RNAC to be converted to public limited company

By Kedar Bhattarai

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: The Board of Directors of Royal Nepal Airlines Coporation (RNAC) has decided to operate the 43-year-old national flag carrier as a public limited company under the Company Act - 2053.

Assistant Minister for Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation Ravi Bhakta Shrestha disclosed this at a programme here today. He said that the government would give its decision once the RNAC management committee submits its report. The decision was taken at the recently-held meeting of the board in accordance with the recommendations made by the study committee headed by the then member of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr Shankar Sharma, almost a year ago.Dr. Sharma, currently the vice-chairman of the NPC, believes running the RNAC under the Company Act is the only way out to attract private sector participation and rescue it. "It could attract big investors and help it become a big public company like other international airlines."At the forum, Assistant Minister Shrestha said that other international airlines were free to operate in Nepal under its open sky policy until RNAC is self-sustaining.Asked whether the government was doing any homework to re-operate the services of Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa, he said "We are trying to bring in new airlines." He also informed that Martin Air was starting its service in Nepal. The assistant minister said that the government was doing the necessary homework to reduce the airport tax. A committee has been formed under the chairmanship of a joint secretary to study the matter.

Talks with Maoists to be successful, says Mandal

RSS

BIRATNAGAR, Feb. 16: Deputy Prime Minister and acting president of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) Badri Prasad Mandal has said that though there is difference of opinion in his party over the exercising of democratic rights, it is well organised as far as policy matters are concerned.

Deputy Prime Minister Mandal was addressing a gathering of party workers from Morang, Sunsari and Saptari districts. Stating that the government was confident of the success of the dialogue between the government and the CPN (Maoists), he said that HMG was doing serious home work to convert the ceasefire into durable peace.

CIAA firm, not passive: Upadhyay

By Kishor K.C.

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: The Commission for Investigation of the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) vouches not only to bring the corrupt to book, but also to take firm action against them after they are proved guilty by the court.

Asking people not to be carried away by recent 'misleading' news reports that the anti-corruption body has grown passive, Chief Commissioner Surya Nath Upadhyay, in a talk with the Gorkhapatra daily, the sister publication of The Rising Nepal, said, "The CIAA is not passive. Rather it has intensified its task of making Nepal a corruption-free country within a few couple of years."

Admitting that elements are active to weaken the CIAA's move against corruption, Upadhyay said the constitutional body is not the least discouraged.

At a time when the international community is all praise for the CIAA's campaign against corruption, and it has solid backing of the Nepalese people, there is no question of it becoming passive," Upadhyay added.

Asked if all the CIAA's cases in the Special Court would face the same fate, Upadhyay said the anti-corruption body lost those cases due to lack of supporting evidence even though the cases were genuine. "Realising this fact, we are now working on a war footing to collect evidences," Upadhyay added.

The CIAA has been encouraged after the Supreme Court sought an explanation from the Special Court over its ruling to release former ministers Khum Bahadur Khadka and Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta on minimal bail. The Supreme Court has demanded that the latter produce an additional report explaining why the former ministers were no longer required to be kept in custody while their cases were being heard.

The anti-corruption body had become immensely famous among the Nepalese people after it arrested 'corrupt' officials of the Department of Revenue and three former ministers, among others, in the recent past.

"As the CIAA follows court decisions, it appreciates the Supreme Court's decision. This has encouraged us," Upadhyay said.

Responding to accusations that the CIAA has lost 'some' of the cases due to carelessness of its employees, Upadhyay said there was a need to completely review and strengthen its internal bureaucracy.

"We have also started examining the lost cases so that these mistakes are not repeated," said Upadhyay.

He also informed that the CIAA has prepared a strategy to fight corruption. "The new strategy will be watchful to stop people from abusing their authority and becoming corrupt." However, Upadhyay did not elaborate.

While we all are realising the fact that a nation cannot develop and become democratic unless social evils like corruption are not checked, it is indeed sad that 'big corrupt people are being released by the court one after another," an anti-corruption pundit told this scribe.

"It is not only the laws and authority that make the CIAA strong, public support to this institution is equally important," he said.

Talking about its physical facilities, Chief Commissioner Upadhyay said, "Narrow space and congested building are a hindrance to combating corruption. "It is, however, a matter of happiness that the government has provided 22 ropanis of land for the CIAA while foreign donor agencies are eager to help us by building offices," Upadhyay said.

He said that the CIAA needed to be strong in its investigation. "To make them result-oriented, we have started training to our investigation officers abroad."

RPP to participate in all-party meet

RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb. 16: Leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Jog Mehar Shrestha has said the political parties should unite to make the ceasefire and the talks process successful.

Speaking at an interaction programme organised by the Reporters' Club Nepal here today, the RPP central member said that his party would take part in the all-party meeting called for tomorrow by the Prime Minister and that other parties should also participate in the meeting.

