31 March

President U Win Myint left Nay Pyi Taw by Myanmar National Airline and arrived to Yangon yesterday morning. The President was welcomed on arrival at Yangon International Airport by Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, Yangon mayor U Maung Maung Soe and officials.

The President paid homage to Padamya Myetshin Buddha image at the Shwedagon Pagoda by offering a golden robe and also paid homage to the diamond bud on top of the Shwedagon Pagoda.

The President went to the National Races Village in Thakayta Township where Department of Rural Development Director General U Khant Zaw explained about the National Races Village and status of works conducted. Union Minister Dr. Aung Thu and Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein also provided additional explanations about works conducted for long term development.

The President remarked that the country was a Union and republic. A Union only becomes a Union with the participation of all ethnic people. The complete traditional cultures, traditions and utensils of ethnic nationals must be displayed and maintained for local and foreign visitors and this systematic display depicts the Union spirit. Historically our ethnic nationals had lived together through thick and thin. Policies were set up to maintain and develop the languages, literatures, traditional cultures, utensils, practices, customs etc. of our ethnic nationals. Therefore these were to be displayed in a timely manner and this itself would be the pride and honor of our country and our ethnic nationals.

The National Races Village need to be made more attractive and clean to draw in more local and foreign visitors. The National Races Village was the image of our country and was also the symbol of our ethnic brethren living together in peace. As such more emphasis must be placed toward developing the National Races Village said the President.

Afterwards the President observed the cultural performance conducted by the staff at the dance hall, presented cash reward to the staff and posed for a commemorative group photo.

After touring the National Races Village, the President and party went to Ministry of Industry Pharmaceutical Factory (Insein) where Myanmar Pharmaceutical Factory (MPF) Managing Director U Ko Ko Lwin explained about production and distribution of pharmaceuticals from Pharmaceutical Factory (Insein) and other factories of MPF.

Ensure the safety of pharmaceutical products

The President commented that the increase in pharmaceutical and profit was due to having more consumers and market share. As the numbers of consumer increases, more care and emphasis must be placed toward ensuring the safety of the products.

In addition for the product to meeting the quality requirement, manufacturing process and packaging of the products must also be of good quality and modern. Ensure that the products couldn’t be faked. Consumers were to be made aware of products produced to expand and develop the market. The President also remarked on producing sufficient anti-venoms for local market and strives toward exporting more.

After the briefing, the President inspected the new pharmaceuticals produced in the factory, an ambulance manufactured by Ministry of Industry, extraction of snake venom at the snake farm, the store and the factory.

Upgrading circular railway service to ease traffic

Later the President and party went to Insein Railway Station and inspected the Yangon circular railway line and upgrading works by taking a RBE train accompanied by Union Minister U Thant Sin Maung and Deputy Minister U Kyaw Myo.

Upon arrival at Yangon Railway Station, the President and party were explained about the Yangon circular line upgrade project by Myanma Railway Managing Director in the Yangon Railway Station meeting hall. Union Minister U Thant Sin Maung and Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein also explained about systematic relocation of squatter shops that were dangerously close to the railway line and the status of review conducted for Yangon Urban Mass Rapid Transit (YUMRT) project. The President in return spoke of improving the transport sector to ease the travel of the people, importance of a good signaling system in a circular railway line, having railway overpass bridge for safety of the pedestrians, cleanliness along the circular railway line and in the stations and easing traffic congestion as people travel more by railway.

The project was considered to ease people’s travel by railway, reducing running time, increases the numbers of travellers using circular train and to reduce traffic congestion in Yangon. — MNA