(1) Senior General Than Shwe pays obeisance at Shwemoathtaw Maha Ceti in Pathein Inspects fields and calls for extending sown acreage, growing more oil crops
YANGON, 24 Jan - Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe and party paid homage at Shwemoathtaw Maha Ceti in Pathein yesterday evening.
The Senior General made cash donations for the funds of Shwemoathtaw Maha Ceti, and signed in the visitors' book kept there.
The Senior General accepted Dhamma gift presented by the board of trustees of Maha Ceti.
The Senior General, accompanied by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin and ministers and senior military officers, flew on to Hinthada by helicopter, where they were welcomed by officials.
The Senior General and party inspected the town.
At the Irrigation Department Yeiktha, they heard a report by Chairman of Ayeyawady Division Peace and Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Thura Shwe Mann on cultivation of pulses and beans on 400,000 acres of land in Hinthada District out of over 900,000 acres placed under pulses and beans in Ayeyawady Division representing 40 percent and works for building dykes and embankments in the region.
Chairman of Hinthada District Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Win Htain and officials of the Irrigation Department reported on yield of monsoon paddy, completion of summer paddy cultivation and progress of work in growing oil crops and kitchen crops.
Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin and Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha also reported on matters related to respective sectors.
The Secretary-2 gave necessary instructions.
Then, Deputy Minister for Transport U Pe Than reported on conditions of rivers and creeks in the country and arrangements for promoting development of waterways of Ayeyawady and Chindwin Rivers and development of ports in cities and towns.
Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than reported on conditions of dams and reservoirs built in the adjoining areas of Yangon and Ayeyawady Divisions.
The Senior General gave guidance on expanding sown acreage year by year, extending oil crops cultivation and maintenance of dykes and embankments in view of the likelihood of more rains in the coming monsoon.
He cited establishment of the Water Resources and Waterways Development Department under the Ministry of Transport and spoke of the need to make arrangements for the development of waterways of Ayeyawady, Ngawun and Myitmakha Rivers.
Afterwards, the Senior General and party visited Manaungmyin Buddha Image in Zalun.
The Senior General offered Shwethingan at the image, signed in the visitors' book and made cash donations.
The Senior General then accepted an image of Buddha presented by the pagoda board of trustees.
Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Maj-Gen Thura Shwe Mann and Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin accepted K 6.5 million donated for the pagoda funds by national entrepreneurs.
Then, the Senior General and party toured Zalun.
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(2) Multi-media classrooms opened in four basic education high schools
YANGON, 24 Jan - The opening ceremonies of Multimedia classrooms of Lanmadaw Basic Education High School 1, Latha Basic Education High School 2, Botahtaung Basic Education High School 6 and Bahan Basic Education High School 1 were held at the schools today, attended by Chairman of Myanmar Education Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
The ceremonies were also attended by Minister for Information Maj-Gen Kyi Aung, Minister for Science and Technology U Thaung, Minister for Education U Than Aung, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Lt-Gen Tin Ngwe, Deputy Ministers for Education Dr Than Nyunt and Brig-Gen Soe Win Maung, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, departmental head district and Township authorities, Director General of No 3 Basic Education Department Col Thein Aung and officials, township education officers, members of the schools' honorary committees, members of Parent Teacher Associations, school heads, teachers, students, well-wishers and guests.
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(3) Secretary-l attends ceremony of presenting fire engines to Fire Services Department
YANGON, 24 Jan - A ceremony to pre sent two fire engines worth K 8.5 million donated by Minami Trading for Fire Services Department of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement was held at the ministry this evening, attended by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
Also present on the occasion were Minister for Information Maj-Gen Kyi Aung, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Brig-Gen Pyi Sone, Deputy Commander of Yangon Command Col Hsan Hsint, officials of the State Peace and Development Council office, the directors-general of the ministry, Director-General of Fire Services Department Col Myint Tun, Managing Director of Minami Trading U Maung Maung Myint and officials.
Minister Brig-Gen Pyi Sone said donation of fire engines is a very noble deed. He said there are altogether 104,898 Fire Brigade members and 661 fire engines. During the 1998-99 well-wishers donated 26 fire engines to the department and donation of such fire engines would contribute toward fire prevention, he said.
Managing Director U Maung Maung Myint reported on the donation and presented related documents to Director-General Col Myint Tun.
Col Myint Tun accepted the gifts and presented a certificate of honour to the donor.
The Secretary-1 and guests observed a demonstration of the fire engines.
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(4) Minister inspects plants & factories
YANGON, 24 Jan - Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung, together with Managing Director of Myanma Textile Industries U San Kyi and officials, inspected Shwedaung Textile and Finishing Plant in Bago Division at 8.00 am today. The minister toured the plant and gave instructions.
At 10.30 am, the minister attended a ceremony to lay the cornerstone of a maternity clinic of Maternal and Child Welfare Association in the compound of the plant.
