Vietnam needs smooth link to expat intellectuals
A prominent Vietnamese-Canadian businessman has raised the notion that Vietnam can make great leaps by accessing the brainpower of retired overseas Vietnamese intellectuals.
“Many of my friends abroad, most of who have now retired, confided in me of their wished to return and work in Vietnam,” said Canadian businessman Phan Thanh, now in his sixties, in an interview with Thanh Nien.
Thanh is now chair of the Overseas Vietnamese Business Association (OVIBA) and CEO of Overseas Vietnamese Investment Company, in partnership with several foreign corporations.
“We are trying to understand why only 200 out of some 300,000 highly qualified Vietnamese have returned to share knowledge in their home country,” Thanh said, blaming it on the government’s failure to contact the right groups.
It is difficult to draw young overseas Vietnamese back home with mere words, he said. Youngsters are unwilling to give up their promising jobs which pay US$8,000-10,000 a month and come back to Vietnam only to receive less than a tenth of that, he added.
Meanwhile, the first generation of Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) that are in their 50’s who were raised in Vietnam and have strong ties to their homeland had now past their prime overseas.
“Western countries focus more on youth than elderly citizens,” he explained.
So, if they were invited to work in Vietnam, “they will be willing to come back, even if they are paid just $1,000 a month,” he added.
“They could live comfortably, materially, and spiritually in their homeland and the country stands to benefit greatly from their intelligence and skills gained overseas without training them,” Thanh said.
Easing visa, housing rules
Thanh said OVIBA had recently submitted to Prime Minister Phan Van Khai a wish list of measures to attract investment from overseas Vietnamese, including facilitating purchase of homes for them in Vietnam and simplifying visa granting procedures.
Enabling expats to buy houses easily would help them feel settled, negating the need for them to buy homes in a local resident or family member’s name as is the current practice, Thanh said.
It would also create a positive psychological impact and strengthen bonds with the nation among the next generations of overseas Vietnamese since they would be encouraged to make more homebound journeys, he said.
“I know a lot of Viet Kieu who have tried to avoid the complicated visa formalities by resorting to ‘services’ offered by tourism agencies, which cost them US$ 50-100,” he said, implying the government needs to speed up visa processing.
“Improving the visa system would be the first step,” he said, “as housing would be the last thing they would think about if they are frustrated just entering the country.”
By Quynh Nhu - Thanh Nien - November 14, 2005.
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