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

Yangon, 30 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 Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco, on the occasion of the National Day of the Kingdom of Morocco which falls on 30 July 2002.

State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to Vanuatu

Yangon, 30 July - On the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Vanuatu, which falls on 30 July 2002, 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 Father John Bani, President of the Republic of Vanuatu.

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( 2 )  Secretary-1 calls on YCDC officials to lay down systematic plan in translating guidance of Head of State into action

Only when good persons implement good plans, can good results be produced

Yangon, 29 July -Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt met with officials of Yangon City Deve-lopment Committee in the meeting hall of the City Hall this morning.

In the sitting room of the Mayor, Chairman of YCDC U Ko Lay reported to the Secretary-1 on the set-up and strength of departments under YCDC, the budget for the 2002-2003 fiscal year, the targeted work and progress of work, the location of agricultural and livestock breeding projects being undertaken by YCDC and the production and sale of agricultural produce and livestock breeding products for city-dwellers by YCDC.

The Secretary-1 said that Yangon City Development Committee is responsible for undertaking not only its main tasks but also the tasks directly assigned by Head of State Senior General Than Shwe. The main duty of YCDC is to keep Yangon City clean and tidy and to improve the living standard of Yangon City dwellers. In addition, it is to undertake agricultural and livestock breeding tasks according to the guidance of Head of State Senior General Than Shwe so that city-dwellers can buy and consume fresh food.

 According to the report of the Chairman of YCDC Mayor, it is found that the investment for agricultural and livestock breeding tasks is very large. However, in accordance with the guidance of Head of State Senior General Than Shwe, efforts are to be exerted in producing enough food such as chicken, pork, fish, prawns, vegetables and kitchen crops.

Therefore, plans are to be laid down in translating the guidance of the Head of State into action and to achieve success in accordance with the amount of investment. The use of money for production work and distribution work are to be carried out systematically so that loss and wastage may not occur, and supervision at different levels is to be provided. Only when good persons implement systematic and good plans, can good results be produced.

 Therefore, systematic supervision is to be provided right down to the grassroots level so that the production work assigned by the Head of State can be carried out successfully. In meeting with the officials of YCDC in the meeting hall of the City Hall, the Secretary-1 said that today the State Peace and Development Council is making all-out efforts in all sectors to enable the Union of Myanmar to keep abreast with other nations, to strengthen the national economy and to enable the people to live peaceful lives.

At that time, the most fundamental requirement is to ensure that Yangon City has typical characteristics of a modern city and city-dwellers can make their livings conveniently and have a higher standard of living. Yangon, the hub of the economic sector of the State, needs to be a modern city with economic infrastructures which serve as links to businesses, financial and banking services, offices and management work and international relations.

To implement these objectives and to fulfil these requirements, Yangon City Development Committee is placed under the direct supervision of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council. As YCDC has been making systematic efforts under the correct leadership and guidance of the Head of State, Yangon City has improved considerably. Therefore, YCDC needs to make continued efforts to enable Yangon City to have typical characteristics of a modern city and stand as a strategic city for the development of the national economy.

 Moreover, it is necessary to preserve natural environments where Yangon city dwellers can relax peacefully and to create a healthy and clean society which contribute to the improvement of their mental and physical health. The aims and main duties of YCDC are to develop the State as well as Yangon City and to improve the national economy and the living standard of the people. Moreover, it is to fulfil the basic requirements concerning economy, education, health, social affairs and safety of city-dwellers. It is to undertake the tasks pertaining to the livelihood and welfare of the people and rules and regulations. Furthermore, with the development of the State, the fundamental requirements of Yangon City and city-dwellers are becoming wider and wider.

 As the volume of the work has become wider and larger, more care needs to be taken of the present tasks, and new tasks need to be carried out. As there is an increase in the size and number of tasks, the duty to take care of them in connection with the financial matters and malpractice has become greater as well. In Yangon, five-star hotels, modern high-rise blocks of flats, modern condominiums, business centres and modern supermarkets and markets, hospitals of international standard and the news and information centre of international standard have emerging.

 Therefore, the employees of YCDC are responsible for the security, cleanliness, safety and health of the people as well as the services of various kinds, maintenance of rules and regulations and safety of the buildings. Similarly, ancient buildings which enhance the gracefulness of the city, need to undergo major renovation; systematic plans are to be laid down in repairing old buildings which spoil the image of the city.

