Irrawaddy-Nov 29
Myanmar’s military regime has launched a campaign aimed at creating fun working places for civil servants. With the state of emergency ending in around two months, the junta needs to show the Myanmar people, or government employees at least, that its administrative mechanism is running smoothly and that civil servants are content. Since early November ministries have been hosting team-building lunches for their employees, with the Ministry of Information visiting each government office to entertain staff with music and dance. The military regime, which is still struggling to run the country nearly two years after the coup, said such activities are intended to boost the morale of employees, make them feel like part of a big family, and refresh them. “[The regime] wants to give the impression that staff are working happily together. [The activities] are also intended to mobilize the support of employees,” said one Naypyitaw civil servant. In fact, the regime is struggling to replace the civil servants on strike as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement. The junta has been forced to relax the eligibility criteria for government employees and has recruited outsiders to fill the positions of 60 deputy railway station masters, after the train system was paralyzed by strikes. It has also been forced to bring in Myanmar military medics to replace striking doctors and nurses in public hospitals. Since October the regime has advertised nearly 4,000 job openings in various ministries, with some positions open to those who have only completed primary education. The junta has also kept the door open for striking civil servants to return to work, said the Naypyitaw government worker. Military units have also been ordered to hold dinner parties for soldiers and their families since last year in an effort to retain personnel.
Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-wants-civil-servants-to-have-fun.html
