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			'id' => '2046',
			'article_category_id' => '153',
			'title' => 'Two-wheelers Getting More Riders',
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	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Suraksha Adhikari&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In a country like Nepal where a proficient transportation service seems to be a far-fetched dream, two-wheelers have become the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Motorcycles have become the choice for the people working during odd hours to move around in the busiest roads of capital or the bumpy roads in the countryside or say the narrow roads where the four wheelers cannot easily pass by.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	With the arrival of the main festivals in Nepal, the mob of people is seen around the motorcycle showrooms to grab the offers and schemes provided by various companies on the occasion of festivals. Adhir Kumar Shrestha, Assistant Managing Director of V.G. Automobiles Pvt. Ltd said that the sale of motorcycles has increased to double following the offers. This company has already sold around 1,200 units of motorcycles in short span of being authorized dealer of Nepal.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shekhar Golchha, President of the Nepal Automobile Dealers&rsquo; Association (NADA) said that the size of the market increases during the festival season because of the trend of buying new things during the special occasions. He said, &ldquo;Around 20 to 50 per cent of total sale of two wheelers on Nepal is during Dashain.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He added, &ldquo;The first choice of people after having some amount of money is automobile and Dashain is the most suitable occasion for the people to buy new things in the family.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The road widening drive in Kathmandu and other cities in the country started some time ago. However, most roads still await completion. &ldquo;Having wide roads will definitely have a positive impact on the industry,&rdquo; said Shrestha.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Market Status</strong></span></div>
<div>
	After the continuous dropdown of the two wheelers market for more than two years, the market has again picked up the pace. As per the data of Department of Transport Management the import of two-wheelers rose 22 percent in the first nine months of the fiscal year compared to the same period last year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Analyzing the data of past one decade, the motorcycle segment has witnessed a very impressive growth. The number of two-wheelers has grown from 26,547 in fiscal 2003-04 to 175,381 in fiscal 2012-13.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	One of the largest players in the two-wheeler scene in the country, HH Bajaj, reported that they had witnessed a growth in sales of more than 40 percent. The company has so far sold around 30,000 units of two-wheelers. Shekhar Golchha, executive director of HH Bajaj, said that the reason behind the increase in sales was the bounce-back effect afterv a huge fall.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The enormous growth the two-wheeler segment has been witnessing annually has been spreading to areas outside the capital city. While the market for two-wheelers has come to a saturation point in the Kathmandu valley, sales outside the valley have seen a massive growth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Factors in Increasing Sales</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The easy availability of auto loans at a lower interest rate compared to the past few years has contributed to the growth in auto sales. Currently, finance companies are offering auto loans in the range of 9.5 to 12 percent interest. &ldquo;As two-wheelers are the means of transportation of the general people, easy availability of finance has played a positive role in the increment in sales,&rdquo; Golchha said. Meanwhile the sales of two-wheelers had increased as public transportation isn&rsquo;t reliable in the country. Launching of schemes by motorcycle dealers round the year and new model rollouts too have aided growth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Problems and Challenges</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Traders say that the license distribution system of Transportation Management Department is capital centric which has been creating problem to the license holder outside the valley. This has been degrading the sale as the facility of trial for two wheelers is only in Pokhara and Kathmandu after the upgrade of license distribution system.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Other major challenges include transportation hurdles and traffic management. Pradip Pradhan, member of NADA, said that the government&rsquo;s categorizing automobiles in the luxury segment has hindered the growth of the sector.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'In a country like Nepal where a proficient transportation service seems to be a far-fetched dream, two-wheelers have become the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Motorcycles have become the choice for the people working during odd hours to move around in the busiest roads of capital or the bumpy roads in the countryside or say the narrow roads where the four wheelers cannot easily pass by.',
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			'id' => '2072',
			'article_category_id' => '31',
			'title' => 'A Recipe For Development Through Rights',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>William Ruger</strong>&nbsp;is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University and an adjunct assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. He earned his PhD in Politics from Brandeis University. Professor Ruger has authored a biography, Milton Friedman, and is also co-author of The State of Texas: Government, Politics, and Policy and Freedom in the 50 States and An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom. His scholarly articles have been appeared in International Studies Quarterly, Armed Forces and Society, and State Politics and Policy Quarterly. During his recent visit in Nepal, he spoke to&nbsp;<strong>Editor-in-Chief Madan Lamsal</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Suraksha Adhikari</strong>&nbsp;of New Business Age.<strong>&nbsp;Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What brought you to Nepal this time?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Well, I am here as a guest and also to address a workshop at the King&rsquo;s College. I love interacting with people and the same thing I am doing here in Kathmandu to exchange thought and views on current scenario in this country. So, it&rsquo;s been very enjoyable.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You argue that developing economies need well-functioning institutions that keep peace (both domestically and internationally) and administer justice. Can you elaborate?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	One of the most important things that the social scientists have identified is being consistent with the prosperous economy where a state protests property rights. When people want to invest for better economy, they need to be protected in terms of their property rights. Their profits won&rsquo;t be confiscated and the investment they make won&rsquo;t get affected with high tax issues, which will led them to rough weather &mdash; crushing their efforts by the regulations. It&rsquo;s really important to have a thorough research and to get the institutions right. For example: There is a book called, &ldquo;Why Nations Fail?&rdquo; where the difference between North and South Korea was beautifully portrayed as different sets of institutions. South Korea and United States have more inclusive institutions including property right protection while other places do not. One can see the difference in these two places.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You have emphasized that the governments need to focus on protecting private property rights. What are major implications of private property rights on economy?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	I don&rsquo;t think we should defend property rights simply because they lead to economic prosperity. I think it should be protected because it&rsquo;s the right thing a state should do. People have the right to own their property, to include their integrity, their thoughts and the products of their labour in terms of making or buying. This is the right thing to do with consistence to the prosperous society. So I will not say that the state shouldn&rsquo;t do it only because of its relationship with prosperity. A government is the one that protects people&rsquo;s individual rights to include property right.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">Considering the situation, when we are not being able to enjoy the basic fundamental rights, how can we think of including the private property rights in the list?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	I am not saying it&rsquo;s easy for any society including my own to ensure that the government should respect its rights. There are many examples where I think that my own government failed in protecting individual rights. I believe it&rsquo;s same in Nepal too. A right state provides a situation to see whether the government&rsquo;s function in ideal or not. If the government sticks to doing the basic things of protecting property rights, individual rights, allowing individual to execute their projects, having interest in bettering themselves and their family then you can see prosperity across. These are the basic things that the government should do. Unfortunately there are so many governments around the world that try to do so many things for good reasons but sometimes even for self-interested reasons. That&rsquo;s why a democratic society is important so that some pressure can be put on the government by the people. That means the people have to hold the government and governing class feet to the fire. If they engage in corruption this needs to be rooted out.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"><img alt="William Ruger,Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University" src="/userfiles/images/wr1.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px; height: 459px;" />Do you think the government needs to protect the powerless from the powerful who aim to rent-seek contrary to the public good or whose persons and property are threatened or violated by other citizens?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Yes, indeed. You know a lot of people talk about how there is need to have economic right for the less well-off. Part of the problem for the weaker section of the society is that government is strictly rest-seeking against the renters, putting barriers and regulations on the business activities. It makes it harder to people to actually move up in the society. In creating a situation in which economic growth is difficult for the entire society and that doesn&rsquo;t help anyone but especially hurts people towards the bottom in many ways in terms of quality and poverty. So, what we need is a real pro-growth business policy of the government &mdash; consistent with the rise so that you can see society as a whole become more progressive.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What are the major constraints of developing countries when it comes to growth?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The economic growth is a complicated picture. You must have a right institution in terms of the government, you also have to have the culture that is consistent with entrepreneur activities and a peaceful society that is relatively tolerant having strong work ethic which teaches a kind of value consistent with human flourishing. So it is very important for families and institutions in society to help develop those values.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">How can we develop the entrepreneurial culture among the people&rsquo;s lives in society like us?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Entrepreneurship is the thing that should be awarded not hindered. Its&rsquo; really easy to squelch an entrepreneurial skill if you frustrate it constantly especially when you are trying to raise yourself to build a business and so forth. And I think in many ways the informal economy in Nepal shows that there is still a lot of entrepreneurial spirit. It&rsquo;s not just out in the formal economy perhaps it should be a really important for the government to get out of the way of the people engaging in those types of business but to make them easier and to have a kind of feeling that they won&rsquo;t be punished.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is also good for the government if they could secure the property rights of individual in business. There is a role for government to administer justice and it should engage police to protect the property rights, the people and to protect the state from other countries. And it needs tax revenue to do so.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For making the people aware about the entrepreneurship and its importance &mdash; education will play a pivotal role. These things should be taught to our children in schools and institutions to make them aware about what is necessary to achieve prosperity.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You often talk about freedom to price exploration. What&rsquo;s your main proposition to this regard?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	The price mechanism is important for transmitting local information efficiently in the complicated large society. Without the price mechanism it&rsquo;s hard for economy to be efficient. So when government steps into that, it creates a lot of problems. In fact, without the price mechanism, how would we know how to use our resources including our work force. So when government gets in the way of that it creates problems.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">How important is the ideology of political forces in development?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Unfortunately lots of parties have ideas that that the society is flourishing. And that&rsquo;s the king of rent-seeking behavior we see but also that is a kind of desire for power that individuals in the parties have. In some ways you have to find ways in which ambition can be changed on the right direction. The people who are ambitious should be focused on doing positive things. You rather want to be Bill Gates and earn millions of dollars rather than being a simple person or any political entrepreneur who often spend time is creating a resources and goods for himself rather than for others. And a person like Bill Gates is the one who creates a lot of value for everyone. We should honour these people not envy them. Certainly we should not do the things that prevent the person like Bill Gates from doing what they do.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is difficult to change the situation in the country like Nepal but part of this can be initiated from education, free press where people in media can talk about some of the stories of entrepreneurship, talk about where government has hindered this activities. But it is hard. Once you get into a bad cycle it can be difficult. Again there is a very good research in social science to show somebody&rsquo;s problem and how to get out of it.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What&rsquo;s your stand about communist ideology for the development of the country?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Communism is the failed idea. It should be something that any state or any group repatriates. It is amazing that after the fall of Soviet Union that anybody would generate those views particularly because they haven&rsquo;t been consistent with our flourishing especially economically. Justice is quite difficult to receive in these places that adopt a communist ideology. So I am not sure why anybody want communism not to mention the fact that it just doesn&rsquo;t work and it is something that even the people of the progressive forces in my country don&rsquo;t want the system where the means of production are not held in private hands. So it is just amazing that why anybody would want that. But china has broken with a lot of tendencies of economy. They have tried to encourage more market forces. They are not all the way &mdash; they have to be yet &mdash; but part of the reason that they have a large economy take off was when they started liberalizing their economy and especially to open themselves to international trade. That&rsquo;s part of the recipe of success.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">Professor Ruger you have authored a biography, Milton Friedman. Why is Milton Friedman an important figure to write about?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Friedman is one of the best economists of the 21st century. He is the public intellectual. He was the big figure in the USA and the world promoting markets, reforms in other areas that increased freedom. Lots of people don&rsquo;t realise that he was an important figure in moving USA away from conscription to an all-volunteer military force. He believed in government funding of education but didn&rsquo;t believed in government administration of school so that was really important thing for him. He is important not only he was a great economist and a Nobel Prize Winner in economics for his work on monetary policy largely but also someone who passed a fairly consistent freedom agenda in all kinds of area not just in economic ground.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What is your observation on Nepali business schools based on your short surveillance?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Basically I am a political scientist but one of the best things I found out that there are really bright students who are interested about the ideas we are talking about. It&rsquo;s a long way to come from Texas to Nepal and it is very nice to see the enthusiasm of the students. I wish more people come to Nepal and learn something from the people here because I have learned a lot from this place.</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-10-29',
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			'description' => 'William Ruger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University and an adjunct assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. He earned his PhD in Politics from Brandeis University.',
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	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2067',
			'article_category_id' => '46',
			'title' => '“Private Sector  Is Publicity-Oriented”',
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			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 16px;">Though a businessman, he is well known in political circles. Entering the business world at the age of 14, Ajay Raj Sumargi, Chairman of Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd, has many successes under his belt. Shifting between political and business circles, and from one business sector to the next, Sumargi makes an interesting business personality in Nepal. His favourite sector at the moment is hydropower which, according to him, is the one that can change the economy of the country for the better. He does not try to hide his interest in politics and ways he interacts with political forces in order to develop a common minimum understanding among political leaders. &ldquo;Yes, leaders come to me and request to play the role of mediator when there are disputes and differences among them,&rdquo; he reveals. Sumargi talks to New Business Age&rsquo;s Siromani Dhungana about his journey and perspective on business in Nepal.&nbsp;<strong>Excerpts:&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Can you please share with us your journey from being a local businessman outside of the valley to a renowned and one of the richest ones in the country?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was 14 when my father passed away. Our family was already renowned for business at that time. We were involved in various businesses such as transportation, mines and wood works. My mother was always worried about my studies owing to my involvement in business from a very young age. I was responsible toward my younger brothers and we were liable to huge bank loans at that time.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		In 1978, I was liable for a bank loan worth Rs 1.1 million because I had taken over all responsibilities of my father&rsquo;s business. I must confess that I am not a first generation businessman - all I did was continued the businesses initiated by my father. I cleared all my banks loans by 1986 and was able to own a car at that time. All my success today is due to my hard work in those days.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>You entered the business world at a very young age. How did you cope with challenges in business?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was born in a very prosperous and educated family that had great influence at the local level. I cannot forget the contribution of my predecessors for my progress. Similarly, I got many opportunities, warmth and cooperation from society due to my father&rsquo;s fame.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Another reason for my success is my readiness to take risks in business. For instance, I bought a loader worth $60,000 around 1993. At that time most people suggested that I buy a truck instead because the profit attained from trucks was more secure compared to loaders. However, my decision of purchasing a loader paid back and proved to be a right within six years as I was able to reap profit and invest it further in other projects. As a businessman, I always took risks and my readiness to bear risks has benefitted me thus far.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Generally, I change my sector every 11-12 years. In the initial 10 years, I was involved in the business of wood mills; after that, I moved on to the business of mines; later, I got involved in the telecom business and have been in it for the last 10 years.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>So, which sector do you anticipate engaging in the next 10 years?