Thanh Hoa Province's Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Welfare coordinated with other ministries to investigate about the incident where some local authorities in Thanh Hoa Province did not follow guidelines they were given in regards to the distribution of rice for needy people during Tet, resulting in many complaints and an investigation into the reasons that guidelines weren't followed in handing out the food.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly, Vice Manager of Thanh Hoa Province's Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Welfare, has a discussion with DTiNews.

One of the many poor families in the area in need of the help.

The department established five groups to carry out an investigation in 16 districts and communes from February 25 to 27. It is reported that some local authorities had not followed and implemented the guidelines that were given by Thanh Hoa Province People’s Committee.

After the investigation, a representative of the department was sent to directly administer the distribution of relief hunger rice to needy people in Five Hamlet, Quang Phu Commune, Tho Xuan District.

According to one inspection group, the same problem also occurred in Quang Trung Commune, Ngoc Lac District. The Decision by the district authorities was to help 73 households with 333 people; however, the commune authorities did not follow these guidelines and instead distributed the same amount of rice to 287 households.

On March 3, an inter-ministerial inspection group that consists of members from the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Welfare, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, was established and directly sent to Hau Loc District to investigate the matter and to gather feedback from the local people.

In accordance to the instructions given by Thanh Hoa Province's Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Welfare, the lower local authorities must report their results in order for the department to make a general report to the People’s Committee before February 12, 2010. Until now, many local authorities still have not reported anything to the department.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly, Vice Manager of Thanh Hoa Province's Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Welfare, told DTiNews, “Upon receiving information about this incident from DTiNews, we have set up five inspection groups to go and investigate from now through March 9. We are waiting for feedback and will ask for guidance from the People’s Committee of the province. It is important to decide where the source of the problem is and find out who was responsible for it, in order to prevent this from happening again.”