Planned reform in Myanmar regional administrative bodies underway: report

A planned reform in regional administrative bodies in Myanmar is underway in anticipation of the emergence of a new state constitution, reported Wednesday's local Weekly Eleven News pre-published Tuesday.

According to the report, the posts of chairman and secretary of administrative bodies at state, division and district level, which were previously held by military personnel, are being gradually replaced by civil personnel from the administrative department under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Dealing with the posts for members of the administrative bodies, the police personnel will remain unchanged but be added with personnel from the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, the report said.

As for the post for basic level such as the chairman of quarter or village or village-tract, it requires to be taken by personnel who is university graduate and aged between 35 and 45, the report said, adding that personnel, who does not comply with the said qualification for the post, can also be appointed if supported by local people.

The planned reform in some administrative bodies at basic level in Yangon such as quarter level has started, local citizens said.

Meanwhile, the national convention, as the first step of its seven-step roadmap to democracy, resumed its session here Tuesday morning after a recess for nearly nine months since the end of January this year.

The session, which was opened at the Nyaunghnapin Camp in Hmawby, Yangon division, which is about 40 kilometers northwest of Yangon, is to seek approval to lay down basic detailed principles on relations between Hluttaws (parliaments), fundamental rights and responsibilities of citizens and the role of the armed forces which had been discussed in the last session.

In the last session of Myanmar's constitutional national convention, which ran for nearly two months from Dec. 5, 2005, to Jan. 31, 2006, basic detailed principles concerning the powers and functions of the president, executive powers and judicial powers of the union government and region or state government, self- administered zones and self-administered divisions were worked out.

The national convention, as the first step of the country's seven-point political roadmap to democracy announced by the government in August 2003, formally resumed on May 17, 2004, after eight-year-long suspension since March 1996.

The remaining six steps of the roadmap are outlined as undergoing a national referendum on draft of the constitution, holding a new general election to produce parliament representatives and forming a new democratic government.

Source: Xinhua