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		It is obviously the hydropower sector I want to concentrate in the coming decade. I have planned to invest in a 35MW hydropower project in Dhading district. I will also put my energies to bring foreign investment in the hydropower sector.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		I had planned to construct a large capacity hydropower project in Karnali when Pushpa Kamal Dahal was Prime Minister. But it could not start due to hassles at the political level. I have put hydropower in my priority list and I think my presence will have a positive impact just as in the telecom sector. My contribution to make the telecom sector competitive and cheap has proved that I can create positive impact in business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Private sector investment in hydropower has been a much hyped issue. In your opinion, what are some major problems impeding the big hydro hope?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		There are many problems in the hydropower sector. First, we have entrusted the responsibility of production, transmission and distribution work to the same agency - the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). In my opinion, a single government agency cannot carry out all these responsibilities. The government&rsquo;s role should be limited to the monitoring of the entire sector whereas work of production, transmission and distribution should be given to the private sector. But the government should provide some sort of subsidy to develop this sector. Another major problem is in transmission. The existing transmission line is not sufficient to supply electricity to households connected to the grid. The line cannot supply power even if sufficient power is produced. Lack of an effective system in NEA and lack of appropriate policies and laws have also affected the development of the hydropower sector.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>The private sector is also blamed for malpractices in the hydropower sector. What is your say?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		It seems the private sector has been publicity-oriented to some extent. Hoarding of hydropower licenses is a serious malpractice on the part of the private sector. Such trends tarnish the reputation of the private sector. The government should revoke the licenses of those firms that are squatting on the licenses just for pocketing them.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Genuine businessmen have been suffering due to the license hoarding trend. The government cannot issue licenses to genuine businessmen like me since all rivers are already occupied. The government should end this and the private sector should support the government in doing so.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Let&rsquo;s change the topic. In your opinion, what should the government do to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Instead of the government acting for that purpose, I think the private sector should be sincere. Activities of the private sector should promote and strengthen it. The government alone cannot create an environment conducive for &nbsp;entrepreneurship and a blame game is not enough. &nbsp;Yet, the government has many responsibilities. The government should facilitate business activities by investing in infrastructure. Three sectors including information technology, hydropower and road connectivity are especially important for positive environment in business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>In spite of your attempt to stay away from controversy, you are always amidst it due to your political connections. Why is this so?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I never want controversy pertaining to my personal life. But people always try to drag me into it which is not good. I don&rsquo;t think it is my fault. People often see things from a single perspective and fail to evaluate things from multiple sides. I think a one-sided assessment of any person will victimise the concerned person.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>There are rumours that you and Prachanda have joint investment in some commercial organizations. Is this true?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was equally close to late Girija Prasad Koirala. Once, I did not speak with him for three months and later he himself came to my house. This does not mean that I want to show off my connection with leaders. But I have good relations with all leaders regardless of their political ideology. I do not have any special connection with Prachanda. I frequently meet Sushil Koirala, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Ram Chandra Paudel. People do not care when I meet other leaders but I don&rsquo;t understand why they hype my meeting with Prachanda. Instead, I claim that I have played a role among political leaders to mitigate the differences among them. They also ask me to play the role of mediator when there are disputes and differences among them.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>It is also said that you constructed &lsquo;Mukti Tower&rsquo; in Baneshwar, naming it after Prachanda&rsquo;s father?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, it is correct that I have constructed Mukti Tower. Its full name is &lsquo;Mukti Shree Tower&rsquo; and I named it after Lord Muktinath. I want to inform that I have kept more than 90 per cent of names of my companies after Lord Muktinath. It is false information that the name of the tower was after Prachanda&rsquo;s father. I don&rsquo;t have special relations with Prachanda. Rather, I have known Dr Baburam Bhattarai for long. What I want as a businessman is very clear - that our leaders should have common minimum agenda for the economic development of the country, and I want to contribute to develop such agenda.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Despite being a businessman, you are equally familiar with the political situation of the country. How do you see the relation between politics and business?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Political stability is very important to foster good business environment. Politicians need to assure that it is safe to invest. Similarly, right to property is also very important to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship. All business people should be convinced that there is level playing field in the business sector. No one will be ready to take risks in an environment of political instability. We want a constitution that will ensure right to property and a free market economy. I want the election to be held in the stipulated time which will be crucial for stability in the country. There may be a group that does not want elections to take place for their own benefit. Prolonged transition in politics will lead us to the worst situation in terms of business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Political parties still seem to be less worried about economic agenda during election. How do you view this?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Recently, Nepali Congress organized a meeting with the business community and entrepreneurs to hold a discussion about economic agendas. I was very happy to be participating in the meeting. I want other parties to hold similar discussions. In my opinion, economic agendas should be forwarded in a professional manner, leaving political advantages and disadvantages aside. &nbsp;Political parties should include the issues of economic reform in their manifestos. Political commitments in manifestos help citizens make parties accountable. In spite of having potential for economic prosperity, we have been failing to tap it, forcing our human resource to go abroad for job opportunities.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>So you are worried about the trend of Nepalis seeking jobs abroad?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, indeed I am. Our country has been supplying unskilled labour abroad. My wish is to create more and more jobs in this country so that people will not be compelled to seek jobs in a foreign land. If we cannot create enough jobs, the government should at least train the manpower going abroad to prevent trouble there. We need to provide training for basic skills and knowledge for job seekers. Similarly, the country needs to provide basic language training so that employees will be able to converse in a foreign land. Manpower agencies should also be made accountable to their clients.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What are the three most important qualities to be a successful entrepreneur?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Integrity, duty, and patience are essential to be a successful entrepreneur. One should be straightforward and clear in conversation. Anyone should have the courage to say &lsquo;No&rsquo; for what is wrong or impossible and &lsquo;Yes&rsquo; for what is right and possible. Sincerity in business dealings goes a long way. I think, we should respect all and should have patience for everything as well.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Are you satisfied with what you have achieved so far?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, indeed, I am satisfied with my work thus far - I am an optimistic person by nature. Rather, I worry about whom to pay for the heat we get from the sun or the air we breathe. I have been interested in contributing to society through various philanthropic deeds. And thus far I have been involved in road and public taps construction, and canal and bridge construction. I get pleasure from social work as I feel I am obligated towards society. Social work has been a satisfactory experience and I request fellow businessmen to realize the same. &nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-10-29',
			'modified' => '2013-11-10',
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			'description' => 'Though a businessman, he is well known in political circles. Entering the business world at the age of 14, Ajay Raj Sumargi, Chairman of Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd, has many successes under his belt. Shifting between political and business circles, and from one business sector to the next, Sumargi makes an interesting business personality in Nepal. His favourite sector at the moment is hydropower which, according to him, is the one that can change the economy of the country for the better. He does not try to hide his interest in politics and ways he interacts with political forces in order to develop a common minimum understanding among political leaders.',
			'sortorder' => '1936',
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	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2090',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => '‘MBA Is Not For Everyone’',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/lp%20bhanu.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 131px; height: 161px;" /></div>
<div>
	<strong>LP Bhanu Sharma is the Principal of Apex College, one of the leading management colleges of Nepal. He is also the Chairman of Chartered Academic International Pvt. Ltd. He has over 16 years of experience in management, teaching and training. He is also a spiritualist and trainer on positive living and mediation. In an interview with Keshab Raj Gautam of New Business Age, Sharma shared his opinion on trend of business education in Nepal. Excerpts:</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>You have been working in the education sector for a decade and half. What is your experience?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	I have been working in education sector for more than 16 years. Education has transformed and it is not the same. The curriculum has changed, teachers and students&rsquo; mentality has changed and this sector is looking for newer changes. At present, students have realised the importance of global prospective. Due to these prospects, many students, even management students, are studying Chinese, French, German and Swiss language. Current students no longer thinks that classroom education are enough, they have understood the need of real experience in this competitive business world. The mentality that, unless I do very well I will not be able to do anything has developed among students.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Do you find any difference between the students five years back and students now?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Yes, there is a difference. Today&rsquo;s students know how to make use of technology. Also, sense of competition has grown up and the number of serious students has increased.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>How do you evaluate the growing number of business schools in Nepal?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	At present, number of colleges which offer MBA programme in Nepal has increased to 37.Even a small city like Narayanghat has four institutions offering MBA degree. I take this growing number of business schools as very positive step but this is just the start of journey. This shows that, business education has come up and students really desire for business and management education. Over 52 per cent of Nepali students into higher education study management in Nepal. If we look at USA data, only 25 per cent of graduate students are involved in MBA programme. Market will give these business school three to five years time to prove themselves. In business school, the researches brought into the classes are more important which many of the business school lack. Apparently, this is not the scenario of new institutions but market will give these institution times to stand out. Even older ones like Apex College are having new testing times and we are working on quality. If all these institution works on quality, things will change otherwise market will categorise these intuitions as A, B, C and D grade which ultimately lead these institutions to lose their ground.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>How to choose the best business institution?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Students have to be smarter in this case. Choice of the intuitions is very core. Unless the intuition or the founder have some good records, student must think twice before joining it. Many of the intuitions claim to be the business school but are founded and run by non business graduates. What do they know about business? How are they going to do? These are the sincere questions which students as well as the common people must ask before joining any institution.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>What are your suggestions to potential business students?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	First of all, we must get out of this fashion race. MBA has become a fashion but it should not be. MBA is not for everyone. Everyone does not need to do an MBA. There are much other college options. Students must first need to analyze their strengths and define the expectation from the specific program. Secondly , MBA is not for fresher&rsquo;s. I have a clear feeling that, not more than one third of present MBA students should be doing MBA. Because I found that fresher&rsquo;s are unable to catch the sincerity and seriousness of MBA program. MBA is for people who have work experience of not less than three years. But it&rsquo;s probably our compulsion to take fresher&rsquo;s in our MBA program because the culture has not yet come where people with experience and different set of ambition apply for MBA. We are looking for more deserving students.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Where do you see today&rsquo;s business students after 5 years?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Many business students will be working as entrepreneurs. This is very good sign. At present, around 50 per cent have gone to banking industry. In next five years, I would expect them to go into different NGOs, INGOs and trading companies. I also see some of these business students contributing to transportation, cooperatives, and managing schools of the country in next five years.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Nepali economy is growing at a slow pace. Where will these business graduates be absorbed?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	We must be ready to face lot of upcoming challenges . But I think more than career searching, we should be more conscious about our own strength and weaknesses so that we could find the space to contribute.. Career changing is basically not the good options as professional managers are not among them who had changed their career track. . These are the people who knew what they are made for,what raw material they are and under what category they fall. This had led them to build their own career of interest. I run so many programs on career mapping. Only two days program will make an individual clear about how perfectly one can map his/her career.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>As you believe in spirituality, can you suggest how does it help to achieve full human potentials?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	If we want to know how to do marketing, we learn marketing, if we want to know history we have to study history similarly if we want to know about our self, we need to study spirituality. If only we could know ourselves better, the contribution can be seen in much better way. This ultimately will help us to be a better member of a family; better member of institution, and also better citizen as a whole. In such a way, spirituality helps to achieve the full potential.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Where do you see Nepali economy in 10 years?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	It&rsquo;s a very difficult question; my only wish is to see the private sector free from politics. Today, politicians are at driving seat but basically entrepreneurs should be in driving seat of private sector. I see much better future of Nepal in next 10 years. But the thing we should not miss out is of our personal values which we should improve. For this, people like us should be more efficient, effective and more professional so that we wont have to face any internal conflict. Unless there is good foundation of values among us, it is very difficult for sustainable growth. So, Media and education should start cultivating those values.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-10',
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			'description' => 'LP Bhanu Sharma is the Principal of Apex College, one of the leading management colleges of Nepal. He is also the Chairman of Chartered Academic International Pvt. Ltd. He has over 16 years of experience in management, teaching and training.',
			'sortorder' => '1935',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2089',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => 'Lifelong Learning',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong>By Ajay Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Not until much later in my life did I realize what Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote, &ldquo;Wherever we go, whatever we do, self is the sole subject we study and learn.&rdquo; One of my favourites is from Polly B. Berends, &ldquo;Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But don&rsquo;t take knowing yourself for granted. In the words of GK Chesterton (1874-1936): &ldquo;One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star.&rdquo; Recall how many times you have said, &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe I actually did or said that.&rdquo; Even today, at this age, I am struggling to know what I must learn and do to realize my individual potential. My advice to you: cultivate the habit of making conscious efforts to learn about yourself.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	I would like to share with you two disciplines I have found quite useful for continual learning. They are from the book called The Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck and the disciplines are named a) Acceptance of Responsibility, and b) Dedication to Truth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Acceptance of Responsibility&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/lifelong.jpg" style="margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; height: 253px; width: 550px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The first of the Four Noble Truths Buddha taught was &ldquo;Life is a suffering&rdquo;. We may accept or deny this assertion but there is overwhelming evidences in its favour. As we move on with our lives, we will inevitably encounter a series of problems. Of course, problems do not last forever. They come and go. But Dr Peck argues that problems must be worked through or else they remain, forever, a barrier to our growth and development. By accepting responsibility for problems, experiencing their pain, working through them in solving them, we learn and grow.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In accepting responsibility, though, Dr Peck warns us of the extremes. On one extreme, which he terms Character Disorder, we blame others for everything that goes wrong, or when we are in conflict with others. On the other extreme, which he terms Neurosis, we blame ourselves for everything that goes wrong or when we are in conflict with others. In one extreme, we assume no responsibility and in the other we assume too much.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	We do not have the inherent capacity to realistically distinguish between what we are and what we are not responsible for. It develops only if we are willing to suffer continual self-examination, which at times can be painful. In Ace Institute&rsquo;s short history of 14 years, this discipline of realistically distinguishing between what we are and we are not responsible for has helped us successfully navigate all sorts of problems, including coercion and threat of closure. In personal life also, application of this discipline has helped me work through what at times appeared to be insurmountable problems.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Dedication to Truth&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	As we view and interact with the world, we develop our own concepts of what is true and real. What was true and real to us as a child may not be so when we are grown up. What was true and real to a person when he was poor may not be so when he is rich. Dr Peck describes each of us as a mapmaker negotiating the terrain of our lives with maps of our own. We are not born with maps; we have to make them. And for our maps to be relevant and useful, we have to continually revise them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The problem he points out is that many of us stop revising our maps after certain time. The result: our maps remain small and sketchy and our view of the world narrow and misleading. His advice: we should subject ourselves to continual self-examination, expose ourselves to the criticism of other mapmakers, continually revise our map and thereby enlarge and refine our understanding of the world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Therefore, be prepared to accept that whatever you have learnt or you have been taught could be wrong, if not today, tomorrow. If it sounds strange and hard to accept, Gustave Falubert&rsquo;s assertion &ldquo;There is no truth. There is only perception&rdquo; might help. If Flaubert&rsquo;s assertion is not convincing enough, listen to this from Raman Maharshi: &ldquo;There is no Truth. There is only Truth within each moment.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Some Parting Advice&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	We regularly encounter social pressure to conform and personal pressure to establish our uniqueness. You may want to listen to this advice from the Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004): &ldquo;Our concern must be to live while we&rsquo;re alive &ndash; to release our inner selves from the spiritual death that comes with living behind a fa&ccedil;ade designed to conform to external definitions of who and what we are.&rdquo; Lisa Nichols warns, &ldquo;No one else can dance your dance, no one else can sing your song, no one else can write your story.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	And pleads John Mason with the title of his book: &ldquo;You&rsquo;re born original; don&rsquo;t die a copy.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>- Ghimire is the Chairman of Ace Institute of Management. This article is adapted from his key-note speech made at the MBA and EMBA graduation ceremony 2013 of the institute.</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-10',