Modern amusement parks and sports grounds have emerged in Yangon, and road islands, circular islands and triangle islands have to be built along roads; shade trees and flowering plants have to be grown by the sides of roads. Shade trees and flowering plants have to be grown wherever possible. Systematic measures have to be taken so that Yangon City can become a garden city again. It is necessary to clean and beautify the roads on the outskirts of the city. During the rainy season, the growing of trees and plants is to be completed.

 It is greatly important to keep the city beautiful and clean. Systematic measures are to be taken in keeping tidy and clean roads in downtown Yangon, circular roads, wards on the outskirts of the city and lanes. As Yangon City has become more populous, YCDC is to undertake the task of collecting garbage and organize the people to discard waste and garbage systematically.

All over Yangon, wide roads, railway overpasses, river-crossing bridges and networks of roads have been built; in wards on the outskirts of the city, streets have been paved on self-reliance. Although road islands, triangle islands, circular islands and pavements have been built along the roads, most of the pavements need to be repaired. Systematic measures are to be taken to keep tidy and clean the pavements not only in the centre of the city but also in wards on the outskirts of the city and to ensure proper flow of water in the drains.

 In this regard, departments concerned need to cooperate. When roads are dug to place telephone lines and power cables, departments concerned need to coordinate work so that the roads can be restored to their original condition in a day. A systematic plan needs to be laid down to repair roads and pavements as soon as they need repairing. Flooding is a main cause which damages roads.

The Secretary-1 spoke on proper drainage and sanitation works. He said measures are being undertaken for proper drainage in Yangon City under the close supervision of the commander of Yangon Command, he called on YCDC to carry out the tasks in cooperation with the people. He said the people should be prevented from constructing the buildings and shops across the drains and they should not be allowed to extend their houses next to them and in the alleys after paying fines toYCDC. Effective measures should be carried out against those acts that made the systematic plan of the city ugly, he added. He said traffic engineering works such as establishment of road safety guard rails, erecting the signposts, traffic lights and aerial height masts are essential for traffic safety.

Similar efforts are to be made not only in downtown areas but also in suburban areas, he said. He said with the increasing number of vehicles and growing population systematic arrangements are to be made with greater momentum for traffic safety in major roads in the city. He said it is very useful for the people that FM radio station broadcast the functions of YCDC including traffic safety and the newspapers and magazines carried information about YCDC.

Efforts should be made for city dwellers to gain knowledge and to realize the civic duties of the citizens. He said the government has now established Internet and Intranet. Information concerning the development of Yangon City and reality of life of the people with high living standard should be announced to the world through YCDC website and Yangon City website.

Under the guidance of the Head of State, YCDC has established 10 cultivation and livestock breeding camps in the environs of Yangon and is implementing the tasks for city dwellers to buy fresh meat and fish, vegetables and kitchen crops at reasonable prices, he said. He said achievements have been made in production of meat, fish, vegetable and kitchen crops as well as paddy, beans and pulses and perennial crops at the cultivation and livestock breeding camps. The farm products are sold at tax free markets.

These tasks reflect the noble cetena of the Head of State toward the people for raising the living standard. The Secretary-1 urged officials to implement the tasks with seriousness and efforts are to be made for boosting production and sale of meat and vegetables, he added. The Secretary-1 said efforts are to be made for food sufficiency, consumption of fresh and hygienic food and keeping markets neat and clean. He also said it is necessary to make efforts for establishment of hygienic sale systems practised at the major markets in South East Asian nations and to gradually upgrade transport, storage, packaging and distribution systems and displays of goods.

He also called for cooperation and coordination among the YCDC, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education in ensuring the sale of fresh and hygienic food at schools and school health activities. He spoke at length on traffic and road safety, systematic establishment of parking lots, fire prevention measures and arrangements for fire-engines to enter suburban areas. With the development of Yangon City, development affairs tasks have become wider. He stressed the importance of systematic management at the departments of YCDC. Urban projects that can fulfil the characteristics of a modern city and economic and social needs in accord with time and circumstances are to be drawn in coordination with Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development.

 He said the main tasks of YCDC is to develop Yangon City in accord with the characteristics of a modern city, to enable the Yangonites to live peacefully and to carry out economic and social activities in peace of mind. Only when the needs of the people are fulfilled, will functions and plans be successful. He said the staff of YCDC at different levels are to review their tasks continuously and to discharge the duties with the concept of serving the interest of the people.

