Mongolia Brief May 6, 2014 Part III
Ulaanbaatar
residents look for affordable homes at Barilga Expo-2014
May 7 (UB Post)
Government and non-governmental organizations jointly held the sixth Barilga
Expo from April 25 to May 5.
Based on the
city residents’ request, the expo had two separate fairs. The first featured
construction materials and related hi-tech products and services from over 200
local and foreign companies for three days starting from April 25. The second
fair showcased apartments and house designs from Friday to Sunday, with over 100
companies that have constructed around 60 apartment towns.
The organizers
reported, “Residents seemed to be more interested in apartment towns located in
the outskirts of the city. We have also noticed that they are paying close
attention to standards of infrastructure and design of the apartments, rather
than just focusing on price.”
Apartment
prices varied depending on their location, infrastructure development,
construction material quality and beneficial designs.
Average price
per square meter of one to two-room apartments that residents are most
interested in was 1.5 to 2.5 million MNT.
A visitor at
the expo, G.Bayarmaa said, “I can see apartment prices have increased a great
deal. However, I saw several towns offering reasonably priced apartments here.
If we pay the whole cost of the apartment, we could recieve discounts. But the
question is how many families can afford to pay the whole price. I’m looking
into the loan criteria now.”
Orchlon
Construction reduced the price of its apartments in 21st khoroo in
Songinokhairkhan District to 1.74 million MNT per square meter. Those who
ordered an apartment at the expo recieved a 200,000 MNT discount.
Another
highlight of the expo was the Tumen Amgalan Complex which is under construction
in the 12th khoroo of Bayanzurkh District as part of a ger area redevelopment
project. Grand Line LLC is executing the complex construction.
The complex is
being built with investment and standards from Turkey and it will start
receiving orders from buyers soon. Price per square meter is 1,350 USD and it
will drop to 1,150 USD if the cost is paid in advance.
Order contracts
will be validated if residents pay ten percent of the total cost in advance,
while the remaining 20 percent of the advance payment can be paid within 18
months before the complex opening. Residents can pay the remaining 70 percent
with housing loans.
Residents who
are planning to or who have already started their private house constructions
were able to obtain practical advice and assistance from professional businesses
at the expo.
‘Let’s
Resolve with Innovation’ consultation held
May 7 (UB Post)
The government’s monthly consultation meeting “Let’s Resolve with Innovation”
was organized under the theme “Let’s Create in Mongolia: Project to replace
imports and increase exports” with the presence of authorities from the
Development Bank, authorities from commercial banks, owners of projects, and
representatives of relevant agencies and ministries.
New Government
of Changes declared 2014 the Year of Industrialization and reached a decision
to spend one trillion MNT on developing industrialization, announcing the
selection of projects to replace imports and promote exports under the
initiative “Let’s Create in Mongolia”. At the meeting, Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag
emphasized that the projects should be launched soon and financed in May.
A loan or
financing is being granted to qualified individuals and entities who submitted
their projects to a commercial bank, and the banks deliver a request for
financing to the Development Bank. The Development Bank established an
agreement with 13 commercial banks. Some 888 projects which fulfilled standards
and criteria in the first phase have been transferred to these banks and
commercial banks have began research on the projects. Once their loan documents
and materials are complete, a project is submitted to Development Bank within
two weeks by the commercial banks. Loans will be granted in MNT for a term of
five years and loan interest will not be higher than nine percent, reported CEO
of Development Bank N.Munkhbat.
Projects which
requested loans of two billion MNT or less are to be financed from an SME fund.
There are a total of 579 projects which require such financing. The total loan
amount for these projects reached 560 billion MNT. The fund will resolve and
make decisions on the projects in accordance with its internal regulations and
rules. Other projects will be supervised and transferred to the working group
headed by the Prime Minister, and the government will make final decisions
accordingly.
According to
the CEO of Development Bank, the commercial banks will issue loans equivalent
to two thirds of the total cost of the project and the executing entity of the
project will be responsible for one third of the total cost.
Project
developers and initiators made suggestions at the end of the meeting, offering
that support is needed in importing raw materials to make products, and that
information regarding what projects and businesses received loans should be
made available to the public.