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			'description' => 'Not until much later in my life did I realize what Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote, “Wherever we go, whatever we do, self is the sole subject we study and learn.” One of my favourites is from Polly B. Berends, “Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.”',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2088',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => 'Holistic Education For Complete Life',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/holistic.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 168px; height: 167px;" /></div>
<div>
	One might ask a question: what is so lacking in current education that holistic education promises to fulfill? Education, as is understood and taken today, is an attempt to discover, understand and instill the various aspects of human living to each individual with the purpose of enhancing the living standard of people. This education teaches us all about our living. But it somehow fails to explore, discover and teach students about themselves, their own life and its dimensions. It teaches the students how to earn, but fails to talk anything about the person for whom the wealth is sought to be earned. It teaches about different aspects of life, but leaves no clue about the life itself. In a nutshell, it studies the objects in the exterior world but has nothing to do with the subject in the inner world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A basic premise of holistic education is the belief that our life has a meaning and purpose greater than the mechanistic laws described by science, and greater than the &lsquo;consensus consciousness&rsquo; of any one culture. The current system conceives education as a &ldquo;race&rdquo;&mdash;a competition forcing schools, teachers, and students to contend for some sort of victory. This has poisoned the very human psyche which strives for understanding and meaning, more than just quantitative living. Defined as a competitive race, current education is not yet a collaborative art of mentoring and nurturing the young, but a harried and random effort to succeed according to some external measure of success&mdash;to reach some goal line established by those in authority.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The past century witnessed the most intensive efforts in education, perhaps much more than the entire millennium put together. Many nations have been able to hit the literacy rate of close to one hundred percent. It was hoped that an educated world will bring all the wealth, happiness, friendliness and peace in the world. But the results, to our dismay, fail to meet any such targets. The entire human race is suffering from stress, negativities, worries, anxieties and uncertainties. Family ties are less than strong; distrust has become the rule of the day and threat of wars hover around our heads. And the credit for all this goes to the educated people. This is not to undermine their contributions to physical and financial well-being and all the progress in the science, technology and other disciplines. But, a deeper look at the minds and hearts of the individuals will show that they clearly lack something special in life.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What is holistic education? First, holistic education attempts to nurture the development of the person as a whole. This includes the intellectual, emotional, physical, social, aesthetic, and spiritual elements. Perhaps the defining aspect of holistic education is the spiritual.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Holistic education is based on the notion that there is an active creative force within each person, and that this force has an intrinsic purpose and direction. If properly explored, understood and channelised, this force will pave way for total development of each individual and a much better social ecosystem. It would provide opportunities for students to be creative, contemplative and imaginative, while also being scientific and truthful. It allows time to tell old and new stories of heroes, ideals and transformation. It encourages students to go deep into themselves, into nature and into human affairs. It values service to others and the world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Various dimensions of holistic education will be explored in the ensuing issues of New Business Age.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'One might ask a question: what is so lacking in current education that holistic education promises to fulfill? Education, as is understood and taken today, is an attempt to discover, understand and instill the various aspects of human living to each individual with the purpose of enhancing the living standard of people.',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2087',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Govern Like A Government',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	One of the influential leaders in the United CPN Maoist Party -- UCPN (M), Barsha Man Pun has recently alleged that present government has started to behave like a &lsquo;political government.&rsquo; If that is the case, it is doing the right thing. The government must behave like a political than technical government, which can only solve political problems. It is irrelevant by now to keep hammering on the very nature of its structure just because a special kind of political equations that led to form this.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Once formed, it is the government of the country and it should function like a government, not as puppet show. Moreover, it is the government awarded with wider political legitimacy in the form of &lsquo;first consensus government in years&rsquo;. Every other petty detail automatically gets pushed to the background.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is no longer a news, rather a foregone conclusion, that the polls are impossible, at least, until November. Of course, it would still be a grand success story if they could be held by the end of this year, 2013. The growing inaction of the government has redoubled the doubts that are already thick in the air as regards real possibility of holding elections.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	No doubt, it was perhaps one of the greatest mistakes that Nepal&rsquo;s political leaders made by choosing the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Khil Raj Regmi, to head the election government. To add to the woes, leaders of the four political parties through the High-level Political Mechanism are trying to control the government. It must be mentioned here that any such mechanism doesn&rsquo;t have a constitutional validation. Anything the Mechanism forwards can only be recommendatory, not mandatory for the government to adhere to. And if certain political parties are capable to continue to exert such pressure, how could the elections held by this government be free and fair?&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This unnecessary practice has given rise to a double-fold nuisance. First, it has greatly affected the performance of the government. It sometimes appears as waiting for the &lsquo;direction&rsquo; from the Mechanism and, sometimes tries to assert its own course of actions. The end result is: it has lost its direction and pace. Second, it has created a situation where for all the failures of the government, it can directly put blame on the Mechanism and for any success it can claim its own.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Therefore, the political leadership should now come out of the mindset of plying a guardian angel to the government. It is only way that this government can be made responsible to its national duties and accountable to political contract of holding the Constituent Assembly elections sooner. But this rationality doesn&rsquo;t seem to have dawned upon the political top-hats of our country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The world has taken well into account that these four political leaders jointly declared themselves incapable of leading this country. They doubted their own level of integrity such that heading an election government by one of them would not produce impartial poll results. This was what led the situation of Regmi becoming the head of the government, virtually out of the blue.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It looks rather clumsy on the part of same set of leaders to act as the true &lsquo;drivers&rsquo; of the government. One of glaringly gauche example is the UCPN (M) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal&rsquo;s posture while departing for the &lsquo;official&rsquo; tour of China and then to India in the second and the third week of April, respectively. He tried to portray himself as a virtual head of the government going for a state visit, particularly in his dealing with media at home. But it is now a public knowledge how these countries matched the protocol to this visit. Outcome of course is limited to him, if any at all. But these things don&rsquo;t seem to have deterred our set of leaders feigning as grand saviours.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For this behaviour of our political leaders, Regmi and his cabinet colleagues have found more excuses, and, ironically, time to inaugurate painting exhibition, release some second-graded books or pose with gawky smiles in prize distribution ceremony of some primary school. The real business of governing the country is largely ignored.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The governance dysfunction was somewhat a foregone phenomenon as Regmi refused to resign from the post of Chief Justice to head the government. It was the message that he didn&rsquo;t want to be fully responsible. His greed to go back to the old position, just for a few remaining months, after heading the government, speaks in volume how calculative he would be in taking decisions. This is undesirable on the part of the country&rsquo;s chief executive. And, it must be corrected. He should govern, not dither.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Only remedy for all these ills, surfaced even in the day-to-day business of the government is to make this government entirely responsible for what it does and what it should do. It is in the interest of country and also, in the interest of the political parties concerned. Only when political parties step aside to give full space for the government to work, can they conduct a sort of performance audit on the government. Equally important, Regmi and his cabinet colleagues must be able to demonstrate their ability to govern, which so far seems unimpressive to say the least.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Putatively, holding the Constituent Assembly election is no doubt the cardinal of all responsibilities of this government. But, there are hundreds of other matters that have gone out of track and government can work to restore them in the interim. It will ultimately help to create a proper atmosphere for the polls.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is perhaps right time to control organized crime, which is largely thought to be protected by the influential political leaders. These leaders now can&rsquo;t have access to the official files of these goons and once the action is taken, these leaders, technically, will not be in position to defend them in public. This indeed will help decriminalize our politics in a great way.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Another important issue it can decide is: it can bring down the number of seats in the proposed Constituent Assembly, to a reasonable level of say, one hundred fifty to two hundred. This will be both popular and wise decision. But on the contrary, it is reported to be succumbing to the political pressure to increase it again to six hundred.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The donor community is surprised by lack-luster performance of this learned bunch in the government. The international community, for example, had asked to enlist the kind of support the government would seek from them for the new elections. But the government has even failed to coordinate a meeting of all these donors even in two months time, after it took charge.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Recently, a message was circulated that Nepal cannot hold the next summit of South Asian Regional Cooperation (SAARC) within 2013. Reason given is weird: there is no government in Nepal now. Is this government in position to react and say &lsquo;we can&rsquo;? The head of the government has not even thought it necessary to address the nation to give a sense where we are exactly heading. The list could be very long. But much needed guts is apparently lacking in every respect of the decision-making in the government.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Will this government without political will on the one hand and totally paralyzed by undue, frequent interference from the Political Mechanism on the other be able to hold Constituent Assembly elections by this year end? Doubts are high. And, only way to ensure that this government doesn&rsquo;t shirk away from this responsibility is to make it look and act more like a true government than a club of volunteers.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For this, those political parties that think they obliged Regmi by choosing him to be the head of current government should stop interfering in the functioning of the government. And there is the role of the President, as a sole functional constitutional entity of the country, to remind this government to its duties and admonish when derailed. But, to repeat it again, this government must realize the fact that it is there to govern the country, not to appease any of the political masters. And it has true opportunity to choose than snooze.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-08',
			'modified' => '2013-11-10',
			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'One of the influential leaders in the United CPN Maoist Party -- UCPN (M), Barsha Man Pun has recently alleged that present government has started to behave like a ‘political government.’ If that is the case, it is doing the right thing. The government must behave like a political than technical government, which can only solve political problems. It is irrelevant by now to keep hammering on the very nature of its structure just because a special kind of political equations that led to form this.',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2086',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Fears Of Polls Going Futile',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The chieftains of major four political parties -- United CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi Morcha -- appear contended and relaxed for being able to install the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi as the head of the new interim &lsquo;election&rsquo; government. The questions related to constitutionality and conflict of interests between executive and judicial organs of the country, since the same person effectively heads the both, do yet remain unanswered.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are a number of cases under consideration in the court of law seeking appropriate interpretation of relevant constitutional provisions on it. Worst of all, the very first recommendation for constitutional appointment made by the government headed by the Chief Justice himself was returned by the President for &lsquo;further constitutional explanation.&rsquo; This controversy surrounding the appointment of Chief and other Commissioners in the Election Commission indeed gives some indication to the modus operandi of the new government.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	More than that, the practice of extra-constitutional imposition of the political vested interests by the &lsquo;High Level Political Mechanism&rsquo; practically makes the Regmi government a faceless scarecrow. Apparently, all the new ministers got appointed on a shared quota-basis amongst the four political parties involved. And people are told to believe that it is politically neutral coalition government. &nbsp;This is a total farce. Yet, the whole coalition looks like a coalition game in economics game theory where there is no easy &lsquo;core&rsquo; or equitable distribution of pay-offs among the parties, but still they are clinging to it.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The much touted-about political consensus appears a total mockery as there are reckonable political forces out of this &lsquo;all party&rsquo; mechanism; disgruntled and determined to create any obstacle possible if they are not listened to any time soon. Among them, the break-away faction of the Maoists party (CPN-Maoist headed by Mohan Baidya), all three parties of former panchas (Rastriya Prajatantra Party-RPP, Rastriya Janashakti Party and RPP Nepal) and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum headed by Upendra Yadav are some of those that deserve consideration to include in the so called all party mechanism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But absolute inflexibility and ungenerous attitude of the four parties to accommodate or address the concerns of these disgruntled political outfits in some way or the other raises further apprehensions about the possibility of polls any time sooner. And, UCPN (M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal&rsquo;s over ambitious plan of hastening to polls within June this year smells rat in his design.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	True that Nepali people want to go for ballot sooner than later. But, the polls are not instant soup-making recipe. The national polls are massive management nightmare. Still, several legal arrangements are needed to be made to enable the Election Commission to hold putatively free and fair polls. The budgetary arrangement is equally difficult. No doubt, there are several donors ready to dole out money for elections here, but they also need adequate time to process our requests through their respective home governments and bureaucracies. Our own budget for the current fiscal year needs recasting if the polls were to be held within this fiscal year, say June.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Logistics and stationery arrangements including the designing and printing of ballot papers, transportation of polling boxes and machines etc. involve a substantial amount of time and human resources. Security mobilization is perhaps going to be the most extensive and exhaustive affair.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	On top of it, controlling the violence carried-out by some fringe and purportedly political outfits, active in different part of the country, remains crucial. Whether the new government of bureaucrats and with limited technical mandate has authority to negotiate peace or, if required, will-power to obliterate them by combing operation is critical of all questions to make polls a success.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite these all obstacles evident than ever before, why Dahal is insistent on June date? Is he so keen to reestablish the democratic process sooner, which for so long has been derailed mainly because of him? &nbsp;There are suggestions that June is the month when common people hardly can find time to go to polls due to their seasonal engagement in cultivation as monsoon just begins. And, only those who come to vote are the committed party cadres of any party. Implicitly, the winning chance of UCPN (M) is likely to increase in such a scenario. Also, if polls are scheduled in such a short notice, number of international election observers arriving to monitor the polls is likely to be far less, giving room to rigging for the forces with organised and violent youth wings like Youth Communist League (YCL) of the UCPN (M), or similar outfit of CPN-UML. These arguments about Dahal&rsquo;s discrete planning are not unfounded since Dahal has been able to fill the key state positions by the people highly loyal or made so by several machinations, including the head of the election government, Regmi. All in all, Dahal wants absolute majority in new Constituent Assembly (CA) at any cost, that too without recognizing the splinted off Baidya faction and yet, legitimizing all his political moves making Nepali Congress and CPN-UML mere mute witnesses, compelled to sign on the margins of his political contract papers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite all maneuvers and scrambling of Dahal and his party, polls within June still look a distant possibility. And the fact that seven years have passed without any significant achievement towards ending the political transition, there is no point going so hastily just to cover a few months time without proper preparations. The most rational expectation would be to hold the polls in November with adequate perseverance and nuanced management of time and resources.