Lt-Gen Myint Swe visits Gems Emporium

YANGON, 7 March — Lt-Gen Myint Swe of the Ministry of Defence visited the 44th Myanma Gems Emporium at Myanmar Convention Centre here this evening.

On arrival at the centre, he was welcomed by Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win, patrons of Myanma Gems Emporium Central Committee Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint and Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee Yangon Mayor Brig- Gen Aung Thein Lin, Vice-Chairman of the central committee Deputy Minister for Transport Col Nyan Tun Aung, Secretary Managing Director of Myanma Gems Enterprise U Thein Swe and members and officials.

Secretary U Thein Swe briefed Lt- Gen Myint Swe on the sale of the previous emporium, the arrival of foreign gem merchants to the emporium, the expected number of buyers, and the gems to be sold. Minister Brig- Gen Ohn Myint gave a supplementary report.

Officials conducted Lt-Gen Myint Swe around the compound where jade blocks are displayed and the first floor.

He then gave necessary instructions.

Prevention and control of avian flu clarified

YANGON, 7 March — A clarification on prevention and control of avian flu in Yangon Division was held at Yangon Division Peace and Development Council
Office on Bank Street in Kyauktada Township yesterday. Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Hla Htay Win spoke on the occasion. He said the bird flu spread not only to animals but to human beings. Virus that wild birds carry infects domestic birds. He called for cooperation in preventive measures.

Deputy Director-General Dr Kyaw Nyunt Sein of Health Department gave talks on avian flu, surveillance, education and cooperation among departments and non-governmental organizations.

Head of Yangon Division Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department Dr Soe Win reported on death of fowls in the division and work done.

Head of Yangon Division Health Department Dr Hla Myint reported on training for preventive measures and coordination.

The meeting ended with concluding remarks by the commander.—MNA

Myanmar Youth Team sail into semifinal with 3-1 win over Brunei Youth

YANGON, 7 March —The Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for U-21 ASEAN Youth Football Championship 2007 continued in Brunei today.

In the Group (B), Myanmar Youth Team edged out host Brunei Youth Team 3-1.

In the first half, Myanmar Youth Team dominated the opponent team with a 2-0 result. The winning goals for Myanmar came through Sithu Than and Pyae Phyo Oo.

In the second half, Kyaw Htay Oo added one more goal as a third for Myanmar. Afterwards, Brunei Youth Team snatched only goal.

Myanmar Youth Team stood first on the standing table with nine points from all wins in three matches and cruised to the semifinal.

At 10 pm Brunei Standard Time on 10 March, Myanmar Youth Team will meet with the team that stood second in the Group (A) in the second semifinal match.— MNA

CEC member supervises rural development tasks in Wetlet Township

NAY PYI TAW, 7 March — CEC member of the Union Solidarity and Development Association Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint met with secretaries and executives of Shwebo District and Shwebo, Kanbalu, YeU, KhinU, Taze and Dabayin Township USDAs at Irrigation Department in Shwebo on 4 March.

The CEC member attended the opening ceremony of summer youth training courses at Wetlet Township USDA office.

And the CEC member and Thitagu Kyeidapwint Sayadaw Bhaddanta Paññananda unveiled the archway of Hsartaungni Village in Wetlet Township, and the CEC member donated exercise books and sports gear to village-elders.

While in Wetlet, he attended the opening ceremony of the new building of Post-Primary School in East Shwekyin Village and accepted 412 USDA membership applications.

Afterwards, the CEC member and party attended opening ceremony of a paddy husk-fired power plant in Yonbingon Village and Duwunkyei Library in Powintat Village.

Dagon Myothit ( North) MCWA honours Cetana night school teachers

YANGON, 7 March — Dagon Myothit (North) Township Maternal and Child Welfare Association honoured teachers who taught at Cetana night school at the township MCWA office today.

Chairperson of Yangon Division Maternal and Child Welfare Supervisory Committee Daw Mar Mar Wai delivered an address. On behalf of the teachers, U Tun Tun accepted gifts presented by Chairperson Daw Mar Mar Wai. Then, she gave examination aids to students.

Daw Kyi Kyi Nyunt, Chairperson of the Township MCWA, also spoke and the ceremony ended.

