World leaders greet Koirala

Kathmandu, Apr. 3 (RSS):Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) Gerhard Schroder has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his re-appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a message of congratulations, the FRG Chancellor has expressed the hope that the traditionally excellent relations and friendly ties between the two countries will be further deepened in the years ahead.

Mr Schroder also wished Mr Koirala every success in carrying out the challenging tasks that awaits him.

Likewise, Mr Mikulas Dzurinda, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a message of congratulations, Mr Dzurinda has hoped that the friendly relations between Slovakia and Nepal will continue to grow to the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

The Slovak Prime Minister also wished for Mr Koirala’s success, good health and happy well-being.

Prime Minister of Denmark Poul Nyrup Rasmussen has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a message of congratulations, Mr Rasmussen has extended best wishes to Mr Koirala and the people of Nepal.

In the same manner Mr Ahmed Benbitour, head of the government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a congratulatory message, Mr Benbitour has extended best wishes to Mr Koirala in performing successfully his future tasks in the interest of the friendly people of Nepal and their prosperity and progress.

Mr Benbitour also assured Mr Koirala of his keen desire to work together for the development of bilateral cooperation to enhance the friendly relations existing between Algeria and Nepal.

Similarly, Mr V. Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a message of congratulations, Mr Putin hoped that the traditional relations of mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the two countries will even further develop to the benefit of the peoples of Russia and Nepal, in the interest of peace and stability in Asia.

The Russian Prime Minister also wished Mr Koirala happiness and well-being, and progress to the Nepalese people.

Likewise, Begum Khaleda Zia, leader of the opposition in the Bangladesh Parliament has felicitated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

The excellent relations that exist between Bangladesh and Nepal are a product of relentless efforts of the two peoples towards promotion of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation, Begum Khaleda Zia said, adding that the people of Bangladesh remain committeed to the realization of these bilateral objectives and hope to continue to promote regional cooperation within the framework of SAARC.

Expressing confidence that Mr Koirala’s long political experience and as Prime Minister for the fourth time will further the common cause, Begum Khaleda Zia wished Mr Koirala good health, happiness and long life and for the people of Nepal further progress and prosperity.

Honour from PM an emotional moment for Singer Natikaji

Kathmandu, Apr. 3 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and singer/musician Natikaji might be of the same age but Prime Minister Koirala looks quite agile and active compared to his contemporaries.

Today, Mr Koirala went to the stage briskly and honoured singer and musician Natikaji by embracing him.

At a golden jubilee evening organised by Radio Nepal on the occasion of its golden jubilee celebrations today, Natikaji tried but failed to complete a national song.

Natikaji, who was sitting on a chair at the stage tried, after a while, to go to the audience gallery. But the Prime Minister himself went to the stage to honour him.

The veteran singer broke into tears and the whole atmosphere was charged with emotion.

Meanwhile, Radio Nepal golden jubilee festival evening was organised as part of golden jubile celebrations of Radio Nepal here today.

Renowned and senior singers and musicians including Nati Kaji, Amber Gurung, Shiva Shanker and others presented their songs on the occasion.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala also attended the function.

Also present at the programme were Minister for Information and Communications Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta, ex-ministers and Ministers of State for Information and Communications and other distinguished persons.

Taking Stock
Education skills in government

Hari Uprety

Education is a double edge sword. If lack of education is usually taken as a hindrance to carry out governance tasks, another side to the coin has to do with not being able to employ the already available human resources. These twin problems are complicated by deliberate attempts to exclude the available manpower so that unskilled ones can remain in their place. The inevitable question is: How can skill be displaced by the unskilled? The answer is: Politics.

Since politicians are the ultimate decision makers, the quality of leadership plays a vital role in the quality of government a society is subjected to. Most politicians in countries like Nepal are not educated well because there is no education requirement to become a political leader. Even those leaders who have spent a significant time of their life in schools or colleges are known to have done so politicking rather than getting themselves educated. They may know a lot about how to politicize an education institution but very few are known to have taken the trouble to attend classes for learning purposes.

This does not happen in developed societies, where almost all the leaders are not only good university graduates but have studied in the law school to sharpen their legislative skills before joining politics. Politics takes place in their student days also, but is generally not allowed to cross the line to spoil the academic environment. On the contrary, some may even use politics as a tool to enhance the quality of education rather than the other way round.

Even in countries like Nepal, the bureaucracy has a different story. Civil service does ensure that qualification determines the kind of job one gets. The supply of bureaucratic jobs is so inelastic that fierce competition is there to root out the less educated and hire only the best of graduates. Even petty jobs like that of security guards or peons are required to be executed by educated, at least to a certain prescribed degree, manpower. Not so in politics.

Two sets of problems are thus incorporated early on into the government system from the very time hiring is carried out. One is the lack of understanding of government matters at the political or leadership level due to inadequate education, while the bureaucracy, that is supposed to execute the tasks set by the leadership, has to be better than average in education attainment. In such a situation, the quality of government that results has to be a compromise between the educated and the not- necessarily- educated.

