Is RA Disobeying Govt.?

By Our Correspondent

The Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC), the country’s national flag carrier, may get a new head soon.

The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation is said to have called back Bharat Bahadur Karki, the Executive Chairman of RNAC, to the Ministry. The Ministry has blamed Karki for not abiding by its instructions regarding the leasing of the aircraft.

Karki said he has yet to receive the letter. But he said he knew that he has been called back to the Ministry and that he might get a letter for the same by tomorrow (Monday).

The showdown between the Ministry and the RNAC began after the RA management decided to extend the lease of the B-757 of the China Southwest Airlines (CSWA) by three months, saying the extension was necessary to maintain its flight schedules.

However, the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has said that it would probe into the renewal of the deal with the Chinese airline.

Last week, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Tarini Dutta Chataut, at a press conference, said that the government would launch investigation on why the management of the national flag carrier directly renewed the lease agreement of an aircraft with the CSWA.

He accused the RNAC management of bypassing the Ministry’s instructions of leasing any plane through a tender.

The RNAC had sought permission from the Ministry to lease a Boeing 767-300 ER on an Aircraft, Maintenance and Insurance (AMI) basis in place of the CSWA plane.

The Ministry, citing the decision of the Cabinet, had directed RNAC to select pre-qualified companies with a 35-day notice for the lease.

However, RA’s effort to lease a B-767 failed after none of the bidders met the airlines’ requirements even in two tenders.

But with time running short, it says, it had no option but to renew the deal with the Chinese company, to maintain its flights in the international sector.

Talking to the Sunday Despatch, Bharat Bahadur Karki, the Executive Chairman of the Corporation, said that the RNAC management was compelled to lease the aircraft to maintain its flights in the international sector.

“The management had not done anything wrong by renewing the lease deal. It was imperative for RNAC to have an aircraft on lease until the procedures complete for leasing another aircraft,” Karki said. The RA has called tender for the third time for an 18-month lease of the B-767.

The RA management has extended the lease on March 19, one week before the agreement with the Chinese company expired.

The RNAC had even asked the Ministry for permission to extend the lease of the Chinese plane, but the Ministry instructed the Airline to stick to the global tender process. Despite this instruction RNAC went ahead with the extension of the lease.

In a statement, published in the newspapers on Saturday, the RNAC has said that the Ministry had given an authority to the RNAC management to take decisions on the terms and conditions and the type of aircraft while leasing or buying the planes.

“As per the authority given by the Ministry, the RNAC does not have to get permissions from the government. The Ministry’s letter also says as an autonomous institution, the national flag carrier is capable of taking such decisions on its own.”

But the Ministry is not buying RA’s argument.

Minister Chataut said that there would have been no problems had only RNAC taken timely actions. He also said if RNAC does not begin operation of the leased aircraft from March 28, and it does not pay US$ 200,000 to the CSWA within 10 days after the agreement, RNAC will have to pay US$ 50,000 as fine to it.

The Ministry has yet to sanction, RA’s request to release the money to the Chinese company.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has also denied RNAC’s request to waive off the sealed tender requirement to lease an aircraft for three weeks in the end of this month when one of its Boeing 757s is to leave for C-check.

But it looks virtually impossible for RA to find an aircraft for just three weeks if it goes through a tender process. And if the government does not allow the airlines to seek other ways, it is certain the flights will suffer. It is, thus, obvious that the RNAC will have to bear a loss of billions of rupees if it is forced to cancel its flights due to the non-availability of aircraft.

It has been noticed that the RNAC has shown signs of improvement and revival in the last several months. It has already forwarded necessary procedures to buy a new aircraft. Its services have been regular and reliable. It has reduced its outstanding loans and has even earned a profit of Rs. 5.7 million as profit in the first six months of the fiscal year 2056 B. S./057 B. S.

Now, it seems the RNAC has again fallen into controversy.

