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(1) Secretary-1 inspects Maha Bandoola Bridge construction project, construction of Maha Thandithukha Budadha Sasana Building
YANGON, 2 Aug - Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt inspected construction of Maha Bandoola Bridge and Maha Thandithukha Buddha Sasana Building this afternoon and gave instructions to officials.
Accompanied by officials of the Office of the State Peace and Development Council, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt arrived at construction site of Maha Bandoola Bridge in Pazundaung Township at 1 pm today.
They were welcomed there by member of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, Deputy Minister for Construction Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint, Deputy Minister for Transport Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint, heads of department, members of district and township Peace and Development Councils and officials.
Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint and officials of Public Works briefed the Secretary-1 on facts about the Maha Bandoola Bridge Project, work being carried out and progress of work, Managing Director of Myanma Electric Power Enterprise U Yan Naing on-removal of the pylons which were in the areas of the construction project, Secretary of Yangon City Development Committee Col Myint Aung on removal of the buildings which were in the areas of the approach road and resettlement and Director-General of Waterways Department U Pe Than on waterways and maintenance of Pazundaung Creek.
The Secretary-l gave instructions. Then, the Secretary-1 inspected progress of work of the project on Pazundaung side, axis of approach road and Maha Bandoola Complex project.
Secretary-l Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt also inspected progress of work on the Dawbon side of the creek.
Officials conducted the Secretary-1 round the project site.
Maha Bandoola Bridge will link Pazundaung Township and Dawbon Township across
the
Pazundaung Creek.
The six-lane Maha Bandoola Bridge is a 3643-foot steel truss suspension bridge with 787-foot long main bridge and the 2,856-foot approach structure. The bridge has 72-foot wide motorway and two six-foot pedestrian lanes. The bridge can bear 60-ton loads.
Upon completion, the bridge will link downtown Yangon with Dawbon and Thakayta Townships, and contribute to the development of the townships.
The Secretary-l and party proceeded to construction site of Maha Thandithukha Buddha Sasanapyu building on Natchaung Ward in Tamway Township. They were welcomed there by Minister for Religious Affairs Maj-Gen Sein Htwa, Vice-Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee Vice-Mayor Col Maung Pa, heads of departments and officials.
First, Secretary of Leading Committee for the construction of Maha Thandithukha Buddha Sasana building Director-General of Human Settlement and Housing Development Department U Arnt Kyaw and Managing Director of Asia World Co Ltd U Tun Myint Naing briefed the Secretary-1 on progress of work, Vice-Mayor Col Maung Pa on financial matter, U Saw Myint on timely completion of the project, financial matter and requirements.
The Secretary-l attended to their needs.
Afterwards, the Secretary-1 inspected construction site for Maha Thandithukha Buddha Sasana Building and left there in the evening.
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(2) Families of Tatmadaw, wellwishers donate dry rations to Sarthintaiks, Nunneries
YANGON, 2 Aug - Families of the Tatmadaw (Arrny, Navy and Air) and well-wishers donated dry rations and medicine to Tipitaka Maha Gandayon Kyaungtaik and Gandayon (Kyaukwaing) Sarthintaik at Thirimingala Anandagonye Ngahtat Kyaungdawgyi of Tipitaka Maha Gandayon Kyaungtaik at Ward-9, Mayangon Township, this morning.
Present were Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Chief of Bureau of Special Operations Chief of Staff (Army Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt, Minister for Religious Affairs Maj-Gen Sein Htwa, Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister Maj-Gen Tin Ngwe, senior military officers, Deputy Minister for Forestry Col Thaik Tun, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs U Aung Khin, Deputy Minister for Labour U Kyaw Aye, officials and donors.
Presiding Sayadaw of Tipitaka Maha Gandayon Kyaungtaik Tipitakadhara Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Thulningala administered the Five Precepts.
Then, alms were offered to the Sayadaws.
Chief of Staff (Navy) Captain Kyi Min, Chief of Staff (Air) Col Myint Swe, Vice-Adjutant-General Brig-Gen Maung Nyo and Chairman of Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers Association U Than Oo presented rice donated by the families of the Tatmadaw (Army, Navy, Air) and edible oil by MEODA to the Presiding Sayadaws of Tipitaka Maha Gandayon Kyaungtaik and Gandayon (Kyaukwaing) Sarthintaik.