Given such circumstances, this compromised skill in executing government tasks is the best outcome that one can expect, especially if a system of checks and balance of power operates well. In other words, even this compromise is the best case scenario. But in a country where the political sector enjoys a state of impunity and is just learning to enjoy the spoils of political office, such a compromise can only be contemplated. It is the bungling politicians that rule supreme and the skilled bureaucracy is made ineffective, unable to carry out even its day-to-day routine.

Ultimately, the bureaucracy no more becomes an attractive employment option for the really qualified. Some are forced to leave for a more promising sector of employment. But where government bungling is the name of the game, rather than providing quality services to the people, looking for such a sector will be like looking for a needle in the haystack.

The more sensible ones are forced to leave the country for better prospects, while the majority cannot even do this. They are forced to be a victim of exclusionary politics perpetrated by the unqualified politicians to keep the unskilled people in power. And the rising number of such victims is a constant phenomenon, even more so if the country is pushing an all-inclusive education drive. Sincere minds at this stage even wish that the education process be stopped, if only to prevent more educated people from exclusion.

Such a crisis should not be happening in a democracy, as democracy tends to bring everything in place through elections. There are certain limits that the system automatically sets. But if democratic institutions can be manipulated to suit the interests of those in power such sacred lines do not exist.

Exclusion of the majority of the population might not matter much if the country enjoys a large subsistence population mindful of nothing but their own traditional activities and out of the government policy umbrella. But a country that wrenches away everybody from the moorings of their traditional trades in the name of modernization and pushes them towards exlusion through mal-government, there is a volatile situation brewing all the time. A slight spark under any pretext is enough to bring about political explosions keeping the society under constant fear of violence.

There is indeed no doubt that Nepal is facing similar problems in the education sphere. There have been instances where political leaders have not shied away from undermining the sensitivities not only of the polity, economy or society, but of the geo-strategies of the nation as well. Clearly, there is no respect for skills of statecraft. They have gone contrary to the laws of the land without much ado in many instances. All this happening in spite of the bold letters of the laws of the land prohibiting them from doing so.

Only a proper spread of education skills can compel individuals towards doing away with systemic anomalies that promote mal-governance. This means that institutions of learning themselves need to have a long-term view and look at the manpower requirements of the nation before they admit new students to teach, unmindful of the immediate political consequences. Only then can a properly educated leadership emerge. For that to happen, it is the politicians that need to root out politics from those institutions. Yes, it is a vicious cycle.

Journos’ visit to India

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, April 3:A seven member media delegation comprising of senior editors, journalists and representatives of media institutions, P.S. Karki, Tara Nath Dahal, N.N. Pandey, Shambhu Shrestha, Gokul Pokharel, R.K. Regmi and Shri Kanak Mani Dixit visited India at the joint invitation of B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation and Editor’s Guild of India. This is stated in a press release issued by B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation Embassy of India today.

The team participated in a seminar on ‘Reaffirming India-Nepal Relations’ which was held at Gurgaon near New Delhi.

The two day seminar focused on various areas of bilateral relationship such as open border, relations with neighbouring countries, natural resources, media academic and cultural infrastructure, trade, transit and tourism. The team also visited Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan.

The seminar was inaugurated by Shri Inder Kumar Gujral, former Prime Minister of India and was attended by representatives of academics and media.

At the invitation of B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation, a five member delegation of Nepal Press Council consisting of Harihar Birahi, Yub Raj pandey, Yogesh Upadhayay, Suresh Acharya and Bishnu Prasad Sharma would be visiting Mumbai, New Delhi and Agra in April 2000, the press release said.

The team would be visiting Audit Bureau of Circulations, Mumbai and host of media institutions such as Press Information Bureau, Press Council, Press Club and Board for Working Journalists in New Delhi. Towards the end of their stay in India, the delegation would be visiting the fabled Taj Mahal in Agra.

Life term

Bhadrapur (RSS): The Jhapa district court has sentenced two persons convicted in a murder case to life imprisonment and confiscation of all their property.

According to the Jhapa District Court, Ramesh K.C., Alias Talram Khadka, a resident of Prithivinagar VDC-5, Jhapa district has confessed to the jury that he had killed Krishna Kumar Rai of Kaku VDC-6, Solukhumbu district by using a sharp weapon.

A bench of district court judge  Balkrishna Upreti handed down the sentence to the two.

It is learnt that Khadka had killed his friend near the deuniya stream six years ago.

Khadka was earlier convicted of women trafficking and sentenced to 20 years prison term and a fine of Rs 80,000 by the Udayapur District Court and 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 28,000 for the second time by the Jhapa district court on the same charge.

Likewise, the court sentenced Mrs. Lokmaya Karki, a resident of Bahundangi VDC-4, to life imprisonment and confiscation of property in a case relating to the murder of Tej Bahadur Karki.

The court also sentenced Phul Maya Ghale to life imprisonment in the same case for complicity in the murder. The bench of district court judge  Khadka is also learnt to have handed down a prison sentence of six years six months and confiscation of half his property to Raju Thapa, a resident of Bhaktapur district Tathali-2 for raping a 14-year-old girl and trying to sell her off to a brothel in India. The court also ordered half of the property be given to the rape victim.