Chapter 686

March 20, after Lu Fan's coordination, Deputy Provincial Governor Zhang Rongqiu led a team to Nanling Province for inspection, to learn Secretary Hong Tao's successful experience in medical reform.

Before departure, Lu Fan specifically instructed Zhang Rongqiu that he must definitely bring back the skill of 'cat climbing trees', so that the grassland's 'Medical Reform Plan' can be improved.

Currently, the positions of Haiwu Municipal Party Committee Secretary, Provincial Development and Reform Commission Director, Hetao Municipal Party Committee Secretary, and other important posts are vacant, all in an acting capacity, with the acting appointees all designated by Lu Fan.

On March 21, the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, Provincial Health Commission, Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau jointly with the Provincial High People's Court organized the province's medical system to watch the public trial of Zhao Hong, director of Qingcheng City Hospital, suspected of bribery and unexplained huge wealth, a 'zero-distance', 'face-to-face' revisit of the sanctity and dignity of law, bringing a vivid rule-of-law journey to the medical and health system.

Defendant Zhao Hong, taking advantage of his position as hospital party branch secretary and director, although he knew that Wang Mou et al., 15 people, had requests for favors in purchasing medical consumables and equipment, undertaking projects, and promotions, still, by making decisions and greeting subordinates, sought benefits for others, illegally accepting money amounting to over 200 million yuan, receiving 100 houses and 100 parking spaces, and was sentenced to death!

The courtroom was solemn and orderly. The procedures of court investigation, evidence presentation and cross-examination, and court debate were rigorous and orderly, with prosecution and defense fully stating their opinions around the case's focal points. The whole trial was clear-cut, tightly linked, and smooth, reenacting how the defendant step by step broke through the 'bottom line', crossed the 'red line', slid into the abyss of crime, and embarked on the road of no return.

After the trial ended, the various sub-venues discussed the case. Medical staff widely expressed that watching the trial via video left a deep impression and they benefited greatly, a vivid and soul-shaking anti-corruption education class,

Zhao Hong is a typical corrupt official case; he started as an idealistic and ambitious doctor, step by step slid into the abyss of sin, degenerating into a shameless, bottomless corrupt element. He used his power and position to frenetically amass wealth for himself, ultimately sentenced to death and having all his property confiscated. Such an outcome is self-inflicted and justly deserved!

At the same time, Zhao Hong's corruption also sounded an alarm for everyone: the heavenly net is vast, though sparse, it lets nothing slip; do not reach out, for reaching out will surely be caught!

On March 25, Lu Fan invited Provincial Governor Luo Shiyu to the office to discuss cadre adjustments, with Organization Department Head Shang Youyang participating.

After everyone arrived, Lu Fan said: 'Governor Luo, today let's sum up the pre-term personnel adjustments; there are many important posts vacant now, and some comrades need to step down. On this, I have an idea: increase the rotation intensity between provincial-level departments and cities/counties to mobilize everyone's work enthusiasm, as staying too long in one place easily breeds corruption.'

Luo Shiyu replied: 'Important posts should indeed not remain vacant for long. I recall that last year the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government issued a document, the 'Interim Measures for the Exchange and Rotation of Bureau-level Leading Cadres and Key Post Division-level Leading Cadres', which clearly stipulates that those who have served in the same position for ten years should be exchanged; for deputy leaders of important posts who have served in the same position for five years, they should be exchanged or have their work assignments adjusted. For division-level leading cadres in key posts such as discipline inspection and law enforcement, cadre personnel, auditing, project approval, and fund management who have served five years in the same position, rotation is mandatory. Many have already exceeded this limit and should be adjusted.'

Lu Fan nodded and said to Shang Youyang: 'Organization Department, report on the vacant post situation and the status of division-level and above leading cadres who have reached retirement age this year.'

Shang Youyang opened his notebook and reported: 'Secretary, Governor, the currently vacant bureau-level posts include the Haiwu Municipal Party Committee Secretary, the Hetao Municipal Party Committee Secretary, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Provincial Justice Department……'

The vacant division-level deputy posts include the Deputy Director of the Finance Department, the Deputy Director of the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Department……

The bureau-level leading cadres who have reached retirement age this year include the Director of the Education Department, the Director of the Civil Affairs Department, the Director of the Transportation Department……

The division-level and provincial-managed section-level cadres who have reached retirement age include……

After listening to the report, Lu Fan said: 'Youyang, refer to the Measures and list out the posts that should be adjusted; I will discuss them together with the Governor.'

Shang Youyang immediately stood up and said: 'Okay, Secretary, I'll go handle it now!'

After the person left, Lu Fan said: 'Governor Luo, regarding the Haiwu Municipal Party Committee Secretary, the Hetao Municipal Party Committee Secretary, and the Provincial Development and Reform Commission Director, we have no objections; they have done well, and my opinion is to finalize them as soon as possible.'

Luo Shiyu nodded and said: 'I have no problem with that; concerning the Justice Department Director, I want to recommend Deputy Director Jia Xutao, who, after the Justice Department's 'nest case', is the only member of the leadership team without problems, a cadre who can stand scrutiny.'