Gem entrepreneurs to enjoy fair share with the State

YANGON, 7 March—Patron of the Central Committee for the Myanma Gems Emporium Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint had a meeting with gem entrepreneurs at the Myanmar Convention Centre on Mindhamma Road in Mayangon Township here this morning.

The minister said that Myanmar gem stones have a good reputation and win customer satisfaction in the international market for their quality. With the development of the gems industry, Myanmar precious stones are in high demand, thus bringing benefits both to the State and the entrepreneurs.

He called on private entrepreneurs, gems companies and cooperative societies to exhibit their gems at the gems emporiums held by the State.

Indeed, precious stones are an exhaustible national resource based on the volume of mining, so those engaged in the gem industry are to enjoy fair share with the State, he pointed out.

Gems should be on sale as finished valueadded items rather than being sold in raw, he said, urging national gem entrepreneurs to seek ways for advanced methods and see that their products have a foothold in the markets at home and abroad.

The government is rendering various forms of assistance to the gem entrepreneurs. Thus, they are to do the job and sell their items in accordance with rules and regulations for emergence of an established gem market in the nation, he said. Secretary of the Central Committee Managing Director of Myanma Gems Enterprise U Thein Swe called on the entrepreneurs to follow the Myanmar Gems Law regarding gem mining blocks, tenders for permitted blocks, paying taxes for gems, exhibition of gem emporiums, e n v i r o n m e n t a l conservation, work site safety measures, and application for permits and new blocks.

Next, tentativelyselected members of the panel of patrons and CEC members were selected through common consent for forming the Myanmar Gem Entrepreneurs Association.

Also present on the occasion were Patron of the Central Committee Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee Mayor Brig- Gen Aung Thein Lin, CEC members and gem entrepreneurs.

United Nations Secretary-General’s message on International Women’s Day

YANGON, 8 March— The following is a message of United Nations Secretary General on the occasion of the International Women’s Day which falls today. I am happy and honoured to send you my warmest wishes on International Women’s Day — my first one as Secretary-General of the United Nations. I hope you will all come to know me as your representative and ally in the years ahead.

This day is an opportunity for all of us — women and men — to unite in a cause that embraces all humankind. Empowering women is not only a goal in itself. It is a condition for building better lives for everyone on the planet.

No one can dispute the evidence that this is so. And no one can gainsay the outcome of the 2005 World Summit, when leaders reaffirmed that gender equality and human rights for all are essential to advancing development, peace and security.

Yet we are still so very far from turning this understanding into universal practice. In almost all countries, women continue to be under-represented in decisionmaking positions. Women’s work continues to be undervalued, underpaid, or not paid at all. Out of more than 100 million children who are not in school, the majority are girls.

Out of more than 800 million adults who cannot read, the majority are women. Worst of all, violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families, and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence —yet the reality is that too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned.

That is why International Women’s Day is so important. It spells out our responsibility to work for enduring change in values and attitudes. It calls on us to work
in partnership — Governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector. It urges us to work for a transformation in relations between women and men, at all levels of society. It compels us to strengthen every means of empowering women and girls— from education to microcredit.

The United Nations must be at the forefront of those endeavours. I pledge to do all I can to ensure that it is — not only on International Women’s Day, but every day.

I look forward to working with you in our collective mission.

Second meeting on organizing 44th Myanma Gems Emporium held

YANGON, 7 March — The Central Committee for Organizing the 44th Myanma Gems Emporium for 2007 held the second coordination meeting at Malikha Hall of Myanmar Convention Centre on Mindhamma Road in Mayangon Township this evening.

Patron of the Central Committee Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint delivered an address.

Members of the Central Committee and sub-committees reported on preparations for organizing the gems emporium.

Secretary of the Central Committee Managing Director U Thein Swe of Myanma Gems Enterprise and members submitted suggestions on successful holding of the emporium.

The meeting ended with concluding remarks by the minister.

CARE-Myanmar donates bird flu prevention equipment to LBVD

YANGON, 7 March — Country Director Mr Peter Newsun of CARE-Myanmar donated 112 items of equipment comprising 100 cans of pesticide, 50 spray bombs, suits, gloves, boots and pairs of glasses worth K 3.6 million to the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department today.