One RA insider says it is more a power play and politics than the issue of leasing planes. If that is true, RA’s effort to resurrect itself from mismanagement may be delayed or even stopped.

Time To Take Skeletons Out Of Cupboard

By Our Correspondent

When the CPN-UML, the main opposition party in the parliament, publicly accused several persons of being corrupt or being involved in corruption, the reprisal against the UML itself was swift and hard-hitting.

The counter-accusation has come from none other than the CPN-ML, which had broken away from the UML about two years ago.

Keshav Sthapit, the Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and a member of ML, last week accused the UML’s General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal of taking Rs. 30 million from a businessperson to ‘buy’ the parliamentarians to save the UML’s nine-month-long government.

The UML has put Bamdev Gautam, the ML leader and the UML’s former comrade-in-arm, at the top of the list. The UML had accused Gautam of taking Rs. 18 million from the NC’s Khum Bahadur Khadka for breaking up the party.

With corruption at the high agenda of both the government and the opposition, it is now time to take all the skeletons of all the parties and their leaders out of the cupboards for public scrutiny and for actions.

The UML may have done a good thing by trying to open the Pandora’s Box of corruption that has seized every sector of the country, but they should also be ready to answer the charges against them, and face the consequences if they are found guilty.

When persons, who had held high posts in the government start accusing and counter accusing each other about the prevalence and the practice of corruption both when they were in the government and outside, this invariably indicate the corrosion, anomalies and degradation that has beset the country.

Govt. May Be Tough With Maoists

By Our Correspondent

The government seems to be ready to resort to strong-arm tactics, if required, to fight the Maoist insurgency.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s pledge to activate the National Security Council, and the recommendation for the establishment of a paramilitary force, by the task force formed by the previous government, are indicative that the government has resolved to subdue the Maoist insurgency by force, if necessary.

For anyone, who has pondered over what Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala said last week, it is not difficult to gauge why the police have not succeeded, to the desired extent, in controlling the Maoist insurgency.

Speaking at the conference of the senior police officials on Monday, the Prime Minister was rather critical of the country’s security apparatus, especially the police. He pointed the failure of intelligence and the smuggling in of arms by the Maoists as two of the reasons why the police have failed to check the Maoist violence.

This is the first time the government has publicly accepted the failure of intelligence in fighting the Maoist rebellion. The Prime Minister was even frank to indicate that the intelligence of the Maoists were superior to that of the country’s intelligence. He also hinted about the nexus between the smugglers and the Maoists. The Prime Minister also blamed the lack of intelligence for the death of more than 150 security personnel.

The Prime Minister’s immediate instruction, thus, was to step up the intelligence apparatus and to control the smuggling of arms into the country.

Meanwhile, the task force formed by the previous government to give suggestions in the formation of armed force submitted its report to Home Minister last week. The task force headed by former Home Secretary, Khem Raj Regmi, had comprised of present and former police and administrative officials. The task force has recommended for the formation of an ‘armed security force’ to deal with situations like the Maoist insurgency, and ethnic and communal strife and the like, if they happen.

Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi, after receiving the report, said the government was committed to implement the suggestions, especially the formation of the paramilitary force, given by the task force,

The task force has recommended the formation of about 15,000-men strong force equipped with appropriate training and modern weapons. “The initial recruitment be done both from the police and army on equal basis and the personnel in such a force would have the perks and the facilities equal to that of the Royal Nepal Army.”

However, experts say it will be quite some time before such a force, if formed, can be brought into action against the Maoists.

Regmi, the leader of the task force, says the recommendations have been made for a long-term solution to issues such as the Maoists and others.

With the police saying that it would be difficult for them to fight the Maoists without modern weapons, and the Maoists continuing and intensifying their violent campaigns the formation of an armed security force has its rationale.

According to an AFP report, the Maoists have attacked a hotel in Pokhara for refusing to ‘fund’ their movement and robbed US$ 8,571 worth of cash and kind. They even say it is their first attack on a tourist establishment.