Minister of
Economic Development N.Batbayar noted that financing will be granted without
difficulty once selected projects meet the demands and criteria of commercial
banks.
Prime Minister
N.Altankhuyag gave duties to Development Bank to intensify the loan granting
procedure and advised project owners to deliver their comments and requests
regarding project election and loan granting issues to the government’s “11 11”
hotline.
District
hospitals receive medical equipment
May 7 (UB Post)
Chinggeltei and Songinokhairkhan district hospitals acquired 53 blood pressure
monitors made by Japanese Omron Corporation.
Additional 89
monitors will be imported soon to Mongolia as part of the “Health Sector
Development Program-3” which is a joint project launched after the assistance
treaty was made between the government of Mongolia and an Asian Development
Bank in 2007.
A fund of 387
million MNT was issued from the Minister of Health’s budget in 2014 for the
purchase of 89 monitors. Each monitor costs 612,000 MNT.
Over 450 blood
pressure monitors are required at each soum and district hospitals in Mongolia,
according to a study by the Ministry of Health (MH).
The Omron
i-Q132 blood pressure monitor is fully automatic and offers reliable and exact
upper arm measurement. All patients visiting hospitals will be obliged to
receive a checkup with the monitor.
The MH has
launched a nationwide push to improve medical services throughout the country
this year.
The World
Health Organization (WHO) study revealed that 55 to 60 percent of factors
leading to diseases are derived from sedentary lifestyle and improper habits.
Many common diseases are caused largely due to unhealthy lifestyle and habits,
including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and injury-derived diseases.
To improve
awareness of the public about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, the MH
published and distributed a book titled, “21 Habits that Everyone Must Pick Up”
to residents of Ulaanbaatar.
Minister of
Health N.Udval said, “If everyone in Mongolia practices these 21 habits on
day-to-day basis and give up improper habits, we can prevent 90 percent of
cardiovascular diseases, 70 percent of diabetes and 50 percent of cancer cases
in the country.”
Newera
Resources update on Ulaan Tolgoi Project
May 7 (UB Post)
Newera Resources Limited reported on its activities for the March quarter 2014
of the Ulaan Tolgoi Project in Mongolia.
Newera reports
that during the period it completed a phase one drilling program testing the
seismic reflectors interpreted to exist within the southern and far
northeastern sectors of the license by seismic consultants Logantek LLC.
The phase one
program initially called for two 300 cubic meter deep diamond drilling holes
designed to penetrate through the interpreted late Permian P2 sequence into basement.
The company
said that due to the recognition of strongly weathered basement in the drill
core higher up in the sequence than anticipated, the program was varied to
provide an adequate test of the interpreted seismic reflectors and the number
of holes was increased to five.
The program
commenced with drill hole UTPDH01 which failed to intersect any late Permian
strata and was terminated at 152.6 meters. UTPDH01 was followed by UTPDH02, 03,
04 and 05.
UTPDH02
intersected a 85 meter thick sequence of unconsolidated Quaternary – Tertiary
sand and gravel, underlain by semi-consolidated to consolidated Cretaceous
fluvio-lacustrine conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and claystone with common
molluscan shells.
UTPDH03
uncovered a 77.6 meter thick unconsolidated sequence dominated by pebbly sand,
underlain by thin (1.05 m) Cretacous clast- supported conglomerate unit.
Weathered Silurian-Carboniferous volcanic basement was intersected at 78.55
meters. UTPDH04 intersected a 150 meter thick unconsolidated – semi-consolidated
Tertiary-Cretaceous sequence characterized by pebbly sand, Aeolian sand, and
fine- grained flood basin deposits. UTPDH05 uncovered a 230 meter thick
unconsolidated sequence strongly dominated by well sorted fine- grained Aeolian
sand. Initial interpretation and modeling of the Ulaan Tolgoi seismic program
results by Logantek indicated a number of strong seismic reflectors underlying
lines A, E, B, F and D of the seismic survey.