Yangon City Development Committee, Yangon Division, Yangon West District and Mayangon Township Peace and Development Councils, KN Company U Tin Win-Daw San Win, Myanma Salt and Marine Chemical Enterprise of the Ministry of Mines, Salt Mill Entrepreneurs Association, Myanmar Rice and Paddy Wholesale Merchants Association, organizations from townships and wards, well-wishers and families of Traditional Medicine Department donated 172 bags of rice, 70 viss of edible oil a bag of gram, 655 viss of iodized salt, 200 packets of dehydrated salt, 50 tubes of tooth paste, 250 viss of fish sauce and 162 packets of various traditional medicine.
Maj-Gen Tin Ngwe accepted K 100,000 donated by U Maung Maung Lwin-Daw Sein Sein (Thiri Thudhamma Theingi) and family (Tarnpadipa Construction) for the funds of soon.
Col Thaik Tun, Col Myint Swe and Director-General of Religious Affair Department U Arnt Maung supplicated on the purpose of donation.
The Presiding Sayadaw of Tipitaka Maha Gandayon Kyaungtaik delivered a sermon, followed by sharing of merits.
Similarly, a ceremony to offer dry rations and medicine to Aletawya Sanpya Sarthintaik, Zeyatheikdi Sarthintaik, Byamanainlmitayon Sarthintaik, Aletawya Sanpya Nunnery Sarthintaik, Minguntawya Nunnery Sarthintaik and Thameiddawya Nunnery Sarthintaik was held at Aletawya Sanpya Sarthintaik at 11:30 am.
Presiding Sayadaw of Aletawya Sanpya Sarthintaik Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Thilasarabiwuntha administered the Eight Precepts to the congregation.
Then, dry rations and medicine donated by the families of the Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air), organizations and well-wishers were offered to the Presiding Sayadaws and Presiding Nuns.
Col Myint Swe supplicated on the purpose of donation.
Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo also supplicated on arrangements for collectively holding dry rations offering ceremony, Maj-Gen Sein Htwa on religious affairs, and Director-General of Traditional Medicine Department Dr Kyaw Myint Tun on benefits of the use of iodized salt.
The Presiding Sayadaw of Aletawya Sanpya Sarthintaik delivered a sermon, followed by sharing of merits.
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(3) 42 members of BCP (Taninthayi military region) Myeik-Dawei District Unity Front exchange arms for peace
YANGON, 2 Aug - The government has been implementing the twelve political, economic and social objectives for emergence of a peaceful modern and developed nation and it has also warmly welcomed those who exchanged arms for peace and their families.
The government has fulfilled their food, clothing, shelter and social needs.
The armed groups now realized the destructive acts did not do any good for the country. After realizing the government's noble genuine goodwill and correct endeavours remnants of the armed groups exchanged arms for peace individually or in groups.
In Coastal Region Command area, 14 armed men and 28 dependents led by township commander U Tin Win of Kyunzu Township (special region) group of BCP (Taninthayi military region) Myeik-Dawei District Unity Front exchanged arms for-peace bringing in 13 assorted arms, 20 magazines, 255 rounds of ammunition, one US-made grenade, four RPGs, three mines and others, at the Tatmadaw camp in Yaykanmaw Village on 29 July.
They arrived at the port in Myeik on 31 July. They were welcomed by Deputy Commander of Coastal Region Command Col Tin Lat, Tatmadaw officers, Chairman of Myeik District and Township Peace and Development Councils and members, departmental heads, members of Union Solidarity and Development Association and locals totalling 800.
Next, a ceremony to exchange arms for peace was held at Pale Yadana Hall in Myeik.
Present were Deputy Commander of Coastal Region Command Col Tin Lat, Tatmadaw officers of Myeik station , Chairman of Myeik District and Township Peace and Development Councils and members, departmental heads, USDA members and locals.
Col Tin Lat said he welcomed the members of BCP (Taninthayi military region) Myeik-Dawei District Unity Front with open arms adding we are now building a peaceful modern developed nation.
He called for participation in national development working together with the government and said arrangements are to be made for their living health and education.
Next, township commander U Tin Win handed the arms to Col Tin Lat who presented cash to those who exchanged arms for peace.
U Tin Win asked for forgiveness for the past misdeeds and terrorist acts.
Similar armed groups are still in the jungle planning to exchange arms for peace.
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(4) Seminar on Development of Economy and Trade concludes
YANGON, 2 Aug - The closing ceremony of the Seminar on Development of Economy and Trade was held at the Ministry of Commerce today, with an address by Minister Maj-Gen Kyaw Than.
Also present were Minister at the Office of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Brig-Gen Maung Maung, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung, Deputy Ministers for Commerce Commodore Myo Tint and Col Kyaw Shwe, Deputy Minister at the Office of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council U Hset Maung, Deputy Minister for Education Dr Than Nyunt, departmental heads and advisers of the Ministry of Commerce, the Chairman and executives of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, economists, participants and guests.
