If the people prefer inland water transport, the nationwide travel and flows of trade can be improved, stresses Senior General

The Inland Water Transport-IWT should stand as a leading organization for the water transport sector of the country, said State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing while inspecting the Dala Shipyard in Yangon yesterday. He was accompanied by the Yangon Region chief minister, the commander of the Yangon Command, the mayor and relevant officials.
First, Union Minister for Transport and Communications Admiral Tin Aung San reported on the history of the Inland Water Transport, the vessels of relevant divisions and maintenance of the vessels, work plans of the shipyard, the construction of ships in each financial year, income received from maintenance services of private vessels and vessel operations of relevant divisions across the nation.
Managing Director of the Inland Water Transport U Htay Aung then explained the historic activities and records of the Dala Shipyard, ship maintenance at docks, construction of new vessels and future work plans in the coming financial year.
In his response to the presentation, the Senior General said that water transport is the most cost-effective and faster way to transport a large number of goods in the transport sector. The country boasts of various rivers and creeks and although water transport is the best way, there is no proper development for it fails to conduct systematically. Therefore, the government should carry out the development of the waterway transport system and encourage the private sector. There should be fine waterways, jetties, ships, a resting area on the jetty for passengers, locations for freight transport and places to keep the products. It should make efforts to lure the trust of people in the water transport sector; if the low-cost water transport system is implemented, it benefits the country and the awareness programmes should be conducted as the unessential goods can be transported via sea route.
The Senior General added that the local transport sector received proper achievements in the past but due to the financial difficulties and smuggling, the State-owned transport was affected seriously. Due to the weaknesses in repairing the aged machinery and ships, it affects the State-owned transport sector and so it needs to conduct repair works on them based on their terms or years correctly. Providing the welfare of staff can improve the abilities of staff in their workplaces.
The Inland Water Transport should stand as a leading organization for the water transport sector of the country. On the other than, it should encourage private water transport activities. It needs to produce human resources. It also should adopt the coastal transport system and use the delta, Ayeyawady, Chindwin and Thanlwin rivers effectively in the inland water transport sector.
The Dala shipyard has its own history and it should provide the needed engineers for it. It should build modern ships and study at the partner shipyards. It also conducts modern constructions to promote the shipyard. As it is about 150years old shipyard, it should lead the ship construction operations of the country. If the people prefer inland water transport, the nationwide travel and flows of trade can be improved and there will be an economic system that can be launched across the nation, he continued.
Then, the Senior General and party viewed the Dala Shipyard and instructed the necessary things. He also provided gifts and cash prizes to the IWT staff. – MNA