The next step
for Newera is to consider a change of focus to the northern sector where nearly
two kilometers north of the Ulaan Tolgoi license boundary, black coal has been
discovered outcropping on the edges of erosion gullies within an elongate
sub-basin which appear to intersect the northern boundary of the Ulaan Tolgoi
tenement. The Ulaan Tolgoi project is located in the South Gobi region of
Mongolia – 100 kilometers from the Chinese Border.
In terms of
coal, the South Gobi province of Mongolia is known as the epi-center of recent
exploration and mining developments, particularly for coking coal and high
energy thermal coal within southern Mongolia. The Ulaan Tolgoi License is a
large license covering 43,000 hectares in area.
Press
freedom and the rights of journalists
May 7 (UB Post)
Requiring sources to be transparent, supervising journalists’ articles,
prohibiting articles from being published, and putting pressure on journalists
are just some of the issues that negatively impact journalists’ rights and
press freedom. This is an issue that touches all countries around the world. In
connection with this issue, in 1993 the United Nations General Assembly
announced the recognition of May 3rd as World Press Freedom Day. The main
reason for celebrating this day is to end the persecution of the press and
journalists, and to inform the public that these injustices encroaching on
freedom are still active in society. Moreover, this day is a reminder of the
value of press freedom and recognizing the ethical standards that governments
and press organization officials should be held to.
For this year’s
World Press Freedom Day, the UNESCO National Commission, Globe International
Center and the Confederation of Mongolian Journalists organized a round table
meeting. A variety of press organizations and departments attended the meeting
and discussed the Mongolian press sector in depth. They all agreed on one
thing: the need to pass a law on press freedom.
The 2014 World
Press Freedom Index covered 180 countries and Mongolia was ranked 88th as a
result of talking about and taking action on many things related to press
freedom. Compared to the previous year, Mongolia has made progress. Last year,
Mongolia ranked 99th. Finland tops the index for the fourth year and the last
position is held by Eritrea. When the index was published, specialists and researchers
spoke about press freedom and its ongoing challenges.
We spoke with Mongolia’s round table
delegates about these issues.
D. Munkhburen, lawyer with Globe
International Center
Approximately
670 journalists lost their lives in the past two decades. Nine of the ten
detained journalists have not been sentenced. There is an attitude that this
thing has become normal in our society. We should pay attention to it. Behind
all these things, press freedom and the rights of journalists are being
violated. We need a really good law that ensures our rights.
Kh.Battushig, General Secretary of the
Confederation of Mongolian Journalists
We are
discussing development trends after 2015. We are mostly working to improve the
skills of journalists. We are announcing the celebration of World Press Freedom
Day not only one day, but as a month long campaign. Therefore, cooperating with
the National Emergency Management Agency, we are working on journalists’
security.
Andrea Cairola, Communications and
Information Advisor, UNESCO Beijing
In 2013, UNESCO
appealed for attention to the following program “For a Brighter Future, Press
Freedom: Intensifying the development program”. Now we are facing a very
important moment to define a new goal. Today, we are discussing how we will
implement the things we have talked about.
Educating
to Compete or Cooperate?
May 7 (UB Post)
On a recent visit to the Early Childhood Center of the Zurich International
School in Switzerland – organized much like the good kindergartens here in
Mongolia – I learned that the focus of the activities for the three to six year
olds there is on teaching the very young children to work together, to help
each other and to think of the group rather than only of themselves. This early
introduction to cooperative behavior influences the attitudes of these children
towards their classmates, their friends and basically towards the society they
live in. They learn the importance of friendship and cooperation. Group work
and collaboration can be stressed throughout a child’s schooling.
After working
with schools and universities here in this wonderful country for nearly 15
years, I realize that in the Mongolian classrooms the emphasis is quite
different. It seems to me that here each individual student works for himself,
wanting to be the one to win a medal, not concerned with his classmates, not
considering himself as part of a group. Education here seems to be a continual
competition, a struggle to be better than everyone else instead of working
together with the other students for the good of the whole group.
Once in Darkhan
I offered to correct papers for the students of English if they wanted to
write. Quite a few pupils wrote themes, which I then read and corrected. When I
had finished, one of the girls asked me who had won. I had to explain that
writing a paper for me was an exercise, a chance to learn and to practice
writing, not a competition.
