New captain steers investment vessel

Bui Quang Vinh

As the new MPI chief, what will be your first priorities in leading the ministry to fulfill its jobs?

The MPI’s first priority is to cooperate with other ministries, state agencies and local authorities to implement eight big groups of measures for developing the economy in the second half this year.

Those measures were set by the government to stabilise the economy, curb inflation, ensure reasonable economic growth and social welfare.

Besides that, the MPI will be working closely with ministries and local authorities to develop a socio-economic development plan for 2012. This plan will be appropriate to the current situation of the global economy in general and Vietnam’s economy in particular, creating a foundation for economic development in the coming years.

At the same time, the MPI will draw up a complete socio-economic development plan for  2011-2015.

And what about the medium and long terms?

In the long term, the MPI in cooperation with other ministries has to implement three strategic breakthroughs that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung outlined in his speech to the National Assembly.

Our ministry will have a very important role in the implementation of human resources and infrastructure development while actively participating in developing the market economy institution. The MPI is the author of the human resources development plan to 2020 which was already approved by the government.

At present, the MPI is making a plan for infrastructure development to serve the country’s industrialisation and modernisation. We expect to complete this plan in the fourth quarter of this year before submitting it to the prime minister.

To develop the market economy institution, the MPI will actively act as a member of the government’s committee for amending the 1992 Constitution.

The amendment was approved by the National Assembly two weeks ago. In addition, the MPI will study and submit to the government and the National Assembly the amended Investment Law in the future under the assignment of the government.

How will the MPI improve itself to get its duties well done?

First, the MPI has to improve its ability to give exact forecasts about the global and local economic performance.

This is very important to help the government run a sound macroeconomy. To do that, we have to improve the quality of statistics to get more accurate economic figures based on which we can devise appropriate measures to stabilise the economy.

In the future, we will not only encourage economists working for the MPI, but also call for cooperation from experts and economists in other organisations to participate in economic forecasting.

What is your message to officials doing planning and statistical works?

The MPI will have to work very hard, especially in the context of global and local economic instability. This will require efforts from all officials doing planning and statistical jobs.

All officials need to improve their skills regularly so that we can carry out our duties well.