NC General Convention

THE city of Pokhara is all set to host the ruling Nepali Congress party’s biggest conclave, the General Convention, that is held every four years. As per it’s prior schedule, the three-day General Convention will be formally inaugurated today. During the three-day period, a plethora of problems and a slew of challenges would be discussed and debated. More importantly, the convention is expected to elect the ruling party’s president who, in turn, will guide and lead the party till the next General Convention. Being the most important conclave of the ruling party, the representatives, said to be over 1,400 strong, have already assembled at the General Convention venue. So have the party’s leaders and other stalwarts. For, as per the ruling party’s rules, the representatives are verily the ones who would not only be engaged in thrashing out solutions to the problems and challenges facing their ruling party, but they would also be laying down the groundworks for steering the party and guiding the thousands of party workers for the next four years through timely suggestions and recommendations. Similarly, new rules pertaining to the party’s functions would also be duly formalised. More so concerning the new composition of the ruling party’s Central Working Committee (CWC), the apex body of the party.

The ruling Nepali Congress party has already witnessed nine such general conventions in its over half a century long history of championing and fighting for democracy. And during each such convention, various opinions and suggestions concerning how best to guide, lead and steer the party were voiced, tabled and discussed openly, freely and frankly. Being the oldest and the largest democratic party, the thousands of party workers as well as well-wishers expect no less than this. Of course, when so many representatives are gathered in one place, that too, to set the course for their party till the next general convention, at times discussions could be heated. But, at the end of the convention, when the recommendations, resolutions and directives are issued, all the leaders, stalwarts and representatives that took part in the conclave always made it a point to not only voice their strong support to the new guidelines but also their duty and responsibility to follow the same. This 10th General Convention, going by the ruling party’s past precedents, is expected to not only come up with new guidelines for the party leaders, stalwarts and workers to scrupulously follow but, more importantly, unite them firmly behind the party president so that the problems and challenges currently faced by the party would be overcome successfully.

Drug Menace

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel said that the solution to the problem of drug trafficking does not lie within the reach to a single country but requires combined and coordinated efforts and cooperation of all countries in the world. Addressing a South Asian regional workshop on drug problem and its consequences jointly organized by His Majesty’s Government, United Nations International Drug Control Programme and European Union in Kathmandu the other day. Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said that with the collective and combined efforts and cooperation among all countries, the menace of drug trafficking can be controlled effectively. It is true that drug trafficking is a global problem and every country has adopted stricter measures to control drug production and trafficking. Drug problem has affected the youth generation in the world. International drug dealers are using developing countries as their base for smuggling the illicit substances to the developed countries, which are the major consumers of such substances. As said by Deputy Prime Minister Poudel the substances manufactured for illicit purposes might be diverted from illicit channels to the sites where drugs are illicitly manufactured. The problem lies not only in illicit trafficking and use of drugs but also in the production of raw materials and other substances needed for these narcotic substances. The developing countries lack strong mechanism and capability to fight the drug dealing and smuggling in a more effective way, despite their clear-cut commitment to control such activities. As a result, despite strong legal measures against drug production and trafficking in almost all countries in the world, the drug problem has been on the rise every year. This requires more support and cooperation to developing countries and international network for fighting this social evil in a more effective way. Nepal is also aware of this global problems and has adopted strict and effective legal as well as administrative measures against production, use, sale and trafficking of these illicit drugs in order to save new generation. As this problem has posed a serious problem to governments and people in the world, greater cooperation, networking and common strategy are highly needed to fight the global drug problem for the safety and welfare of entire humanity. The regional workshop that was held in Kathmandu was, no doubt, a timely and appropriate one as it seeks to forge a common strategy to fight this problem in the region.