“Olympics,”
regional and national competitions in Mongolia – even among teachers – have
become much too important, even to the extent of determining teachers’
salaries. Why should teachers compete against each other? Shouldn’t they rather
concentrate on working together to generally improve the teaching in their
schools? Competition, in most cases, rules out cooperation. Cooperation among
teachers, in my opinion, would be more advantageous for everyone involved, both
teachers and students.
We individuals
– no matter where in the world we live – are all part of a society. When the
society is peaceful and productive we all profit from it. A peaceful and
productive society needs to support all of its members, whether they succeed
brilliantly in the “Olympics” or learn more slowly. Cooperation, the inclusion
and respect of all members of a society, not only those at the top of the class,
is the glue that holds a society together. Competition cannot do that. In my
opinion, competition in its Mongolian form weakens the society. The emphasis on
competing at all levels could be replaced by introducing cooperation as a
better form of living together.
L.Banzragch:
‘Serelt’ helped me finish school with honors
May 7 (UB Post)
This year is the 80th anniversary of
Mongolian radio. Over half of these 80 years is related to the work and life of
State Honored artist L.Banzragch. His role in “Serelt” film as an empty headed
naive monk-in-training who never learns even after being beaten up by his
instructor, still remains in the hearts of Mongolians. The following is an
interview highlighting important aspects of L.Banzragch’s career and Mongolian
radio.
When did you start working in the radio
industry? How long did you work?
I was first
assigned on orders from the Ministry of Culture in 1961. At the time, Mongolian
Radio, MONTSAME Agency and Modern Mongolia Magazine integrated to form the
Information Radio Authority of the Council of Ministers, which was led by
journalist Zundui Jambal. It had just moved to the third and fourth floor of
the current Central Post Office, which was a rather new building back then. The
Information Radio Authority had several editorials, and studios and had
strengthened its personnel and technology. The radio needed an artist to direct
it, so I was assigned there. At the time, I had worked in the arts and
drama industry for five years. After working for 38 years in the radio
industry, I retired.
1961 is around 20 years after Mongolian
radio was first established. Before that, did you have any experience in the
sector?
From my
knowledge, in 1956, the radio station was on the second floor of the old
Yugoslavian Embassy building which was located on the east side of the current
Ministry of Foreign Relations. My first experience with radio was when I went
to promote the film I played in. I was interviewed by S.Tsedev, the production
director.
Was it for “Serelt” film? Can you share
some stories of that time?
Yes. “Serelt”
was titled “Och” when it was first screened. Later, it was sent to Russia for
translation by Russian actors and was renamed “Serelt.” I played in this film
during my sophomore year at the University of Arts and Culture. Fork artist
Ts.Tsegmid played my father. I’m always very prideful for having played
together with the great T.Tseveenjav, D.Uchinkhorloo as well as G.Dorjpalam,
mother of democratic revolution pioneer S.Zorig. At the time, G.Dorjpalam was
studying at the University of Health Science. She got us all a whole year paid
break from school just to play a role in a film. D.Yanjinjav, G.Dorjpalam and I
have only a year age difference. I was 19 and the youngest among us.
How were you chosen to act as the son of
Purevjav? Did your instructor Vangan arrange this?
Our instructor
told me and another boy named Maam to audition. Over ten actors from the Opera
Theater came to audition. Many boys in monk clothing and shoes who had shaved
their head were running around at the Kino Uildver building. The fact that
instructor Vangan knew my capabilities might have influenced in choosing me for
the role. In 1956, I passed the audition and a year was spent on filming,
editing and voice over work. A year after that, the opening was held on Great
October Revolution Day at Eldev Ochir Cinema. The authorities of the Ministry
of Art and Culture congratulated the actors and gave a minimum of 1,500 MNT in
cash awards to us.
How much was your award?
2,500 MNT.
It must have been a lot of money at the
time. What did you do with it?
