we all have contributed in taking the country to such a storm

Rabi Bhakta Shrestha, Ex. President FNCCI

The private sector in Nepal has not yet reached a stage of playing a decisive role in running the state. The first reason behind this is the over politicization of all sectors and the second reason is the lack of unity among those involved in this sector resulting in their inability to muster the required strength., the private sector needs to look at itself and improve its own strength rather than complain about it. An industrialist or a businessman cannot do it single handedly. The organization of the private sector should be strong. The private sector should have a common vision and should be ready to go ahead collectively.

What kind of economic agenda our country should have? What should be our vision and goals in the five-year plans? In such crucial issuers, there should be the uniformity of views within the private sector. Only then we can talk of national consensus. We can exercise pressure on the political parties. We would bot be honest with ourselves asking the political forces to reach a consensus while we ourselves remain divided. It is high time to have a round table of organizations and associations of the private sector reach a consensus on the unity of the private sector and the economic agendas. We will be able to march ahead with confidence and strength only if we are united and have a common agenda. We have to be responsible to the history and the future generation as nobody can run away from history.

We all have been saying that the country is passing through a very difficult phase, the political instability has increased even more and the agreements are being broken rather than the consensus being made. The country has landed in the cycle of decline in the absence of stable economic policy. The dark clouds are once again covering the silver lining seen sometime back. The political situation is getting more and more complex. Every body, the political forces, the government, the private sector know this. To be honest, we all have contributed in taking the country to such a storm. We can come to the consensus only by6 recognizing our past mistakes and through the self-criticism. We cannot get to the political understanding and consensus if we continue with our practice of indicating the mistakes of others only. When the country lands in an accident, nobody can escape from it. Political consensus is required to save the nation from imminent disaster. We are in a very fluid surface now. Every one has his/her agenda. If there is someone who does not have an agenda, that is the nation itself. Who is here to create the environment so that nation’s agenda could be developed and attract every body to this national agenda? If there is need to have a redefinition of the present roles and a new equilibrium has to be reached, I think we should be ready for it.

In my opinion, it is immaterial: which party forms the government? Who becomes the Prime Minister? Who becomes the minister? What is more important is are we bearing our responsibility honestly. I think the competition should be on not getting to the power but on how the country can be made powerful and prosperous. Such a competition should be the basis of popular support. The popular support should take the vision and agenda to the authority. Tolerating the in-discipline and anarchy is equivalent to messing up with the nation. Such practices should immediately end. The model of our governance should not be based on our own hard realities and capabilities. Why talk of successes of China, Thailand and Singapore, we can look at the examples of Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnatak with an open mind and we can safely conclude that the economic progress is possible in different political system and under different constitutional framework. Instead of indulging in the debate of which model is the best, we should be debating on under which model the country can progress and prosper. This is my firm conviction.

The complexities that have arisen before the third round talk between the government and the Maoists have further fuelled the problems. We like the general public are not sure whether the talks will take place or not. We all would like to see the talks to start as soon as possible and hope for a permanent and sustainable peace. We all need to contribute in whatever way we can for such outcome. In this difficult situation, I appeal the sides concerned including the political parties to show restraint and not to put in jeopardy the public desire for permanent peace.

We do have not only challenges and obstacles but also the innumerable opportunities endowed by the nature and meticulously created by our people. We have the marvelous things: the most sacred places of the Hindus and Buddhists, Pashupatinath and Lumbini, the highest point on the earth, Mt. Everest. These endowments have the ability to transform Nepal to the tourism capital. Like wise we are second in water resources in the world and we have the bio-diversity so unique in the world. But I have to confess we have not been able to identify the blessings and could not understand the opportunities offered by them. Despite being second richest in water resources, we are compelled to pay the highest tariff for electric power. We have the excess capacity and spill power in Nepal, but we are buying power from India. Although more than 80 percent of the people of the country still depend on agriculture, yet we have to import grains to feed ourselves. We have the biggest market of the world due to our strategic location in between China and India, and the positive sympathy towards us. But we have not been able to use these opportunities in the interest of our country people. We are loosing our valuable time in squabbling on minor issues and the lust for power. We should get ourselves freed from the present conflicts and face up the challenges standing before the nation utilizing the opportunities we have.

It is high time that the government should seriously think of rehabilitating the sick industries by promoting the use of local production.

We need to identify the potential and possible sectors based on our physical location, available resources and the infrastructure. We need to develop specific action plans of development in the specified areas of comparative and competitive advantage. The main objective of the FNCCI is to contribute to the nation’s economic development by promoting and protecting the interests of the private sector. There is much remaining to be done by the private sector in line with the changing context. We have to make our businesses competitive in the context of globalization. This is indeed a great responsibility in the present day’s context.

I think the unemployment in the country is rising due to the uncontrolled growth of the population and the sorry state of the economy. The government should pay attention to le3radicate unemployment at the very grass root level. The local bodies and the chambers should join hands in creating employment opportunities for the youth. This, in my opinion is the biggest challenge of the day.

The problems that Expatriate-workers face Nepal

Rajeeb Satyal

Nepal’s developmental problems are so unique and intriguing that it is difficult even for the international development veterans to identify. Several long or short term consultants come here to work as Country Representatives/Executives of international development agencies, Advisors, Technical Assistants for specific works, with a very strong determination, enthusiasm and commitment to do something really good for this wonderful country: Nepal. They are wonderful people who genuinely love and came with a full determination to serve this country.

But the majority of such consultants return disappointed or not so happy with their own helplessness to achieve the desired results. Most expatriates end up wondering what went wrong or how they have not been able to deliver or done better. They will perhaps never discover the answers to these questions during their lifetime. It is not only the expatriates alone who face this predicament. This is the country where even the heads of the government do not know what problem they are facing. It well reflects in their most common expressions such as: Yo Nepal ho yaar, Ke Garne ? Yaha Kehi garn sakinna (This is Nepal, friend, what can you do? We cannot do anything here). In a situation where natives have such mood of resignation deep rooted in their psyche, what can an expatriate do?

Apart from this predicament, expatriates are subjected to feel guilty of being paid higher salary despites the fact that they get paid normal salary from their national standard. The problem starts when Nepali counter parts start calculating expatriates’ salaries in local currency.

The problems that these consultants face during their assignment in Nepal are mostly attitudinal and cultural in nature. Some of them are as follows:

- Lack of sense value of time resulting in frustratingly slow pace.

- Not responding accurately to the requests or instructions by the fellow workers

- Inconsistent and unpredictable behavior of counterparts and co-workers

- Complex interpersonal communications: In Nepal, what is said is not usually what is meant. So one has also to listen to what is not said to understand what is actually said in words. And we can imagine how confusing it could be for an expatriate consultant who is trained to take things from face value.

- Politicization at every levels,

- Lack of basic honestly and professional integrity

- Strong convergent approach that prevent looking for options and alternative ways of doing new things. If you ask for solution with any Nepali, he/she will start singing about what they did the past and propose to do irrespective of the nature of the problem and new environment.

It is professionally nightmarish for expatriate consultants to work in Nepal however competent or successful they may have proved themselves in other countries. None of the model that works successfully in other countries works in Nepal. It sometimes confuses even the world-class development veterans. Sometimes I think, expatriates who are assigned to Nepal, must get pre-assignment orientation on how they should approach here for the best result.

Even in such environment, some expatriates seem to survive for long, sometimes on the cost of compromising professional integrity and judgment. As a result, it makes take a little longer to rehabilitate themselves and their family in their own country.

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