 The measures of YCDC are for the people to enjoy peace, food sufficiency and doing business freely within the frame of rules and regulations. Only when the people participate in the tasks with the attitude of the citizens will development tasks be successful in the long run. He urged all to take part in the tasks for modernization of Yangon and in carrying out socio-economic activities with goodwill and sense of duty.

In conclusion, he urged YCDC members and staff to make efforts for making Yangon to become a city of international standard and a garden city as the national task, to make appropriate arrangements for collecting tax that should not be a burden to the people, to make strenuous efforts for high living standard of the people, ensuring smooth transport and convenience of their business with goodwill and to implement the cultivation, livestock breeding and production tasks for food sufficiency of the people in the city and purchase of rice, fish and meat and vegetables at reasonable price.

( 3 ) Ceremony in honour of achievement in enrolment movement held in Mandalay

Yangon, 29 July-A ceremony in honour of achievement in enrolment movement for school-going age children for 2002 was held at Ayethida Hall of No 8 Basic Education High School in Mandalay this morning. Chairman of Mandalay Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Central Command Brig-Gen Ye Myint and Minister for Education U Than Aung attended and addressed the ceremony.

Before the ceremony, band troupes and pom pom troupe of No 1, No 4 and No 8 BEHSs and violin troupe of No 22 BEHS entertained the guests with Myanmar songs.First, the first session of the agenda was held in front of No 8 BEHS. Fourth-graders Ma Htay Oo Zun and Ma Lin Ei Zaw read the agenda in Myanmar and English and the ceremony was opened.

Then, 14 students representing the states and divisions formally opened the ceremony and those present sang the songs of nationalism.

The second session of the agenda was held at Ayethida Hall. Masters of ceremonies Fourth-graders Ma Keza Lwin and Ma Aye Aye Khine read the agenda in Myanmar and English respectively and the ceremony was opened. According to the agenda, the band troupe of No 8 BEHS played the national anthem and the ceremony was opened.

 Then, 14 students, on behalf of those who got enrolment under the programme of enrolment movement for school-going age children, took position on the stage. Next, Chairman of Mandalay Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Central Command Brig-Gen Ye Myint made a speech. In his address, Brig-Gen Ye Myint said that as there was rapid growth in science and technology in the world, information and communication technology has been developing with added momentum. The countries of the world are further focusing on education and they are putting emphasis on training and nurturing to be able to keep abreast with others in the future, he noted.

 In Myanmar, the 30-year long-term education plan has been laid down and tasks for education promotion programmes are being carried out. Under the education promotion programmes, enrolment movement has been carried out for an increase in the rate of primary school level enrolment since 1999, he said. The committees for ensuring the enrolment of the school-going age children at different levels were formed to village-tract level to ensure the success of the enrolment of the school-going age children for 2002. With the assistance provided by social organizations, measures are being taken for enrolment of the needy children and the drop-outs in the primary school level. Hence, there was an increase in the rate of enrolment up to 98.36 per cent this year in 55 townships of enrolment movement project.

Due to the participation of the local authorities, the education staff, departmental personnel, social organizations, wellwishers and the public, the rate of enrolment has increased, he said and thanked those who are making earnest efforts in the project. In participating in the project, all concerned are to exert efforts with diligence and perseverance and accept it as a national task, he said and called on those concerned to uplift the four project tasks in enrolment movement for school-going age children. Then, Minister U Than Aung said that in ensuring all school-age children to go to school, the Central Committee and leading committees at state/division, district and township levels were formed; more-over, 324 leading committees at township level and 16,290 work committees at village-tract and ward level and 39,974 work committees at village level were formed.

Arrangements to help those who have difficulty in going to school were undertaken with the cooperation of local people, education staff, members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association and social organizations, parent-teacher associations and school boards of trustees. The enrolment in 55 townships covered by the programme saw 98.36 per cent; the enrolment in the entire nation reached 93.07 per cent. At the first phase of the education promotion programme, measures were taken to reduce the rate of drop-outs to zero; at the second phase, measures were taken to increase the percentage of the enrolment in kindergarten.

At the seminar on 30-year long-term plan in the basic education sector held in May 2001, ten tasks have been laid down; the second task is to ensure every citizen to complete the primary education; it is targeted to undertake this task during the first five years of the 30-year long-term plan; the people numbering in million took part in the task of ensuring all school-age children to go to school; there were altogether 1,233,002 children who registered at the kindergarten.

