Contractor "ran away" without providing national reserve rice

Expressing his opinion on the fact that recently many businesses have continuously bid to buy reserve rice even though they have won the bid, causing a shortage of reserve rice, in an interview with Lao Dong reporter, Mr. Vu Vinh Phu - former Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Trade (now the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade) - said that it is necessary to look at the incident from two aspects: State management and responsibility and ethics of businesses towards the Fatherland.

"In my opinion, these businesses are abandoning their deposits for profit. The current fine may be too low, making businesses willing to pay fines and drop out of bids. On the State management side, it is necessary to tighten and perfect the legal framework so that businesses do not drop out of bids, especially when participating in bidding to buy rice to serve the task of national food reserves. Meanwhile, there needs to be a form of honoring businesses that actively contribute to the State reserves," said Mr. Vu Vinh Phu.

National reserves are the State's strategic reserves to proactively meet urgent requirements for preventing, combating, and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, fires, and epidemics; and ensuring national defense and security.

The fact that 3/6 contractors refused to execute the rice supply contract after winning the bid means that 3,700 tons of rice cannot be imported into the national reserve. Therefore, Mr. Phu believes that the enterprise is very irresponsible.

"In my opinion, the ethics of such business people are not guaranteed. In addition to increasing sanctions, we need to strongly criticize so that other businesses do not follow suit. This incident will be a common lesson for all 63 provinces and cities to learn from. One province or a few businesses, but hundreds of businesses are the same, which is dangerous for the country," Mr. Vu Vinh Phu shared.

Meanwhile, lawyer Truong Anh Tu - Chairman of TAT Law firm (Hanoi Bar Association) - said that tightening this issue through legal means is relatively difficult.

"We are in a market economy, all problems are solved according to market rules. There, it is very difficult for us to intervene in administration and law. This is a lesson for the General Department of State Reserves and enterprises to have methods to solve problems when prices fluctuate strongly. We need technical solutions, we cannot rely on administration and law because contractors have accepted to lose money.

For example, the price range is flexible, instead of the current deposit, a higher deposit can be negotiated... When the deposit is higher, the business will probably need a different price to be able to participate in the game" - said lawyer Truong Anh Tu.

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