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What if even the Regmi government couldn&rsquo;t hold the polls for all those reasons Dr. Baburam Bhattarai government failed to meet the two deadlines of November 2012 and April 2013? &nbsp;Interestingly, the political parties who signed the 11-point deal to enthrone Regmi perhaps have no clue about the possible next step if he failed to deliver the polls and choose to remain in power in whatever pretext.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Even if the elections are held, regardless when, as the fact of matter remains, outcomes of these new CA polls would take Nepal only to a status quo of April 10, 2008, the day when the first election for the CA was held. Despite a number of extensions, that CA during its four years in existence had failed to make any headway in drafting a new constitution. All major political parties represented in that CA failed to reach a consensus to extend its tenure for the fourth time on 27th May, 2012. If one remembers it correctly, it was the Supreme Court verdict from a bench of justices including Regmi that had barred the extension of the CA term.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Without addressing the very causes which made the last CA dysfunctional and ultimately dead, the new CA, even if it is instituted by coming November -- the earliest possibility, would not be able to deliver new federal constitution as expected by the people. The politics has become so messy with rising ethnic hatred, unrealistic expectations of regionalism and culture of using violence to capitulate the authority to meet all implausible demands of divisive and sectarian nature.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	No political party seems to be prepared to go to the polls with a concrete frame of the constitution they are planning to draft if they got elected. This in fact should have been the main basis of each party&rsquo;s CA election manifesto. It is because, people can rationalize their expectations before deciding whom to vote and what to expect when the CA takes shape. Even smaller parties with extreme demands may come up with their respective propositions and their issues could be addressed on the strength of votes they secure. It would have made things far easier to promulgate the new constitution once drafted. But the so called big parties are also not prepared to come up with any clarity on these crucial matters for the obvious ulterior motives of fishing in the rough waters. Such ill intentions are more ingrained in those parties who are inclined to one party dictatorship under the veil of democratic mandate. People again have to vote on the basis of the guesswork without knowing their distinct position on constitution drafting process.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In fact, Election Commission&rsquo;s code of conduct can regulate such things by making every party mandatory to go to the polls with complete shape of their proposed constitution. But whether the Commission will have that guts and vision is an unanswered question here.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Finally, if the parties do not plan on how they want to proceed once the CA elections are held, things are not going to change for the better in Nepal. Even if one party gets clear majority in CA, it will be impossible to move ahead without taking on board all big or small political players along both to draft and promulgate the new constitution. Therefore, this process is better if it began now. Otherwise, like in the past, we will be back to square one again after spending many valuable years for the same cause. The whole exercise of this CA election would also automatically go down the drain.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-08',
			'modified' => '2013-11-08',
			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'The chieftains of major four political parties -- United CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi Morcha -- appear contended and relaxed for being able to install the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi as the head of the new interim ‘election’ government.',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2085',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Fall Of The Last Pillar',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	If no extremely dramatic events unfold in Nepali politics overnight, the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi, may have sworn in by the time this writing reaches to our readers. He, or whoever for that matter, will be the tenth chief executive of the nation in as many years, which exposes the gravity of the political instability and difficult transition the country is reeling under.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Prey to Politics&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whether or not Regmi became prime minister is by now an issue of secondary importance. The prime concern here is: the judiciary also couldn&rsquo;t resist the temptation of political indulgence at the cost of its so far largely maintained independence and respect to professionalism. In this sense, the judiciary, that was somehow saving Nepal from falling into the abyss of acute form of anarchy and was the last testimony to the remnant feature of rule of law, has been the last pillar to fall prey to political machinations. Otherwise, Nepal is by now already faced with the consequences of the institutional degeneration, almost in every spectrum of life. Every professional and state institution is highly politicized. The security apparatus like army, police, intelligence, the civil service and diplomacy, the academia and civil society and to a large extent even the media now wear the cloak of some hue of politics. Lately, all government set-ups have been forced by design and default to act as the extended wings of the UCPN (Maoist). Democratic forces of the country remain defensive and indifferent to growing aggressiveness intrusion of the Party invariably into all state organs of the country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>The Question of Constitutionality&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	The prevalent Interim Constitution of the Country doesn&rsquo;t provide for an incumbent chief justice to become the chief executive of the country as well. The Supreme Court still headed by Regmi has the ultimate authority to interpret the constitution. But, at this juncture, any interpretation of the provision that is completely absent in the constitution would tantamount to nothing but a blatant conflict of interest, since such an interpretation, technically presided by Regmi himself, is only likely to justify his decision to take-up the top job. The press statement issued by the Supreme Court in the last week of February, apparently at Regmi&rsquo;s will and design, already demonstrated the overall tilt of what it could be possibly like. The entire objective of the statement was that, he is only willing to go on &lsquo;deputation of duty&rsquo; from chief justice to the chief executive, without resigning from his present post. This is more of an ominous than welcome sign, both in view of judicial independence and concept of balance of power in democracy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Controversial Beginning&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Let&rsquo;s suppose Justice Regmi is assigned to head the election government. He would be taking up the job not as a much-touted-about &lsquo;consensus figure&rsquo; but amidst a sharp division regarding his choice for the job. Not only the opposition parties, but all four largest parties -- ruling UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madheshi Morcha -- are vertically split into two factions each, on Regmi&rsquo;s pick. And, some of the arguments of the dissenting factions in each party are worth pondering. Firstly, the move would directly prove that political parties are grossly incompetent and not trustworthy to head an election government. Second, they are oblivious of the very concept of balance of power among the major three organs -- executive, legislative and judicial -- of the state. And thirdly, what miracle could Regmi alone demonstrate as the country now languishes in a serious nature of constitutional vacuum. The institutions like Nepal Bar Association have voiced serious concern over the Chief Justice&rsquo;s lust for power at the cost of judicial independence. There are apprehensions that the UCPN (Maoist) has plans to rig the next polls by misusing the state-power yet would validate results by making the chief justice the head of the election government. Regmi&rsquo;s appointment automatically blocks the other parties to seek judicial remedy in case of electoral malpractices. These points of view definitely hold waters and cannot be glossed over instantaneously.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Crisis of Management&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Regmi&rsquo;s appointment requires a series of important makeovers under the guise of the constitutional provision of &lsquo;Power to Remove Difficulties&rsquo; by the President of Nepal. The constitution has not envisioned an incumbent justice becoming the prime minster (in whatever name, the chief executive of the country). This would require a special decree form the President, citing the political consensus among the major parties, which again looks a pure farce with so much discontent fumed around. Even if the appointment hurdle is cleared, there are several other constitutional issues that warrant a speedy sorting out. The positions in the Election Commission, including that of the chief commissioner, are vacant. Does Regmi want to play this role as well, as he is officially likely to be titled as the chief of Election Council? What happens to the positions of the chief justice itself whereas the constitutional spirit is that both the head of the government and the judiciary represent separate, independent capacities in several crucial institutions like the Constitutional Council, that make appointment of the heads and office-bearers of several constitutional bodies including the Election Commission. Incidentally, almost all constitutional bodies like Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Auditor General&rsquo;s Office and Election Commission are without the chiefs or office-bearers, for years in some cases. Even in the Supreme Court, three-fourth of positions of justices remains vacant. To fill these all would require a separate arrangement as there is no possibility of fulfilling the constitutional provisions through parliamentary hearing in absence of the legislature.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Competence and Delivery&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whether Regmi would be able to hold fresh elections by November this year is the cardinal of all questions here. This requires a lot of political work that begins from the point where he starts to choose the kind of people to fill in the positions in his government. The impartiality issue of himself and his picks will be crucial. And, worst of all he will be functioning under a situation where all major constitutional positions will have already violated to pave the way for his appointment and only resort to move ahead will be the kind of political support he gets as he moves ahead. This implies that there will be forces on the ground who would be constantly challenging his actions. As the nation has not decided on the number of constituencies for new elections, their modalities and, whether it would be an election for both Constituent Assembly and Legislature or only for the former, to propose a formula agreeable to all is impossible and purely a political rather than a bureaucratic exercise. Regmi has yet to try his art in this trade.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is too early to say anything whether he is competent enough and would be successful to deliver what he is expected of. But his track record is not very encouraging. The latest allegation is that he paralyzed the justice delivery system by not taking any initiative to appoint the judges in the Supreme Court in time. It was the Court verdict that had barred the extension of the then Constituent Assembly tenure beyond May 27 last year. Despite the fact that he knew the parliamentary hearing of new judges would be impossible beyond that date, he failed to initiate the action of extending the term of existing justices or to appoint new ones when there was adequate time left. At present, the result is that the Supreme Court is left with only six justices whereas in high times it used to have as many as two dozen justices. This indeed have made justice delivery difficult, and, at the same time put Regmi&rsquo;s credibility under huge interrogation mark.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>The Last Optimism&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whatever the cost or difficulty in the process involved for his appointment, the only hope is that Regmi as the accepted figure by four or five largest political parties could hold elections and those polls would be free and fair at an acceptable degree. Every party though has viewed Regmi&rsquo;s installation as their convenience for entirely different reasons than this, which again could complicate the situation in future. For Maoists, it was a great achievement to be able to stop Nepali Congress from heading an election government and it hopes that Regmi would duly oblige the party for surprisingly picking him to head the next government. Congress and UML are contended only at the ouster of Baburam Bhattarai from the prime ministerial position, who otherwise seemed unrelenting to relinquish the position. Other forces, including the international community wanted to trust on Regmi&rsquo;s legal credentials and his largely maintained non-corrupt image during a long legal career.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But, interestingly again, even if new polls could be held within a year or so and a new Assembly is instituted, Nepal&rsquo;s political challenges will still be where they were immediately after April 2008 elections. Therefore, there is no point being over ambitious at this very moment about anyone heading another government or holding polls. Unless, political rationality, read it metamorphosis of parties from authoritarian to democratic mindset, prevails among the major political players the country, Nepal&rsquo;s political crisis will only deepen regardless of any drama we orchestrate, be that drama of government headed by the chief justice.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-08',
			'modified' => '2013-11-08',
			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'If no extremely dramatic events unfold in Nepali politics overnight, the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi, may have sworn in by the time this writing reaches to our readers. He, or whoever for that matter, will be the tenth chief executive of the nation in as many years, which exposes the gravity of the political instability and difficult transition the country is reeling under.',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2084',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Manifesto Recast At Hetauda Commune',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The UCPN (M) truly wants to remain in the mainstream of Nepali Politics. It, therefore, has ventured into a dramatic change in policy paradigm through its Seventh National Congress. The seventh Congress was a hundred and eighty degree shift in the party&#39;s policy stand, from its Sixth Congress twenty-one years ago. The previous one had adopted the policy of raising arms against the state and the recent one has formally proposed to relinquish them altogether -- a changed face of revolution, as the party has baptized it.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Paradigm Shift</strong></span></div>
<div>
	UCPN (M)&rsquo;s Seventh General Congress held in Hetauda from February 2-7 undoubtedly heralded a new era in Nepal&#39;s politics. Thanks to a complete &nbsp;departure from the doctrine of &#39;bullets for political change&#39;, which had been the political mainstay of the party for the last two decades, to a fairly convincingly documented commitment to embrace &#39;the politics of ballots and open competition.&#39; With this development, the much needed optimism to restore a peaceful competitive democracy in Nepal has &nbsp;now revived, more reassuringly than ever before. Skeptics there are, but when the largest political force of the country resolutely announces that it would strip away the hangover of &#39;establishing the &nbsp;people&#39;s republic&#39; by all possible violent means, the country must give them a chance, at least for once. And, Nepal has no alternative to that for now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Understandably, this recast was not easy for the party which fought a ten-year long guerrilla war, sent its fighters home largely discontented with the resettlement arrangements and suffered a split recently. But the new policy paper crafted jointly by Chairman of the party, Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) and Prime Minister Dr. Baburam &nbsp;Bhattarai who is also the senior vice-chair of the party needed to gather massive guts to face the present day reality and come out of the longheld revolutionary hegemony.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	As evident at the Congress venue, it indeed was a daunting endeavour for the party leadership to rein in and satisfy the cadres about this change rather unexpected for many of them, who were initially indoctrinated, rather foolhardily, to establish a proletarian dictatorship before they would be asked to put their guns down. They were not ready to believe the claim that whatever the party could achieve politically from the 10-year &#39;revolution&#39; was optimum for now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In this context, the Dahal-Bhattarai duo deserves a real acclaim for not only making this ideological change possible, and that too relatively smoothly, but also for accepting the fact that there is no polity beyond political co-existence with other forces and a rule-based competition with them in polls.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It was not in a very distant past that the whole party rallied behind a highly mystified dogma of Prachandapath. But over the last seven years, when Prachanda himself has been at the centre of national politics, Prachanda-path emained a neverexplained political term and now it is completely out of the party&#39;s official literature. This is indicative of the urgency felt by Prachanda to come out of the violent legacy of the insurgency era. In addition to this, to the surprise of many, he has started to publicly criticize summary execution of his opponents by former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and cautiously negate Maoism for being &#39;not replicable in our different context.&#39; (It is a great irony though, for both Dahal and Bhattarai deliberately wore special hair-do to look like Stalin as early as a couple of years ago and the party&#39;s official banner still carries Stalin&#39;s portrait).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dahal&#39;s meticulously crafted paper makes every effort possible to sound credible to both- his cadres by using lexicons akin to communist glossary and to the world by practically accepting the ground realities. &#39;Nepal no longer is a semi-feudal and semicolonial state, but rather a new comprador bourgeoisie capitalist one,&#39; &nbsp;reads his main policy paper suggesting that another armed rebellion under any pretext would be unjustifiable under these realities. His assessment that &#39;Nepal is also under the influence of a neo-colonialism of globalization is not much different from the standpoint taken by the underdeveloped world in the world arena, albeit with a bit different diplomatic decorum. He has repeatedly tried to reassure that the party would no longer indulge in a killing spree in the name of physically eliminating the class-enemy, as it has changed plank from the abolition of social classes to capitalistic growth leading to socialism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This transformation is essentially not much different from the &#39;people&#39;s &nbsp;multi-party democracy&#39; (jantako &nbsp;bahudaliya janabad) propounded by late general secretary of the CPN-UML, Madan Bhandari, some 23 years ago. Dahal&#39;s detractors have even gone to the extent of calling him &lsquo;nothing but a mere shadow of the UML&rsquo;. Regardless of anything, this a was much-needed change in the Maoist fold for Nepal to &nbsp;resolve its political impasse peacefully and it was duly heeded by the Maoists, which is a welcome development.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dahal&#39;s policy paper, finally adopted as the 7th Congress Resolution with some ritual modifications, at times is unexpectedly mild and flexible. As reason for this, Dahal has tried to vindicate that all inflexibility, irrationality, dogmatism and impractical policy rigidities had gone with the party&#39;s break-away Mohan Baidya faction and what now remains in the UCPN (M) is a political organization with modern, 21st century outlook and vision.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Grip Not Loosened</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Despite all odds, Dahal has emerged quintessentially an unchallenged leader from this Congress as well. It appears that as long as Dahal and Bhattarai can work together, a third person is &nbsp;unlikely to claim the topmost position in the party, for the foreseeable future. At least, this looks like a smooth sail at the centre. But the situation at the</div>
<div>
