Decree of the Prime Minister on the Organization of the Science, Technology and Environment Office

Lao People's Democratic Republic Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity Prime Minister's Office DECREE OF THE PRIME MINISTER ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT OFFICE No. 63/PM Based on the Constitution of the Lao PDR; Pursuant to the Resolution No. 09/PS~ dated 7/7/1992, on the adoption of the government's structures; Based on the requirements for scientific. technological and environmental development; The Prime Minister decrees: CHAPTER 1 Position and Role Article 1: The Science, Technology and Environment Office (STENO) is an organization under the management of the Prime Ministers Office, which role is to serve as staff to the Government in the research, management, development and use of science, technology and environmental management. CHAPTER II Mandate Article 2: The Science, Technology and Environment Office has the following tasks : 2.1 Study and elaborate the guidelines, policy programs and policies of the Party and the Government into plans, projects, provisions, regulations and laws pertaining to science, technology and environment for submission to the superior authorities for promulgation and for promulgation by itself as assigned. 2.2 Study, select or adjust international progressive sciences and technologies to the actual conditions of our country for the national socio economic development. 2.3 Organize, promote, establish required conditions for local scientific, technological and environmental research. 2.4 Control, inspect, provide opinions and recommendations to work units conducting operations in the field of science, technology (including standard, measurement activities) and environment. Organize the registration of local scientific and technological research. 2.5 Receive proposals, complaints and' application from various parties and the population on scientific, technological (including standardization and measurement) and environmental issues for consideration. 2.6 Organize the scientific, technological and environmental dissemination and services throughout the country. Study rules and principles in certifying and awarding inventors, scientists, researchers, etc. in the fields of science, technology and environment. 2.7 Train and upgrade science, technolegy and environment staffs throughout the country. 2.8 Contact and cooperate with foreign and international organizations to obtain experiences, financial assistance and scientific technological exchanges based on the principles outlined by the Government or as assigned by the Government. 2.9 Manage and use its own staffs and guarantee their interest in accordance with the laws and regulations promulgated by the Government. 2.10 Organize and manage plans, projects, financial budgets, equipment, vehicles and others within its own sector. 2.11 Study and promulgate regulations and its work methods, namely internal management rules, organizational structures, positions, total personnel in terms of permanent staffs (exclusive of eontract personnel and daily workers) and others. 2 2.12 Monitor, encourage and establish favorable conditions for the implementation of the plans and activities of units under its management. Article 3: The Science, Technology and Environment Office has the following rights : 3.1 Coordinate with sectors, localities, grassroots and otber parties involved in the study and management of scientific, technological and environmental activities and gathering of data on natural resources as basis for study and planning; in the establishment of units working on sciences, technology and environment within such sectors as deemed necessary. 3.2 Promulgate regulations, provisions, recommendations and convene conferences on science, technology and environment in accordance with its role. 3.3 Certify and award inventors, scientists, researchers, etc. in the field of science, technology and environment as assigned. 3.4 Control, inspect, evaluate, warn, certify and suspend activities sending negative scientific, technological and environmental impacts in accordance with its role. 3.5 Authorize the importation of technology for introduction and application within the country by parties and sectors as assigned. Review environmental conditions and technological registration prior to the establishment of factories and other operations. 3.6 Participate and express opinions in Government and sectoral meetings on issues pertaining to science, technology and environment, as well as other issues. 3.7 Cooperate, negotiate, enter contracts, protocols, memorandums, etc. with foreign and international organizations based on the laws and regulations of the Government. 3.8 Establish, dissolve, strengthen-and modify work units under its management. 3.9 Appoint, transfer, remove, promote, punish and implement other policies towards its staffs of different levels. 3.10 Temporarily recruit experts or labor when necessary and establish a science award fund to promote civil servants 0 exert creativity in various fields. 3.11 Manage and use the budget and technical revenues as allocated by the Government. CHAPTER III Leading Body, Assisting Apparatus and Organizational Structures Article 4: Policy guidelines leadership 4.1 The leadership by the Science, Technology andEnvironment Office includes 1 Chairperson appointed by thePrime Minister, whose responsibility is to manage, organize and implement the policy guidelines of the Party and the Government on scientific, technological and environmental activities, and for the success and shortcomings in the office ' s activities. The Chairperson is responsible for the whole Sciences, Technology and Environment Office, signs documents and liaise with the Government. In case of impediment or absence for distanced mission, the chairperson shall assign his authority to a deputy Chairperson to act on his behalf. 4.2 The Science, Technology and Environment Office has a number of deputy chairperson appointed by the Prime Minister. The deputy chairpersons of the Office assist the chairperson in managing and implementing the guidelines, policy programs and policies of the Party and the Government. They are also responsible for specific activities as assigned by the chairperson. Article 5: Professional leadership. 5.1 The professional leadership includes the Directors and Deputy Director of the Office, departments, institutes and centers appointed by the chairperson based on determined qualification and professional standards. 4 The main tasks of such professional leaders is to assist the chairperson and deputy chairpersons in the management and implementation of the professional activities and are directly responsible for the success and shortcoming of such activities within their departments. 5.2 Under the cabinet, departments, institutes and centers, divisions, units, centers, stations, work units and projects as required may be established. 