Chance to vote in the election every 5 years is an invaluable right of citizens: VP
VICE President U Henry Van Thio met local elders in Thantlang and Haka and inspected the development undertakings.
At 8 am yesterday, he met local elders at the Diamond Jubilee Memorial Hall of the Baptist Church in Thantlang. At the meeting Vice President U Henry Van Thio explained his mission to see with his own eyes the development undertakings jointly conducted by the government and the people within a period of four years and the transport difficulties the locals are facing especially in the rainy season, and to look into their requirements, saying that local people are really enjoying the fruits of national development.
In his brief account of the developments, the Vice President said Myanmar’s export of rice and rice-related goods in 2018 has reached the highest level in a period of 73 years after 1934, and it is the first point. The second point is that the development pace of the country’s tourism industry in 2019 has been acknowledged by UNWTO as the fastest of the year, as the industry gained 40.2 per cent increase during the period. In fact, those developments are the results of the concerted efforts of the Union Government, departments and the relevant organizations, with the involvement of the people. Hence, inclusive undertakings in the interest of the country and the people are a must, he said.
The good results of public-government cooperation can be witnessed in the COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment undertakings, and the world has acknowledged them as exemplary, he noted.
The chance for every citizen who has reached the age of 18 to vote in the election only once in every five years is an invaluable right for him or her, and this rare opportunity is not to be lost. The accuracy of the voter list is important, and the erroneous lists in some places should be corrected through the coordinated involvement of the responsible personnel and local people. The responsible personnel should strictly observe the directives and the election laws, bylaws and rules, the vice president suggested.
The success in elephant foot yam cultivation is a must in abandoning the shifting cultivation, as soil and weather of Chin State are suitable for the crop, he said.
Later, two local elders presented a report on the construction of a retaining wall at the northern sector of a football ground and the repair of the eroded road in Thantlang, the establishment of an elephant foot yam factory, the erection of a cable tower for 12 villages where communication is poor, the grouping of 18 villages into a new village-tract, the linking of the electrified villages, with high school and rural healthcare centre, with the national grid, the construction of Bwaynu river bridge, the construction of a new town hall in Thantlang and town water supply.
Union Minister Dr Myo Thein Gyi, deputy ministers U Tin Myint and U Khin Maung Win, Chin State ministers U Soe Htet and U Shwe Hti Yo and Permanent Secretary U Shwe Lay looked into the requirements.
Vice President U Henry Van Thio provided financial assistance to COVID-19 volunteer teams. Chief Minister of Chin State Salai Lian Luai, Speaker of Chin State Hluttaw U Zo Bawi and Chin State Minister U Phway Ah presented national registration cards to the local people.
The NRCs were issued under the Thitsa project of the Department of Immigration and Population for 302 residents of four villages in Thantlang Township.
In his concluding address, the vice president expressed pleasure in announcing the transformation plan of the government technical high school in Thantlang into the government technical and vocational education institute. He thanked all the volunteers and called for inclusive public participation accelerating the national development task.
He then inspected the collapse of the retaining wall in the northern part of Ward 3 and the eroded detour, and heard a report on points of the Thantlang circular road, the landslide caused by a natural disaster, and the renovation plan of the eroded road by officials. In Haka, the vice president and party inspected the archway of Haka University construction project and heard a report on the work progress. At the temporary briefing hall of the university, officials presented a report on the Convocation Hall construction project, progress of work, other development activities, a housing project, and the extension of land for the university.
In response, the vice president insisted on causing the least harm to the natural environment in carrying out the construction undertakings. Then he visited the Convocation Hall construction project and the site of the housing project. Seventy-five per cent of the reinforced concrete Convocation Hall has been completed, and the total cost for the project is set at K 9331.194 million.
During the inspection of a Multipurpose Cyclone Shelter project, he heard a report on the progress of work and related works and facts. He then looked around the Multipurpose Cyclone Shelter. He then observed the new three-storey building project of Haka No 1 Basic Education High School. The budget allotment of the 140-foot by 30-foot reinforced concrete building is K 576.652 million.
At his meeting with local elders at Bo Taik Chun Hall, the vice president said his visit was to witness the regional development undertakings and the poor transport facilities of the area, and to hear the concerns of the local people. It is an undeniable fact that the area enjoys development to a certain degree.
The Multiparty General Election is a once in a five-year opportunity for every citizen who has reached the age of 18, and no one should lose this opportunity. As a cent per cent voter turnout is crucial, instructions have already been sent to the relevant departments. All should cooperate in accordance with the rules and regulations and directives issued by the Union Election Commission, he said.
Under the specific action programme of the COVID-19 economic remedial plan, 200,000 persons with disabilities in the whole country will be provided with K30,000 each. In Chin State 2,691 persons with disabilities have been initially provided with the cash aid. K183.9 million will be provided for the remaining 6,130 at a rate of K30,000 per head. Every expectant mother in the whole country will be provided with K30,000 once during the COVID-19 containment period. Every expectant mother or every under-2 infant in Chin State, Naga region and Rakhine State has been receiving K 15,000 per month since 2017; every expectant mother or every under-2 infant in Kayin and Kayah states, since 2019; every expectant mother or every under-2 infant in Ayeyawady Region and Shan State, since 2020. In 2017-2018, every senior citizen of age 90 and above was provided with a monthly social pension of K 10,000 and in 2018-2019, the eligibility age was lowered to 85. The government is striving for the socio-economic development of every citizen. So the involvement of citizens is required in the programmes in their interest, he said.
Then, the Union minister, the chief minister and officials looked into the requirements presented by the leader of the local elders. The vice president provided cash assistance for the remaining persons with disabilities through the chief minister, and volunteers and government staff for their involvement in the anti-COVID-19 activities. Then the NRCs were presented to 346 local people.
The vice president inspected an unsafe school building hit by the earthquake jolted on 16 April. He then met cabinet members and heads of departmental branches of Chin State at the Pyidaungsu Villa.
MNA
(Translated by TMT)
Photo: MNA
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