Princess Anne inspects CWIN socialisation centre

Pokhara, Nov. 26 (RSS): Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of the United Kingdom inspected the Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN) Socialisation Centre, Pokhara and acquired information on the activities of the centre today.

On the occasion, central chairman of the CWIN Gauri Pradhan briefed Her Royal Highness Princess Anne on the on-going efforts of His Majesty’s Government, the CWIN and other non-governmental organisations to improve the condition of the Children in Nepal.

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne met and spoke with the children at risk, especially the street children taken the care of by CWIN or those remaining in contact with CWIN.

Princess Anne also graced a cultural programme staged by the CWIN children.

Earlier, upon her arrival at the centre, Princess Anne was welcomed by the shelter home children, CWIN officials and staff members.

Likewise, Her Royal Highness Princess Anne visited the western regional office of the Save the Children U.K. at Ramghat of Pokhara Municipal Sub-Corporation today to acquire first hand information about the "Safe Environment for Children" project activities.

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne is chairperson of Save the Children U.K.

During the visit, Her Royal Highness the Princess talked to the children associated with the project.

On the occasion, Ramesh Puri of Save the Children U.K., Nepal and programme manager of the western regional office of the Save the Children U.K. Anil Raghubanshi apprised HRH the Princess of the project activities.

Launched through a local NGO "team organizing local institution" the project covers six secondary schools in Byas Municipality of Tanahu district.

Also today, HRH Princess Anne visited the landless squatters’ settlement area at Chorsanghu-7 of Pokhara Municipal Sub-Corporation and viewed a drama and variety cultural programme organized at the initiative of the children of the landless squatters.

HRH the Princess talked to a number of children involved in the drama and the cultural programme.

Princess Anne also acquired information about the condition of children in Pokhara Municipal Sub-corporation and Lekhnath Municipality of Kaski district at a programme organized at Sangrila village resort.

On the occasion, Rajendra Khetan of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) apprised HRH the Princess of a special programme designed to ensure that all children in Pokhara Municipal Sub-Corporation and Lekhnath Municipality are enrolled in schools by 2005.

With a view to making the special programme a success, Save the Children U.K., UNICEF, FNCCI, Regional Hotel Association, Pokhara and Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry are to launch a joint project under the banner of "Bal Bagaicha" or Children’s Park.

The British Ambassador to Nepal attended all the programmes organized here today.

HRH Princess Anne also visited the Pokhara Tourism Training Centre run under the Centre for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) at Phulbari of Pokhara municipal sub-corporation today and acquired information about various activities of the centre.

Principal of the centre Tek Bahadur Malla, Director of Voluntar Service Overseas Steven Young and British volunteer working at the centre Keneth Wood apprised the Princess of the centre’s activities.

HRH the Princess inspected the cooking, front desk, food and beverage and ticketing sections at the centre and talked to several trainees.

The Princess also inspected the centre’s library and the hotel block at the premises of he centre.

Upon arrival at the centre, HRH the Princess was welcomed by CTVT member-secretary Jivan Raj Adhikari, Principal of the centre Tek Bahadur Malla, Director of the Voluntary Service Overseas Steven Young, British volunteer at the centre Keneth Wood and other distinguished persons.

Established in 2053 B.S. with the objective of running tourism related and employment-generating training programmes, the centre offers short and long term training courses on front office operation, food and beverage service, cooking and backing, house keeping, hotel accountancy, and English, French and Japanese language.

Likewise, with the objective of contributing to the promotion of tourism industry by producing skilled manpower and integrating the tourism sector with the Nepalese culture, the centre also runs training courses on travel agency operation, air ticketing, trekking guide, tour guide and city tour guide.

About 1,880 people have already graduated from the centre.

Nepal-China non-govt cooperation forum meet to be held Nov 28-30

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Nov. 26: A 35-member Nepalese delegation led by the President of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCC) Pradeep Kumar Shrestha left this evening for Wuxi of the People’s Republic of China to participate in the 4th meeting of Nepal-China Non-Governmental Cooperation Forum to be held from November 28- 30.

Addressing a press conference today, Shrestha informed that the Nepalese and Chinese sides will hold discussions on issues such as hydropower development, agro-based industry, information technology (IT) industry, textiles and garments, trade, pharmaceuticals, machinery and tourism during the meet.

"This meet holds much significance as a large number of delegates, including the government officials and diplomats, from Nepal will be participating in it," Shrestha said.

Established in 1996, the forum has given a good opportunity to promote business and tourism between the two neighbouring countries.

He was of the opinion that the meet could be beneficial in increasing Nepal’s business volume with China where the foreign investment has been increasing tremendously. He also said that the meet may develop a mechanism to regularly follow up the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) singed between the two countries in the previous meets.

"Chinese investors and industrialists have shown their interest in the sectors like tourism, agro-based industries, hydropower, fertiliser, cement and herbal medicines," he said.

"But due to the political situation over the past few years, we have not been able to build up confidence among potential Chinese investors."

He further said that the Nepalese could also learn a lot from China in the solar energy sector, sericulture and many other agro-based industries.

