When new communes and wards in Ca Mau 'get into gear' to serve the people

(Chinhphu.vn) - After July 1, 2025, Ca Mau province will officially operate the new commune and ward model after merging commune-level administrative units. The southernmost land of the country is gradually transforming strongly with a more streamlined and efficient apparatus. Although there are still initial confusions, the "new machine" has really gotten into rhythm. Everywhere you can see the smiles of the people, the enthusiasm of the officials and a belief that is spreading...

People come to do administrative procedures at the Dat Mui Commune Administrative Service Center on the morning of July 22 - Photo: VGP/LS

Mornings without crowds and waiting

One morning in late July, we were present at the headquarters of the People's Committee of Dat Mui Commune, a commune newly formed from the merger of two units, Dat Mui and Vien An. The commune headquarters is being renovated and the most solemn position is reserved for receiving and returning administrative procedure results of the Public Administration Service Center. The road leading to the commune headquarters is paved with shiny asphalt, spacious, clean, the new signboard still smells of paint.

After 11am, Ms. Chung Thi Sau, residing in Ong Trang hamlet, Dat Mui commune, came to do the civil status and judicial correction procedures at the Public Administration Service Center. In less than 30 minutes, she completed all the steps and happily received the corrected birth certificate for herself.

"Before, I had to go far, to the district and go through many steps to be able to get corrections. Now the commune has merged, invested in a spacious headquarters, and the staff is diligent and friendly. I feel much better," said Ms. Sau.

Dat Mui - the southernmost point of the country, is also the most remote commune of Ca Mau with an area after the merger of 271 km2 (the largest in the province), a population of more than 33,000 people. Although the conditions are still difficult, the new apparatus operates stably, ensuring smooth settlement of administrative procedures for the people.

"Since the commune first started operating, the commune leaders have assigned responsibilities very clearly to each department. I myself have had to change the way I work, not only doing things according to the law, but also explaining thoroughly and providing maximum support to the people. If I am a little slow, the people will have to go back and forth many times, that is my fault," Mr. Kieu Minh Tieng, Secretary of the Party Committee of Dat Mui commune, confided when talking to reporters of the Government Electronic Newspaper.

Mr. Kieu Minh Tieng said that the commune is preparing the draft documents of the Commune Party Congress in the spirit of continuing to further enhance the responsibility of cadres and civil servants, especially in serving the people, always listening to people's opinions to work with people to better resolve administrative procedures.

After the merger, security and order were ensured, and no hot incidents occurred in the area. "Our commune has a whole hamlet of 'doorless houses' because motorbikes are parked in the yard, and you don't have to lock the door at night. This has also been reported on national television," Mr. Tieng happily said.

The good news is that the majority of commune and ward level officials and civil servants in Ca Mau province have shown a spirit of learning and seeking knowledge. They have to do both professional work and "concurrently" propagate and guide people to adapt to the new administrative unit, especially issues related to household registration, land, legal documents, etc.

Responding to the Government Electronic Newspaper, Mr. Vo Van Hanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Can commune, excitedly said: "After 3 weeks of operation, the commune's organizational apparatus has been operating smoothly. The commune has arranged 10 people at the Public Administration Service Center to receive and process documents and procedures for the people. The facilities were inherited from the previous Nam Can district, so they are quite good for the operation of the apparatus."

Not only in Nam Can commune, but also in many other new communes and wards of Ca Mau province such as Dam Doi, Da Bac, Thoi Binh... positive movements are becoming more evident every day.

Mr. Bui Van Thao (Bau Nhan hamlet, Ho Thi Ky commune (Ca Mau province), laughed heartily when being enthusiastically and thoughtfully guided by the staff of the Commune Public Administration Service Center on the procedure to "register his own birth" - Photo: VGP/LS

Officials close to the people, people trust more

According to statistics from the Department of Home Affairs of Ca Mau province, after the merger, Ca Mau province has a natural area of over 7,942 km2; a population of over 2.6 million people and 64 commune-level administrative units (9 wards and 55 communes).

Reducing the number of cadres, civil servants and public employees is not only about saving the budget, but more importantly, it is about improving the quality, qualifications and capacity of cadres and civil servants; as well as reallocating the cadre force in the direction of specialization, right person - right job.

Ho Thi Ky commune is the only commune in Ca Mau province that is not subject to merger or separation because it is a large commune, meeting two basic criteria according to regulations with an area of nearly 94 km2 and a population of nearly 28,000 people. Mr. Tran Quoc Toan, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: Although not subject to merger, Ho Thi Ky commune still has to be reorganized according to the new model to perform decentralized functions and tasks when there is no longer a district level.

To operate the commune-level government well, Ho Thi Ky commune prioritizes equipment for the Public Administration Service Center to perform its tasks in the best way. The community digital technology team actively supports people in receiving and guiding them in submitting procedures with the help of Viettel Group staff, so everything happens quickly.

"After more than 3 weeks of operation, Ho Thi Ky commune has not had any delayed or overdue procedures," Mr. Toan told the Government Electronic Newspaper.

Mr. Bui Van Thao, 61 years old, in Bau Nhan hamlet, Ho Thi Ky commune, laughed heartily when the staff of the Commune Public Administration Service Center enthusiastically and thoughtfully guided him through the procedure of "registering his own birth", because "he had never made a birth certificate before. The people in the commune do everything quickly, the people love him very much".

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu, former Deputy Head of the Organization Board of Thoi Binh District Party Committee, now Deputy Director of Ho Thi Ky Commune Public Administration Service Center, shared: "I am busier, but happier because I learn many things. I find my work useful, being close to the people, understanding and directly solving the problems that the people need is happiness."

Chairman of Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee Pham Thanh Ngai: The operation of the new administrative mechanism has been creating a new rhythm of life, new thinking, and new spirit - Photo: VGP/LS

New life, new thinking, new spirit

However, the process of operating the new communes and wards still faces many difficulties. The biggest problem is synchronizing the administrative database, rearranging the boundary map, completing paperwork related to people and organizations, there are still some problems such as the information system of the Public Service Portal is sometimes "hanging", some older officials are still confused with the new software system. But in every way of thinking and working, the spirit of "not sitting and waiting" is clearly seen.

As a young cadre in the commune, Mr. Do Trong Nghia, Deputy Director of the Dat Mui Commune Public Service Center, former Secretary of the District Youth Union, confided: "People now look at the quality of service to evaluate the strength or weakness of the commune. If you do well, the people will appreciate it; if you do badly, the people will criticize it. So even though the area is larger and there is more work, we still have to try. If we don't try, we will fall behind immediately."

Assessing the overall operation of the commune-ward apparatus for more than 3 weeks, in an interview with the Government Electronic Newspaper, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ca Mau province Pham Thanh Ngai said: After more than half a month of merging, the new communes and wards in Ca Mau are "getting into gear". This is not only the operation of a new administrative mechanism, but also creates a new rhythm of life, new thinking, and new spirit. Ca Mau - the southernmost land of the Fatherland is pioneering in bringing the new commune-ward model into effect and substance. People have seen, felt, and trusted... And that is the greatest success in the current revolution of streamlining the apparatus of Ca Mau.

"We determined that the merger is not just an administrative matter, but an opportunity to comprehensively restructure the grassroots apparatus to better serve the people. This is a pivotal stage, requiring redoubled efforts from the entire political system in general and each cadre and civil servant in particular," said Chairman of the People's Committee of Ca Mau province Pham Thanh Ngai.

Le Son

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/khi-xa-phuong-moi-o-ca-mau-vao-guong-phuc-vu-nhan-dan-102250722204813908.htm