Not afraid of hard work

Starting by doing his job well is also a way for Mr. Nguyen Tan Nga to learn Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style.

Mr. Nga said that in 1999, he was elected as the Chief of Thuong Thanh Village (now Hoa Thuong Village) after he and the militia of the commune struggled during the great flood of 1999, rescuing rice, fish sauce, salt, pigs and chickens for the people of Tam Thanh coastal commune. In his new position, Mr. Nga realized that trust goes hand in hand with responsibility.

“Uncle Ho taught, “Anyone, in any position, doing any work, facing any circumstances, must have a sense of responsibility.” Therefore, the first thing I must do is to set an example in implementing the Party’s policies and the State’s laws and policies, and be a pioneer in all local activities.

Along with that is training ethics, serious style, enthusiasm in work. Only when we set an example will we have enough prestige to convince people to follow suit" - Mr. Nga shared.

No matter how big or small the task is, when the local government assigns tasks to the village, Mr. Nga always takes on the task with the highest responsibility. He recalls that in the 2000s, the coastal youth road was still a red dirt road, narrow and deserted.

A few years later, the road was upgraded to asphalt, but each year he had to patch countless potholes. When the government decided to invest in building asphalt roads, his family was one of the first to donate land.

Mr. Nga then went to each house, explaining to the people the long-term benefits of opening the road. From easy to difficult cases, Mr. Nga successfully convinced them. The youth route was expanded and paved a few years later, bringing excitement to the local people.

Another “difficulty” that Tam Thanh has faced is the problem of the marine environment and in residential areas. Mr. Nga once spoke at a commune conference, that environmental protection is not difficult, and does not even cost money, all that is required is for each citizen to raise awareness, maintain environmental hygiene, and not litter indiscriminately. Officials and party members should follow the example so that the people can do the same…

Mr. Nga’s opinion was supported by the government and the people. And right after the conference, there were environmental clean-up campaigns by commune and village officials; followed by the people. Gradually, a cultural lifestyle was formed for the people of this coastal commune.

“As the village chief, in everything I do, I always focus on the interests of the people, and am ready to listen and accept good ideas. For example, when building a new countryside, I need to propagate to the people to understand the benefits they will enjoy.

"When a dispute occurs in the village, we must persistently advocate and reconcile reasonably so that both sides can see the situation and understand each other... Only when the people agree will everything be done," said Mr. Nga.

Dedicated and responsible, Mr. Nga's reputation in the village has grown. After 2019, although he no longer holds the position of village chief, many people in Tam Thanh still call him "Mr. Nga, Village Chief".

Responsibility to the community

Over the years, Mr. Nga volunteered to take on the task of managing the cemetery at Tam Thanh Commune. There were times when the local budget was limited and could not allocate funds to support the caretaker, but he still stuck with this job.

The trees in the yard are greener and greener, the graves are carefully cared for and tended… For him, the satisfaction on the faces of relatives when they come to visit the martyrs is the happiest thing.

“During the day, I work in a shrimp pond, and at night, early in the morning or during my free time, I go to the cemetery to work. Many people wonder why I still do unpaid work… But I just think, many generations of fathers and brothers have shed blood for the independence and freedom of the nation, but today I only sweat a little pulling weeds and taking care of plants, which is not much” - Mr. Nga shared.

Listening to Mr. Nga outline his work schedule for the day, I found it almost packed. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon, he also takes on the duties of Head of the Tam Thanh Beach Management Board.

In any role, Mr. Nga is always responsible and exemplary. He said, in the early morning he is at the beach at 4am, in the afternoon at 3pm. The management force must be there before people go swimming, because human life cannot be learned from experience.

His job is to take overall responsibility for security, order and safety at the beach. Mr. Nga regularly reminds beachgoers about the weather conditions, areas where recreation and swimming are permitted; guides business people to do business in an orderly and disciplined manner. In his free time, he picks up trash on the beach. Sometimes, he braves big waves and strong winds to rush into the middle of the sea to rescue people who are in distress.

“I will always remember the milestone of November 19, 2021. That day, the sea was rough, a girl was bathing and was swept away by the waves. At that time, I did not think about anything, rushed into the sea with the rescue team to bring the victim to shore. From this incident, I have more responsibility in giving warnings and reminders to avoid similar cases from happening,” said Mr. Nga.

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