5.3 Leaders of divisions, units, centers, institutes, work units and projects are nominated and appointed by the Directors of the Cabinet, departments, institutes, centers based on determined criteria. The man tasks of heads and deputies of such divisions, units, centers, stations, work units and projects are to assist in directing the cabinet, departments, institutes and centers to successfully implement their professional tasks as assigned by their superiors. Article 6: Staffs within the Science, Technology and Environment Office. 6.1 Staffs include professional and administrative civil servants. Such staffs are assigned positions based on the requirements of the cabinet, departments, institutes, centers, divisions, units, stations, work units and projects. 6.2 Directors of cabinet, departments, institutes and centers select staffs to assign to divisions, units, centers, stations, work units and projects based on the criteria and positions provided in the regulations f the Science, Technology and Environment Office for consideration of their assignment. 6.3 The main tasks of these two types of staffs is to implement activities. included in plans and as assigned by their superiors. Article 7: Organizational Structures. 7.1 The organizational structures of the Science, Technology and Environment Office include : 7.1.1 Cabinet: 5 Manage, administer, compile, monitor, encourage, control, inspect, plan, finance, accounting infrastructure, secretariat, organization and training of personnel, implementation of policies, defense and external relations; receive and consider requests, complaints pertaining 0 scientific, technological and environmental issues for consideration and settlement. 7.1.2 Environment Department: Study and outline policies, provisions and regulations, management, control and dissemination in view of protecting natural resources; protection and settlement of environmental issues throughout the country. 7.1.3 Intellectual property, standard and measurement department: Study provisions and regulations, manage, control and disseminate in the field of intellectual property, standards and m.easurement. Register intellectual properties which include trade marks, patents, contracts related to authorized use, etc. Establish and control standards related to production of commodities and measurement devices in terms of weight, length, volume and others. 7.1.4 Science service center: Study and service computers, data, information, libraries and others pertaining to sciences and technology. 7.1.5 Science and Technology Research Institute: Study and select international progressive sciences and technologies or adjusted to the conditions of our country for introduction in the national socio-economic development. Organize, promote, establish factors and conditions for scientific and technological research, while registering such local activities. Study, outline science and technology policies, provisions and regulations; control, inspect, provide opinions and recommendations to work units conducting scientific and technological operations, and gather scientific-technical statistics throughout the society. 7.2 Departments, institutes and centers belonging to the Science, Technology and Environment Office may establish their branches in the form of centers, stations, work units or projects to study the actual conditions of each locality. 7.3 The size and organizational structures of the cabinet, departments, institutes, centers, divisions, units, stations, work units and projects shall be considered by the Science, Technology and environment 6 Office as appropriate to ensure the implementation of all strategic guidelines, policy programs, policies and duties assigned by the Party Central Committee and the Government. 7.4 The improvement, modification ofthe Science, Technology and Environment Office's organizational structures, including local branches, in addition to the provisions of this Decree, shall be considered and approved by the Government. 7.5 Science-Technique Council. The Science-Technique Council is an organization established to assist the Government in outlining science and technology policy guidelines, and to decide the award of scientific titles. The Science Technology Council is composed of scientists from various sectors throughout the country. The Chairperson of the Science, Technology and Environment Office is the Chairperson of the Science-Technique Council; The Science, Technology and Environment Office shall serve as pennanent office for the Science-Technique Council. The role, rights and duties of the Science-Technique Council shall be provided separately. CHAPTER IV Work Methods Article 8: The Science, Technology and Environment Office shall operate and work on the basis of the following principles : 8.1 System of sole leader in accordance with the management decentralization system based on centralized democracy and collective guidance. Clear division of work within the collective and at all levels, while assigning certain and reasonable decision making authority over internal issues at each level and to each person. 8.2 The activities and operation of the Science, Technology and environment Office shall be performed under the guidance of the strategic guidelines, policy programs and general policies outlined the Party Central Committee and the Government, namelyin the field of science, technology and environment. 8.3 Based on the strategy, policy program and policies as mentioned in 8.2 above, the Science, Technology and Environment Office shall outline its long term, annual and periodical plans which shall be the 7 starting point for all activities throughout the science, technology and environment systems. 8.4 Macro level management through control, monitoring an organizations under its management at the national level in relation with the implementation -ofguidelines, policy. programs-and-policies outlined by the Party Central Committee and the Government, as well as the implementation of the Science, Technology and Environment Office's plans and projects. 8.S Strict compliance to the regime of meetings and report, namely for weekly review meetings. Monthly meetings of the leading level of the Science, Technology and Environment Office (including the Director of Cabinet, Directors ofDepartments, Institutes, Centers, experts) and of various levels. Such meetings shall review and assess the implementation of activities and operations for the performance of various organizations' tasks, and evaluate the results: Each meeting shall be recorded then reported to the Government. CHAPTER V Final Provisions Article 9: The Science, Technology and Environment Office, cabinet, departments, institutes, centers and units are authorized to have their own seal is deemed necessary for official use. Article 10 : The Science, Technology and Environment Office is entrusted to elaborate detailed provisions and regulations for the cabinet, departments, institutes, centers and the Science-Technique Council. Article 11 : The Prime Minister's Office, ministries, agencies, provinces and the Municipality shall acknowledge and strictly comply to the Decree. Article 12 : This Decree is effective from the day it is signed. All formerly issued provisions and regulations inconsistent to this Decree are superseded. Vientiane, 10 April 1993 Prime Minister Lao People's Democratic Republic Khamtay Siphandone 8