To honour the achievement in enrolment for school-age children, the activities carried out all over the nation were exhibited in the Diamond Jubilee Hall of Yangon University; they are also exhibited in Mandalay. Now 2,400 post-primary schools have been opened, and children from rural areas can pursue middle-school education. Then, Ma Aye Aye Aung of No 7 Basic Education Primary School, Ma Aye Nyein Thida Soe from No 13 BEPS, Ma Zin Nyein Oo from No 8 BEPS and Maung Han Tha Soe from No 7 BEPS in Pyigyidagon Township expressed their pleasure for having an opportunity to go to school under the programme of sending school-age children to school.

Afterwards, the children presented an entertainment programme. The commander and guests viewed the exhibitions of No 1 Basic Education Department, No 2 BED, No 3 BED and the Education Planning and Training Department at No 8 BEHS. Then, a paper reading session on sending school-age children to go to school. Over 3,000 students from basic education schools in Mandalay visited the exhibitions.

( 4 ) Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than inspects cultivation of monsoon paddy in Bago Division

Yangon, 29 July - State Peace and Development Council member Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than of the Ministry of Defence and party, accompanied by Commander Brig-Gen Aung Min and officials, visited Kwin Creek Bridge (Bridge No 1/130) construction site at mile post 129/6 on Yangon-Mandalay Union Highway in Bago Division this morning. Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than heard reports on construction of the two-lane bridge for the first phase and plans for extending the bridge into four-lane one in future by Bago Division Superintending Engineer U Kyaw Lwin and Project In-charge U Shwe Lay. Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than spoke of the need to construct the bridge for long-term use.

Next, he inspected completion of the bridge and attended to the needs. The bridge linking Phyu and Kyauktaga townships is 300 feet long and the approach road each on both banks is 500 feet long. The bridge is 48 feet wide and it has two six-feet-wide walkways. It can withstand 60-ton loads.

 Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and party then proceeded to Waw and met Bago District Peace and Development Council Chairman Lt-Col Myo Tint, township chairman U Kyaw Khaing Soe and members,  depart mental officials, members of USDA, MCWA, Women's Affairs Committee, War Veterans Association, Red Cross and Auxiliary Fire brigade, townselders and local people. Bago District Chairman Lt-Col Myo Tint briefed Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than on location of Waw Township, growing of monsoon paddy and plans for growing of summer paddy, construction of dams, sluice gates and Bago-Sittaung Canal, land reclamation in southern Pazaita region, construction of canals, benefited areas and future plans.

Then, Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than made a speech on development of Waw Township. He said he and his party arrived there to know the condition of the township and to fulfil the needs. Bago Division is the division that mainly contributes to the economic development of the State and townships in the division also give assistance to the State. So, it can be said that measures for economic development of townships in the division is measures for economic development of the State, he added.

 The four major crops of the State  paddy, cotton, sugarcane and beans and pulses as well as other oil crops grow well in the townships in the division. So growing of these crops are to be boosted. The State has implemented plans to reclaim wet, vacant and virgin lands to increase cultivated acreage and to utilize underground water. Dams, reservoirs, sluice gates and canals have been built to grow crops on these lands in the division. So peasants are to strive for development of agriculture sector with might and main and local authorities and officials concerned are to give necessary assistance to them, he pointed out.

 Long-term and short-term economic projects have been laid down and implemented to be able to turn the nation into a peaceful, modern and developed nation and success has been achieved. As the StateÕs economy is based on agriculture sector, the government has laid down plans for development of agriculture sector. So also peasants and farmers in the region are to pay attention to extending of cultivated areas, double and multiple cropping and boosting of per acre yield, he stressed. Moreover, efforts are to be made for balanced development of fish and meat sector and traditional methods of fishing in ponds, creeks and rivers should be turned into breeding of fish in ponds that can contribute to mass production without effecting cultivated acreage.

 Breeding of ducks is also to be extended and breeding of poultry must be switched from manageable scale to commercial scale, he added. In conclusion, Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than said the five rural development tasks are to be implemented for balanced development of the region. Local authorities, departmental officials, local people and social organizations are to strive for prevalence of law and order and stability. After the ceremony, Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and party greeted those present cordially. Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and party, in motor boats, inspected thriving of monsoon paddy at watershed lands of Phayapyo, Kamakaban, Kadoot and Kyoneye villages. They met farmers from Thanattan, Kyonpa and Kyeebin villages of Thanattan Village-tract in Thanatpin Township and gave instructions on rural development tasks. Officials of Village Peace and Development Councils reported Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and party on growing of monsoon paddy, beans and pulses in summer, measures for education, health and social affairs.

