The Irrawaddy Magazine

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This Week in Parliament (August 22-26) Posted: 26 Aug 2016 07:39 PM PDT A view of the Union Parliament in Naypyidaw during its opening session on Feb. 8, 2016. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) Monday August 22 In the Upper House, Sai Aung Htun of Shan State Constituency 2 asked if by-elections would be held in Shan State's Mong Hsu and Kyethi townships, since polls were not held in those townships during the 2015 general election due to conflict. Aung Myint, member of the Union Election Commission (UEC), replied that when by-elections are held in early 2017, polls will be organized in those townships in line with election laws and by-laws on the condition that the two townships meet the requirements to host free and fair polls. Tuesday August 23 In the Union Parliament, lawmakers discussed the draft law to amend the 2016 Union Budget Law. The parliamentary by-vote approved the draft law, which cuts ministry budgets, except for the ministries of education, health, ethnic affairs, defense and the state counselor's office. About 470 billion kyats (US$400 million) were slashed from a 20 trillion kyats ($16.5 billion) government budget. Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance Maung Maung Win elaborated on the signing of the second revised Asean comprehensive investment agreement by Burma. Lawmakers discussed the president's proposal to ratify the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials and Nuclear Facilities. Wednesday August 24 In the Lower House, lawmakers debated Dr. Hla Moe's proposal, which urged the Ministry of Education to adopt a system that could properly assess the educational qualifications of students at a basic level in order to contribute to the educational policy and objectives of the government. Parliament documented the proposal. In the Upper House, lawmakers debated the science, technology and innovation draft law. In response to the discussions, the Speaker of the Upper House asked the bill committee to review the discussions. The Union Parliament passed a bill to amends the 2016 Union Budget Law. Thursday August 24 In the Lower House, lawmakers debated the amendments proposed by the Upper House to the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law, and approved a draft law to amend it. In the Upper House, Min Naing of Sagaing Division Constituency 12 asked if the government had a plan to appoint ethnic language teachers during the 2016-17 academic year. Union Minister for Education Dr. Myo Thein Gyi replied that his ministry did not have a plan for the time being, but that textbooks in 49 ethnic languages for grades 1, 2 and 3 had been distributed to 540,000 students in 187 townships, and a budget had been allocated for ethnic language teachers. In the Union Parliament, lawmakers continued discussing the ratification of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials and Nuclear Facilities, and Parliament approved the ratification of the convention. Friday August 26 In the Lower House, Win Myint Aung of Dabayin Constituency asked if the government had a plan to form committees to supervise prisons and take care of inmates. Deputy Home Affairs Minister Maj-Gen Aung Soe replied that the Myanmar Human Rights Commission, Supreme Court judges, local authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross make visits to prisons and leave recommendations, and that his ministry acts on those recommendations and therefore has no plan to form such committees. In the Upper House, Pe Chit of Rangoon Constituency 9 asked if the government had a plan to sign the Ottawa Treaty and whether there was mine detection and clearance plans in place to help save the lives of rural people in current and former conflict zones. The deputy defense minister  replied that it was currently impossible to sign the treaty given the ongoing clashes in the country. He added that his ministry was clearing mines in some areas of Karen State. The Upper House also approved the territorial sea and maritime zone draft law. The post This Week in Parliament (August 22-26) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Aug 27) Posted: 26 Aug 2016 07:33 PM PDT Myanmar specialty coffee makes its debut in the United States during a private tasting with industry professionals at La Colombe Coffee Roasters in Washington, D.C. on August 23, 2016.  (Photo: Reuters) Rangoon Airport Domestic Terminal '80 Percent Complete' The new domestic terminal for Yangon International Airport is expected to open in December this year, according to the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA). About 80 percent of the terminal is currently completed as part of the project to upgrade the airport, a DCA official told local Burmese language daily The Voice. Yangon Aerodrome Company Limited (YACL), a subsidiary of the US-blacklisted Asia World Company, was awarded the contract for the US$660 million airport project in 2013. Construction of the new domestic terminal started in May 2015. YACL is the investor, operator and builder for the project as well as the manager of the existing airport. It holds a 30-year contract to manage the new airport. 4G Rollout Completed in Key Locations Ooredoo Myanmar and Nokia have completed the rollout and launch of the first 4G service in Burma, the companies announced this week. The high-capacity service is now operating in Rangoon, Naypyidaw, Mandalay and Bagan after an upgrade to existing 3G services, using the Nokia Single RAN and Packet Core platforms, which took less than three months to complete. "We are proud to be the first to launch 4G services in Myanmar and plan to extend the network further in the future,'' Rene Meza, chief executive officer of Ooredoo Myanmar, said in a statement. Nokia earlier provided its managed services expertise to Ooredoo Myanmar's 3G network, providing support from its global delivery center in Chennai, India, and in Burma. Concerns Over Inflation Fluctuating foreign exchange rates and rising gold prices are contributing to rising inflation in Burma, observers say. On August 25, the US dollar exchange rate was 1,210 kyats, up from a rate of about 1,185 kyats two months earlier, while gold prices had reached 874,500 kyats ($730) per tical, according to the market. One tical is a traditional Burmese weight measurement equal to 16.33 grams (just over a half ounce). This week the Central Bank of Myanmar announced that the current rate of inflation was 12.14 percent, surpassing World Bank predictions and causing concern among business leaders of an upward price spiral dampening local demand for goods. U Thein Tun, chairman of the Myanmar Bankers Association and founder of the Tun Foundation Bank, told The Irrawaddy this week that an "unstable" dollar exchange rate acts as a contributing factor to inflation. The government should provide a solution, he added. Burma's total trade volume dipped in the first quarter of this fiscal year, compared to the same period last year. Economist U Aung Ko Ko has flagged the adverse impact of double digit inflation on working class people in Burma who are most affected by the price of basic commodities. The official minimum wage remains at 3,600 kyats per day (US$3), among the world's lowest. Burma Coffee Enters US Market The first commercial-scale exports of Burmese coffee to the United States arrived this month, Reuters reported. Seattle-based Atlas Coffee Importers imported two containers totaling 600 60-kg bags. US retail giant Whole Foods Market bought 41 bags, while specialty coffee chain La Colombe purchased 10 bags. The Burmese coffee is to be sold as "single origin and as special coffee that we are offering," said Darrin Daniel, director of sourcing for the Allegro Coffee Company, a subsidiary of Whole Foods that supplies much of the food store's coffee. Meanwhile, the Arabica beans were set to go on show at a La Colombe cafe in Washington D.C. this week. The exports come in the wake of various initiatives to link Burmese growers with wider markets, including a Farmer-to-Farmer program and backing from USAID for improved production techniques. Foreign Aid Boost for Banking, Agriculture China will provide a package of US$150 million in aid to Burma for agriculture, education, cooperation on cultural affairs and aid to waterways, according to Deal Street Asia. Meanwhile, the Japanese International Aid Agency (JICA) is set to issue a US$25.2 million loan to the Myanmar Economic Bank to support loans to small and medium enterprises by six local banks, local media reported. Kanbawza Bank, CB bank, Aya Bank, Myanmar Citizens Bank, Myanmar Oriental Bank and the Small and Medium Industrial Development Bank will be enabled to offer loans of between 15 million kyats ($12,500) and 500 million kyats ($415,000), with or without collateral, according to local reports. The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Aug 27) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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