The chairman of Ho Chi Minh City has admitted that many key positions in the municipal apparatus are being left temporarily unfilled, with only three top leaders now taking charge of the People’s Committee.

The local administration normally has one chairman and five deputy chairs.

However, as of Tuesday, only chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong and two of his deputies, Le Thanh Liem and Tran Vinh Tuyen, were at work, the leader said at a meeting the same day.

The three other vice-chairs of the municipal administration are Le Van Khoa, who stepped down from his post due to health issues in March 2018; Nguyen Thi Thu, who passed away due to serious illness in late February; and Huynh Cach Mang, who is now seeking treatment for his illness.

“Deputy chairman [Huynh Cach] Mang has recently got sick,” Phong said.

“I now have only two deputies on my sides.”

Tuyen has taken over the responsibility of Khoa, while Liem has handled Thu’s duties, according to the city’s chairman.

Similarly, while the municipal People’s Committee Office used to have seven deputy heads, four of the positions are now vacant, Phong added.

Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong (C) and his two deputies Le Thanh Liem (R) and Tran Vinh Tuyen. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre

Some state bodies in Ho Chi Minh City are also being riddled with vacancies.

“The Department of Transport and the Department of Planning and Investment are being led by their deputy directors,” Phong continued.

Multiple state-owned enterprises under the management of the People’s Committee have lacked a general director for quite a long time, he added.

Phong said that the people in charge had “asked to step down prematurely due to personal issues,” while many others have retired.

“We will try our best to prevent the problem from persisting,” the chairman underlined, adding that all vacancies at state entities in the city will be “basically filled” by early April.

During a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Vo Van Hoan, head of the office of the municipal administration, affirmed that prompt measures have been taken to select two new deputy chairs for the People’s Committee.

“As for other units, we have been working in an urgent yet careful manner to soon fill all of the important positions,” Hoan continued.

Hoan underlined that despite the lack of key personnel, the workflow at the administration and other state entities has been ensured.

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