Part 2: The “ferrymen” helping resolutions “cross the river”

When structure is more than just ratios

In previous terms of the provincial People’s Councils at all levels, the delegate structure, especially at the commune level, was mainly concentrated among certain ethnic groups like Kinh, Thái, Mông, and Khơ Mú, while many other groups such as Sán Dìu, Cống, and Si La had no representation. Consequently, many resolutions faced obstacles during dissemination in villages due to language differences. The reality in many places was that delegates who were Kinh or Thái had to rely on local officials to interpret the content when meeting voters in Hmong or Si La villages, which could easily lead to distorted information and reduced effectiveness.

Overcoming this limitation, for the 2021 - 2026 People’s Council term, Điện Biên province not only adhered to regulations regarding the structure of ethnic composition, gender, qualifications, and qualities but also focused on increasing the number of delegates from small ethnic minority groups and those previously unrepresented in elected bodies. Emphasis was placed on the contingent of village Party cell secretaries and chiefs within ethnic minority communities. This group of grassroots cadres is closest to the people, understands customs, is trusted by the people, and can speak their language.

As a result, the delegate structure this term has transformed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The entire province has 52 provincial-level People’s Council delegates, of whom 57.69% are ethnic minorities; the district level has 322 delegates (nearly 55%), and the commune level has 2,711 delegates (nearly 84%). For the first time, all ethnic groups in the area have representation in the People’s Councils at all levels - a significant step forward in ensuring the right to representation and an equal voice for all ethnic groups. Notably, the entire province has nearly 450 delegates who are village Party cell secretaries or chiefs - those directly connected to and knowledgeable about the customs and lives of the villagers.

In many localities, the proportion of delegates who are village Party cell secretaries or chiefs is very high, such as: Nà Tấu commune with 27/60 delegates; Thanh Nưa 32/104; Tuần Giáo 25/75; Thanh An 21/68; Mường Ảng 16/64; Sín Thầu 7/41; Sín Chải 10/59 delegates... It is precisely this force that has become “those who speak the people’s voice,” making a significant contribution to ensuring that resolutions from People’s Councils at all levels are “translated” into the language of local life, spreading and deeply permeating every village.

Sín Thầu is the most difficult and remote commune in Điện Biên province, bordering both Laos and China, predominantly inhabited by the Hà Nhì ethnic group. After the merger, the commune has 48 commune-level People’s Council delegates, including 10 who are village Party cell secretaries or chiefs. They are people who live and are closely connected with the ethnic communities here. Therefore, whenever a resolution is passed, they become special “interpreters,” bringing the guidelines and policies of the Party and State to every household, helping resolutions come to life in this frontier area of the nation.

Mr. Đặng Thành Huy, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Sín Thầu commune People’s Council, said: “Over the years, delegates who are village Party cell secretaries and chiefs have maximized their roles, serving as crucial bridges bringing resolutions to every household. Thanks to this, many policies such as crop conversion, building new rural areas, protecting forests, and guarding borders have received high consensus and response from the people. These delegates have become the ‘bridge’ between the assembly hall and the village,” citing exemplary individuals like Mr. Lỳ Lèn Sinh, Mr. Lỳ Phu Cà, and Mr. Hạ A Dua.

In remote areas, the language barrier makes communication in Vietnamese ineffective. Therefore, delegates who are village Party cell secretaries or chiefs from ethnic minorities become special “bridges” and “interpreters,” helping the Party’s guidelines and policies get closer to the people. Reality shows that resolutions are only truly effective when the people understand, trust, and follow them.

The special “interpreters”

When village Party cell secretaries and chiefs become delegates, the voice of the people is brought to the assembly hall more closely and authentically. They narrow the gap between resolutions and life, between the Party’s will and the people’s hearts. When guidelines and policies are translated into the mother tongue and reach the villagers in familiar language, they become easy to understand and implement.

Thanh Nưa commune is home to many ethnic groups such as Thái, Mông, Dao, Tày, etc. After the merger, it has 104 commune-level People’s Council delegates, including 32 who are village Party cell secretaries or chiefs. Over the years, this contingent has truly become an important bridge helping to convey resolutions to the people in an understandable, vivid, and relatable way. They not only explain in the mother tongue but also illustrate with practical examples from production and daily life, helping villagers grasp the information and proactively implement it.

Mr. Ngọc Văn Dương, Party Cell Secretary cum Chief of Pom Mỏ Thổ village, Thanh Nưa commune - one of the first Tày people in the province to participate in the People’s Council (in 2016) - exemplifies the role of a grassroots-level delegate close to the people. Not only does he bring the voice and concerns of the villagers to the assembly hall, but Mr. Dương also acts as a bridge bringing resolutions and policies back to life with simple, easy-to-understand words. Mr. Dương shared: “Many Tày ethnic people in the village still don’t know Vietnamese. After each meeting or voter contact session, I meet with the villagers, use our mother tongue to explain each content of the resolution and policy in detail, linking it to practical life. Thanks to this, many policies have been well-received and effectively implemented by the people of Pom Mỏ Thổ, contributing to changing the face of the village.”

As a delegate of the Thanh Yên commune People’s Council, Mr. Lò Văn Sam, a member of the Cống ethnic group and Chief of Huổi Moi village, has for many years not only conveyed but also “interpreted” the guidelines and policies of the Party and State, and People’s Council resolutions into the ethnic language so that villagers can easily understand and follow. When implementing the policy “Socio-economic development in the Cống ethnic region,” realizing that the language barrier made villagers hesitant and afraid to follow, leading to missed opportunities, Mr. Sam went to each household to explain specifically, analyze the benefits, and guide them on how to implement it.

Thanks to this, the people of Huổi Moi understood the policy and proactively participated in economic development programs, applied new techniques, converted crops and livestock, and improved their lives. Mr. Quàng Văn Hom, thanks to Mr. Sam’s dedicated guidance, boldly changed his production model, combining animal husbandry with wet rice cultivation, earning nearly VND 100 million/year. “If Mr. Sam hadn’t patiently explained, I wouldn’t have dared to borrow capital or change my economic model. He went to every house, spoke in our mother tongue, analyzed carefully, so the villagers could understand the policy and dared to follow it,” Mr. Hom shared.

Mr. Dương and Mr. Sam are just two of hundreds of People’s Council delegates who are village Party cell secretaries or chiefs working day and night to narrow the language gap, helping resolutions become effective. Thanks to the quiet but practical efforts of this contingent, resolutions are no longer distant documents but truly enter life. From their role as “ferrymen,” resolutions not only “cross the river” but also take root and deeply permeate every village and its people. The people not only grasp the guidelines but also voluntarily implement them, turning resolutions into concrete actions, promoting economic development, improving lives, and strengthening trust and connection with the grassroots government.

(to be continued)