South Asia And New World Order

-By Our Correspondent

With a view to address the emerging health trends in South Asia and get global and national responses for the 21st century South-South Solidarity (SSS) organised a regional level meeting in Kathmandu last week. The meeting is a follow-up workshop to Dhaka Initiative on Emerging World Order and the Southern Perspective.

Attending the meeting Prof. Abdullah Al-Amin, director of the ANANDO, an NGO working in Bangladesh for the promotion of culture and youth resource development, pleaded the youth of the region to mobilise themselves in helping their respective societies develop in a true sense than falling prey to anti-social elements.

Talking to Sunday Despatch, Prof. Al-Amin said South Asia is having a tough time with regards to development activities. The governments are not able to address the problems properly and there always is a crisis for good governance in almost all the countries of the region, said Prof. Al-Amin. In addition, he said, the NGOs are being looked upon with skepticism.

Yet, the situation has not gone worse. If our youths stop falling prey to the political parties and people from their respective professions unite to create civil societies they can do a great job to bridge the gap between the government and the NGOs for the development of the society. Prof. Al-Amin said as a solution to the crisis of good governance and mistrusts towards the NGOs.

Prof. Al-Amin, a retired professor at the local University at Dhaka, opines that the youths should not concentrate only on having jobs. He says that youths have power and talent to generate jobs not only for themselves but for hundreds of others as well. And that is possible only if they become conscious that it is great to live and serve for others.

He lauds Marianne Grossietsch, founder of Shanti Sewa Griha, an NGO. The NGO is looking after the neglected lepers at Tilganga, Pashupati. Grossietsch said taking care of persons like the lepers is possible only when the society is highly educated, civilised and conscious about humanity. According to her, development is only the outcome of humanity.

Meanwhile, Amin views peace as an agent to development. Until and unless the society is peaceful and creative there can be no sustainable development. That is why we are organising an International Youth Friendship Camp from October 15 this year in Dhaka so that the youths could be motivated towards their real objectives of life and help governments workout their projects.

Amin cites his successful programmes in leading the groups for bringing social awareness in Bangladesh. Peoples’ Peace Forum, Campus Peace Group, and University Lecturers’ Groups have been tremendously successful in educating local people about how development activities can be achieved.

Prof. Amin’s ANANDO project has launched six programmes – income generating programme, integrated development programme, programmes related to environment and ecology, solar energy programme, Dishary student fellowship and peace programmes – to help uplift the standard of the rural people and bring about changes in their psychology. Nearly 60,000 rural people, including the educated unemployed youths of the rural area, have benefitted from his projects

Meanwhile, Dr. Nibedita Daspurkayastha, one of the associates of ANANDO, said, It is work that helps people remain attached to life. No work is a situation that diverts youths and other people towards crimes and other anti-social activities thus, leading the society downwards.

ANANDO is scheduled to organise a cultural programme in Kathmandu in the near future with the association of the Embassy of Bangladesh and NGOs working in Nepal.

Korean Expedition Team Cheats Sarang San Treks

-By BMD

Due to unhealthy competitions among tourism related organisations such as travel and trekking agencies, rafting agencies and hotels, Nepal may be getting a reputation of a cheap destination. Although the government has strong laws to regulate the tourism sector, they are not found implemented effectively.

Last week , the Tourist Police Office found a trekking agency— First Environmental Trekking (P) Ltd.— doing all sorts of businesses like operating tours, providing rafting service, etc. The signboard of the agency said that it handles trekkers, travellers and the individuals interested in the river rafting. The company was licensed to handle only trekkers.

A cargo agency was also found doing different types of business without taking permission.

There are many such fraud agencies that have created unhealthy competitions in the travel and tourism business. If this is not controlled in time, the country’s tourism will be ruined in no time, says a senior officer at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The officer, requesting unanimity, even says if action is taken against any agency or individual, it will be a counter-productive. Such fraud agencies even make threats of dire consequences to the concerned personnel if procedures are forwarded to take action against them,  he says.

Amar Gopal Shrestha, acting in-charge of the Tourist Police Office, says that such anomaly is rampant in Kathmandu, especially, the Thamel area.

Until such an unhealthy competition is not controlled, many other problems will appear, Shrestha says.

He is of the opinion that the concerned associations have to be alert to do away with such aberrations seen in the tourism sector.

Moreover, many tourists have also been found being swindled by some agencies or guides. But there are also cases of the tourists cheating the agencies.

Hira Bahadur Karki of Sarang San Treks and Expedition says that he has been cheated by a Korean expedition team— 1999 Lhotse Southface Korean Expedition— last year. Karki had handled the expedition team.

Karki says that the team had assured him that it would clear all the dues after completing the expedition.

Karki said, the team leader had told him that his relative would come to Kathmandu by bringing money from Korea. But when the team failed to scale Mt. Lhotse, the leader said the money did not come, he says. He says, the Korean team still owes him about US$ 15,000.

Karki said he even made the team sign a paper at the Korean Embassy in Kathmandu that it would pay.

But eight months have passed and he has heard nothing from the team. According to Karki, the Korean Embassy, too, has refused to help him.

