Members of the National Assembly have been asked to reach out to more people in remote areas, and bring their issues of concern forward so that solutions can be sought.
Despite praising the NA for its strong performance, President of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Dr Phandouangchit Vongsa representing the organisation, other mass and civil organisations and the Lao public, pointed out various shortcomings, asking the NA to try and work them out.
Dr Phandouangchit told the ongoing third ordinary session of the NA yesterday that its members have not reached out enough to ethnic people living in remote areas of the country.
He said that during their visits to villages, NA members have not focused on learning about issues of concern among local people. They have instead given talks on what the Party and state leaders are doing.
Dr Phandouangchit said NA members have not been sufficiently active in bringing people's issues to the attention of the relevant sectors, as reflected by the fact that rural people repeatedly raise the same issues and concerns when they call the NA.
“These same issues have been repeatedly raised via the hotline at every ordinary session of the NA,” Dr Phandouangchit said.
The LFNC, mass and civil organisations have learnt that some investment projects have affected the environmental and living conditions of rural people and some have encroached on their land. They have suggested the NA look into the issue, saying such developments go against the Party's guidelines.
In some cases, government officials and even some NA members have themselves manoeuvred to take over land occupied by local people, which is against the law, Dr Phandouangchit said, reiterating the need to address such problems.
“People have put these issues to government agencies at each level, and to NA members. But some members don't dare to comment on higher level officials and do not forward these concerns to the relevant sectors,” he said.
The fact that such shortcomings remain is believed to be linked with the fact that less influential NA members in some constituencies find it hard to get the attention of the relevant sectors in cooperating to address these issues, the LFNC, mass and civil organisations have recognised.
In addition, inspection by the NA regarding law enforcement is still limited and has not been carried out systematically, Dr Phandouangchit said.
The comments and suggestions have been made in line with the Law on National Assembly Inspection, where Article 8 stipulates that the LFNC, mass and civil organisations and the Lao people have the right to inspect the NA's sessions, and the performance of the NA's members and bodies.
