18 Community Centres in the pipeline for States and Regions

July 17, 2017

Ministry of Information is planning to establish Community Centres with a children library, training hall, multi-purpose hall, meeting hall, gymnasiums and a youth centre at 18 locations in states and regions.

At the meeting held yesterday afternoon at a meeting hall of Printing and Publishing Department in Theinbyu Street, Yangon, Union Minister for Information Dr Pe Myint and officials from Yangon Region, district and township level officials of Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD), Ministry of Information and Hluttaw representatives discussed the joint implementation works for the plan for establishing community centres.

In his speech at the meeting, Union Minister Dr Pe Myint said successive governments had setup IPRD offices under various names and the term “Public Relations” had been in use and offices were setup in towns and regions to carry out public relations. However, depending upon the nature of the government, there were differences in work conducted. In a democracy government, there is a need to inform the public and to listen to the voice of the public, he added.

Similarly, adjustment must be made to be in accord with the requirement of the changing time, changing system, situation, equipment and materials.

In the transition period to democracy, conduct on political matters will change towards a system inclusive of majority participation and decision. A country’s executive and legislative mechanism will be practiced with a system that involves the pluralism

As such, people’s participation need to increase in the political process. The more the people participate, the more democratic system takes shape. Community Centre can be said to be a ward and village centered place where people can gather there, said the Union Minister.

“This is a place where people will discuss about their ward and village. It is the place that will increase and support the public participation in the political process and that is why this meeting with the people’s representatives is being held,” said the Union Minister.

The voices coming out of Community Centres need to be the voices and opinions of the people. The voices and opinion of the grass root level peoples need to reach the top in a democracy era, he added.

The Centre will be formed to support all – the children, youth, people of the community, elders and middle-aged.

The plan now is to setup as Community Centres that have IPRD library and office in coordination with other organisations. Together with Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, existing one (IPRD library and office) in Natmauk, Myaungmya, Insein and Pyinmana will be renovated into Community Centre while libraries will be transformed into Community Library. The effect of combining Community Centre and Community Library is for ward and village development. While working for youth development, discussion on ward and village matter is also being targeted.

Community Centres are not modernization and upgrading of IPRD libraries and offices but a place that supports the building of a democracy. If the place is used for ward, village and youth development rather than as a display area, Community Centre will help and support the community as well while Myanmar society also becomes a society that supports the building of a democracy said the Union Minister. Afterward, Yangon Region Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Lin Naing Myint, IPRD Director General U Maung Pe and Hluttaw representatives discussed and suggested on setting up Community Centre.

Countrywide, there are 434 IPRD offices and Community Centres are planned to be opened in Myitkyina, Loikaw, Hpa-an, Haka, Sagaing, Dawei, Pyay, Magway, Mawlamyine, Sittway, Mandalay, Meiktila, Taunggyi, Lashio, Pathein, Thingangyun, Bahan and Hline townships and one was already opened in Myintkyina on 16 July.

Plans are also underway to open Community Centres in other appropriate places in Yangon Region it is learnt.

Myanmar News Agency

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar