The seminar is an opportunity for Can Tho City authorities to listen to comments, suggestions and recommendations from businesses.

Listening to business

Last weekend, Can Tho City People's Committee organized a dialogue between the government and businesses in the city.

Speaking at the opening of the Seminar, Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc He said that the meeting was an opportunity for the City government to listen to comments, feedback, and receive constructive criticism from businesses, associations, and industry associations in the area, helping the City come up with truly effective solutions to develop the City's economy better.

“In addition to occasions like this, we hope that businesses, associations, and unions will regularly connect more with the City government. After this dialogue, we will have a direction to receive feedback from businesses at any time, on any occasion, and bring it to a group of information, a focal point to receive it more regularly, and promptly resolve suggestions and recommendations from businesses,” Mr. He said.

At the seminar, businesses raised issues related to land, electricity supply, traffic infrastructure, human resources, as well as procedures related to business registration, taxes, etc. that businesses are having trouble with and need to be resolved, or need guidance to implement.

Mr. Le Van Dong, Director of Cuu Long Fruit Garden Joint Stock Company (Tra Noc Industrial Park) said that due to the need to develop production and business, the Company currently needs to rent about 2 - 3 hectares of land to build a new factory in Tra Noc Industrial Park. However, through working sessions, the authorities said that the City is in the process of reviewing the planning, so businesses must wait until the third quarter of 2025 to have an answer on whether there is land to rent or not.

According to Mr. Dong, although the industrial land fund in Tra Noc 1 and Tra Noc 2 Industrial Parks is said to have run out, in reality there are still many vacant lots, many of which are fenced but not developed. He suggested that the City's functional agencies review to support businesses that are operating well in the industrial park to rent land to expand their factories or build new factories, instead of transferring them to a new industrial park, causing costly expenses for businesses.

Mr. Nguyen The Vu, Deputy General Director of VSIP Can Tho Industrial Park, stated that the current traffic infrastructure around the industrial park is limited, the roads are narrow, and when the industrial park comes into operation with the current infrastructure, it will not be able to meet the demand. He suggested that the transport sector study and remove the obstacles, and pay attention to investing in connecting the traffic infrastructure around the industrial park. This not only serves the businesses, but also serves the people and the whole society.

At the same time, Mr. Vu also suggested that the City have solutions to support businesses with sand sources for filling industrial parks that are in short supply and recommended that the VSIP Can Tho Industrial Park project be considered a key project because it directly contributes to local socio-economic development.

In addition to the proposals and recommendations of enterprises stated at the Seminar, according to the summary report on the results of resolving difficulties and problems for enterprises of the Investment - Trade Promotion Center and Can Tho Exhibition Fair (recorded during the process of the City's functional departments and branches visiting and working with enterprises in the area), enterprises also had many recommendations surrounding the difficulties in their operations.

Specifically, Pataya Food Industry Company Limited (Tra Noc Industrial Park) stated that Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP dated April 4, 2024 stipulates: "Do not mix imported aquatic products with domestically exploited aquatic products in the same export shipment" is unclear, causing confusion for the Company when implementing because the Company currently exports finished products. If it is not allowed to be stored in the same container, it will be very difficult, leading to increased costs.

In addition, Vinataba - Philip Morris Company Limited (Cai Rang District) reported that the Company is currently facing difficulties in extending the land lease term because the land lease term has expired, causing difficulties in maintaining production and business. It is requested that the City and departments, branches and sectors consider supporting...

At the seminar, most of the proposals and recommendations of enterprises were recorded and clearly and specifically answered by representatives of functional departments and agencies of Can Tho City.

Can Tho always considers the success of enterprises as the success of the City. In the photo: A corner of Can Tho City (Photo: Thanh Liem)

Respond to business within 3 business days

To continue to accompany, support, and resolve difficulties and problems for businesses in the process of production and business activities, Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee Nguyen Ngoc He requested that the directors of departments, heads of relevant agencies and units pay more attention to the issues raised by businesses at the dialogue, which have been answered or not answered directly at the dialogue, and must have an official written response to businesses as soon as possible, specifically within 3 working days after the dialogue, and send it to the Department of Planning and Investment to synthesize the report, propose the City People's Committee to direct the contents under its authority, and recommend the Central Government the contents beyond its authority.

The Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City assigned the Management Board of Can Tho Export Processing and Industrial Zones to preside over and coordinate with Can Tho Industrial Park Infrastructure Construction Joint Stock Company (investor of Tra Noc 1 and Tra Noc 2 Industrial Parks) to proactively work and listen to the thoughts and aspirations of businesses in the industrial park, thereby considering and quickly resolving the difficulties and problems that businesses are facing.

The Director of the Department of Industry and Trade studies and proposes solutions to provide market information and information on trade agreements to the business community, effectively performing the state management function to promote the efficiency of business operations.

Department directors, heads of City agencies and departments and People's Committees of districts and towns maintain dialogues between their units and enterprises, cooperatives and business households in the area at least twice a year. Thereby, integrating propaganda of development strategies and plans, dissemination of new laws..., promptly resolving difficulties of enterprises, cooperatives and business households within the scope of management of the sector and field of the agency or unit in charge.

At the same time, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc He also assigned the Department of Planning and Investment, the Office of the City People's Committee, the Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones to propose to the City People's Committee to continue to maintain the operation of the "Business Cafe" model periodically once a month. According to Mr. He, this is also an effective channel to remove difficulties for businesses, closer and easier to access. Regularly synthesize the reflections and recommendations from the City Business Association, the City Young Entrepreneurs Association, the City Women Entrepreneurs Association, the Mekong Delta Tourism Association, the City Real Estate Association... to choose the appropriate "Business Cafe" theme.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc He said that the People's Committee of Can Tho City will resolutely direct the City's cadres, civil servants and public employees, especially the exemplary role of the heads of agencies and units to uphold their responsibilities and be more determined to carry out their tasks with practical actions to bring about the highest efficiency.

“The City People’s Committee hopes that local businesses will share the difficulties with the City and make every effort to accompany the government. The government accompanies businesses, which means we go together, join hands, and share the joys and sorrows so that businesses as well as the socio-economic development of Can Tho can develop,” Mr. Nguyen Ngoc He emphasized.