It was a lot of
money. 500 MNT was spent to celebrate and play around with my classmates,
another 500 MNT on a lignite overcoat to wear during spring and autumn and the
remaining was used for my parents. At the time, my parents raised livestock in
Erdene soum of Tuv Province, so I took a taxi to Gun Galuutai, Erdene soum
which is the birthplace of celebrated novelist D.Natsagdorj. At the time, taxis
were very rare. You could catch a taxi only around Undur Dovjoo. In a taxi of a
driver named Yondon, I headed towards Gun Galuutai. I paid him around 400 MNT,
handed the remaining 100 MNT to my parents and the huge sum of money at the
time was gone.
Your parents must have been elated to see
their son who had rushed to them after taking part in a film.
Indeed. Rumors
say that my parents cried a lot when “Serelt” was screened in my birthplace. I
heard my mother couldn’t stop crying while saying, “He keeps on beating my poor
boy and making him cry.”
So before you were assigned as a radio
director, you were what we call now a celebrity?
You could say
that. Thanks to the film, I graduated my school with a red diploma which is
given to only those who graduate with honors. I graduated the University of
Arts and Culture as an actor and director. I also finished the School of
Politics as a journalist. Although I finished two schools, I haven’t done
anything great. At the time, the standards for intellectuals were high so I
probably had to do that. I wanted to continue my studies in Russia but another
person was sent instead so I worked as a general director in a theater in Tuv
Province for two years. Before returning, I was asked whether I want to go to
the Cartoon Theater or work as a director at Mongolian radio. While the salary
of arts and culture facilities were only 600 MNT, the radio station gave around
750 MNT. Honestly, I went for the one that paid better. Sosor, who worked at
the Ministry of Arts and Culture, advised that I should work in the radio as
they both are part of the arts industry. It was true. Even in the radio
station, I didn’t falter from arts.
I believe that
radio and television is form of classic arts.
When you went into the radio industry, how
many directors were there? Were you the only one who directed shows of arts and
culture?
During the
beginning of the 1950s, only one position of radio director was initially
approved and a man named J.Badraa was assigned in that position. When I entered
the industry, they already had several directors. For example, announcer
Ts.Ragchaa and shanz musician Majigsuren were trained as directors first, and
then began working. Even at the Youth and Children’s Editorial, a theater
actress named P.Tsendsuren entered as a director before me. She also came from
a theater in Khovd Province. After me, G.Altangerel, S.Nyam-Osor and S.Burged
entered the radio station followed by many technicians.
Most people don’t know what a radio
director does. Can you explain what you did?
A radio
director must most importantly work with words. They make detailed plans about
how to say something the best way for different aged listeners and how to
adjust one’s voice when reading. It’s important that they can adjust the
balance of speech, music and sound. On top of that, they need to be able to
work closely with broadcasters, announcers and artists. For instance, they need
to think about whether to have the Good Morning Show for children be read by
broadcasters in the regular manner like in other shows or by children.
The Good Morning Show used children for the
scripts. Was this idea initiated many years ago? Perhaps, was it your
initiative?
Children’s
shows beginning from Good Morning to Afternoon Story Time were produced in the
1960s and 1970s. You could say that using children’s voice to read scripts in
children’s shows was my idea. First, I suggested to use a child who can act and
has a fine tenor voice suitable for child audiences for broadcasting. Then, I
had the authorities make decisions. G.Gombo and M.Chimid set the beginning for
it and at the time many excellent young people including Avirmed, Janchiv,
Lovon, Shajinbat, Sunduijav, Shagdar and Sosorbaram worked in the Youth and
Children’s Editorial. Back then, we brought the current radio announcer Ragchaa
from the Cartoon Theater to read scripts for children’s shows. Afternoon Story
Time was read by folk artist G.Gombosuren. Like so, we sought for new thing,
praised the good and criticized bad ideas.
Were you criticized a lot?
Yes, but if I
followed the script I wasn’t criticized. The key priority is the cooperation of
journalists, director, editor and announcer.
Was doing ad-libs considered wrong?
Sometimes,
there are times when we need to ad-lib. At the time, broadcasting policy was
very strict and we followed them strictly. Mongolians try to make their stories
more interesting and adds too much things that it becomes difficult to
differentiate the truth and lies. They add interesting parts but they don’t
make up completely baseless stories so their ad-libs weren’t completely false.
0 Response to "Mongolia Brief May 6, 2014 Part III"
Post a Comment