3:03:19 PM | 13/10/2008
Mr Nguyen Ngoc My, a Vietnamese-Australian businessman, is now operating 12 companies in the fields of construction, trade, entertainment and technology in Vietnam. His achievements are built on continuous efforts in working and learning.
His goal is to further promote the contribution of Viet Kieu (Overseas Vietnamese) communities to the homeland’s economic development. A VIB Forum correspondent interviewed him on the matter:
Being among the first overseas Vietnamese to repatriate following the government’s call, could you talk about the difficulties as well as advantages in the first phase?
In 1986, the State started a policy of openness. This is a good opportunity for overseas Vietnamese to return home and bring advanced technologies and science learning from foreign nations to serve the country’s economic development.
I came back home in 1992 as an executive member of the Australian Commercial council. In 1993, I started my first work in the homeland as an advisor of the Ministry of Construction.
I also applied for a license to establish the VABIS Construction Company, which aimed to train and transfer technologies and advance techniques for Vietnam Construction Technology School No. 7, and give construction advisory and supporting services (like interior decoration, electricity and water instalment) for buildings, embassies and resorts in Vietnam at that time.
Besides some certain advantages, we also faced many difficulties arising from the budding reform process such as complex administrative procedures and incomplete assistance policies. However, I foresaw such difficulties, and strived to overcome them gradually.
You have offered an initiative on “combination between trade and output services” at a meeting of the Overseas Vietnamese Club. What do you think of Overseas Vietnamese contribution to the country’s trade development?
Although the State’s policy to call for inbound investment is a good idea, I found it difficult to implement because of obstacles in living and working conditions. Most Overseas Vietnamese, who had been successful in foreign nations thanks to their capacity and equal competitive environment, did not find a suitable job or status in Vietnam. Despites many priorities given by the government, they still failed. Thus, I thought instead of returning to Vietnam to do business, Overseas Vietnamese could contribute to the homeland’s economic development through cooperating with or supporting domestic traders.
Overseas Vietnamese are in fact the best counsellors because they are well-informed about the foreign localities where they are living in. Therefore, they could help domestic exporters and importers in distributing and purchasing products.
Currently, there are Overseas Vietnamese communities in 70 nations and territories around the world.
You have lived and worked in Australia for a long time. What similarities do the two nation’s businessmen share?
Australia is a multi-cultural nation. Their experts and labourers are all skilled. The Vietnamese should promoted diplomatic and economic ties with the country.
Vietnam and Australia share more similar customs as compared to other nations in Europe and America. The similarity of weather conditions also impacts businessmen’s culture.
It takes only eight hours to fly to Australia. It is possible to say that, culturally, Australia has a lot in common with Vietnam. The foreign country is certainly an equal environment for all businessmen to perform their ability.
Phan Thanh
Vietnamese
