cooperation regulations and work programs with Party cells in governmental agencies and enterprises. As a result, Party guidelines and policies are deployed faster, while emerging hardships are promptly reported to provincial leaders and relevant bodies.
It also regularly organized meetings with members on important days such as the Vietnam Entrepreneurs Day, visited and encouraged its members to strengthen unity and raise their responsibility.
To further improve the investment and business environment and raise the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), what solutions and activities has the association carried out?
The PCI Index of Lao Cai province, always ranked among the best performers in the country, illustrates the ongoing effort of the provincial government to improve the investment and business climate. The province always pays attention to administrative reforms and facilitates enterprises to do business in the locality. Business-related matters are always noticed, including access to land and labor training.
To improve the business climate and increase the Provincial Competitiveness Index, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan 227/KH-UBND dated May 13, 2021 with the aim of raising the Lao Cai PCI Index in 2021. Accordingly, associations and businesses are assigned to actively strengthen cooperation and dialogue with the government to form an effective information channel that helps build a friendly pro-business government.
The associations signing of work cooperation programs with Party committees of governmental agencies and enterprises is also a comprehensive and consistent solution which includes PCI improvement. This helps governmental agencies to review and revise administration and provide favorable conditions for businesses to approach policies and enhance their governance capacity.
Thank you very much!
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
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