UK praises Myanmar government for fixing traffic light

By our London correspondent British Prime Minister David Cameron today hailed President Thein Sein’s government following the announcement that a broken traffic light on the corner of Pansodan Street and Mahan Bandoola Road in Yangon had been fixed. The traffic light had been out of order for three days. “We welcome this positive step by the courageous government of Thein Sein, which will make a real difference to the lives of ordinary people”, said British Prime Minister David Cameron. “It is yet more evidence of momentous changes in the country, and we are committed to working with the government of Burma in supporting further major reforms.” A DFID spokesperson refused to confirm that a major grant, delivered via a UN agency, will be made for further provision of traffic lights. There had been speculation that fear of the reaction from military hardliners would delay the repair of the traffic light. The President’s office would not confirm whether a broken light bulb or electrical fault was responsible for the breakdown. The BBC apologised for an earlier headline on its website that every traffic light in Burma had been fixed, a spokesperson told Burma Tha Din news agency off the record that they had got a little carried away with the excitement of such significant news.