In his address, Maj-Gen Kyaw Than expressed satisfaction for success of the seminar and thanked those who participated, discussed and gave applicable suggestions.
He said participant Retired Ambassador U Hla Maung presented the paper on the causes of economic stringencies in East Asia region and spread to Myanmar, Europe and America.
He also delved into the interesting points in the papers presented by Rector U Maw Than, Dr Sein Maung, Governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, U Thein Aung and Associate Professor Daw Khin San May on the first-day session.
He noted that the seminar became more lively because of the suggestions and discussions by those present upon the points included in the papers.
He also dealt with the papers presented on the second and third day sessions and pointed out the interesting points such as collection of taxes, inflation, private entrepreneurs' weaknesses in reporting the real situation, five ways for boosting export of rice, sufficiency of food, boosting production of value-added items, improvement of small- and medium scale industries, development of industry in Myanmar and some critical constraints, human resources development projects, Myanmar's active participation in multilateral cooperation, adopting of trade policies properly, plans for promotion of the private sector, preservation of culture in endeavouring for development of economy and trade, and economic projects and industrialization in Malaysia.
Earlier, the third-day session of the seminar was held.
Adviser at the Ministry of Commerce U Aung Kyi, Secretary of Union of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry U Maung Maung, Retired Ambassador U Maung Maung Soe Tint, Vice-President of UMCCI U Htain Win, CEC member of UMCCI U Sein Win Hlaing and Secretary of Myanmar Women's Entrepreneurial Association Daw Nu Nu Yee presented papers.
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(5) World Breast-feeding Week observed
YANGON, 2 Aug - A ceremony to observe World Breast-feeding Week jointly organized by Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association and UNICEF, was held in the meeting hall of the Multi-purpose Use Building of MMCWA at the corner of Parami Street and Thanthuma Street in South Okkalapa Township this morning, and member of National Health Committee Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein addressed the ceremony.
Present also were Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo, Vice-Chairperson of MMCWA Dr Khin Win Shwe and executives, honorary members of the panel of patrons of MMCWA, directors-general of departments under the Ministry of Health? resident representatives of UN agencies, representatives, of social organizations, chairpersons of Township MCWA, members and guests.
In his address, Maj-Gen Ket Sein said as is known to all, in accord with a maxim "health is a blessing", good health is essential for all the people ranging in age from newborn to aged, and added if systematic health care is provided beginning infancy, the beginning of life, it will become a healthy son or daughter.
Breast-feeding is essential for child care, he noted and said mothers in Myanmar preserves a fine tradition of breast-feeding in the consecutive eras, and for over 20 years, the slogan calling for the fact that breastmilk is the best has been proclaimed. According to studies, 97 per cent of mothers in Myanmar breast-feed their babies but only 70 per cent are methodic, he stated and spoke of the need for all to take measures and carry out organizational work for encouraging systematic breast-feeding habit with a view to getting all the benefits derived from breast-feeding.
In Myanmar, maternal and child health care is provided not only by departments under the Ministry of Health but also by NGOs such as Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association and Myanmar Medical Association, he said and lauded efforts of MMCWA fur its yearly movement to commemorate World Breast-feeding Week, the first week of August. Essay contests, painting and poster contests, talks and training courses on breast-feeding are held and supportive groups for systematic breast-feeding formed ins wards beginning 1992, he stated and added in the delivery rooms of MCWA, breast-feeding information and education are disseminated.
He urged MMCWA to always encourage breast-fee(ling habit which is conducive to good health of mothers and babies.
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(6) Minister for Science and Technology tours Kayin State
YANGON, 2 Aug - Minister for Science and Technology U Thaung, accompanied by officials, met Chairman of Kayin State Peace and Development Council Col Saw Khin Soe, heads of department, EC and members of Kayin State, District and Township Union Solidarity and Development Associations, members of Maternal and Child Welfare Association, Red Cross and auxiliary fire brigade at City Hall in Hpa-an Township on 31 July.
The minister gave instructions to officials on current situation of the State and other matters.
The minister and Chairman of Kayin State Peace and Development Council Col Saw Khin Soe met principal and service personnel at Technical High School in Hpa-an in the evening.
The Minister gave instructions to officials on turning out qualified trainees and academic matter. Then, the minister gave instructions to officials on upgrading technical high school and achieving the teaching aid.
Minister U Thaung together with Col Saw Khin Soe and officials planted the trees in commemorative of the ceremony at THS in Kayin State. Then, the minister met EC member of Kayin State, district and township USDAs at Kayin State guest house. He looked into the requirements.
