NATIONAL 9 (Spotlight Weelky)]

Fit Out Of Power

Harassed by everybody for his weak health during his tenure, former Prime Minister Bhattarai surprises many by becoming fit again

By KESHAB POUDEL

A month after he was stripped off the power by his colleague on grounds of health, Bhattarai makes a comeback surprising many with his routine one hour morning walk and other daily chores.

Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was unable even to walk straight during his last days as Prime Minister and had to lean on to his bodyguards wherever he went. He was advised to take rest for a couple of months for his orthopaedic problems. He is supposed to be suffering from arthritis in his knees.

Till his resignation, Bhattarai, however, had insisted that he was physically fit. Even his two doctors, Dr. Ashok Banskota and Dr. Madhu Ghimire issued defended Bhattaraiwas perfectly fit to work as Prime Minister.

These days, Bhattarai has been attending public functions and other ceremonies and delivering speeches normally.

Bhattarai : Fit again ?

"There was a conspiracy behind the removal of Bhattarai as he is a man who is difficult to tame," said one of his colleagues on condition of anonymity. "He was totally cornered by his own henchmen and was not allowed to meet with other people."

In his nearly nine months tenure, former Prime Minister Bhattarai was hardly allowed to speak his mind.

His activities of the last few weeks prove that he is totally fit. "He has already started his normal duties again. He wakes up early in the morning to perform his daily rituals and walks with some of his colleagues," said Kishore Nepal, former press advisor to Bhattarai. Nepal argues that Bhattarai was never physically unfit.

Then, how and why was Bhattarai made out to be physically handicapped? Nepal has a long history where physically fit leaders have been, for some reasons, projected as unfit. Late Ganesh Man Singh, who led the movement of 1990 (to restore democracy), was admitted at Bir Hospital. When he was asked to form the interim government, he declined to do so on his health ground. Singh died only eight years after the event. When Singh expressed willingness to contest the elections for the President of the party (Nepali Congress), he was made supreme leader of the party.

Similar things were repeated to former Prime Minister Bhattarai. When he expressed his intention to continue in power for some more time, he was removed from power on grounds of health.

Introducing Bono Creativity

With the objective of providing training and education to people involved in private sector or government management on creative thinking and mobilizing ideas for greater efficiency, GTZ-Private Sector Promotion (PSP) Project is inviting Master Trainers, Peter Low and Linda Low.

Peter Low and Linda Low, who will arrive in Nepal for a mission from May 21-26, are specially selected by world renowned authority on creative thinking Dr. Edward de Bono as Master Trainers since 1993. Dr. Bono, who has written a number of books on creativity, is regarded by many as the leading international authority on Creative Thinking.

Dr. Bono has written over 56 books on the topic and worked with corporations and governments in over 50 countries.

During their stay in Nepal, Peter and Linda Low will conduct 3 half-day workshops for the business sector, the education and training sector and the government service. They will also work with local specialists to ensure continuity of such programs.

According to Jim Tomecko, team leader of GTZ, the workshops by Lows could be helpful to Nepalese entrepreneurs and managers in dealing with the changing global scenario where concepts like WTO, SAFTA, economic liberalization and deregulation are increasingly affecting the competitiveness of Nepal.

In this changed context, speed and quality of idea generation and processing could be key factor in achieving competitiveness.