Climbers May Set Foot On Everest By Next Week

-By Our Correspondent

If the weather becomes fine, expedition teams may begin their attempt to the top of Mt. Everest by next week.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, most of the teams attempting on Mt. Everest had been stalled in the Everest Base camp due to bad weather for the past several days.

The Ministry, however, informed that the teams have begun to proceed ahead as the weather is getting favourable.

All the members of Nepalese Women Millennium Expedition, except Kasang Diki Sherpa, have left the Base Camp for the Second Camp. They are likely to reach atop of Mt. Everest by the end of next week. Kasang is taking rest in the Base Camp.

Altogether 17 expedition teams, including three Nepalese teams, have been permitted to attempt on Mt. Everest this spring.

Meanwhile, despite bad weather, some expedition teams have been successful in scaling some other peaks below 8,000 meters. An eight-member French Nilgiri (GMHM) Expedition 2000 led by Thierry Bolo has scaled Mt. Nilgiri (7061) via north face.

Likewise, a five-member Siberian Amadablam Expedition led by Vladimir Prokopenko hsa also climbed the 6812-meter Amadablam through southwest ridge.

Similarly, a seven-member Spanish team—ETB Expedition 2000—led by Falix Iriarte—had scaled Mt. Manaslu (8163 m.) via north east ridge last week. Another five-member team from New Zealand—Spice Boys Expedition (Dirt-bag)—led by Davi Craft has also climbed Mt. Amadablam through north ridge. But an eight-member 2000 Amadablam Expedition USA has abandoned its effort due to unfavourable weather condition.

Meanwhile, Ang Dawa Tamang, a Nepalese mountain guide, participating in the 2000 Kanchanjungha Expedition (a Korean team), died after he was hit by an ice block while attempting on the peak. The team leader is Goin Kyun.

Finnish Nokia Team Wins Raid Gauloises Race

-By Our Correspondent

It was sheer determination and will that won the Finnish Nokia Team the Trans Himalaya 2000 Race organised by Raid Gauloises.

The French Team was second with Spanish team.

The 827-kilometre race from Shekar Jong of Tibet to Janakpur in the plains of Nepal was participated by 16 groups from various countries. The winning team had started the race at 08:45 of April 30 and had finished the race at 06:47 of May 6.

Pasi Ikonen, the leader of the Finnish Nokia team attributes the success to his teams preparation and determination.

"We came here to win and that we did," he said.

Forthcoming Budget
Some Reforms In The Civil Service

-By RKC

Every year when the government brings out the budget estimates for the coming fiscal year, it is expected to address several national issues like poverty alleviation, agriculture, education and health. In fact the budget is a scientific estimation of income and expenditure for a certain period of time - say one year. But the budget of a nation is different than that of an organization, it encompasses several factors related with the need of country and countrymen.

It is also the reflection the overall economic scenario that encompasses various programmes for equitable distribution of national resources. And it is presumed that the budget sets the programme to accelerate country’s development. However, the forthcoming budget that is slated to be presented in less than two weeks period can be expected more pragmatic and people oriented in comparison to the previous budget estimates.

As poverty alleviation is the single goal of the Ninth Five Year Plan (2054-2059 B.S), the forth coming budget will also accord due priority on that by earmarking more budget in the areas like agriculture, reform in tax administration, education and micro- hydro power.

This time forthcoming budget will have several economic issues to be taken into consideration so as to achieve the national. Despite having problems in various sectors, the government’s commitment to proceed reforms to rectify them seems very positive. But it is not easy. The outcome of reforms cannot be obtained with poor administration.

This time the budget can be expected to throw some lights for the reform in the civil service system.

Among various prominent issues, another prominent areas to be focused by the budget are civil service reform and control of corruption.

As a matter of fact reforms in the Civil Service has been a major issue to expedite country’s development in an effective manner.

The role of civil service is vital in order to achieve target set by the government. A nation cannot implement its programmes with weak administration. Implementation of budgetary programmes becomes failure with poor administration.

Hence the forthcoming budget should take measures to initiate the process of reform in the civil service.

It should be taken into consideration that civil service is considered as a vital ingredient of country’s overall administration and one cannot expect headway in the absence of effective civil service system.

Though the reforms in the civil service were introduced during 1992-1995, it could not be continued due to political instability and lack of commitment in the leadership. Country’s administration bugged down in the morass of confusion for almost five years since 1995.

On the one hand frequent change of the government had marred the reform process, on the other administration had been blamed most corrupt Much things have changed in the span of five years.

The Civil Service Act -2049 and Civil Service Regulations have been amended. Number of ministries reduced to 21 from 26. Despite these , country’s civil service is still not competent Having taken this fact into consideration this time the Nepali Congress government has re-initiated the process of reform in this sector by implementing the recommendations of the High Level Administration Reform Commission -2048 which was formed under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. To give the continuity the forthcoming budget should not aside the reform process in the civil service.

There are number of challenges to be tackled by the forthcoming budget which are not easy at all. This is high time to workout for the country’s need. Hence the government should identify the burning issues that help achieve the single goal of eradication of poverty.

Now it is high time for the government to collect information and suggestions from different sectors so that the budget can address the real problems in an effective way.

The architects of the budget at the Ministry of Finance should now be very cautious about bringing out some positive changes in the civil service sector.

Effective implementation of the budget always remains a far cry if reforms in the civil service are overlooked.