If the Maoists continue to elude a negotiated settlement of the problem, force may be the only option for the government. And if they continue with the violent campaigns, the formation of the paramilitary force, as recommended by task force, can be fully justified.

SLC Exams Begin

By Our Correspondent

The School Leaving Certificate Examinations of the year 2056 began throughout the country from Friday (April 14).

A total of 240,628 regular and exampted students from 3,809 public and private schools of the Kingdom are taking the exams.

According to the Office of the Controller of the Examinations, there are altogether 826 examination centre chiefs, 1652 assistant centre chiefs, 12,038 invigilators, 4578 peons and 8260 security personnels being mobilised in the ongoing SLC examinations.

Interview

Hermann Gmeiner's Philosophy Is Best For Orphans

Helmut Kutin, 59, president of the SOS Children’s Village International, is on a few-day a visit to Nepal and is taking stock of the situation of the SOS Children’s Villages in the Himalayan Kingdom and is having dialogues with the Nepalese co-workers. Kutin, himself an alumnus of the SOS, had succeeded Hermann Gmeiner, the founder of the international organisation, in 1986. He was re-elected twice as president in its general assembly in 1993 and 1998. The SOS International was established in 1949 to look after mainly the children of the victims of war. Now it has spread its wings to 131 countries looking after the orphan, abandoned and destitute children and rehabilitating them through homely atmosphere. Kutin, an Austrian national, was recently conferred with the prestigious Bikhyat Trishakti Patta by His Majesty the King on the occasion of His Majesty’s 55th birthday for his service to the destitute children of Nepal. He was also awarded with the Gorkha Dakshin Bahu, Third Class, in 1988.

Last week he talked to K.P. Sharma of the Sunday Despatch. Excerpts:

What is the main purpose of your visit to Nepal?

The main purpose of my visit to Nepal is to establish more cooperation with the Nepalese friends and to review and revise the existing relations and also find solutions to the problems. Apart from that, this visit is particularly made in connection with completing all the continuing projects and study in expanding our project in Nepal.

How do you find the SOS Children’s Villages running in Nepal?

The SOS Children’s Villages in Nepal are running in a far better way than I had hoped. I am extremely pleased by the achievement made by my Nepalese co-workers.

Here, I would like to establish one more fact that normally an NGO with international standing always has at least one or two foreigners for running the projects in Nepal. However, I am proud of the achievements of the Nepalese co-workers in running the Children's Village in the spirit of the SOS, utilise the fund according to the will of our donors abroad and help the orphans, abandoned and the destitute children. If I have to review SOS Nepal’s performance I should honestly say Nepal’s Children Villages are the best among others.

What is the basic concept behind SOS children’s village?

The basic concept of the SOS Children’s Village is to provide support to children who are orphans or abandoned, and also children whose parents have failed to take care of them. To give such children a feeling of the love of a family and the community we create a family of similar children and keep them in a healthy atmosphere.

We also help the community around the Children’s Village. In Pokhara we have been helping the community outside with day-care centre for children whose parents work. We also have special classes for the children who can’t go to schools. We also have skill training for women who have no source of income.

This concept of the SOS was provided by our founder president Hermann Gmeiner 50 years ago keeping in mind the world suffering from wars and now we have been able to expand his idea and philosophy to almost 131 countries.

The philosophy of Hermann Gmeiner is still regarded the best way of looking after the orphans and the abandoned children. What is so special about his philosophy?

This is an idea which most people can understand. There are philosophies and pedagogical concepts which are much more elaborate but people can’t understand them and I have to repeat the words of a leading university professor who once said, “Hermann Gmeiner never had time to write any book and, therefore, he must be an outstanding man because he had much to do in putting philosophies into deeds than just putting ideas in books.

How do you integrate the children who are placed in the SOS Children’s Villages?