He said the Nepalese side will also be holding talks with Chinese officials regarding the issue of simplifying the process of giving money exchange facilities to the Chinese visitors in Nepal. "Since China has included Nepal as its ninth destination for its outbound visitors, simplification in exchanging Chinese currency can be helpful in bringing in Chinese visitors to Nepal," he said.

He said that Nepal could reap considerable benefits if the country were able to utilise the Chinese expertise and investment in the transportation and construction sectors.

He also said that the unauthorised trade between Nepal and China has been checked after the government introduced the letter of credit (LC) system as recommended by FNCCI.

He believed that the existing trade gap between the countries would be narrowed down after the forthcoming meeting.

Binod Bahadur Shrestha, Third Vice President of FNCCI, said the meeting could be instrumental in promoting relations between the two countries in many areas besides trade.

Shrestha further said the frequency of exchange visits between the businessmen and industrialists will be increased in the days to come to promote bilateral business.

"We are also serious to correct the past mistakes and lapses seen in the implementation aspects of MOU between the two sides," he said.

The team is scheduled to come back on December 3.

The Nepalese team is also raising the issue of operating direct flights between Kasthmandu and Beijing for giving a boost to the country’s tourism industry.

Likewise, the team, which includes Yadav Kant Silwal, academician and former Secretary General at the SAARC Secretariat, will also hold talks with the Chinese side regarding the opening of alternative entry points along the Nepal-China border.

Ravi Bhakta Shrestha, First Vice President of FNCCI, said that the upcoming meeting would be helpful in the promotion of export and in attracting more Chinese investment to Nepal.

Nepal’s trade deficit with China decreased by over 4.3 billion rupees in the fiscal year 1998/99 compared to previous year.

Upadhyaya stresses relevant education

Biratnagar, Nov. 26 (RSS): Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya inaugurated the newly constructed building of Adarsha Primary School at Rangeli VDC ward No. 4 of Morang district today.

The buildings have been constructed with the joint assistance of Plan International, the schools themselves, local VDC and JICA.

Minister Upadhyaya, who also inaugurated the parents day on the occasion, felicitated Mrs Guneswari Rajbanshi by wrapping a shawl around her for her contribution to the school since its establishment.

At the function, Minister Upadhyaya stressed the need for an education policy, which helps further promote the awareness about education, make education relevant to the changed context and lead the school along the path of self-reliance.

He said that the present government has been mobilising available means and resources to resolve the problems in the educational sector, enhance the quality of education and design skill-oriented educational policy.

Referring to the incidents of some groups extorting money from teachers preventing children from singing of the national anthem, Minister Upadhyaya said that as closure of schools would benefit none, guardians should remain alert against such groups which are all out to disturb peace and security in society.

Eastern region educational director Birendra Kumar Singh and a host of other speakers expressed their views at the function chaired by school management committee chairman Devendra Rajvanshi.

Also today, Minister Upadhyaya laid the foundation of a four-room building to be built on the premises of Birendra Public Secondary School at Amardaha-1, Morang and said, on the occasion, that it is the duty of the government to encourage all children to go to school, ensure education of girls and make literacy programme more effective.

He also stressed the need for guardians, students, and civic society to resist such activities as disturbing peace and security, depriving children of education and unleashing violence and terror in the society, he added.

Eastern region education director Birendra Kumar Singh and a host of other speakers expressed their views at the function chaired by Amardaha VDC chairman Maheswar Prasad Rajbansi.

‘HMG launching schemes to resolve problems of poverty’

Biratnagar, Nov. 26 (RSS): Minister for Finance and Defence Mahesh Acharya says the Nepalese society would tend more toward decadence than toward progress because of some gun totting men indulging in violent activities, throwing to the wind the goodwill and trust shown by the society..

Minister Acharya was speaking at a function held for laying of the foundation stone of an extension block of the old Satya Narayan School at ward No. 8 of Biratnagar Sub-Metropolis today.

The big investment made in education would be fruitful only if it succeeded in building an ideal society based on moral value, he observed, adding that acquisition of modern technology alone was not enough for a man to be morally upright and dedicated toward the country.

His Majesty’s Government, he said, was seriously considering how to make education skill- and job-oriented and how to improve the curricula of existing education system.

The government was also going to launch a concrete programme in the near future to resolve the challenging problems of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment, thereby making the civil society highly responsive, Minister Acharya said.

Referring to the government’s strenuous efforts to bring the downtrodden and aboriginal communities into national development mainstream, he drew the attention of the educated segment of the society towards the obstacle caused by steep population growth.

On the occasion, vice chancellor of the Purbanchal University Dhruba Narayan Lal Das said the Nepalese education system should be able to produce skilled manpower needed for industries, mills, big development projects and other sectors in the country and only them would the country be able to forge ahead on the path of progress.

The school management committee chairman and industrialist Gangavishan Rathi presided over the function.

Chairman of Morang Chamber of Commerce Udaya Prasad Ojha, industrialist Jagadish Agrawal, headmaster of the school Govinda Pyakurel and other speakers also expressed their views.

The extension block is being constructed with a grant assistance of Rs 500,000 provided by the education ministry, according to the school teacher Durga Ghimire.