Although there may be ideological differences with the government, it is not proper to stay away from such an important meeting called with the objective of holding consultations on the standpoint with regard to the talks, he pointed out.

However, leaders of the CPN-UML, Nepali Congress and Janmorcha Nepal Yuba Raj Gyanwali, Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat and Amik Sherchan respectively indicated that their parties would not take part in the all-party meeting called by the Prime Minister as these parties did not believe that the present government would make the talks with the Maoists successful.

They alleged that the government has not done the home work for the talks even to the extent the Maoists had done and that it was being liberal towards the Maoists by and by.

They said the Maoists should not be given any leeway well ahead of the talks.

Meanwhile, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Nationalist) central committee met here today under the chairmanship of its president Rajeshwar Devkota.

The meeting has decided to participate in the all-party meeting called by the Prime Minister as it has received an invitation for the same.

It is learnt that the party has started consultations with all political parties included in the nationalist democratic front regarding stabilisation of the ceasefire and topics to be raised in that connection.
The meeting has constituted various sub-committees and allocated work among them in connection with the national party workers conference scheduled for March 6 and 7.

New policy requires docs to serve in remote areas

RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb. 16: A meeting today of the Medical Sciences National Academy, Bir Hospital, presided over by Minister for Health Dr. Upendra Devkota has taken a decision to provide health services at the hospital from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from February 20, the date coinciding with National Democracy Day.

The first meeting of the Academy, set up with the objective of advancing the medical sciences and producing medical specialists, has also decided to conduct post-graduate level classes at the academy itself for those who want to become specialists on completion of the M.B.B.S..
For the purpose 11, various hospitals of Kathmandu Valley and specialists in various subjects will be involved, it is learnt.

Minister Devkota said after the meeting that on completing of the M.B.B.S., Medical personnel have to undergo training at the academy for five years to become consultant doctors and there is also a provision for them to serve in the remote regions for at least one year.

He also stated that a new policy will be formulated to post doctors to hospitals in the remote regions and regional hospitals as there is shortage of them at those establishments.

Before this, there was a provision of practising medicine independently for five years after the M.B.B.S. in order to receive certification for medical consultancy.

The new provision stipulates compulsory study of five years at the academy inclusive of one year of service in the remote regions. With this provision, doctors are expected to become available in the remote regions also.

Superintendent of Bir Hospital Dr. Manohar Lal Shrestha said that the academy will play an important role in producing medical specialists and providing high standard services across the Kingdom.

'RPP committed to Constitutional Monarchy, democracy'

RSS

MAHOTTARI, Feb. 16: President of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana has said that his party is committed to Constitutional Monarchy, multiparty democracy and the sovereignty inherent in the people.

Inaugurating a gathering of party workers from Mahottari district today, he said the RPP was ready to maintain broad national consensus for resolving the national problems.

Stating that the King, the political parties and civil society should sit together for addressing the Maoist problem, he stressed a written code of conduct to convert the ceasefire between the state and the Maoist side into lasting peace.

He said the RPP's view is that the oppressed, downtrodden, marginalised, Dalit and indigenous communities living in the Terai should be provided education and reservations in the civil service.
He added that the party was steadfast in its view that changes are needed in the Constitution to resolve the existing citizenship problem of the Terai.

At the programme presided over by RPP district president Durga Prasad Upadhyaya, central member of the RPP Parliamentary Committee Ram Chandra Raya and district secretary Bishwanath Lal Karna as well as other speakers emphasised the need of expanding the party organisation.

Also today, RPP president Rana inaugurated a Radhakrishna Temple constructed at ward No. 8 in Haridarshan Village, Bispatti VDC. The temple was constructed at the cost of Rs 500,000 met through financial contributions by Mahottari District Development Committee (DDC) and the local people.

Outgoing vice-chairman of the DDC Ganesh Prasad Yadav presided over the programme.

TU to set up School of Economics

By Bishnu Budhathoki

KATHMANDU, Feb.16: The Central Department of Economics (CEDECON) is setting up a School of Economics in the next two years based on the model of the London School of Economics and a similar institution in Delhi.

"Advanced methods of teaching, learning and research used in the London School of Economics and Delhi School of Economics will be incorporated in the syllabus," Prof. Dr. Madan Kumar Dahal, head of CEDECON, told The Rising Nepal.

An action plan has been prepared to improve and promote academic and professional excellence, especially in the field of teaching, research and publications of the Central Department of Economics at Tribhuvan University (TU).

"We realise that the quality of our education is deteriorating. So we want to revive our services by introducing a new model of education in TU," said Dr. Dahal.

CEDECON had discussed with the former Vice-Chancellor (VC), Navin Prakash Jung Shah, to expedite the process of establishing a School of Economics. A nine-member committee was formed under the convenorship of Dr. Dahal to prepare a feasibilty study a few months ago. The TU authorities have agreed to provide land for the construction of the faculty's building.

