Members
of the Government and representatives of Ministries and Agencies were present
at yesterday’s meeting of the MPRP group in Parliament to answer questions or
clarify points. The meeting discussed several issues, including the work
implemented with MPs’ funds in their electoral districts. Lack of kindergartens
is a major issue in many electoral districts. Many children born in 2007 have
not been able to join a kindergarten this year as there is none near where they
live in the countryside. Education Minister Yo.Otgonbayar said 38 kindergartens
were opened this year and a USD12-million project to build many more is being
discussed with the World Bank, and may be implemented before the start of the
next school year. Many members felt there were not enough kindergartens in the
outlying districts of Ulaanbaatar also.   

The meeting also discussed the foot and mouth disease situation and the
compensation to be paid to herders in Sukhbaatar and Dornod aimags whose
animals had to be destroyed. They complained of the quality of the vaccines
produced domestically and urged that health care for all animals should be
brought under the Mongol livestock program.   

Some aimags such as Gobi-Altai and Zavkhan have not been able to finish the
planned winter preparatory work. Members urged more help for herders in faraway
soums who lost their animals last winter and now lack even adequate firewood.  

The meeting decided to set up a working group to report to Parliament the
budgetary issues facing MPs’ work in their electoral districts. D.Terbishdagva,
who made 200 visits to his district, was named “the most efficient member”. He
has prepared a 30-page report with 134 suggestions on his experience.