The minister and Col Saw Khin Soe inspected classrooms, installation of machine and construction of workshop yesterday morning.
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(7) 25.5 per cent pass BEHS Exam
YANGON, 2 Aug - The results of the Basic Education High School Examination
held in March
1998 were posted at respective centres in townships; states
and divisions and abroad today.
Of 369,435 students who took the exam at 840 centres all over the country, 94,080 passed in A grade, registering the pass rate at 25.5 per cent, and 33,095 passed in B grade, registering the pass rate at 9 per cent.
Altogether 56 students took the exam at 17 centres abroad, and of them, 39 passed in A grade and four in B grade, registering the pass rates at 69.6 per cent and 7.1 per cent respectively.
In Yangon Division, 79,592 students took the exam at 214 centres, and of them, 20,611 passed in A grade (25.9 per cent pass rate) and 6,679 passed in B grade (8.4 per cent pass rate).
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(8) Hline, Dawbon, Pazundaung Township USDAs hold AGMs
YANGON, 2 Aug - The Annual General Meeting of Hline Township Union Solidarity and Development Association was held at Hline Township USDA Office on Insein Road this morning.
It was attended by members of the USDA Central Executive Committee Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing and Minister for Science and Technology U Thaung, district and township authorities, Township USDA secretary and executives and ward organizers.
USDA CEC member U Tin Hlaing delivered an address.
Afterwards, well-wishers donated cash towards the funds of the USDA. Secretary of Yangon West District USDA U Tin Win and Township USDA executives presented gifts to ward organizers and those who won prizes in the national level courses.
USDA CEC member U Thaung presented the bowl for outstanding performance in organization, management, social, cultural and economic sectors to Ward 13 USDA.
Dawbon Township USDA also held its Annual General Meeting at its office today.
It was attended by USDA CEC member U Saw Tun, Thakayta and Dawbon township authorities and USDA secretaries, executives and members, and Red Cross, Auxiliary Fire Brigade and Maternal and Child Welfare Association members. U Saw Tun spoke on the occasion.
Similarly, the Annual General Meeting of Pazundaung Township USDA was held at the Township USDA Office this morning.
Present were USDA CEC member Deputy Minister for Forestry Col Thaik Tun, Yangon East District USDA Secretary U Tin Hlaing and executives, township authorities, departmental officials, Township USDA secretaries, executives and members, among others.
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(9) 20,000 stimulant tablets seized in Mandalay
YANGON, 1 Aug - Acting on a tip-off, members of Defence Services Intelligence Unit, while waiting at Mahamyine Ward, Maha Aungmyay Township, Mandalay, on 24 July morning, nabbed Win Zaw, 22, son of U Pyay Aye and Myint Than (a) Maung Toe, 25, son of U Myat Tun, Chin Shwe Haw, Kunlong Township, and Aung Naing Soe, 21, son of U Khin Maung Gyi, Quarter 95, Minte Ekin Ward, Ayadaw Ward, Aungmyay Thazan Township, together with 20,000 stimulant tablets.
According to the investigation, the members seized stimulant tablet traffickers Myat Win, 27, son of U Kyaw Thein, Paypindaung Village, Pantanaw Township, and Aik Yon, 25, son of U Chikyein Kaung, Sanpya Ward, Sethmu Myothit, Mandalay, who were staying at Pyigyimyatshin Hotel on 62nd Street in Maha Aungmyay Township.
Action has been taken against the five and stimulant tablets at No 9 Myanmar Police Force Station of Mandalay.
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(10) Minister receives Ambassador of Indonesia, President of P T Austindo Nusantara Energi
YANGON, 2 Aug - Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint received Ambassador of Indonesia Maj-Gen A Poerwanto Lenggono at his office at 8.30 am on 31 July.
The minister also received President of P T Austindo Nusantara Energi Mr George Santosa Taia and party of Indonesia at his office at 10:30 am.
Present on both occasions were Deputy Minister for Mines U Myint Thein and officials.
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(11) Yangon-Mandalay Highway inspected
YANGON, 1 Aug - Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun, accompanied by officials of Public Works, inspected Yangon-Mandalay Highway in Bago and Mandalay Divisions on 30 July.
The minister left Pyinmana for Bago on 30 July morning.
He met engineers and personnel of Public Works in towns on his way to Bago and gave instructions to take care of maintaining the highway for long-term durability and not to lose sight of condition of bridges along the highway.
The minister oversaw maintenance work on No 3 / 122 Tonkan Bridge and Gadok Creek Bridge and repair of road section between Mile 96/5 Post and Mile 98/5 Post on the highway.
In Bago, the minister inspected construction of a toll gate.