( 1 ) State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to Republic of Colombia

Yangon, 20 July - 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 Andres Pastrana Arango, President of the Republic of Colombia, on the occasion of the Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Colombia which falls on 20 July 2002.

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( 2 ) Secretary-1 inspeacts Dagon East Industrial Town Development Project, No 2 Thanlyin Bridge Construction Project

Yangon, 19 July - Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt met with officials at Kanaung Hall of the Management Office of Dagon East Industrial Town this afternoon and gave instructions on development of the industrial town. Then, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt inspected factories and workshops in the industrial town and construction of Yangon-Thanlyin Bridge No 2 and gave necessary instructions to the officials.

Director-General U Arnt Kyaw of DHSHD reported on objectives of setting up the industrial zone and its area of operation, infrastructures and industrial buildings under construction with the aid of charts. Then, Commander Maj-Gen Myint Swe reported on matters related to the rendering of assistance to the industrial development project. After hearing the reports, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt gave instructions on cooperation of the ministries concerned for the successful implementation of the project as it is included in the State's development undertakings, convenience of staff living in the industrial city, education and health care for the children of the staff, and implementation of the project stage by stage in accordance with the plan.

Dagon East Industrial Town Development Project has been implemented by the State with the aim of providing job opportunities for the local people since November 2000. The project is being carried out on 666 acres of land, designating 500 acres for Part I and 166 acres for Part II. Part I includes 149 plots and Part II, 52 plots totaling 201 plots. Buildings and factories are being constructed on the plots.

Then, the Secretary-1 and party arrived at Myanma Arhman Feedstuff factory, No 96, U Po Hlaing Street, Dagon (East) Industrial Zone where they were welcomed by officials concerned.Managing Director of the company Dr Zaw Tun reported on implementation of the factory project. He said that the Government is providing necessary assistance to fish and shrimp breeding with the aim of earning more foreign currency and fulfilling food, clothing and shelter needs. Fish and shrimp breeding business is one of the main foreign exchange earners in neighbouring countries. So fish and shrimp breeding plays a key role in ensuring national development.

In modern fish and shrimp breeding, the feedstuff is crucial, helping to increase the growth rate of the aquatic animals and their disease-resistant power. Myanmar faced difficulties in breeding prawn for it is relying on imported feedstuff. Construction of a world-class feedstuff factory will lead to overcoming the difficulty and reducing foreign exchange expenditure and the reliance on imported folder. Feed mixing techniques, high quality feedstuff producing machines, high quality raw materials and supplementary medicines and tonic, and quality control, are required to produce nutritious feedstuff. This being so, he made up his mind to construct a feedstuff mixer based on the findings on his foreign trips.

He studied the techniques to produce fish and prawn feedstuff at different research centers in foreign countries and theoretical and practical courses on the techniques are now being conducted for his staff. In addition, foreign technicians came to the factory project and provided necessary assistance. The factory project is situated in Dagon East Industrial Town. The corner-stone laying of the facility was held on 27 September 2001. Earnest efforts were made to complete the facility within ten months.

Now, 95 per cent of construction and installation tasks were completed. Machinery were installed at vertical position so as to have gravity flow effect. Drag conveyor, bucket elevator, magnetic separator, hammer mill, primary mixer, atomizer, air separator, secondary mixer, pellet mill, pellet cooker dryer, cooker cooler, crumbier and hopper were used in the facility. Efforts are being made to successfully produce fish and shrimp feed with the use of domestic raw materials. There are three phases of quality control raw quality control, processing quality control and finished product quality control. The three phases of test were carried out by own laboratories. Packaging system will be of international class one and the capacity of production will be about 1,000 tons of shrimp feed and 1,500 tons of fish feed per month.

