VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Health has suspended Hoang Thuy Tien, deputy head of its Food Hygiene and Safety Department, for his involvement in granting an award to mono-sodium-glutamate maker Vedan last week.

The Taiwanese invested firm has become notorious since last year after it was found to have been discharging huge amounts of untreated effluents into a river for more than 15 years through underground pipes.

The southern Dong Nai Province based company was listed as one of the recipients of awards granted to the "Top 100 Products for Community Health 2009" recently.

Tien, who was deputy chairman of the awarding committee, had affixed his signature on award certificates for three products of the company, sparking dismay and anger among the public and those directly affected by the company’s actions.

The award was presented last week by the Southern Office of the Ministry of Science and Technology in co-operation with the Quality and Trademark Development Centre.

The Ministry of Science and Technology had called for individuals and organisations involved in the case to be punished.

Under pressure from the public to withdraw the certificates, the awarding committee organised a pressing meeting on Tuesday to explain the issue, saying Tien had signed on the certificates before the awardees’ names had been printed.

Nguyen Thi Sinh, director of the Quality and Trademark Development Centre, also said lists of enterprises to be given the award were not revealed when the certificates had been sent to Tien to get his signature.

Sinh said the names of Vedan’s three products had been nominated for the awards, but rejected on environmental grounds. However, an oversight by staff members had caused them to be included in the certificates, she said.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

 

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