	grassroots is much different as reported by the respective local representatives of the Congress. They complained that the party had failed to assign political responsibility to the entire rank and file in the organizational structure. Former cadres who returned home dejected are hardly under party discipline and a large &#39;garbage lot&#39; of socially discarded people who were used during the armed rebellion are proving a nuisance to entire party. These factors can erode Dahal&#39;s grip on the party in the long run. When the party actually goes to the polls sooner or later, Dahal is likely to face a steeply uphill task of differentiating his party with the one like the CPN-UML and establishing the rationale of killing so many thousands of people at the cost of the country&#39;s great opportunity for development and growth, ultimately, just to become another UML. But for now he is the helmsman, which in turn is an opportunity to keep his grip intact with tactical moves like the present one.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Confession Drama</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Dahal has confessed that his resignation from the prime ministerial position over the tussle with the then Chief of Nepal Army, Rookmangud Katwal, was a na&iuml;ve and unnecessary emotionalism. Though not explicitly expressed, his remorse was apparently for the anti-Indian tirade he belched out while leaving the post; perhaps in hope of placating the power blocs in the southern neighbour that he believes have gone against him since. In a bid to be seen as a &nbsp;mature political force, he has omitted all traditionally used vocabularies such as &#39;Indian &nbsp;expansionism, American and Russian imperialism, Chinese revisionism&#39; etc from the official party literature. &#39;The differences now should be dealt &nbsp;through mature diplomacy,&#39; he argued to pacify the cadres. But, that is what exactly should be done, &nbsp;practically.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Economy First&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The party&#39;s new policy paper has put the economic agenda in the forefront of its &#39;vision&#39;, so to speak. Its policy paper on harnessing the country&rsquo;s water resource by mobilizing the local and domestic resources and setting up a production and development brigade are testimony to this. But, these propositions lack maturity and need a gross &nbsp;overhaul that suits to the ground realities of the country.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Developing hydropower projects on a commercial scale with only local resources is a sweet but impossible dream. It is not like a cooperative farming where labour-intensive production can be adopted. Capital, technology and market - all three have to be explored and traded across the national borders.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is not difficult to understand that Dahal needed some mechanism to adjust the party&rsquo;s erstwhile armed members. So, he proposed a production and development brigade. It sounds like a good idea from the supply side, but as a responsible political party, UCPN (M) needs to adequately consider the demand side of it as well. What to produce? How and where to produce? Where to sell it? And, will his cadres be willing to be in another labour camp of a sort for this purpose? These are a few example- questions to argue that the UCPN (M) needs further clarifications in these propositions to remain in the political forefront in future Nepal. Nevertheless, the party has made a good beginning by the cardinal policy change through its recently concluded 7th Congress.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite a good and encouraging beginning to transform his party into a contemporaneous force, Dahal has left many crucial unanswered questions which still cast doubts over his intentions. He has mentioned Nepali Congress as the &#39;prime enemy&#39; but has failed to enumerate the reasons. There is no mention of what the party would do to the land and property forcefully occupied by its cadres during the insurgency period. How will the party view the private property rights, civil &nbsp;rights and individual as well as press freedom? Until these questions are answered satisfactorily, the proposed transformations from the margins will not yield the benefits as aspired by Dahal and his party. But again, transformation is a continuous process and momentum is more important than the event.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/polt.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 168px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" /></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-07',
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			'keywords' => 'new business age visiting business people news & articles, visiting business people news & articles from new business age nepal, visiting business people headlines from nepal,  current and latest visiting business people news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali visiting business people econ',
			'description' => 'The UCPN (M) truly wants to remain in the mainstream of Nepali Politics. It, therefore, has ventured into a dramatic change in policy paradigm through its Seventh National Congress. The seventh Congress was a hundred and eighty degree shift in the party's policy stand, from its Sixth Congress twenty-one years ago. The previous one had adopted the policy of raising arms against the state and the recent one has formally proposed to relinquish them altogether -- a changed face of revolution, as the party has baptized it.',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2083',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Presidential Weight-loss',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Achyut Wagle</strong></div>
<p>
	&nbsp;President Dr Ram Baran Yadav&rsquo;s call to the political parties of Nepal to form an all-inclusive consensus government has not materialized even after the eighth deadline elapsed, as of penning down these lines. It was not surprising that an ever-elusive consensus in the present day Nepali politics was not arrested even this time around, though to humiliation of a presidential decree. But what is most engrossing question here is not why it did not materialize, but why did President Yadav at the first place choose to issue such calls to the parties to forge a consensus, the impossibility of which was absolutely foregone? Even if such a consensus evolved over time by any chance, the presidential dignity and credibility that had remained largely intact over these turbulent years of political transition will have been irreparably tarnished by then. During these two months, since his office began to issue seemingly never-ending series of deadlines to parties, but all in vain, his action has been seen as unwise by the people.<br />
	<br />
	Not only that, at one instance, President Yadav also gave a na&iuml;ve public speech which was construed as throwing political weight behind Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, the rarest thing expected from him. &lsquo;Creating a consensus for a new government around the incumbent one would add jewel to the crown,&rsquo; he was quoted by the media as saying in a public function in Pokhara during the first week of December. Though it later turned out that the President was quoted out of context (the message the President was trying to convey was something like &ldquo;I would not mind if the consensus is formed for Dr. Bhattarai to continue as the Prime Minister and other parties joining that government), the damage was already done. The president could have avoided making any such statement altogether. The two acts by President Yadav-- calling to parties for consensus to form an electoral government and, at the same time implicitly favouring incumbent Prime Minister Bhattarai to head that new government -- are in apparent contrast. A very strong fraction of Kathmandu&rsquo;s political high-circle attributes this Presidential blunder to the prowess of senior Indian National Congress Leader Dr Karan Singh, who called on Yadav in the first week of December in the pretext of inviting the latter in an academic function of Banaras Hindu University. In essence, this act of calling for consensus for new government on the one hand and supporting the incumbent prime minister on the other defeats the very purpose of presidential call for a new government.</p>
<p>
	Then, the most crucial questions here are: what prompted him to do so? And, who ultimately has benefitted politically from this entire episode. As for the prompters, there are three theories on the float. First, the president in fact knew that no such consensus was tangible even in farthest horizon, yet wanted to call for it. Because, the failure of the political parties to act upon his call would pave the way for his &lsquo;more assertive role&rsquo; in the present day Nepali politics. But that seems flatly implausible, as he has not done enough scratching whether he can actually assume the position of an executive president, even if he wished so. The second theory is that he was sincerely concerned about the prolonged constitutional vacuum and wanted to build a moral pressure on the political parties to work out a tenable solution to it. Even that was the case, he should have gauged on what would happen ultimately if his call did not yield any result. And, more importantly, there are no constitutional way outs available to push the present government out of power and form a new government. Without such constitutional backing, the president was naturally ill-equipped to adventure into such never-ending game of calling for consensus. His guts and practicalities, both, are not permitting him to randomly pick a figure of his like as the next prime minister. And, for the third, there is a section of political analysts who take his recent call as the success of a game plan by the UCPN (Maoist) and the Indian establishment which are making every possible effort to retain Dr Bhattarai as the prime minister as long as possible.<br />
	<br />
	This argument appears relatively convincing. The only impediment to PM Bhattarai and the Maoists to continue in power was none other than the president himself. President Yadav&rsquo;s public image is way above that of Prime Minister Bhattarai and the person who can announce the removal of Bhattarai from his post is, of course, the president only. At least, they saw it that way. Since there is not any constitutional clarity on the further course to change the government, the Maoists feared that if president acted in this line, he might get a popular support. But, if the president&rsquo;s image got obliqued by some machinations, his moral authority would dwindle sharply, as it did by his current faux pas. Hence, there were advices from largely unassuming quarters to thrust him into this vicious game of calling for a new CONSENSUS government. This has provided room for the UCPN-Maoist&rsquo;s to consolidate its campaign against the President alleging him as harbouring dream of becoming the executive head of the country. When the credibility of the president substantially erodes further, it will only be easier for the UCPN-Maoist and Prime Minister Bhattarai to consolidate the grip on state powers.<br />
	<br />
	Not only vindicated by the circumstances but also in essence, the president&rsquo;s this call for consensus was a premature and novice adventure to say the least. His implicit intention of calling for consensus government seems to hold the elections for a new constituent assembly (CA). But, he did not realise the fact that without a lot of ground work and a thorough review of the past failures, holding a new elections is impossible and likely to be futile like in the past even if they were held. The last CA was too big to deliver a constitution and the CA members both elected by people and handpicked by the party leadership across the board were apparently under qualified for the job of writing the law of the land. This was proved by their four-year tenure that ended without delivering a new constitution. Therefore, before thinking of another election, there must be a single national voice on the very size of the CA, the mechanisms of assigning constituencies and eligibility for candidacy to CA membership. Further, the constitutional bodies like the Election Commission have expressed their concern over the absence of required legal framework to conduct the polls of any objective.<br />
	<br />
	There is another question that must be answered by the top hats of the parties to be represented in the CA. In the last CA, members of the House were hardly given opportunity to debate and contribute in originating and finalising the proposed provisions of the new constitution. They were virtually herded in as per the wish and whim of their respective party leaders. Only a handful of top leaders participated in whatever deliberations that took place and the rest of the CA members just blindly followed them. If that were to be the case, why do we need an extensive new CA through very expensive elections? If everything is to be decided by ten or twelve people, then it is appropriate to form a commission of these very people with some technocrats in it to write the new constitution. Then a new legislature elected after promulgating this constitution may ratify it. The scope of amendment is and should always be there. The fact of the matter is that, whatever may be written in the new constitution, no matter whether it is written by a commission or a CA, that is going to spark controversy of this or that form, for reasons that people have now more sectarian and irrational expectations which are impossible to be addressed by any balanced, democratic and forward-looking document called constitution.<br />
	<br />
	These are some of the issues, the institution like Presidential Office of the country should have considered before jumping into &lsquo;deadline business&rsquo;. At present, there seems no viability of such a government that can accommodate every force of the country. Then, an all inclusive roundtable under the president&rsquo;s sponsorship could be an alternative, which can help chart a future course of the nation.<br />
	<br />
	Even if the elections were to be held, it is now proper to hold them to select a form of the constitution itself, not the members of CA. This means, every contesting political party should first draft a full version of the constituent of their liking and go for the ratification by the people for the vote. This indeed will reduce a lot of complications. People will know at the first hand what is in different verson of the constitution presented by the parties. It will invite a meaningful debate and provide room for input. This will also help for faster face of political polarization between, the Left, Right and the Centre forces. More importantly, this will mainifest the intentions of eacdh party before people could vote for any of them and, above all, will give a good homework for political leaders to talk and act sense with acceptable degree of coherence in preparing a feasible draft. In view of sharp divisions along ethnic and communal lines, this proposition contributes to diffuse the tensions before the adoption of the constitution. Various facets potential federal set-up will get space to be debated in public. Then the ultimate promulgation would be lot easier than in any other deemed process.<br />
	<br />
	Instead of indulging into self-degrading course of action like issuing deadlines for the parties, the president should now focus on rescuing the country from the current mess. For this, he does not necessarily need to go beyond available constitutional jurisdiction. For instance, he can hold a comprehensive round-table in the form of consultative meet. There could be several other ways and means available. But, he will in a position to make a difference, if and only if, he maintained a dignity that suits to the first president of a new republic nation-state. His recent move was undoubtedly far below that mark.</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-07',
			'modified' => '2013-11-07',
			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s call to the political parties of Nepal to form an all-inclusive consensus government has not materialized even after the eighth deadline elapsed, as of penning down these lines. It was not surprising that an ever-elusive consensus in the present day Nepali politics was not arrested even this time around',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2082',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Double Drama, Fresh Conflict',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Achyut Wagle</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Although the countdown to November 19, the scheduled date for the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, reduces from months to days, uncertainty on the polls continue to hover. A drama of double acts, on-stage and off-stage, orchestrated simultaneously by forces striving to hold the polls and forces trying to foil it, respectively, takes upon the country.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The on-stage drama looks normal - as though nothing is amiss and things are all set to sail smoothly until the polls and even beyond. The four-party pro-poll alliance of the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and Madhesi Front now swells to a six-party one after the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum of Upendra Yadav and the Federal Socialist Party led by Ashok Rai joined the group upon agreeing to participate in the polls. The leaders and working committees of these parties are flexing their muscles to select candidates for the first-past-the-post system for two hundred and forty constituencies. The elites in all these parties are busy drafting their respective manifestoes. Aspirants of party tickets for candidacy, from all parties alike, have gathered in Kathmandu to cajole their leaders. The party offices are crowded, traffic jams in the capital have increased not only due to an increased number of vehicles and people but also due to increased violation of traffic rules by those who are not used to following them in districts outside of Kathmandu.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are fringe parties like the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and RPP-Nepal that are not in the alliance but have opted to join the election bandwagon. The pro-royalist RPP-Nepal hopes to perform better if polls were to take place in view of the people&rsquo;s growing disenchantment towards the major political parties. The ambitious ones who failed to woo the party they belong to pick them as candidates are defecting and joining other parties. Professionals and celebrities are taking membership of parties of their choice, hoping to be new leaders.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Election Commission says it has completed all preparations. The election offices in all two hundred and forty constituencies have been opened, logistics and personnel supplied and ballot papers are ready to be printed. Security agencies are recruiting additional forces. Everything on this side of the screen appears destined to have a happy ending.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But the off-stage rehearsal of the other act determined to foil this election at any cost does not signal anything as good. An alliance of supposedly thirty-three parties, led by CPN-Maoist, Mohan Baidya group, has made all possible preparations to create impediments at every possible stage of this election and the scale of their preparation in no way looks dismal.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	They have printed thousands of red T-shirts with the slogan &lsquo;Lets boycott the so- called CA polls&rsquo; printed across. The party has reorganized its youth wing and informal sources claim that they have been instructed to service their concealed old guns that were put to rest after the peace deal seven years ago. If anybody has cared to notice the walls across the country, they have been made colourful with boycott slogans. The leaders of the Baidya group have publicly declared that they will resort to kidnapping candidates from the day of nomination, which was rescheduled from September 25th to October 2nd. The processions organized by this group already look scary. Cadres carry flags and placards on iron rods, with obvious objectives. The back rows are armed with clubs, bamboo sticks, hammers and some even with catapults.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The No-option Trap</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Violence seems imminent, and it might easily exacerbate to make it impossible to hold the polls for two main reasons. First, the Baidya group with its alliance partners has a nation-wide presence. Second, they are left in a no option trap as the logistics to bring the opposing alliance onboard the election process appears impossible, at least so to manage it for November 19th.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The pro-poll alliance is, though, pretending to be engaged in dialogue with Baidya and his group. In essence, the very rationale of such a dialogue no longer holds. It is not only that the poll-opposing parties have not registered in the Election Commission - their rank and files have not enrolled in the voter list either. Thus they cannot file for candidacy even if dialogues bore any positive result. While addressing the demand of Rai&rsquo;s party, the four-party alliance agreed to increase the total number of CA seats from 586 to 601, leaving no further option of placating Baidya and group through addition of CA seats.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For all practical reasons, Baidya and his alliance are left to a no-option trap than opposing the proposed elections. It must be acknowledged that this group had shown unprecedented flexibility in the all-party meeting called by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav mid-September. The only major condition it had put forth to participate in the polls was that the Chairman of the Interim Election Government Khil Raj Regmi resign from the post of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal. This demand was indeed in compliance to the principle of the separation of power among the organs of the state under any acceptable form of democratic governance. It was surprising that the so-called democratic parties also failed to agree on this very reasonable demand by the opposition. It appeared as if the six-party alliance was determined not to bring Baidya into the election fold. Often reported clandestine machinations to throw Baidya at the bay, do appear to be holding some water.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Peculiar Movements</strong></span></div>
