RANGOON — Rangoon Division Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein on Monday cited a “tight budget” of less than US$300 million as an obstacle to delivering multi-sector improvements to Rangoon.
The chief minister’s budgetary lament was delivered at a meeting with faculty members and students of Rangoon University, alongside Education Minister Myo Thein Gyi, as reported by local media.
In his own address, the education minister had stressed the importance of research in educational reform, and an attendee had asked if the government had a plan to assist research in Burma.
The chief minister responded, “We wish to fulfill all the demands submitted to us. But we have no money. Think of it like a household. A rich household can do everything. The Rangoon Division government has a budget of 332 billion kyats [US$280 million], a small amount, which includes the funds for government staff salaries.”
“We have no money. And there are excessive demands. But we listen to the people’s voices and try to set our priorities,” said the chief minister.