The maternity clinic will be built on the plot, 100 feet square, in the compound of the plant donated by the Ministry of Industry-1.
The minister handed over K 200,000 for the building of the maternity clinic to Vice-Chairperson of Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe.
At 2.30 pm, the minister went to Thayawady Ceramic Factory. The minister inspected the factory and gave instructions.
At 4 pm, the minister proceeded to Brick Factory No 2 in Hmawby, where he met the factory manager and employees. The minister gave instructions on hosting production and striving to exceed the target. Then, the minister inspected the factory.
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(5) 202 members resign from Pale Township NLD
YANGON, 24 Jan - Two hundred and two members resigned from the National League for Democracy of Pale Township, Sagaing Division.
Twenty-one members of Pale Township NLD, Sagaing Division, of their own volition, tendered their resignations by sending letters of resignation to Pale Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission Office and the party concerned on 30 December 1998, six members followed suit on 31 December, 42 members on S January 1999, three members on 6 January and 130 members on 8 January, totaling 202, as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
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(6) 153 members resign from Yesagyo Township NLD
YANGON, 24 Jan - One hundred and fifty-three members resigned from the National League for Democracy of Yesagyo Township, Magway Division.
Seven members of Yesagyo Township NLD, Magway Division, of their own volition, tendered their resignations by sending letters of resignation to Yesagyo Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Commission Office and the party concerned on 24 December 1998, 10 members followed suit on 28 December, 134 members on 31 December and two members on 6 January 1999, totaling 153, as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
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(7) London Myanmar Open Golf Tourney to be held on 28-31 Jan
YANGON, 24 Jan - The London Myanmar Open Golf Tourney will be held at City Golf Resort from 28 to 31 January.
A total of 144 international golfers from 10 countries including the United States, Sweden and Japan will take part in the tournament.
Special invitees include Asia's leading professional golfer Frankie Minoza from the Philippines, Dinesh Chand from Fiji who is one of the longest driving golfers in Japan Tour, Boonchu Ruangkit from Thailand who is twice winner in Myanmar Open, Taimur Hussain from Pakistan who is last year's winner in Myanmar Open, Peter Teravainen who is a multiple winner in European Tour and a highly talented group from China, Japan and India. Kyi Hla Han and Zaw Moe together with 24 local players will also participate in the tourney.
Admission is free.
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(8) Victorious YCDC chess team arrives back
YANGON, 24 Jan - Yangon City Development Committee chess team arrived back here yesterday after taking part in Singapore Invitational Chess Tournament held from 18 to 20 January.
The team consists of Dr Aung Thant Zin, Tun Lin Kyaw, Zaw Wan and Min Htoo of YCDC and Zaw Win Lay of Myanmar Chess Federation. Team leader U Min Lwin won first in one event. YCDC team won first prizes in team and individual events and third prizes.
Teams from Myanmar, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Norway and Germany participated in the tournament.
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(9) Mingalamay Women's Coop holds annual meeting
YANGON, 24 Jan - The annual general meeting for 1997/98 of Mingalamay Women's Ail-round Development Cooperative Society Ltd was held at the meeting hall of Ministry of Co-operatives on Bogyoke Aung San Street this morning with an address by Minister for Cooperatives U Aung San.
Present on the occasion were Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief & Resettlement Brig-Gen Pyi Sone, department heads of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Chairperson of Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe, Chairperson of Myanmar Women Sports Federation Dr May May Yi, Chairperson of Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Association Daw Sein Sein and executives, and others.
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(10) US amateur cyclist team on tour
YANGON, 24 Jan - The visiting US amateur cyclist team visited Shan State, Mandalay and Bago Divisions from 15 to 24 January.
The team visited Kalaw on 15 January and Innlay Lake on 16 January. They went sightseeing in national race villages on the hills in Kalaw Township on 17 January. The team left Meiktila on 18 January for Bagan-NyaungU.
They visited Bagan archaeological region and Mount Popa from 15 to 20 January. The US cyclist team left Bagan-NyaungU on 21 January and arrived at Mingala Garden Hotel in Pyay Township in the evening.
The next morning, they left Pyay for Thayawady Township and arrived there in the evening. The team left Thayawady yesterday morning and arrived back at the Sedona Hotel this afternoon.
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(11) Seminar held on anti-rabies vaccine
YANGON, 24 Jan - A seminar on anti-rabies vaccine (Verorab) jointly-sponsored by Shwe Yadanar Myay Co Ltd of Myanmar and Pasteur Merieux Connaught Co of France took place at the Traders Hotel here this morning.
Professor Dr U Maung Maung Wint of Pharmacology Department of Institute of Medicine-1 presided over the seminar and extended greetings. Director-General (Rtd) Dr U Than Swe of Medical Research Department and Dr A K Dutta of India gave talks on the medicine and answered the questions raised. The vaccine is called Verorab and it has been approved by WHO.