These equipment will be used in prevention and controll of bird flu in Yangon Division.

Measures taken as to death of chickens and birds in townships of Yangon Division The death of 18 crows, 11 pigeons and one swallow was found in Kamayut, Sangyoung, Pabedan, Yankin, Bahan, Mingala Taungnyunt, Mayangon, Insein, Hline, Kyimyindine, South Okkalapa, Ahlon, Hlinethaya, Seikkyi-khanaungto and Mingaladon townships today. Regarding this, bird flu was not detected. One domestic chicken was found dead in Ahlon Township. Bird flu could not be detected as the chicken had decomposed.

The LBVD came to the conclusion that the death of poultry and birds in Yangon Division was not due to bird flu.

Experts from international organizations on field trip of prevention against bird flu Regional Bird Flu Coordinator Dr Wantanee Kalpravidh of FAO, Bird Flu Biosecurity Expert Dr Larry Allen and Laboratory Technician Dr Sudarad Damrongwatanapokin of USAID, accompanied by veterinarians of LBVD, inspected two bird flu suspected poultry farms in Mayangon and Hlinethaya townships today and conducted tasks of control and prevention against bird flu.

Regional Capacity Building Workshop to Promote Youth Initiated (ICT) Enterprise opened

YANGON, 7 March — The Regional Capacity Building Workshop to Promote Youth Initiated( ICT) Enterprise was opened at the Myanmar Info-Tech in University of Hline Campus here today with an address by Deputy Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint.

Also present on the occasion were Director- General U Sit Myaing of Social Welfare Department, officials of ASEAN Secretariat, repre-sentatives of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and departmental officials.

Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint visited the booths opened by Myanmar youth.

The workshop gained opportunities to exchange experiences and friendship among ASEAN youth. It will last till 9 March.

Close supervision for road, bridge projects

YANGON, 7 March—Minister for Construction Maj- Gen Saw Tun and Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Myint Thein inspected conditions of road sections and bridges along Yangon-Bago-Mawlamyine Road on 5 March.

Officials reported on cent per cent completion of Sittoung Bridge (Moppalin), and follow-up programmes.

Inspecting the transport facility, the minister called for completion of the project on schedule meeting the set standards.

The Sittoung Bridge (Moppalin) is being implemented on Sittoung River, linking Kangyiseik Village in Waw Township and Sittoung Village in Kyaikto Township, four miles downstream of Sittoung Bridge (Theinzayat). On completion, the reinforced concrete bridge will be 1,365 feet long with a 243.6-foot approach bridge on Moppalin side and a 784.1-foot approach bridge on Waw side along with a 28-footwide motorway and two six-foot-wide walkways on it. It will withstand 60 tons of load.—MNA

UMFCCI annual general meeting 10-12 March

YANGON, 7 March—The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry will hold its 16th annual general meeting along with a three-day discussions about eight economic sectors at its Office Tower at No 29, Min Ye Kyaw Swa Road, Lanmadaw Township, here. Matters on IT and transport sector will be under discussion on 10 March, trade, banking services, finance and agriculture sectors, on 11 March, and industry and energy, hotels and tourism, and general economic sectors on 12 March.

Members of congenial organizations may attend the meeting as participants and those interested, as observers after getting registered.—MNA

Topcon Positioning System Road Show staged

YANGON, 7 March—The Topcon South Asia Pte Ltd and the Concordia International Co Ltd co-introduced Japan-made Topcon Brand surveying instruments
at the International Business Centre on Pyay Road here this afternoon.

Regional Support Engineer Mr Michael Goh of the Topcon South Asia Pte Ltd presented Topcon Brand surveying instruments and measuring methods, and demonstrated Topcon Imaging Total Sta- tion GPT-7000 i and PI-3000 Software to have 3D view.

Responsible persons answered the queries put by the attendees observing the surveying instruments. Those wishing to know more about Topcon Brand surveying instruments may contact Shwegon Plaza on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road in Bahan Township, Yangon, (Tel: 09-500-5912, 544199, 544824, 558386 and 558438).