<div>
	There are unnatural political movements that contribute to gradually worsen the situation. It is no longer a secret that Baidya&rsquo;s participation in the polls would not affect anyone substantially but the UCPN (Maoist). Therefore, sidelining of Baidya is seen as the outcome of the successful hoodwinking of UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal. Regmi&rsquo;s stiffening of position on the resignation issue and wee hour meetings between the duo, even when Dahal was not the convener of the six-party alliance, are viewed as part of such machinations.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Forces at Play</strong></span></div>
<div>
	There is a very strong intelligentsia in Kathmandu which believes that the dialogue with Baidya, which at one point of time appeared heading to a resolution, got suddenly aborted after Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh visited Nepal in the second week of September. Her insistence on holding the polls in the November &lsquo;at any cost&rsquo; is in effect tantamount to leaving the poll-opposing groups out of the fray.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following Singh&rsquo;s visit, Chinese information minister Cai Moinzhu came to Nepal in the third week of the same month, who unlike Singh reportedly chose to meet Baidya, which interestingly was not covered by the media.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The public speeches of ambassadors like that of Germany and the United States have also created some political ripples as they &lsquo;campaigned&rsquo; for the scheduled elections. Media reports claiming that international election observers have started to land in Nepal suggests that the outside world is more interested in elections here than the Nepali people themselves.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Degrading to a soft-state</strong></span></div>
<div>
	President Yadav recently gave assent to an ordinance that enables the government to mobilize the Nepal Army for the scheduled polls. Yadav, in fact, is bowing down to sign everything that the six-party mechanism wants him to do, invoking the single constitutional provision of &lsquo;removing the difficulties&rsquo;. He, for example, first agreed to a 491-member CA, then to 586 and finally, again to 601.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He is doing all these things without making sure that the elections would actually take place and his signing of these documents do facilitate the process of political reconciliation and peace building.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	These developments have created a situation that any constitutional, institutional and legal changes can be effected in Nepal at any point of time, at will. There is no stability factor and there is no defined position of the State. This is a very dangerous soft state syndrome. The editor of a prominent news magazine tweeted last week, &lsquo;if anything can come as removing difficulties, why can&rsquo;t one new constitution too come from the same window, putting all fuss to an end?&rsquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>New Round of Conflict</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The country is all set to enter a fresh round of conflict, for now as a clash between pro and anti-poll forces, if the government chooses to crush the ones determined to oppose these polls. The fact is: the opposition forces are determined to stop this election and they are not a very fringe force that could be quelled with regular security operation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Even if these polls are held by using all possible instruments, the CA elected thus is unlikely to deliver a constitution that is acceptable even to those now opposing the polls. The conflict might even aggravate at this point. &nbsp;As such, the promulgation of a constitution would be next to impossible. The only way to peace again is to bring all political forces to the electoral process, which for now means, unquestionably, deferral of the election date to a new one acceptable to all - both to create political space for the dissenting parties and make it logistically possible for them to participate in the electoral process.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(The writer is former editor of Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily.)</em></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-06',
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			'description' => 'Although the countdown to November 19, the scheduled date for the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, reduces from months to days, uncertainty on the polls continue to hover. A drama of double acts, on-stage and off-stage, orchestrated simultaneously by forces striving to hold the polls and forces trying to foil it, respectively, takes upon the country.',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2081',
			'article_category_id' => '173',
			'title' => 'The Multiplex Effect',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fcube Multiplex" src="/userfiles/images/fcube%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 181px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Bhawani Timalsina</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities. &nbsp;The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city. &nbsp;However, the trend of digitization was initiated by the QFX centre after acquiring Jai Nepal cinema hall in 2000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Experts opine that multiplexes lure the audience mainly through technologies that make films more visually appealing. &nbsp;Alongside movie watching, multiplexes offer other attractive facilities such as complimentary pop-corns, game-zones, separate lounges and a good ambience. Multiplexes offer quality experience to the audience. Multiplex are provided with operators more opportunities to grow as conventional cinema halls lack enough resources to maintain quality, operators say.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Film makers in Nepal say that the multiplex cinema halls here have been playing a key role in uplifting the Nepali film industry. New film-makers have been thrilled with the response they have received from the audience in multiplex movie halls. Film producer and director Nischal Basnet says, &ldquo;The trend is positive for Nepali film-makers as the multiplexes have attracted audiences that previously neglected Nepali films. These are audiences that regard ambience and facility as important aspects of the movie-watching experience.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Infrastructure Officer of the Film Development Board Nepal, Harihar Rekhoula, agrees that the multiplexes have helped in promoting Nepali films. Rekhoula agrees that the multiplexes have given a new avenue to promote Nepali films and opines that audiences should encourage Nepali films by watching them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Chairman of Quest Entertainment Pvt Ltd Nakim Uddin is pleased with the response the multiplex halls have received recently. &ldquo;We have been receiving a positive response from the audiences ever since the inception of Jai Nepal cinema hall,&rdquo; he claims.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Rakesh Shrestha, Managing Operator of Big Movies sees investment in the movie exhibition business (multiplex) has huge potential. &ldquo;New players are emerging in the business and the market has been expanding,&rdquo; he says. Shrestha is optimistic and confident that the future of the film exhibition business will remain bright as positive responses from movie-goers have prompted new investors as well. &nbsp;&ldquo;Growing competition helps expand the market,&rdquo; he adds.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dr Pradeep Bhattarai, President of Film Critics Society Nepal (FCSN), mentioned in his presentation &lsquo;Setting the Scene: Nepal and Film Market&rsquo; at the Workshop on Copyright for Film Professionals held in Kathmandu in December 2012, that investment in the film exhibition business has increased with the introduction of multiplexes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the Film Development Board, there are 215 film theatres and 43 high vision halls in Nepal. Out of them, 90 percent are following the digital format whereas the rest are under process. &ldquo;Audiences are now ready to pay overpriced tickets, though it was quite difficult to convince them in the beginning,&rdquo; says Roshan Adiga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of QFX Cinemas. Adiga also mentions that online booking and online purchasing are additional facilities of multiplexes that encourage ticket-buying. Tickets at multiplexes are priced from Rs 175 to Rs 400, and occupancy in general is 70-80 percent when a good movie is on, according to Shrestha, who speaks for Big Cinemas alone. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have the ability to screen a single film in several auditoria via interlinked equipment in a single projection room. &nbsp;Due to this, multiplex operators accommodate a broad choice of films to attract large audiences. Given the range of price in tickets and variety of choice in films, multiplexes have also become a recreation centre for people of all classes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Malls and Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have always been an integral part of shopping malls worldwide. In the context of Nepal, renowned multiplexes such as QFX, F-Cube and Big cinemas are located in famous shopping malls &ndash; the QFX Central in Civil mall, Big Cinemas in City Centre and F-Cube in KL tower. Adiga says that malls and multiplexes are integral as both have to depend upon each other for footfalls. The increasing number of shopping malls in Kathmandu has boosted the number of multiplexes. Co-location of malls and multiplexes are beneficial as multiplexes help increase sales, say operators at malls. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Increasing Investment Volume in Film Exhibition&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The movie-watching experience has changed with the multiplex boom. Trends indicate change in the financial aspect of the entertainment sector. The massive success of multiplexes has attracted huge amounts of investment in the exhibition business. Multiplex operators are optimistic that the multiplex business will reach heights with increasing competitors and expansion plans in the days to come. &nbsp;The rise of the multiplex has pressurized single stand cinema halls to improve quality and facility. Multiplex owners have also lured good revenue from food vendors and advertisements as most of them have been tying up with various brands.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Average cost of the multi-screen cinema</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Quest Entertainment invested Rs 30 million in Jai Nepal and Rs 45 million in Kumari Cinema hall. According to multiplex operators, the cost of multiplex business would be Rs 50 million in average. However, cost also depend upon the quality of technology and other factors affecting investment. According to Shrestha, the cost can range from Rs 70 million to Rs 90 million given different technologies and business capacity.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Upcoming Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The QFX Centre is planning to roll out a 3-auditoria multiplex in Lalitpur in the near future. The company informs that the project will be completed within a year. &nbsp;Some old single stand theaters are also set to build multi-screen cinema halls. Some of Kathmandu&rsquo;s oldest cinema halls like Bishwojyoti and Ranjana halls have already begun the venture. Big Movies has also been planning to come up with other projects in the days to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Multiplex in KTM" src="/userfiles/images/fcube1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 133px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
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			'description' => 'The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities.  The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city.',
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			'title' => 'Global Business Trends October 2013',
			'sub_title' => '',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Switzerland Leads in Global Energy Ranking</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 188px;" />Switzerland and a handful of countries in Europe led the way in a global ranking of energy efficiency, access to resources and environmental sustainability. China ranked 78th and the United States was 15th, according to the report by the World Energy Council, a London-based group that promotes sustainable power. Canada came in sixth and France was 10th, while the worst showing of all 129 countries was made by Zimbabwe.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Countries were also given letter grades for their performance in three categories: how well they manage their energy supply, how accessible and affordable energy is across the population, and how much of their power is derived from low-carbon renewables. Only five countries received all A&#39;s -- Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Britain and Spain. Benin and Zimbabwe received all D&#39;s. India, Lebanon, Yemen and Nicaragua also fared poorly with C&#39;s and D&#39;s.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	China got an A for energy security but D&#39;s for the environment and affordability and equitable access to power. The United States was a top scorer in security and supply but earned a C in environmental friendliness. The report was based on interviews with more than 50 government officials, development banks and international experts from more than 25 countries, the WEC said. Policymakers interviewed for the report urged more proactive energy policies, and called on the energy industry to help developed countries makes strides toward sustainable energy. The report was released three weeks ahead of talks at the World Energy Congress, to be held in Daegu, Korea.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Asia to have Most Millionaires: Survey</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 188px;" />Asia will have the world&rsquo;s largest number of millionaires as early as next year despite the expected tapering of the US Federal Reserve&rsquo;s stimulus programme, according to a report published on September 25th. With strong growth and high saving rates, the wealth of the region&rsquo;s millionaires will grow by an annual average 9.8 percent and reach nearly $16 trillion in 2015, according to the wealth management unit of Royal Bank of Canada.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite concerns of devaluing asset prices due to capital outflows triggered by Fed tapering, Asia is set to lead the world in the number of millionaires and their total wealth, the bank said in a report prepared with consulting firm Capgemini. &ldquo;The region&rsquo;s high net worth population and wealth has increased by 31 percent and 27 percent respectively since 2007, far outpacing growth in the rest of the world of 14 percent and nine percent,&rdquo; George Lewis, group head of RBC Wealth Management, said in a statement.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The number of millionaires in Asia surged by 9.4 percent year-on-year to 3.68 million in 2012, still trailing North America&rsquo;s 3.73 million. Millionaires in the report are defined as individuals with investable assets of $1 million or more, excluding residence, collectibles and others.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Asia&rsquo;s continual population growth, and economic growth expected to continue outperforming the rest of the world, would help it take the lead as early as next year, according to Eric Lascelles, chief economist of RBC Global Asset Management. He said the Fed&rsquo;s tapering plan could create &ldquo;hiccups&rdquo; but would not affect the trajectory of growth in the region. &nbsp;The bank said Japan saw the slowest growth in its millionaire population last year among Asian economies, with only a 4.4 percent increase in 2012 compared to the previous year. Hong Kong topped its Asian peers in the growth of both millionaire numbers and their investable assets in 2012.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>China&#39;s Smartphone Shipments to Exceed 450 mn&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 207px;" />The world&#39;s biggest smartphone market China will likely see shipments of more than 450 million devices in 2014, at least a quarter more than this year, research firm IDC said. IDC said the increase will be driven by the government&#39;s issuance of 4G licences and expectations that China Mobile Ltd , the world&#39;s biggest wireless operator, would carry iPhones by then.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	China, a market dominated by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Lenovo Group Ltd, is expected to ship 120 million 4G-enabledsmartphones to meet consumer demand for Internet connectivity. Smartphone shipments are expected to reach 360 million this year, IDC said.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the second quarter, Samsung and Lenovo maintained their lead in China with market shares of 18.5 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively, while China Wireless Technologies Ltd&#39;s Coolpad moved up a notch from the previous quarter to rank number 3. Apple Inc&#39;s iPhones saw market share and ranking fall to 5 percent and number 6 in the second quarter, from 9 per cent and number 5 a quarter ago, IDC analysts said. The US technology giant&#39;s market share usually slips a quarter or two before its next product launch.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&quot;Affected by the sluggish sales of iPhone 5, Apple&#39;s market share has declined dramatically, but its performance is expected to remarkably improve with the launch of the new iPhone,&quot; James Yan, an IDC analyst, said in a statement. Apple unveiled two new smartphone models, the iPhone 5S and a less expensive 5C, in China just hours after their US launch. Apple sold 9 million new iPhones during the first three days in stores after China joined the list of launch countries for the first time, though it declined to give a breakdown for the Chinese market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Blackberry in $4.7bn Takeover Deal&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 155px;" />Struggling smartphone maker Blackberry has agreed in principle to be bought by a consortium led by Fairfax Financial for $4.7bn (&pound;3bn). Blackberry said in statement that Fairfax, its largest shareholder with about 10% of the stock, had offered $9 a share in cash to buy the company. But Blackberry said it would continue to explore other options while negotiations with Fairfax continued.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Two weeks ago, Blackberry announced 4,500 jobs cuts in a bid to stem losses. The Canadian company said it expected to make a loss of up to $1bn after poor sales of its new handsets. In August, Blackberry said it was evaluating a possible sale. On Monday, 23rd September, the company announced that it had &quot;signed a letter of intent agreement under which a consortium to be led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited has offered to acquire the company subject to due diligence&quot;.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The statement continued: &quot;Diligence is expected to be complete by November 4, 2013. The parties&#39; intention is to negotiate and execute a definitive transaction agreement by such date.&quot; However, Blackberry said it was not in exclusive talks with Fairfax and would continue to &quot;actively solicit, receive, evaluate and potentially enter into negotiations&quot; with other potential buyers. Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa, Fairfax&#39;s chairman and chief executive, said: &quot;We believe this transaction will open an exciting new private chapter for Blackberry, its customers, carriers and employees.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Blackberry&#39;s financial problems came to a head this year following disappointing sales of its new Z10 model smartphone. Released in January - after many delays - the phone has failed to enthuse consumers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Scandals Cost JPMorgan $1 Billion in Fines</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl4%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 156px;" />It&#39;s $1 billion in payouts that JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co most likely wants to forget. In agreements with regulators totaling $1 billion and made public on September 19, the biggest bank of US settled four civil investigations into its &quot;London Whale&quot; trading scandal and two more into the wrongful billing of credit-card customers. The deals, which involve five authorities from the United States and one from the UK, are a milestone in the company&#39;s push to clean up its legal affairs but leave JPMorgan exposed to additional costs and embarrassment.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The bank still faces criminal probes into the trading scandal, its conduct during an energy trading investigation, sales of mortgage securities in the United States and possible bribery in China. Investigators are also looking into its role in setting benchmark interest rates known as LIBOR. The settlements include $920 million of penalties for JPMorgan&#39;s London Whale trading scandal, which Chief Executive Jamie Dimon at first dismissed as a &quot;tempest in a teapot&quot; and ultimately resulted in $6.2 billion in losses. The deals included an admission of wrongdoing, which has been rare in past settlements made by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A second set of settlements includes $80 million of payments for billing of credit-card customers for identity-theft protection services that they did not receive. The deals, made with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, come after the company issued $309 million of refunds to customers. The Comptroller of the Currency also on Thursday ordered JPMorgan to improve its consumer debt-collection practices. That order did not include financial penalties and involved allegations made public more than two years ago. The London Whale deals, reached with the UK&#39;s Financial Conduct Authority and the U.S. Federal Reserve, SEC and Comptroller of the Currency, resolve the biggest civil probes into the trading debacle. The deals include citations against JPMorgan for poor risk controls and failure to inform regulators about deficiencies in risk management identified by bank management. The scandal took on the London Whale nickname that hedge funds had given to Bruno Iksil, a trader at JPMorgan&#39;s Chief Investment Office in London, for the enormous size of the positions he took for the company.</div>',
