New Year’s interview with VFF President

VOV: The VFF has not organized the – joining hands for the poor – programme for a number of years now. What programme does the VFF plan to sponsor in support of the needy this year?

Mr. Nhan: The VFF plans to raise funds through a number of charitable activities in the upcoming year to use for the benefit of the poor and needy people throughout the nation.

However, to help them in the long-term, a sustainable poverty reduction programme has been formed under which each family will be provided with assistance in line with their specific needs.

In some case we will offer them cattle, which are means of assisting them earn a living by selling beef at the market or raising food for their personal use. Additionally, they could use the cows to produce and sell milk.

We will also offer assistance repairing or upgrading irrigation systems to be used in growing agricultural products for sale in the marketplace.

Taking care of the poor during Tet is an annual activity. The most important thing is to assist them by helping them be economically self-sufficient and able to earn a living and not be dependent on social welfare.

VOV: The Prime Minister has directed the VFF to play a key role in encouraging the whole population to protect the sea and islands. How will the VFF accomplish this difficult task?

Mr. Nhan: There are some ways to implement the new directive.

Firstly, the nation’s sea and islands are sacred and it is the responsibility of all citizens in the nation to protect them. More importantly, however, ever since 1975 fishermen abandoned the method of fishing in large groups.  Now they set out to sea independently, instead of working in larger groups.

The VFF has been contemplating launching a movement to form larger fishing cooperatives to making fishing more safe and effective.  The cooperatives would also directly raise efficiencies in the industry and make fishing more profitable.

Returning to a model where fishermen work in larger groups would definitely improve safety and serve the national defence of the sea and islands. It is a very uphill task but I believe it will be fulfilled.

VOV: What main tasks will the VFF focus on this year?

Mr. Nhan: The fine major tasks will be the focus this year, including encouraging citizens to launch movements and campaigns, exercising democratic rights, supervision and criticism, strengthening friendship, taking care of overseas Vietnamese and building a stronger VFF.

The focus is on disseminating information and encouraging citizens to send their opinions to the Party and State and fulfilling supervision and criticism duties.

VOV: Could you please tell about Vietnamese people’s desires and how to fulfill their desires?

Mr. Nhan: Each Vietnamese citizen has their own desire. The earnest desire of the Vietnamese people is to live in peace. For me, I hope peace prevails in the country, the region and the world so that each person can live a happy and rewarding life.

We always look forward to the goal of promoting prosperity and building a democratic, equitable and a civilised society as set by the Party.

2015 will be a successful year for the ASEAN community to join hands for stronger development.

VOV: What messages do you want to extend to the people on the occasion of lunar New Year?

Mr. Nhan: The most important thing for the VFF is to maintain people’s faith in the State and Party and in the nation’s future. If we accomplish this then people will willingly sacrifice and contribute to national development.

VOV: Thank you very much.