We want them to realise that despite the sufferings they have endured we try to give them the warmth of the family and environment where they can forget about their past experiences, where they can know pedagogical terms, where they can be helped to overcome the previous experiences of negligence, starvation, not belonging and so on. We want to bring them to the mainstream of life and therefore, the basic philosophy is every child who has entered into an SOS Children’s Village is no longer an orphan, neither abandoned nor neglected. Certainly, after they reach a certain age they go for the outer-world to earn their living and serve the community. However, the SOS Children’s Village is always their home.

What is the main source of fund for running the SOS Children’s villages worldwide?

When Hermann Gmeiner started the SOS Children’s Village he asked people for one Schilling a month and today we have to ask our friends for one dollar. The idea is that every one, not just a few rich people, can participate. This has given us a tremendous support. Today we have five million friends many of whom, of course, give us more than one dollar. We collect most of our financial support from Austria and Germany where the movement started. During the last three years we have a major input from Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Sweden. These countries have increased their contribution by more than a hundred and fifty percent.

But in Asia, we have only one country which is self sufficient and that is South Korea. There are 100,000 permanent friends who are helping the SOS Children’s villages running there.

Despite several conventions, conferences and declarations on child rights, discrimination and exploitation against children are on the rise worldwide. How do you think this can be stopped?

I fully agree with what you said. We see everything is beautifully written and all the rights of the children are well declared. But what is missing is the deeds. Therefore, the SOS movement has never given out any additional conventions or conferences. We simply try to put the words into deeds day by day and step by step. And it is high time that instead of having high ranking conferences we should honestly try to invest our time and money in providing better services to the children who are in dire straits.

There was some dispute over SOS’s land in Pokhara. Will the dispute, though settled now, affect the SOS in expanding its services in Nepal?

We were shocked when the land we have been using for nearly 30 years was claimed by some people. This type of event had not happened anywhere in the SOS’s 50 year's history. We, however, appreciate the tremendous support we got from the press.

Since the whole controversy has now been settled and it is past now. We are now enlarging our activities in Nepal. This year we will try to prepare ground for the establishment of a new children’s village. My aim in Nepal is to add three more children’s villages. And I hope that we will be able to do that by 2005. There are now nearly one thousand children in the seven SOS Children’s Villages in Nepal. The SOS Children’s Village of Nepal has so far integrated about 415 children.

His Majesty the King recently conferred you with the prestigious Bikhyat Trishakti Patta. How do you feel for being honoured?

It is not only me, but it is a recognition of my Nepalese friends’ dedication for the cause of Nepalese children. This decoration has tied me more with the responsibility towards this country and its people.

How can the situation of the Nepalese children be improved?

Nepalese people are very protective of their children. However, their financial situation is not sound for the children’s overall development. One of the most important tasks is that every children should be given basic education. One thing I have been experiencing during the last few years is that a huge number of private schools have been established in the country but they are not for the majority of the Nepalese children. The government should give attention in this regard and also work to alleviate poverty of the common people.

10th Himalayan Expo Concludes

By Our Correspondent

The Himalayan Expo 2000, held at the Bhrikuti Mandap is concluding today (Sunday) in coincidence with its 10th anniversary and the Millennium Year.

Around 184 exhibitors from 11 different countries of the world, including Nepal, USA, UK, Germany, India, have participated in the 5-day Expo.

Organised by the House of Rajkarnicar, the composition of foreign participation is said to have grown by around 60 per cent compared to the previous one. About 40 per cent exhibitors have joined the Expo for the first time.

According to the organisers, the leading features of the Himalayan Expo 2000 were the Nepal-USA pavilion, the British pavilion, German Catalogue Show, the SAARC Information Kiosk and the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) from India.

The Nepal-USA pavilion was jointly organised by the Nepal-USA Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the US Embassy. Participated in by around 20 companies.

Similarly, the British pavilion was jointly organised by the British Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the British Embassy under the sponsorship of the British Trade International. Around 22 companies and organisers participated in the Expo. Seven of them were directly from the UK.