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			'description' => 'Switzerland and a handful of countries in Europe led the way in a global ranking of energy efficiency, access to resources and environmental sustainability. China ranked 78th and the United States was 15th, according to the report by the World Energy Council, a London-based group that promotes sustainable power.',
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			'id' => '2079',
			'article_category_id' => '163',
			'title' => 'Tech Talk October 2013',
			'sub_title' => '',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Samsung Launches UHD TV &nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 99px;" />HIM Electronics, authorized distributor of Samsung in Nepal, launched a new series of Ultra High Definition (UHD) Televisions and refrigerators in the Nepali market. The latest model of Samsung TV is available in 65 and 55 inches with more than 8 million pixels which helps bring out intricate and detailed pictures. UHD TV series offers a revolutionary voice command recognition system and intuitive motion sensing. In order to enable the basic functions such as changing channels or the volume, one has to say &lsquo;HI TV&rsquo; or wave a hand. In addition, users can also use videos, photos and other available apps in the TV to share content through social media like Facebook and Twitter. The price of the 65 inch and 55 inch UHD TV is Rs 800,000 and Rs 750,000, respectively.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, the BEE 5 star rating Samsung Refrigerator 3050 series provides facility to store food with a minimum consumption of electricity as it uses LED lights and the digital Inverter Compressor. The refrigerator also has a decade-long warranty facility. The cost of a refrigerator varies from Rs 33.000 to Rs 45, 000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Apple Unveils Two New iphone Models</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 113px;" />Apple&rsquo;s latest iPhones will come in a bevy of colours and two distinct designs, one made of plastic and the other that aims to be &ldquo;the gold standard of smartphones&rdquo; and reads your fingerprint. Apple unveiled the latest iPhone models during an event at its Cupertino, California, headquarters. The iPhone 5C will be available in five colours &ndash; green, blue, yellow, pink and white. CEO Tim Cook calls it &ldquo;more fun and colourful&rdquo; than any other iPhone. The 5C has a 4-inch Retina display and is powered by Apple&rsquo;s A6 chip. It also has an 8 megapixel camera, live photo filters and a rear cover that lights up. The second phone, the 5S, is &ldquo;the most forward-looking phone we have ever created,&rdquo; said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple. It will come in silver, gold and &ldquo;space gray&rdquo; and run a new chip, the A7 that is up to twice as fast as the A6.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Canvas Lite A92 in Market</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 89px;" />Micromax has launched Canvas Lite A92 in the market. The phone is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor and runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. For imaging, the phone has a 5 Megapixel primary camera and a 0.3 Megapixel secondary camera. A92 sports a 5.0&quot; capacitive full touch screen, 32 GB expandable memory and comes with a 2000 mAh battery. &nbsp;Other features of the phone include gravity sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS support.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Colors Launches Xfactor Shine 1&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 99px; height: 200px;" />Colors mobile has introduced new Xfactor Shine 1 in the market. According to a press release from the company, the handset is loaded with the best of the features, comes with a faster processor and beautiful sleek design and Android version 4.0.3. The phone is powered by a 1.2 GHz Dual Core Processor and has 4 GB ROM and 512 MB of RAM. Other features include 4.5 inch screen, WAP/GPRS/EDGE support, dual SIM standby and expandable memory up to 32 GB.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>New Ultraviolet LED for Portable Devices Developed</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt4%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 113px;" />Researchers have developed a new ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diode that could lead to more portable and low-cost devices. The patent-pending LED creates a more precise wavelength of UV light than today&#39;s commercially available UV LEDs, and runs at much lower voltages and is more compact than other experimental methods for creating precise wavelength UV light. Ohio State University engineers created LEDs out of semiconductor nanowires which were doped with the rare earth element gadolinium.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Twitter files for IPO</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt5%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 99px;" />Twitter has filed for an initial public offering of stock, though the details of its business will remain a secret for now. The company sent its filing confidentially to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Twitter has been rumored to be going public for the past few years. After Facebook&#39;s IPO in May 2012, it was widely believed that Twitter would be the next major technology company to offer its stock to public investors.</div>',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2046',
			'article_category_id' => '153',
			'title' => 'Two-wheelers Getting More Riders',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Suraksha Adhikari&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In a country like Nepal where a proficient transportation service seems to be a far-fetched dream, two-wheelers have become the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Motorcycles have become the choice for the people working during odd hours to move around in the busiest roads of capital or the bumpy roads in the countryside or say the narrow roads where the four wheelers cannot easily pass by.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	With the arrival of the main festivals in Nepal, the mob of people is seen around the motorcycle showrooms to grab the offers and schemes provided by various companies on the occasion of festivals. Adhir Kumar Shrestha, Assistant Managing Director of V.G. Automobiles Pvt. Ltd said that the sale of motorcycles has increased to double following the offers. This company has already sold around 1,200 units of motorcycles in short span of being authorized dealer of Nepal.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shekhar Golchha, President of the Nepal Automobile Dealers&rsquo; Association (NADA) said that the size of the market increases during the festival season because of the trend of buying new things during the special occasions. He said, &ldquo;Around 20 to 50 per cent of total sale of two wheelers on Nepal is during Dashain.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He added, &ldquo;The first choice of people after having some amount of money is automobile and Dashain is the most suitable occasion for the people to buy new things in the family.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The road widening drive in Kathmandu and other cities in the country started some time ago. However, most roads still await completion. &ldquo;Having wide roads will definitely have a positive impact on the industry,&rdquo; said Shrestha.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Market Status</strong></span></div>
<div>
	After the continuous dropdown of the two wheelers market for more than two years, the market has again picked up the pace. As per the data of Department of Transport Management the import of two-wheelers rose 22 percent in the first nine months of the fiscal year compared to the same period last year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Analyzing the data of past one decade, the motorcycle segment has witnessed a very impressive growth. The number of two-wheelers has grown from 26,547 in fiscal 2003-04 to 175,381 in fiscal 2012-13.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	One of the largest players in the two-wheeler scene in the country, HH Bajaj, reported that they had witnessed a growth in sales of more than 40 percent. The company has so far sold around 30,000 units of two-wheelers. Shekhar Golchha, executive director of HH Bajaj, said that the reason behind the increase in sales was the bounce-back effect afterv a huge fall.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The enormous growth the two-wheeler segment has been witnessing annually has been spreading to areas outside the capital city. While the market for two-wheelers has come to a saturation point in the Kathmandu valley, sales outside the valley have seen a massive growth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Factors in Increasing Sales</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The easy availability of auto loans at a lower interest rate compared to the past few years has contributed to the growth in auto sales. Currently, finance companies are offering auto loans in the range of 9.5 to 12 percent interest. &ldquo;As two-wheelers are the means of transportation of the general people, easy availability of finance has played a positive role in the increment in sales,&rdquo; Golchha said. Meanwhile the sales of two-wheelers had increased as public transportation isn&rsquo;t reliable in the country. Launching of schemes by motorcycle dealers round the year and new model rollouts too have aided growth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Problems and Challenges</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Traders say that the license distribution system of Transportation Management Department is capital centric which has been creating problem to the license holder outside the valley. This has been degrading the sale as the facility of trial for two wheelers is only in Pokhara and Kathmandu after the upgrade of license distribution system.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Other major challenges include transportation hurdles and traffic management. Pradip Pradhan, member of NADA, said that the government&rsquo;s categorizing automobiles in the luxury segment has hindered the growth of the sector.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-10-28',
			'modified' => '2013-11-11',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'In a country like Nepal where a proficient transportation service seems to be a far-fetched dream, two-wheelers have become the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Motorcycles have become the choice for the people working during odd hours to move around in the busiest roads of capital or the bumpy roads in the countryside or say the narrow roads where the four wheelers cannot easily pass by.',
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	(int) 1 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2072',
			'article_category_id' => '31',
			'title' => 'A Recipe For Development Through Rights',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>William Ruger</strong>&nbsp;is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University and an adjunct assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. He earned his PhD in Politics from Brandeis University. Professor Ruger has authored a biography, Milton Friedman, and is also co-author of The State of Texas: Government, Politics, and Policy and Freedom in the 50 States and An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom. His scholarly articles have been appeared in International Studies Quarterly, Armed Forces and Society, and State Politics and Policy Quarterly. During his recent visit in Nepal, he spoke to&nbsp;<strong>Editor-in-Chief Madan Lamsal</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Suraksha Adhikari</strong>&nbsp;of New Business Age.<strong>&nbsp;Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What brought you to Nepal this time?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Well, I am here as a guest and also to address a workshop at the King&rsquo;s College. I love interacting with people and the same thing I am doing here in Kathmandu to exchange thought and views on current scenario in this country. So, it&rsquo;s been very enjoyable.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You argue that developing economies need well-functioning institutions that keep peace (both domestically and internationally) and administer justice. Can you elaborate?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	One of the most important things that the social scientists have identified is being consistent with the prosperous economy where a state protests property rights. When people want to invest for better economy, they need to be protected in terms of their property rights. Their profits won&rsquo;t be confiscated and the investment they make won&rsquo;t get affected with high tax issues, which will led them to rough weather &mdash; crushing their efforts by the regulations. It&rsquo;s really important to have a thorough research and to get the institutions right. For example: There is a book called, &ldquo;Why Nations Fail?&rdquo; where the difference between North and South Korea was beautifully portrayed as different sets of institutions. South Korea and United States have more inclusive institutions including property right protection while other places do not. One can see the difference in these two places.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You have emphasized that the governments need to focus on protecting private property rights. What are major implications of private property rights on economy?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	I don&rsquo;t think we should defend property rights simply because they lead to economic prosperity. I think it should be protected because it&rsquo;s the right thing a state should do. People have the right to own their property, to include their integrity, their thoughts and the products of their labour in terms of making or buying. This is the right thing to do with consistence to the prosperous society. So I will not say that the state shouldn&rsquo;t do it only because of its relationship with prosperity. A government is the one that protects people&rsquo;s individual rights to include property right.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">Considering the situation, when we are not being able to enjoy the basic fundamental rights, how can we think of including the private property rights in the list?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	I am not saying it&rsquo;s easy for any society including my own to ensure that the government should respect its rights. There are many examples where I think that my own government failed in protecting individual rights. I believe it&rsquo;s same in Nepal too. A right state provides a situation to see whether the government&rsquo;s function in ideal or not. If the government sticks to doing the basic things of protecting property rights, individual rights, allowing individual to execute their projects, having interest in bettering themselves and their family then you can see prosperity across. These are the basic things that the government should do. Unfortunately there are so many governments around the world that try to do so many things for good reasons but sometimes even for self-interested reasons. That&rsquo;s why a democratic society is important so that some pressure can be put on the government by the people. That means the people have to hold the government and governing class feet to the fire. If they engage in corruption this needs to be rooted out.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"><img alt="William Ruger,Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University" src="/userfiles/images/wr1.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px; height: 459px;" />Do you think the government needs to protect the powerless from the powerful who aim to rent-seek contrary to the public good or whose persons and property are threatened or violated by other citizens?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Yes, indeed. You know a lot of people talk about how there is need to have economic right for the less well-off. Part of the problem for the weaker section of the society is that government is strictly rest-seeking against the renters, putting barriers and regulations on the business activities. It makes it harder to people to actually move up in the society. In creating a situation in which economic growth is difficult for the entire society and that doesn&rsquo;t help anyone but especially hurts people towards the bottom in many ways in terms of quality and poverty. So, what we need is a real pro-growth business policy of the government &mdash; consistent with the rise so that you can see society as a whole become more progressive.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What are the major constraints of developing countries when it comes to growth?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The economic growth is a complicated picture. You must have a right institution in terms of the government, you also have to have the culture that is consistent with entrepreneur activities and a peaceful society that is relatively tolerant having strong work ethic which teaches a kind of value consistent with human flourishing. So it is very important for families and institutions in society to help develop those values.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">How can we develop the entrepreneurial culture among the people&rsquo;s lives in society like us?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Entrepreneurship is the thing that should be awarded not hindered. Its&rsquo; really easy to squelch an entrepreneurial skill if you frustrate it constantly especially when you are trying to raise yourself to build a business and so forth. And I think in many ways the informal economy in Nepal shows that there is still a lot of entrepreneurial spirit. It&rsquo;s not just out in the formal economy perhaps it should be a really important for the government to get out of the way of the people engaging in those types of business but to make them easier and to have a kind of feeling that they won&rsquo;t be punished.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is also good for the government if they could secure the property rights of individual in business. There is a role for government to administer justice and it should engage police to protect the property rights, the people and to protect the state from other countries. And it needs tax revenue to do so.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For making the people aware about the entrepreneurship and its importance &mdash; education will play a pivotal role. These things should be taught to our children in schools and institutions to make them aware about what is necessary to achieve prosperity.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You often talk about freedom to price exploration. What&rsquo;s your main proposition to this regard?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	The price mechanism is important for transmitting local information efficiently in the complicated large society. Without the price mechanism it&rsquo;s hard for economy to be efficient. So when government steps into that, it creates a lot of problems. In fact, without the price mechanism, how would we know how to use our resources including our work force. So when government gets in the way of that it creates problems.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">How important is the ideology of political forces in development?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Unfortunately lots of parties have ideas that that the society is flourishing. And that&rsquo;s the king of rent-seeking behavior we see but also that is a kind of desire for power that individuals in the parties have. In some ways you have to find ways in which ambition can be changed on the right direction. The people who are ambitious should be focused on doing positive things. You rather want to be Bill Gates and earn millions of dollars rather than being a simple person or any political entrepreneur who often spend time is creating a resources and goods for himself rather than for others. And a person like Bill Gates is the one who creates a lot of value for everyone. We should honour these people not envy them. Certainly we should not do the things that prevent the person like Bill Gates from doing what they do.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is difficult to change the situation in the country like Nepal but part of this can be initiated from education, free press where people in media can talk about some of the stories of entrepreneurship, talk about where government has hindered this activities. But it is hard. Once you get into a bad cycle it can be difficult. Again there is a very good research in social science to show somebody&rsquo;s problem and how to get out of it.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What&rsquo;s your stand about communist ideology for the development of the country?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Communism is the failed idea. It should be something that any state or any group repatriates. It is amazing that after the fall of Soviet Union that anybody would generate those views particularly because they haven&rsquo;t been consistent with our flourishing especially economically. Justice is quite difficult to receive in these places that adopt a communist ideology. So I am not sure why anybody want communism not to mention the fact that it just doesn&rsquo;t work and it is something that even the people of the progressive forces in my country don&rsquo;t want the system where the means of production are not held in private hands. So it is just amazing that why anybody would want that. But china has broken with a lot of tendencies of economy. They have tried to encourage more market forces. They are not all the way &mdash; they have to be yet &mdash; but part of the reason that they have a large economy take off was when they started liberalizing their economy and especially to open themselves to international trade. That&rsquo;s part of the recipe of success.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">Professor Ruger you have authored a biography, Milton Friedman. Why is Milton Friedman an important figure to write about?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Friedman is one of the best economists of the 21st century. He is the public intellectual. He was the big figure in the USA and the world promoting markets, reforms in other areas that increased freedom. Lots of people don&rsquo;t realise that he was an important figure in moving USA away from conscription to an all-volunteer military force. He believed in government funding of education but didn&rsquo;t believed in government administration of school so that was really important thing for him. He is important not only he was a great economist and a Nobel Prize Winner in economics for his work on monetary policy largely but also someone who passed a fairly consistent freedom agenda in all kinds of area not just in economic ground.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What is your observation on Nepali business schools based on your short surveillance?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Basically I am a political scientist but one of the best things I found out that there are really bright students who are interested about the ideas we are talking about. It&rsquo;s a long way to come from Texas to Nepal and it is very nice to see the enthusiasm of the students. I wish more people come to Nepal and learn something from the people here because I have learned a lot from this place.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-10-29',
