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Lao vice president vows to strengthen anti-corruption campaign

Xinhua, April 20, 2017 Adjust font size:

Lao Vice President Phankham Viphavanh has warned that organization directors will be dismissed if it is proved that their organizations or people under their supervision are corrupt.

The vice president said the move was to prevent corruption from escalating and to create public trust of the leadership of the Party and government, Lao News Agency (KPL) reported Thursday.

"The secretariat of the Party Central Committee has strengthened corruption prevention and suppression measures by making a decision that those who serve as directors of government organizations shall be responsible for any corruption committed in their organizations," said the vice president.

"If this problem (corruption) remains unaddressed, it will have effects on the leading role of the Party and the national security... if corruption and power abuse occur in any organizations, their heads must play a leading role in tackling the problem. If they fail to address it, they would be considered for removal from the post," said the vice president.

"If a ghost project - a fake project - is invented, the director of the organization that invents such a ghost project must first be punished. We will observe this rule from today onwards," said the vice president.

Last year, Lao Ministry of Finance's Inspection Department revealed findings in a report that more than 785.8 billion Lao kip (around 96 million U.S. dollars) had been spent on 60 so-called "ghost projects" schemes for which money has been budgeted but did not actually exist.

Of the total, 29 such projects were discovered in northern Luang Namtha province, 26 projects in northern Oudomxay province, three projects in southern Sekong province and two others in southern Attapeu province. Endit