(1) Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to President of Portugal
YANGON, 10 June - Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr Jorge Sampaio, President of the Republic of Portugal, on the occasion of the Anniversary of the National Day of the Republic of Portugal which falls on 10 June 1998.
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(2) Secretary-1, ministers inspect Bo Myat Tun Bridge Project in Nyaungdon and regional development projects
YANGON, 9 June - Secretary-l of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt left here this morning by car and arrived Nyaungdon in Ayeyawady Division at 8 am. He was accompanied by Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin, Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun, Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt, Minister for Transport Lt-Gen Tin Ngwe, Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein, Minister for Religious Affairs Maj-Gen Sein Htwa, Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister Maj-Gen Tin Ngwe, Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee Mayor U Ko Lay, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Deputy Minister for Hotels and Tourism Aye Myint Kyu, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, heads of department and officials.
They were welcomed in Nyaungdon by Chairman of Ayeyawady Division Peace and Development Council Commander Brig-Gen Thura Shwe Man, members of Division, District and Township Peace and Development Councils, departmental personnel and members of Union Solidarity and Development Association.
The Secretary-1 and party next inspected preventive measures against land erosion. They were briefed on the arrangements by Deputy Director-General U Win Thein of Waterways Department and Assistant Director U Than Oo of Development Affairs Department. The Secretary-l gave instructions on efficient preventive measures against land erosion and beautifying the areas.
The Secretary- I and party then attended a ceremony at the Ponnamayama Zaykyaungtaik in town to share merits for donations to the Yadanayanthi Pagoda, Gondakudi and Yadanazaw Taikkyaung. They also donated alms to the members of the Sangha.
They proceeded to the Bo Myat Tun Bridge Construction Project site, Nyaungdon, where they were welcomed by Superintending Engineer (Project) U Pe Than and employees of Public Works. They inspected progress of the construction project.
Afterwards, Commander Brig-Gen Thura Shwe Man, Minister for Construction Maj- Gen Saw Tun and U Pe Than reported on salient points of the project, construction of the approach road and the bridge, preparations for installation of steel beams and requirements.
Deputy Director-General of the Waterways Department U Win Thein also briefed then on proper maintenance of waterways. The Secretary- I called for preventive measures against breach of dykes and embankments in the vicinity of the bridge while it is under construction.
The Secretary- 1 and party later inspected installation of steel beams at the Bo Myat Tun Bridge. The steel-frame bridge is being supported by reinforced concrete pillars. It links Thaungdan Village on the east bank of Ayeyawady River with Kyeinbin Village on the west bank of the river in Nyaungdon Township, Ayeyawady Division.
The main bridge is 6,164 feet long and approach bridge 2,380 feet totaling 8,544 feet. Motorway is 28 feet wide and pedestrian lanes on either side six feet wide. The safe passage under the bridge is 360 feet wide, clearance is 57 feet and the bridge can bear 60-ton loads.
Bo Myat Tun Bridge lies on Yangon-Pathein Highway which reaches Rakhine State across Ayeyawady Division from Yangon Division. The highway contributes to development of national economy.
Ayayawady River poses as an obstruction in transport of agricultural produce and marine products from Ayeyawady Division to Yangon and Bo Myat Tun Bridge is being constructed to overcome the obstruction. Upon completion of Bo Myat Tun Bridge, products of Ayeyawady Division will be transported to Yangon Division speedily.
The Secretary-1 and party went to Samalauk Village in Nyaungdon Township. In the Yadana Ayeya Hall of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, the Secretary-1I was briefed on acreage targeted for monsoon and summer paddy cultivation in the division, actual sown acreage, the yield of crops, reclamation of land, oil crops such as groundnut, sesamum and sunflower targeted to be cultivated and arrangements for cultivation of jute by Commander Brig-Gen Thura Shwe Man and Minister Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin.
Next, Director-General of Irrigation Department U Myo Myint and Director U Khin Zaw reported on building of dykes, drains and irrigation canals and sluice gates for reclamation of Nyaungdon Island and progress of work.
Commander Brig-Gen Thura Shwe Man also reported on the targeted sown acreage at Nyaungdon Island, acreage already reclaimed, targeted sown acreage for the current year, boosting the yield of paddy and minimizing loss and wastage.
Secretary-l Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt then called for finding ways and means to boost agricultural production on self-reliance and efforts to realize the objectives laid down for reclamation of land.
The Secretary- I and party returned to Yangon in the evening.
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(3) Secretary-l pays respects to Dr Kyuse Enshinjoh, Founder Priest of Nenbutsushu Sect (Japan)
YANGON, 9 June - Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt received the Most Venerable Dr Kyuse Enshinjoh, Founder Priest of Nenbutsushu Sect (Japan), Sayadaw Dr Mapala Gama Wipulasara of Sri Lanka and party today at Tatmadaw Guest House.
The Secretary-1 presented offertories.
Secretary-3 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Win Myint, Minister for Religious Affairs Maj-Gen Sein Htwa, Deputy Minister U Aung Khin and officials were also present.
