2nd Amyotha Hluttaw’s 8th regular session holds 1st-day meeting

The eighth regular session of the second Amyotha Hluttaw held its first-day meeting at the Amyotha Hluttaw’s meeting hall yesterday morning.

Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than greeted the Hluttaw representatives and asked them to serve their constituency with good health and a happy mind. He believed all the representatives had listened to the voices of the public on their difficulties and wishes, and noted the requirements for the development of the region in their respective constituencies. They must implement the wishes of the public by raising questions, tabling motions, enacting laws and working according to the set laws, rules, procedures and processes, he added.

At the meeting, Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe replied to five asterisk marked questions.

In reply to a question by U Yaw Nar of Kachin State constituency (5) on the plan to open a Rural Health Centre in Lachin Village, Lachin Village-tract, Hsawlaw Township, Kachin State, the union minister said Lachin or Lanse Village was under a single Jangyang Rural Health Centre in Hsawlaw Township that had 15 staff members.

Lachin Village is some 95 miles away from the Jangyang Rural Health Centre and can be reached only by foot.

The state Public Health Department head has reported that a Rural Health Centre be urgently opened in Lachin (Lanse) Village, as the region had faced natural disasters in 2016. This requirement will be submitted to the union government’s office and a union government meeting will be held to open a Sub-Rural Health Centre in Lachin (Lanse) Village as soon as possible, said the union minister.

Next, the union minister replied to a question by U Htein Win of the Ayeyawady Region constituency (4) on the plan to upgrade the Sub-Rural Health Centre in the Ayeyawady Region, Hinthada District, Zalun Township, Myitwa Village, to a Rural Health Centre. The union minister said the Myitaw Village Sub-Rural Health Centre is providing healthcare services to nearly 15,000 people from more than 3,350 households in 22 villages, and met the five basic requirements of a Rural Health Centre. Furthermore, the head of the Region Public Health Department had supported the upgrade in a report. Therefore, the upgrade will be made as soon as possible, said the union minister.

In response to a question by Dr. Zaw Lin Htut of Mon State constituency (9) on a plan to construct a modern sports ground and training centre in Mon State, Thaton Township, Thudhammawadi Town, the union minister said the necessary steps to obtain a land grant for a 800 ft x 600 ft land in field no. (513) has been taken and is at the final stage of completion with the Mon State government. Once the land grant is obtained, the necessary works will be conducted accordingly, said the union minister.

Union Minister Dr. Myint Htwe also replied to questions raised by U Kyaw Than of Rakine State constituency (10) and U Ngun Hay of Chin State Constituency (1).

Later, U Than Soe @ Than Soe (Economic) of the Yangon Region constituency (4) and U Kyaw Naing of Yangon Region constituency (12) discussed the Science, Technology and Innovation Bill, returned with amendments by the Pyithu Hluttaw.

U Kyaw Naing said the bill was one of the outstanding 22 bills from the first Pyidaungsu Hluttaw term, and thus the Hluttaw representatives had suggested and discussed it. The country has lagged behind in science and technology and because of this, the name of the bill should be Science, Technology and Innovation Bill. If it is named only for innovation, it will be weak. Of the 109 points in the bill, the Pyithu Hluttaw and the Amyotha Hluttaw disagreed on 54 and agreed on 55. Discussions will be continued in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, said U Kyaw Naing.

The second-day meeting of the second Amyotha Hluttaw’s eighth regular session will be continued on 15 May.

By Aung Ye Thwin

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar