07:01, 13/01/2021

Bringing New Year festive atmosphere to Spratly Islands

Whenever Lunar New Year approaches, ships of the People's Navy, Region 4, head to the Spratly Islands to bring New Year gifts from the mainland to soldiers and residents on the islands...

Whenever Lunar New Year approaches, ships of the People's Navy, Region 4, hurriedly head to the Spratly Islands to bring New Year gifts from the mainland to soldiers and residents on the islands.
 
Four ships, namely Truong Sa 561, Truong Sa 571, KN 490, KN 491) left Cam Ranh Military Port at 16:00 on January 10, carrying New Year gifts and necessities to soldiers and residents on the Spratly Islands.  Since December 2020, the Party Committee and the Naval Headquarters of the Region 4 has focused on policies and measures to ensure logistics service for soldiers and residents on the Spratly Islands to welcome the Lunar New Year 2021; and directed logistics agencies to build plans and cooperate with localities to select and transport goods of the highest quality and at reasonable prices, according to Rear Admiral Ngo Van Thuan, Political Commissar of the Navy, Region 4.
 
 

 

Loading New Year gifts onboard.
Loading New Year gifts onboard.

 

 

 

 
Under the direction to assure sufficient necessities and New Year gifts for soldiers and residents on the Spratly Islands, the Navy, Region 4 has made plans to choose items from safe sources with good quality and at reasonable prices. The brigade has surveyed reputable businesses for the purchase of the items. The purchase contracts clearly define the quantity, quality, origin, price, packaging, delivery and means of transport to ensure product standards and avoid year-end price surge. Despite the impact of the outbreaks of livestock diseases, the Navy’s Brigade 146 has tried to ensure the supply of meat such as pork and poultry for those on the islands during Tet.
 
“Providing sufficient food, necessities and New Year gifts for people for soldiers and residents on the Spratly Islands is not only the responsibility but also the great concern and affection of the Party, the State and people for soldiers and residents on the far-off islands. Therefore, the Party Committee and  the headquarters of the Brigade confirms this is an important duty to bring a warm traditional New Year festive atmosphere to soldiers and residents on the Spratly Islands,” said Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Luong Xuan Giap, Political Commissar of the Navy’s Brigade 146.
 
This year, the mission is going to give 6-8 pigs to each cay and 1-2 pigs, nearly 100kg each, to each underwater shoal on the Spratley Islands. Earlier, the pigs had been purchased from reputable poultry businesses. According to Major Nguyen Thanh Phong, Chief of Military Supply Division, Logistics Division, Naval Brigade 146, the pigs had been transported to the unit's barn 15 days before the trip to help them get used to the new living condition to ensure their safety during transportation. At the same time, the unit has coordinated with the Institute of Veterinary Research & Development of Central Vietnam and local veterinary agencies to disinfect barns and sample to prevent diseases in pigs before being transported to the islands.
 
In addition, all New Year holiday necessities such as sticky rice, green beans, pork rolls, noodles, dry bamboo sprouts, candies, pork, chicken, beef and vegetables were carefully packaged and arranged onboard to assure safety during the long trip.
 
The marine trip is expected to experience challenges due to rough sea. Therefore, cadres and soldiers on the trip are required to have high responsibility as well as good health and resilience to get through the rough environment. Experienced staff was chosen to take the duty with the determination to ensure New Year gifts safely reach the people and soldiers on the islands, according to Senior lieutenant-colonel Luong Xuan Giap.
 
Together with the New Year celebration supplies, the Naval Brigade 146 has also requested for the effort to overcome difficulties and productivity boost on islands to ensure food sources available on the islands during the Lunar New Year’s holiday.
 
Speaking at the departure ceremony, Nguyen Tan Tuan, Permanent Deputy Secretary of Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, on behalf of the Party Committee, Government and people in the province in general and Truong Sa District in particular thanked the Ministry of Defense, the People's Navy; and the Naval Headquarters of the Region 4 for the special concern for soldiers and residents on the Spratly Islands and wished the residents and soldiers a happy new year while fulfilling assigned tasks with achievements in honor of the 13th National Party Congress.
 
The Anh
Translated by N.T