Lu Fan after a brief consideration said: 'The Justice Department is an important component of the provincial government; its leadership selection is brewed by the provincial government, you just need to inform the Organization Department. Governor Luo, I plan to let Haiwu Municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary Wen Chaozhi serve as Education Department Director; what do you think?'

Luo Shiyu thought and replied: 'That way, the Haiwu municipal mayor and municipal Party Committee deputy secretary would both be vacant, and they need to be filled before the term ends. Provincial Government Deputy Secretary-General Ma Long is politically steadfast, ideologically solid, and of sound work style; his qualifications and abilities are unproblematic. Could he be considered as a candidate for Haiwu mayor?'

Lu Fan considered and would agree; he could not assign all posts to his own people, for balance is the key, and he also does not have that many usable individuals, given that he has been in the grasslands for less than a year, many leading cadres are still under observation, to avoid improper appointments.

According to relevant regulations, the leading collective or individual, the primary nominating responsibility bearer shall bear corresponding responsibility for the nomination act; any violation in nomination or erroneous nomination shall, according to relevant regulations, incur responsibility for the primary nominating responsibility bearer.

This measure ties the interests of the cadres making nominations to their own gains and losses, prompting those with nomination power to strengthen responsibility awareness, prudently exercise their power, to avoid nominators engaging in favor-based nominations, promise-based nominations, forced nominations, or power-money transaction nominations, etc., effectively preventing cadres from 'bringing illness to the post'.

The primary nominating responsibility system makes the nominator feel embarrassed, and in some sense even unfair. If the nominee's problems are widely known, yet one still forcibly nominates, the nominator being held responsible is natural and not unjust. However, some cadres have hidden issues before an incident occurs; the nominator can only see their strengths and cannot know all circumstances inside out.

Therefore, nominating cadres is a double-edged sword; it must be used cautiously.

They talked for a full three hours, yet on the rotation issue they still generated some disagreement, failing to reach consensus.

Lu Fan's idea is a 'two-eight split', because he still needs to coordinate and consider the use of personnel in several standing committee departments of the Provincial Party Committee on this side.

But Luo Shiyu got stuck at a 'three-seven split', wanting to secure a few more 'slots' for the provincial government. She also has her difficulties: if she cannot place her subordinates in important posts, people's hearts will scatter and the team will be hard to lead.

In the face of interests, human nature is laid bare to the fullest. The manifestation of power is how many important posts you can arrange; the more important posts you can control, the more they become extensions of political power and influence, and fighting for every inch of territory is also human nature.

Lu Fan was not discouraged; as the old saying goes, 'matters handled slowly become round, words spoken slowly become complete, a calm mind brings peace.'

If a talk fails once, then ease up; next time discuss calmly, and in the end agreement will surely be reached.

Thus, personnel adjustments will come in first batch, second batch… those with consensus are adjusted first, those with disagreement are set aside.

On April 1, the Provincial Party Committee convened a standing committee meeting, conveying the spirit of the superior Discipline Inspection Commission meeting, studying the implementation of opinions for the Grasslands Province, reviewing the 'Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee 2027 Work Priorities' and the '2027 Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee Meeting Agenda Plan', and also studying other matters. Provincial Party Committee Deputy Secretary Lu Fan chaired the meeting.

At the meeting, Lu Fan emphasized that the superior Discipline Inspection Commission's banner is bright, its stance firm, it clears away turbidity and promotes clarity, it shakes the deaf and awakens the dull, demonstrating the resolute will of comprehensive strict Party governance, embodying lofty Party character and sense of responsibility; it is another programmatic document for resolutely opposing corruption and building clean politics in the new situation. The entire province must study it earnestly, comprehend it deeply, and implement it resolutely. Persist in striking both 'tigers' and 'flies' together, and constantly maintain high-pressure anti-corruption efforts without relaxation.

When studying personnel work, Organization Department Head Shang Youyang reported on the vacant posts and nomination candidates.

Fu Yujie presiding over Haiwu Municipal Party Committee work, Li Peilin presiding over Hetao Municipal Party Committee work, Liu Xianhao presiding over Provincial Development and Reform Commission work, and Jia Xutao presiding over Justice Department work; the four's assumption-of-office meetings were unanimously approved.

The Provincial Government Deputy Secretary-General Ma Long taking office as Haiwu municipal mayor encountered no disagreement, but Haiwu Municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary Wen Chaozhi serving as Education Department Director caused some disagreement. Deputy Provincial Governor Gu Yunhao proposed that the Education Department Director has not yet reached retirement age, and we should give senior comrades the opportunity to guard their final post; we cannot simply remove someone just to make room, can we? Doing so would be somewhat immoral!

Organization Department Head Shang Youyang explained: 'His resignation was his own proposal, due to health reasons……'

Lu Fan interrupted: 'The key to governance is obtaining talent. The Regulations on Cadre Selection and Appointment Work have added the content: 'career first, post-person match, person-affairs suitability.' Each work post, in a specific period, has special tasks, and the quality requirements for incumbents vary.'