Governor Nikolai Sherstnev introduced the new deputy Vladimir Penin

Region Governor Nikolay Sherstnev introduced his new deputy, Vladimir Penin, to the heads of the regional executive committee departments. The President of Belarus recently approved his appointment.

 

Vladimir Petrovich began his career in 1983 in the Vitebsk region, in the Shumilino district. In the late 1990s – early 2000s, he held positions as assistant to the chairman and then as manager of affairs of the regional executive committee. He was then transferred to Minsk, where he headed departments of regional policy, and most recently, the department for work with citizens' and legal entities' appeals of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus.

 

"I am glad, and I think my feelings are shared by everyone, that Vladimir Petrovich has returned to the regional executive committee team. The experience gained in the Administration of the President of Belarus will help him cope with his new job. And it is a big job ahead," noted Nikolay Sherstnev.

 

Vladimir Penin will be responsible for the social sphere, which, despite the difficult times, must develop. The Chairman of the regional executive committee directed his deputy's attention to the main areas: education, healthcare, and culture. In each sector, it is necessary to optimize costs and direct the saved funds to strengthen the material and technical base and increase salaries. In particular, the quality of school education needs to be improved so that graduates can enter universities without tutors. The vocational education system requires optimization.

Today, graduates of some colleges and lyceums are not in demand, while at the same time there is a shortage of specialists in agriculture who can operate modern equipment. We need to think about how to stimulate enrollment in agricultural educational institutions and increase their prestige.

There are quite a few problems in healthcare. There are long-term construction projects that lack funding to complete. It is necessary, according to Nikolai Sherstnev, to identify priority facilities rather than scattering efforts on everything.

 

– You will have to solve many current issues, but you need to identify the main directions and focus on them, – emphasized the head of the region, presenting Vladimir Penin with his service ID.

 

– Returning to service in Vitebsk was my conscious decision, and I thank the President of Belarus and the leadership of the regional executive committee for their support. Where will I start? There will be no drastic changes, but a progressive movement forward and transformations, headed by solving the pressing problems of people, which will affect all structures: education, healthcare, and culture, – said Vladimir Penin.

 

Tatyana Pasternak, photos by Anton Stepanishchev, "Vitebskiye vesti".