On November 30, Vietnam’s state-controlled media simultaneously reported that Nguyen Van Trinh, an assistant of Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, was arrested in connection with the Viet A test kit scandal. According to accusations from the investigating agency, he took advantage of his working position, intervened, and influenced units and individuals at the Ministry of Health so that Viet A could be granted a registration number for the circulation of the test kit. Mr. Nguyen Van Trinh was arrested for the crime of “abusing positions and powers while performing official duties” specified in Clause 3, Article 356 of the Criminal Code.
Previously, in December 2018, then Prime Minister Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc appointed Mr. Nguyen Van Trinh as an assistant of Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam who is a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)’s Central Committee.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has announced that its Investigation Police Agency has found that Mr. Nguyen Van Trinh has taken advantage of his working position to interfere with and influence units and responsible individuals at the Ministry of Health for Viet A Company to be granted a circulation registration number of the Covid-19 test kit in contravention of the law, helping Viet A Company to sell Covid-19 test kit products for localities, causing particularly serious damage to the state property.
Mr. Vu Duc Dam is Deputy Prime Minister assigned to be in charge of ministries: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information and Communication, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism , Ministry of Labor – Invalids and Social Affairs. It is worth mentioning that from November 5, 2019, Mr. Dam concurrently held the position of Minister of Health and then transferred it to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long from July 7, 2020.
In addition, Mr. Vu Duc Dam is also the Head of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control from January 30, 2020. On August 24, 2021, Mr. Dam had to transfer this position to Mr. Pham Minh Chinh because he did not complete the task. That is the information that the Central Government has not revealed. Suddenly, on the last day of November 2022, Mr. Vu Duc Dam’s close assistant was arrested. This makes people think that the Viet A fire is coming to the door of Mr. Vu Duc Dam’s house.
Having his assistant involved in Viet A, as a Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Ministry of Health and once a Minister of Health as well as the Head of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 prevention and control, Mr. Dam could not deny his responsibilities. It is impossible for his subordinates to do wrong in the field he is responsible without his knowledge. Usually, what subordinates violate, the boss must know well, and even mastery for the subordinate to do. If Mr. Vu Duc Dam did not know that Mr. Nguyen Van Trinh was wrong, then Mr. Dam still committed the crime of “lack of responsibility, causing serious consequences.” If Mr. Dam knew and allowed his subordinates to do wrong, then Mr. Dam would be guilty of “deliberately doing wrong.” Either way, Mr. Dam must be guilty. Only thing is when Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong will handle it.
So far, there have been two Deputy Prime Ministers who let their assistants do bad things. The first is the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister – Pham Binh Minh, who let his assistant, Mr. Nguyen Quang Linh, be involved in the rescue flight. Mr. Linh was arrested on September 18. And now Mr. Vu Duc Dam’s assistant Nguyen Van Trinh got involved in Viet A.
It seems that Mr. Vu Duc Dam’s career is facing turbulence. As a Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Ministry of Health, having served as a Minister of Health and also as Head of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control but failed to fulfill his duties, it is clear that his mistakes Nguyen Van Trinh is the mistake of Mr. Vu Duc Dam.
The Viet A fire flared up again, and Mr. Trong brought a fiery furnace right in front of Mr. Dam’s door. It is unclear how Mr. Vu Duc Dam will cope with this. Let’s see.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