A Building Construction and Fund Raising Committee is to be constituted with the approval of the VC of TU.The building is expected to cost around Rs. 20 million. The faculty has been holding talks with the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank, National Planning Commission, TU, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Chamber of Commerce and others to fund the construction.It will be a highly advanced academic institution providing international recognition for the students, as the curriculum will cover advanced methods of teaching, says Dahal.

Dahal said that it was not possible to revise the curriculum frequently due to the prevailing rules and regulations of TU. But after establishing the School of Economics, it will be an autonomus body within TU. It will then be able to set its own rules and regulations."Establishing the School of Economics will require many reforms in order to change the prevailing attitudes and activities. The curriculum, students admision system and examination schedule along with the specialised courses of study will need to improve," Dahal said. "The traditional and static course of study will be replaced, which should help reduce the existing unemployment problem," says Prof. Dr. Nav Raj Kanel.
The centre will provide courses at the Masters' Level or above that will meet international standards. "And this will definitely reduce the number of students seeking quality education abroad," said Dr. Kanel.

Nepal-India extradition talks begin

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 16: After more than half a century of the signing of the Nepal-India Extradition Treaty, diplomats and security officials from both the countries met here today to discuss a new extradition treaty.

We had preliminary discussions on the drafts, which both the countries had prepared and earlier exchanged, said Madan Kumar Bhattarai, head of the Nepalese delegation.

India had forwarded its draft to Nepal some 18 months ago, and Nepal did the same in July 2002. The exchange of drafts was aimed at studying each other's views on the proposed treaty.

The first two days will focus on the extradition issue, while the third day will discuss a new Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, said Bhattarai, head of the Nepalese delegation.
The agreement is expected to help ease procedures regarding legal and criminal matters and settle complications that may arise during their investigation, Bhattarai said.

Bhattarai is leading a six-member Nepalese delegation while the Indian side is headed by B. A. Roy, Joint Secretary, Foreign Ministry of India.

They will also review the existing treaty signed between the two neighbours five decades ago on August 2, 1953. The treaty was signed by the then Nepalese Prime Minister, Matrika Prasad Koirala, and Indian Ambassador to Nepal B.K. Gokhale. The existing treaty had replaced a similar extradition treaty signed earlier during the Rana period.

The issue of a new extradition treaty has been frequently raised during joint meetings of Home Secretaries of Nepal and India, and between the security officials. The need of a new treaty has been felt necessary as the time and the nature of the crimes in the last five decades has changed, said Bhattarai.

All set for jazz fest in capital

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb.16: Jazzmandu-2003, the biggest jazz music festival in the Himalaya, will kick off in Kathmandu on February 28. The festival will figure various jazz artists from different parts of the world as well as from Nepal.

The organisers of the festival, Upstairs Ideas said that Afro Dizz Act from Brisbane, Jesse van Ruller trio from Amsterdam, Jamie Baum Quartet, New York, The Funky Homosapiens and Himalayan Blues, Oslo, will be performing.

The famous Europe-based percussionist, Trilok Gurtu, is coming with his 180-kilogram drum sets. Groov Suppa, a jazz group from Mumbai, along with Ralph Thomas from Paris will make their presence felt during the three-week festival at the different hotels and resorts of Kathmandu and Pokhara. The festival will begin at Thamel and then move to the various other spots.

Along with foreign jazz musicians, Nepalese groups Cadenza, The Jazz Commission, J. Hola and MIK will be part of the festival. Moreover, Nepalese classic musicians Prastar, Gandharva and Vajra will participate in the programme that also aims at spreading the message that Nepal is a safe place for tourists.

This is the second consecutive year that Jazzmandu is being held in the Himalayan Kingdom. The Brisbane-based group Afro Dizzi Act is coming here for the second time. The group became popular here after its first performance in Kathmandu last year.

The American Embassy here says the Jamie Baum Quartet from New York consists of flutist Baum, drummer Jeff Hirsfield Bass player Jerome Harris and pianist Gary Versace.

Jamie Baum has impressed musicians and critics alike with her inventive, finely crafted compositions and powerful and typical approach to the flute as a lead instrument.

The embassy also stated that the mission of the Kathmandu Jazz Festival is to put Kathmandu on the international jazz circuit. Other objectives are to provide an opportunity for local musicians to play internationally, and to give people a reason to have another look at Nepal by attracting travellers and musicians, who might not consider Nepal as a destination Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Nepal Chapter Prabin Bahadur Pandey said that PATA Nepal Chapter is associated with Jazzmandu-2003 to spread the message that Nepal is a safe haven.

Pandey said that since the music festival is aimed at attracting more tourists to Nepal through fine jazz music, his association jumped to be the part of it. " All the hotels and resorts where the festival is being held are members of PATA."