The Secretary-1 said the nation is striving to increase its economic growth by conducting farming in addition to agriculture which is its main economy. The government is rendering all-round assistance for development of the agriculture and farming enterprises of the national entrepreneurs. The farming work covers fish breeding, poultry farms and prawn culture. The prawn farms are gaining development on a wider scale. As the prawns have ready markets abroad, use of quality strains and feedstuff will help promote the business in a short period. The factory is the first of its kind in Myanmar, which will fulfill the local needs by supplying fresh feedstuff for the prawn breeders any time, relieve the breeders' anxiety over timely arrival of the feedstuff from abroad. Moreover, prawn feed will be available at low cost. Thus efforts should be made for soonest operation of the factory.

The Secretarty-1 and party then inspected the factory. After observing the industrial zone of the Dagon (East), the Secretary-1 and party inspected the Diamond Star Flour Mill Project. On arrival at Yangon-Thanlyin Bridge No 2 Project in Dagon Seikkan Township, they were welcomed by Deputy Minister for Construction U Tint Swe, Deputy Minister for Transport Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint, Managing Director of Public Works U Nay Soe Naing and officials.

Superintending Engineer of PW U Myint Lwin reported to the Secretary-1 on progress in implementing the project, future tasks and requirements, and Maj-Gen Myint Swe, U Tint Swe and U Nay Soe Naing on salient points of the project. The Secretary-1 attended to their needs. The six-lane bridge will be supported by reinforced concrete piles. Its main structure is also being built with reinforced concrete. The 4,540-foot long bridge will have a 72-foot wide motorway flanked by two six-foot wide pedestrian lanes. Its clearance will be 130 feet wide and 18 feet high. It can withstand 75 tons of load.

( 3 ) Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung sends felicitations to Republic of Colombia

Yangon, 20 July - U Win Aung, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr Guillermo Fernandez De Soto, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia, on the occasion of the Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Colombia which falls on 20 July 2002.

CPT Minister receives Malaysian guests

Yangon, 19 July - Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig-Gen Thein Zaw received Mr A Azam Latiff and party of Maxis Communications Co, Malaysia, at his office this morning.

( 4 ) 55th Anniversary Arzani Day observed

Yangon, 19 July - The 55th Anniversary Arzani Day was observed at the Arzani Mausoleum at 8 am today. On behalf of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, Chairman of the 55th Anniversary Arzani Day Observance Committee Minister for Culture U Tin Winn attended the ceremony, saluted the State Flag, laid wreaths at the tombs of national leader Bogyoke Aung San and his fallen comrades, paid tribute to them, and dispensed metta.

Also present on the occasion were Chief Justice U Aung Toe, Attorney-General U Tha Tun, Auditor-General Brig-Gen Tin Aye, Chairman of the executive committee for 55th Anniversary Arzani Day Observance Committee Deputy Minister for Culture U Soe Nyunt and members, secretaries of work committee, senior officers of Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air), members of the Guard of Honour, and senior officers of Myanmar Police Force and Fire Brigade.

Chairman of the 55th Anniversary Arzani Day Observance Committee Minister for Culture U Tin Winn arrived at the Mausoleum at 8 am by car and was welcomed by Chairman of the executive committee for 55th Anniversary Arzani Day Observance Committee Deputy Minister for Culture U Soe Nyunt. Then, Minister U Tin Winn, Chief Justice U Aung Toe, Attorney-General U Tha Tun and Auditor-General Brig-Gen Tin Aye took the respective places before the tombs of Arzanis.

Minister U Tin Winn, Chief Justice U Aung Toe, Attorney-General U Tha Tun and Auditor-General Brig-Gen Tin Aye laid wreaths at the tombs and paid respects to the Arzanis, after which all those present saluted the State Flag.

At that time, the State Flag was flown at half mast and the Guard of Honour of Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) also saluted the fallen leaders. This was followed by the dispensing of metta and two-minute silence in memory of the Arzanis. Afterwards, Minister U Tin Winn, Chief Justice U Aung Toe, Attorney-General U Tha Tun, Auditor-General Brig-Gen Tin Aye and Deputy Minister U Soe Nyunt left the Mausoleum. Later, families of the Arzanis laid wreaths at the respective tombs.

First, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of Bogyoke Aung San, laid a flower basket, and U Nan Nwe, on behalf of U Aung San Oo, eldest son of Bogyoke Aung San, and wife Daw Le Le Nwe Thein, a wreath, at the Bogyoke Aung San's tomb and paid tribute to him, and dispensed metta.

Then, families of other Arzanis laid wreaths at the respective tombs and dispensed metta. Heads of respective foreign embassies and resident representatives of UN agencies in Yangon also laid wreaths at the tombs of the Arzanis and paid tribute to them.

Then, representatives of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, the Myanmar War Veterans Organization, the Myanmar Fire Brigade, the Myanmar Red Cross Society, the Myanmar Writers and Journalists Association, the Myanmar Motion Picture Asiayon, the Myanmar Music Asiayon, the Myanmar Thabin Asiayon, the Myanmar Traditional Artists and Artisans Asiayon and the people also laid wreaths and paid tribute.

( 5 ) Health Minister views 7th surgical kidney transplant

Yangon, 19 July - The Ministry of Health is successfully undertaking renal transplants with local experts. Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein, accompanied by Deputy Minister Prof Dr Kyaw Myint, viewed the 7th renal transplant performed at the new Yangon General Hospital at noon today.

Director-General of the Health Department Dr Wan Maung and Director-General of the Medical Research Department (Lower Myanmar) Prof Dr Paing Soe reported to the minister on preparations for the transplant, surgical steps and arrangements for medical students to observe and study. Then, the minister called on those concerned to make greater efforts in renal transplant as it was able to be performed by native experts in Yangon and Mandalay.

The present surgical operation was the seventh one performed by a team headed by Prof Dr Paing Soe with the participation of renal specialist lecturer Dr Tin Shwe, renal experts, renal transplant experts, and Prof U Tin Myint and aesthetists Dr Kyi Lin and Dr Kyi Kyi San. Diagnostic experts led Professor of the North Okkalapa General Hospital and Professor Pathologist Dr Ohn Myint of the Yangon General Hospital gave necessary supervision in the surgical operation. Nurses led by Matron Daw Tin Tin Shwe of the YGH participated in the surgical operation.

Dr Wan Maung and medical superintendent Dr Aung Htut of new YGH made arrangements for administrative matters. With a view to undertaking the renal transplant widely in Mandalay and to gain experiences, renal specialist Dr Khin Maung Htay of Mandalay General Hospital and renal surgeons Prof Dr Sai Lun Maung and lecturer Dr Toe Lwin and anesthetist Dr Khin Mon cooperated in the surgical operation. In this renal transplant, three patients will be kidney-transplanted.

The kidney was donated to Daw Hnin Hnin Mya, 43, who underwent today's surgical operation, by her father U Mya Maung. The surgical operation started at 12.2 pm and finished at 3.15 pm, and the patient is in good condition.

( 6 ) Minister inspects South Okkalapa Industrial Zone

Yangon, 19 July - Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone arrived at South Okkalapa Industrial Zone this afternoon and met with management committee members and entrepreneurs. The minister discussed matters related to production of import-substitute items, keeping abreast with the industrialized countries in the long run and cheapness of pro-ducts and fulfilled the requirements of the entrepreneurs. Then, the minister went to the two-ton truck production workshop and gave necessary instructions.

Waso robes offered

Yangon, 19 July - Border Trade Department of the Ministry of Commerce held its fifth Waso robe offering ceremony at Pissimayon Pali Tekkatho Sarthintaik on Kyaikwaing Pagoda Road in Mayangon Township this morning.

Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone and wife Daw Aye Pyi Wai Khin attended the ceremony and offered Waso robes and provisions to the members of the Sangha. It was also attended by Presiding Sayadaw Bhaddanta Kodana and members of the Sangha, Director-General of the Directorate of Trade U Nyunt Aye, Director-General of the Border Trade Department U Nay Win, Managing Director of the Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading U Min Hla Aung, guests and staff. The congregation received the Five Precepts from the Sayadaw.

Then, the minister and wife and departmental heads offered Waso robes and provisions to the members of the Sangha. After sharing the merits gained, "soon" was offered to members of the Sangha.