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(4) Paddy cultivation in Yangon Division coordinated
YANGON, 9 June - A meeting on monsoon paddy cultivation was held at the office of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council this morning.
It was attended by Member of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, Deputy Commander Col Hsan Hsint, No.1 Tactical Operations Commander Col Tin Soe, station commanders, divisional level departmental officials, commanding officers of battalions in Yangon, chairmen of District and Township Peace and Development Councils and officials.
Speaking on the occasion, Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than said it is scheduled to cultivate monsoon paddy on 1,135,000 acres in Yangon Division for 1998, and 339,404 acres have been put under monsoon paddy so far.
He told officials to provide assistance to farmers so as to meet their requirements and spoke of the need to provide close supervision so that farmers will be convenient in use of tractors and cattle and fertilizer. He called for cooperation of officials from townships and Myanma Agriculture Service to ensure cent per cent paddy cultivation in fields of battalions and units and also told them to provide assistance to farmers in getting tractors, cattle and fertilizer.
A general round of discussions then followed.
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(5) Minister for H&T receives Chairman of Freemont Asia
YANGON, 9 June - Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin received Chairman General Tomrat Yuenyong and party of Freemont Asia Co Ltd of Thailand at his office at this afternoon. Present were Director General U Khin Maung Latt of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, Managing Director U Kyi Tun of the Myanma Hotels and Tourism Services and officials.
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(6) Two operation tables for Bago General Hospital
YANGON, 9 June - Under Thai-Myanmar technical cooperation programme, a ceremony to hand over two operation tables to Bago General Hospital was held at the office of the Deputy Minister for Health at 2 pm today. Ambassador of Thailand Mr Pensak Chalarak handed over the donations to Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo.
Also present were officials of the Ministry of Health.
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(7) Fifth Myanmar Building Materials, Construction Machinery and Hardware Expo '98 opens
YANGON, 9 June - The Fifth Myanmar Building Materials, Construction Machinery and Hardware Expo '98 was opened in the Tatmadaw Convention Centre on U Wisara Road here this morning with an address by Minister at the Office of the Sate Peace and Development Council Chairman Brig-Gen Abel. Also present at the opening ceremony were ministers, deputy ministers, senior officers of the Ministry of Defence, heads of department, the Chairman and directors of the Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd, officials, local and foreign journalists, the Managing Director and officials of Somerford Agencies (Asia) Pte Ltd and guests.
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(8) Minister inspects development in border areas
YANGON, 9 June - Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt inspected development in border areas in Shan State on 7 and 8 June.
The minister, accompanied by members of Subcommittee for Development of Border Areas and National Races, inspected the tea nursery and plantations, which are grown under poppy-substitute cultivation project in Mongmaw Township and construction of a road there. He also oversaw construction of Mongmaw Namkwanlon-Hopang Road and schools and dispensaries in Panhkun and Pankauk villages and met education and health personnel.
In Hopang, the minister met township authorities and departmental officials and then inspected 50 farms of rubber and other crops being undertaken by the ministry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation on Hopang-Namtip Road. He met officials concerned in Chinshwehaw and inspected the youth training school for development of border areas and national races in Kunlong.
In Hsenwir he inspected rollers to be used in construction of roads in border areas and then proceeded to Lashio where he met officials and employees of Township Development Committee and Vocational Training School of Department of Development for Border Areas and National Races.
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(9) Instructor course on data collection on protecting women against violence begins
YANGON, 9 June - An instructor course on data collection on protecting women against violence commenced at the Social Welfare Training School on Kyaikwaing Street in Mayangon Township this morning with an opening address by leader of the Committee for Protecting Women Against Violence of the National Working Committee for Women's Affairs Dr Khin Win Shwe.
Also present were members of National Working Committee for Women' s Affairs, those of the Committee for Protecting Women Against Violence, guests, course instructors and trainees from the States and Divisions.
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(10) Minister for L&F receives IAEA expert
YANGON, 9 June - Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein received expert of Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Dr John R Crowther at his office at 1 pm today.
Present also were U Kyaw Lwin, Director-General of the Directorate of Livestock and Fisheries, U Maung Maung Nyunt, Director-General of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department and officials.
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(11) World Olympic Day Golf Tourney to be held
YANGON, 9 June - Han Golf Master Junior Golf Tour '98, to be jointly organized by Myanmar Golf Federation and Han Golf Master Pte Ltd, in commemoration of 1998 World Olympic Day, will be held at Yangon Golf Club in Danyingon from 17 to 18 June.
The tournament will be divided three classes-the under 12 class, the 13-15 class and the 16-18 class.
The new generation golfers may register with K 500 at Han Golf Master Shop in Yangon Golf Club, Danyingon, and Mya Yeik Nyo Royal Golf Resort, not later than 4 pm on 16 June.
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YANGON, 9 June - U Maung Maung Kyaw, wife Daw Khin Nyo Nyo and family of 43, 7 ½ miles, Pyay Road, donated an infusion pump worth K 300,000 for Yangon General Hospital today.
Medical Superintendent Dr Teik Wan and Specialist U Aung accepted the donation, and presented a certificate of honour to the donors.