The Nepal German Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised a German Catalogue Show that exhibited numerous product catalogues of German companies interested in finding importers in Nepal.

Likewise, 10 companies under the National Small-scale Industries Corporation of India offered appropriate small-scale industrial machines and equipment for the medium and small-scale industrialists of Nepal.

During the business sessions, different talk programmes were held. The subjects of the talk programmes included E-Commerce in Nepal: “Obstacles and Potential”, “Social Marketing of Education”, Pashmina Industry: “How to Ensure Sustainability and Growth” the Millennium Consumer: “Trends and Changes in behaviour”, “Overview of the Leisure Industry, and Supermarket Business: Problems and Prospects”.

The Expo was expected to be visited by around 80,000 visitors, among them 42,000 would be business visitors. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had inaugurated the expo.

Targetting Japanese Market

By BMD

Japan is the third main tourism market of Nepal after India and the US. Except for some years, the number of tourists visiting Nepal from the country of the Rising Sun has continually risen. In 1962, only 147 Japanese visitors had visited Nepal. The number increased to 19,533 in the year 1992.

In 1998, Nepal observed Visit Nepal Year, a national tourism campaign. In that year, 37,386 Japanese came to Nepal, going up by 6.7 per cent compared to the previous year. Last year, a total of 32,330 visitors from Japan visited the country by air alone.

Every year 15 million Japanese travel worldwide, making Japanese one of the most widely travelled people. Japan has a population of more than 120 million.

With a view to penetrating into the vast Japanese market, Nepal Tourism Board, a private-public partnership formed for tourism development, is launching a sales mission in four different cities of Japan—Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka—from May 5-13 this year.

In order to make it more effective and result-oriented, the 9-day promotional programme is to be organised in coincidence with JATA Fair (Japan Association of Travel Agents). Around 13 tourism-related companies from Nepal will be participating in the fair.

In each of the cities, NTB will be holding interactions with interested tour operators (who have been selling Nepal) and journalists regarding Nepalese tourism products and destinations. It will also be presenting multi-media show to promote Nepal as a destination. About 100 local tour operators and journalists are expected to be participating in each of the four cities during the first ever sales mission organised in Japan.

Apart from two-hour interaction programmes, the Nepalese companies and the local tour operators will have interactions during the business session. In the session, the Nepalese companies will inform the Japanese participants about the different tourism products and facilities available in Nepal.

Nepal’s promotional materials and typical Nepalese souvenirs will be given to the foreign participants.

“Targeting the Japanese market, we are preparing a special multi-media CD-ROM in Japanese language,” says Tek Bahadur Dangi, Director-Marketing and Promotion with NTB.

Dangi believes that the present sales mission might be helpful for restoring Nepal’s image as one of the best tourist destinations in the world.

He informs that besides other products and attractions of Nepal, NTB will focus on Buddhism and Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha during the sales mission in Japan.

The sales mission is a joint venture between NTB and Thai International Airways. Thai has given 75 per cent discount on fare for the Nepalese companies interested to participate in the fair.

The Japanese people are found being interested mainly in Buddhism, eco-tourism, mountains, flora and fauna and culture.

The major season for the Japanese visitors to come to Nepal begins from September and it lasts till April.

“Due to cultural similarities, Japanese visitors are interested to visit Nepal. They are more than happy to see Himalayan ranges and natural scenes in Nepal,” says Hari Man Lama, a travel agent, who has been handling Japanese tourists for several years.

Lama also says that since many people in Nepal know the Japanese language, the visitors from Japan do not face language problems. So, they visit Nepal.

The Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) has been the only one airline operating direct flights from Kathmandu to Japan. It flies to Osaka twice a week. Japan has been one of the profit-making sectors for the national flag carrier as well.

“If we just develop Lumbini as a pilgrimage site and increase some more flights to Japan, the number of Japanese visitors will increase unexpectedly within a few years,” Lama says.