>> Cinema department heads resign after USD2 million fraud case
>> 17th film festival sets to open despite massive fraud
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will carefully consider before selecting a new director for the Cinema Department.
 |
| Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huynh Vinh Ai |
Deputy Minister Huynh Vinh Ai in a recent interview with DTiNews spoke of the ministrie\'s reluctance to rush to find a new head after it was revealed that some VND36.8 billion (USD1.76 million) of department funding had gone missing.
Department counts the cost
Following the discovery of the missing finances, department Director Lai Van Sinh and Deputy Director Le Ngoc Minh both tendered their resignations.
The ministry has established an investigative agency to work with the department to get to the bottom of the missing millions. Many artists believe the department’s director and deputy director should be held responsible because of their lax management, and there are increased calls for further investigation.
According to the findings of the preliminary investigation, Pham Thanh Hai, the department\'s chief accountant falsified documents in order to withdraw VND36.8 billion. As soon as the case broke, Hai fled on May 25.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security is working with Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant for Hai.
New deputy director appointed
 |
| Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan |
Deputy Minister Ai said that the ministry has decided to assign Dr. Le Phuong Lan of the ministry’s Department of International Cooperation as Deputy Director of the Cinema Department, beginning from September 20.
Lan worked at 20 years at the Cinema Department, the deputy minister said, adding that it was impossible to say for sure that she would become the permanent department director later.
Ai said, “The loss of the VND36.8 billion will push the department into a serious shortage of funds, but it is a major lesson for it.”
According to the deputy minister, the ministry will still hold the 17th film festival in Phu Yen Province this December despite the loss, and preparations are already under way.
He noted that the investigative agencies would continue working on the case. After receiving an official report, the ministry will consider the futures of Mr. Sinh and Mr. Minh.
Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan was born in 1963 into an artistic family. After graduating from the faculty of cinema criticism in Russia, she returned to Vietnam and worked in the cinema industry. She has a long career in cinema and has written in both Vietnamese and English on the subject.
Vietnamese film Don’t burn