Bago District Chairman Lt-Col Myo Tint attended to the requirements. Afterwards, Commander Brig-Gen Aung Min and Minister Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein explained ways and means to be carried out for regional economic development tasks, agriculture and livestock breeding tasks. Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than then made a speech. He said the State has built dams and sluice gates in Bago Division (East) and construction of canals contributes to prevention of flood. Peasants, taking advantages, are to grow rice using modern methods to boost production and livestock breeding is also to be done simultaneously so that the socio-economic life of peasants will progress.

Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and party then inspected growing of monsoon paddy at watershed areas in the township in motor boats. Canals and bunds have been built. As a result, there were 43,511 acres of wet land in Waw Township in 1998-99, Bago Division, and 21,420 acres of land was reclaimed as of 2001-2002, and plans are under way to reclaim the rest 22,091 acres in 2002-2003. On completion, good paddy pedigree can be grown and double cropping can be done, transportation will be smooth, farm produce will easily be transported and flood can be prevented.

( 5 ) Appointment of Ambassador agreed on

Yangon, 30 July -The Government of the Union of Myanmar has given agreement to the appointment of Mr Yuji Miyamoto as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Union of Myanmar in succession to His Excellency Mr Shigeru Tsumori. Mr Miyamoto was born in 1946. He passed the Higher Diplomatic Service Examination in 1968. He graduated from Kyoto University, Faculty of Law, and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1969. Since then, he had served in various capacities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and at Japanese Embassy in United Kingdom, Japanese Consulate-General at Atlanta, the United States and Japanese Embassy in China. Moreover, he served as the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China in 1999. Mr Miyamoto has been serving as Director-General for Arms Control and Scientific Affairs. Mr Miyamoto is married with two children.

A&I Minister receives Vietnamese delegation

Yangon, 29 July - Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin received the Vietnamese delegation headed by Deputy Director-General of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Development of Rural Region of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Mr Nguyen Dinh Houng, currently here to attend the Myanmar-Vietnam agriculture sector and forest sector work group meeting, at his office here this afternoon.

Commerce Minister receives guests

Yangon, 29 July - Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone received representative Mr Karl Imhof Wiget and party of Louis Dreyfus Co of Switzerland at his office this afternoon.

Deputy Minister signs in book of condolence

Yangon, 29 July -Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win went to the Indian Embassy on Merchant Street at 4 pm today and signed in the book of condolence opened for late Vice President of India Shri Krishan Kant.

Yangon, 29 July - Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun, accompanied by Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Myint Thein and officials of Public Works, arrived at the site chosen for the construction of Panmon Bridge at Mile Post 15/5 on Kale-Gangaw road in Sagaing Division yesterday. Officials of Public Works reported on arrangements made for the project. Then, the minister inspected maintenance work of the road being carried out by Public Works and gave necessary instructions. Afterwards, the minister, together with Brig-Gen Khin Maung Aye of Kale Station, inspected the construction site of the 200-bed hospital extension project in Kale and gave necessary instructions.

Coord meeting of gems entrepreneurs held

Yangon, 29 July - A coordination meeting of gems entrepreneurs was held at Thiriyadana Hall of the Ministry of Mines this afternoon. It was attended by Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint, Deputy Minister U Myint Thein, directors-general and managing directors of the ministry, entrepreneurs and departmental officials. Minister Brig-Gen Ohn Myint made a speech. Managing Director U Khin Oo of Myanma Gems Enterprise and entrepreneurs discussed matters related to the mining and sale of gems and jades, future tasks and sales of jades at the gems emporium held in May.

Ministers meet with importers and exporters

Yangon, 29 July - A second ceremony to meet with importers and exporters and to explain trading activities took place at the meeting hall on the fifth floor of the Ministry of Commerce on Strand Road this afternoon.

Secretary of the Council of Trade Policy Minister for NPED U Soe Tha spoke of trading policies; Minister at the State Peace and Development Council Chairman's Office Lt-Gen Min Thein, the need to carry out tasks speedily and correctly; Minister for Finance and Revenue U Khin Maung Thein and Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone, the need to provide assistance for the undertaking of activities in accord with the trading policies laid down by the State and cooperation of the manufacturers and exporters for the benefit of the State, the people and themselves and for long-term successes. Afterwards, the meeting ended in the evening.