			'modified' => '2013-11-10',
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			'description' => 'William Ruger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University and an adjunct assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. He earned his PhD in Politics from Brandeis University.',
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	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2067',
			'article_category_id' => '46',
			'title' => '“Private Sector  Is Publicity-Oriented”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 16px;">Though a businessman, he is well known in political circles. Entering the business world at the age of 14, Ajay Raj Sumargi, Chairman of Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd, has many successes under his belt. Shifting between political and business circles, and from one business sector to the next, Sumargi makes an interesting business personality in Nepal. His favourite sector at the moment is hydropower which, according to him, is the one that can change the economy of the country for the better. He does not try to hide his interest in politics and ways he interacts with political forces in order to develop a common minimum understanding among political leaders. &ldquo;Yes, leaders come to me and request to play the role of mediator when there are disputes and differences among them,&rdquo; he reveals. Sumargi talks to New Business Age&rsquo;s Siromani Dhungana about his journey and perspective on business in Nepal.&nbsp;<strong>Excerpts:&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Can you please share with us your journey from being a local businessman outside of the valley to a renowned and one of the richest ones in the country?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was 14 when my father passed away. Our family was already renowned for business at that time. We were involved in various businesses such as transportation, mines and wood works. My mother was always worried about my studies owing to my involvement in business from a very young age. I was responsible toward my younger brothers and we were liable to huge bank loans at that time.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		In 1978, I was liable for a bank loan worth Rs 1.1 million because I had taken over all responsibilities of my father&rsquo;s business. I must confess that I am not a first generation businessman - all I did was continued the businesses initiated by my father. I cleared all my banks loans by 1986 and was able to own a car at that time. All my success today is due to my hard work in those days.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>You entered the business world at a very young age. How did you cope with challenges in business?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was born in a very prosperous and educated family that had great influence at the local level. I cannot forget the contribution of my predecessors for my progress. Similarly, I got many opportunities, warmth and cooperation from society due to my father&rsquo;s fame.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Another reason for my success is my readiness to take risks in business. For instance, I bought a loader worth $60,000 around 1993. At that time most people suggested that I buy a truck instead because the profit attained from trucks was more secure compared to loaders. However, my decision of purchasing a loader paid back and proved to be a right within six years as I was able to reap profit and invest it further in other projects. As a businessman, I always took risks and my readiness to bear risks has benefitted me thus far.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Generally, I change my sector every 11-12 years. In the initial 10 years, I was involved in the business of wood mills; after that, I moved on to the business of mines; later, I got involved in the telecom business and have been in it for the last 10 years.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>So, which sector do you anticipate engaging in the next 10 years?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		It is obviously the hydropower sector I want to concentrate in the coming decade. I have planned to invest in a 35MW hydropower project in Dhading district. I will also put my energies to bring foreign investment in the hydropower sector.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		I had planned to construct a large capacity hydropower project in Karnali when Pushpa Kamal Dahal was Prime Minister. But it could not start due to hassles at the political level. I have put hydropower in my priority list and I think my presence will have a positive impact just as in the telecom sector. My contribution to make the telecom sector competitive and cheap has proved that I can create positive impact in business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Private sector investment in hydropower has been a much hyped issue. In your opinion, what are some major problems impeding the big hydro hope?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		There are many problems in the hydropower sector. First, we have entrusted the responsibility of production, transmission and distribution work to the same agency - the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). In my opinion, a single government agency cannot carry out all these responsibilities. The government&rsquo;s role should be limited to the monitoring of the entire sector whereas work of production, transmission and distribution should be given to the private sector. But the government should provide some sort of subsidy to develop this sector. Another major problem is in transmission. The existing transmission line is not sufficient to supply electricity to households connected to the grid. The line cannot supply power even if sufficient power is produced. Lack of an effective system in NEA and lack of appropriate policies and laws have also affected the development of the hydropower sector.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>The private sector is also blamed for malpractices in the hydropower sector. What is your say?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		It seems the private sector has been publicity-oriented to some extent. Hoarding of hydropower licenses is a serious malpractice on the part of the private sector. Such trends tarnish the reputation of the private sector. The government should revoke the licenses of those firms that are squatting on the licenses just for pocketing them.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Genuine businessmen have been suffering due to the license hoarding trend. The government cannot issue licenses to genuine businessmen like me since all rivers are already occupied. The government should end this and the private sector should support the government in doing so.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Let&rsquo;s change the topic. In your opinion, what should the government do to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Instead of the government acting for that purpose, I think the private sector should be sincere. Activities of the private sector should promote and strengthen it. The government alone cannot create an environment conducive for &nbsp;entrepreneurship and a blame game is not enough. &nbsp;Yet, the government has many responsibilities. The government should facilitate business activities by investing in infrastructure. Three sectors including information technology, hydropower and road connectivity are especially important for positive environment in business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>In spite of your attempt to stay away from controversy, you are always amidst it due to your political connections. Why is this so?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I never want controversy pertaining to my personal life. But people always try to drag me into it which is not good. I don&rsquo;t think it is my fault. People often see things from a single perspective and fail to evaluate things from multiple sides. I think a one-sided assessment of any person will victimise the concerned person.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>There are rumours that you and Prachanda have joint investment in some commercial organizations. Is this true?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was equally close to late Girija Prasad Koirala. Once, I did not speak with him for three months and later he himself came to my house. This does not mean that I want to show off my connection with leaders. But I have good relations with all leaders regardless of their political ideology. I do not have any special connection with Prachanda. I frequently meet Sushil Koirala, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Ram Chandra Paudel. People do not care when I meet other leaders but I don&rsquo;t understand why they hype my meeting with Prachanda. Instead, I claim that I have played a role among political leaders to mitigate the differences among them. They also ask me to play the role of mediator when there are disputes and differences among them.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>It is also said that you constructed &lsquo;Mukti Tower&rsquo; in Baneshwar, naming it after Prachanda&rsquo;s father?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, it is correct that I have constructed Mukti Tower. Its full name is &lsquo;Mukti Shree Tower&rsquo; and I named it after Lord Muktinath. I want to inform that I have kept more than 90 per cent of names of my companies after Lord Muktinath. It is false information that the name of the tower was after Prachanda&rsquo;s father. I don&rsquo;t have special relations with Prachanda. Rather, I have known Dr Baburam Bhattarai for long. What I want as a businessman is very clear - that our leaders should have common minimum agenda for the economic development of the country, and I want to contribute to develop such agenda.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Despite being a businessman, you are equally familiar with the political situation of the country. How do you see the relation between politics and business?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Political stability is very important to foster good business environment. Politicians need to assure that it is safe to invest. Similarly, right to property is also very important to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship. All business people should be convinced that there is level playing field in the business sector. No one will be ready to take risks in an environment of political instability. We want a constitution that will ensure right to property and a free market economy. I want the election to be held in the stipulated time which will be crucial for stability in the country. There may be a group that does not want elections to take place for their own benefit. Prolonged transition in politics will lead us to the worst situation in terms of business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Political parties still seem to be less worried about economic agenda during election. How do you view this?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Recently, Nepali Congress organized a meeting with the business community and entrepreneurs to hold a discussion about economic agendas. I was very happy to be participating in the meeting. I want other parties to hold similar discussions. In my opinion, economic agendas should be forwarded in a professional manner, leaving political advantages and disadvantages aside. &nbsp;Political parties should include the issues of economic reform in their manifestos. Political commitments in manifestos help citizens make parties accountable. In spite of having potential for economic prosperity, we have been failing to tap it, forcing our human resource to go abroad for job opportunities.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>So you are worried about the trend of Nepalis seeking jobs abroad?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, indeed I am. Our country has been supplying unskilled labour abroad. My wish is to create more and more jobs in this country so that people will not be compelled to seek jobs in a foreign land. If we cannot create enough jobs, the government should at least train the manpower going abroad to prevent trouble there. We need to provide training for basic skills and knowledge for job seekers. Similarly, the country needs to provide basic language training so that employees will be able to converse in a foreign land. Manpower agencies should also be made accountable to their clients.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What are the three most important qualities to be a successful entrepreneur?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Integrity, duty, and patience are essential to be a successful entrepreneur. One should be straightforward and clear in conversation. Anyone should have the courage to say &lsquo;No&rsquo; for what is wrong or impossible and &lsquo;Yes&rsquo; for what is right and possible. Sincerity in business dealings goes a long way. I think, we should respect all and should have patience for everything as well.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Are you satisfied with what you have achieved so far?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, indeed, I am satisfied with my work thus far - I am an optimistic person by nature. Rather, I worry about whom to pay for the heat we get from the sun or the air we breathe. I have been interested in contributing to society through various philanthropic deeds. And thus far I have been involved in road and public taps construction, and canal and bridge construction. I get pleasure from social work as I feel I am obligated towards society. Social work has been a satisfactory experience and I request fellow businessmen to realize the same. &nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-10-29',
			'modified' => '2013-11-10',
			'keywords' => 'new business age  interview news & articles, interview news & articles from new business age nepal, interview headlines from nepal,  current and latest interview news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali interview economic news and events,  ongoing  interview news of nepal',
			'description' => 'Though a businessman, he is well known in political circles. Entering the business world at the age of 14, Ajay Raj Sumargi, Chairman of Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd, has many successes under his belt. Shifting between political and business circles, and from one business sector to the next, Sumargi makes an interesting business personality in Nepal. His favourite sector at the moment is hydropower which, according to him, is the one that can change the economy of the country for the better. He does not try to hide his interest in politics and ways he interacts with political forces in order to develop a common minimum understanding among political leaders.',
			'sortorder' => '1936',
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	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2090',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => '‘MBA Is Not For Everyone’',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/lp%20bhanu.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 131px; height: 161px;" /></div>
<div>
	<strong>LP Bhanu Sharma is the Principal of Apex College, one of the leading management colleges of Nepal. He is also the Chairman of Chartered Academic International Pvt. Ltd. He has over 16 years of experience in management, teaching and training. He is also a spiritualist and trainer on positive living and mediation. In an interview with Keshab Raj Gautam of New Business Age, Sharma shared his opinion on trend of business education in Nepal. Excerpts:</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>You have been working in the education sector for a decade and half. What is your experience?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	I have been working in education sector for more than 16 years. Education has transformed and it is not the same. The curriculum has changed, teachers and students&rsquo; mentality has changed and this sector is looking for newer changes. At present, students have realised the importance of global prospective. Due to these prospects, many students, even management students, are studying Chinese, French, German and Swiss language. Current students no longer thinks that classroom education are enough, they have understood the need of real experience in this competitive business world. The mentality that, unless I do very well I will not be able to do anything has developed among students.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Do you find any difference between the students five years back and students now?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Yes, there is a difference. Today&rsquo;s students know how to make use of technology. Also, sense of competition has grown up and the number of serious students has increased.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>How do you evaluate the growing number of business schools in Nepal?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	At present, number of colleges which offer MBA programme in Nepal has increased to 37.Even a small city like Narayanghat has four institutions offering MBA degree. I take this growing number of business schools as very positive step but this is just the start of journey. This shows that, business education has come up and students really desire for business and management education. Over 52 per cent of Nepali students into higher education study management in Nepal. If we look at USA data, only 25 per cent of graduate students are involved in MBA programme. Market will give these business school three to five years time to prove themselves. In business school, the researches brought into the classes are more important which many of the business school lack. Apparently, this is not the scenario of new institutions but market will give these institution times to stand out. Even older ones like Apex College are having new testing times and we are working on quality. If all these institution works on quality, things will change otherwise market will categorise these intuitions as A, B, C and D grade which ultimately lead these institutions to lose their ground.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>How to choose the best business institution?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Students have to be smarter in this case. Choice of the intuitions is very core. Unless the intuition or the founder have some good records, student must think twice before joining it. Many of the intuitions claim to be the business school but are founded and run by non business graduates. What do they know about business? How are they going to do? These are the sincere questions which students as well as the common people must ask before joining any institution.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>What are your suggestions to potential business students?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	First of all, we must get out of this fashion race. MBA has become a fashion but it should not be. MBA is not for everyone. Everyone does not need to do an MBA. There are much other college options. Students must first need to analyze their strengths and define the expectation from the specific program. Secondly , MBA is not for fresher&rsquo;s. I have a clear feeling that, not more than one third of present MBA students should be doing MBA. Because I found that fresher&rsquo;s are unable to catch the sincerity and seriousness of MBA program. MBA is for people who have work experience of not less than three years. But it&rsquo;s probably our compulsion to take fresher&rsquo;s in our MBA program because the culture has not yet come where people with experience and different set of ambition apply for MBA. We are looking for more deserving students.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Where do you see today&rsquo;s business students after 5 years?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Many business students will be working as entrepreneurs. This is very good sign. At present, around 50 per cent have gone to banking industry. In next five years, I would expect them to go into different NGOs, INGOs and trading companies. I also see some of these business students contributing to transportation, cooperatives, and managing schools of the country in next five years.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Nepali economy is growing at a slow pace. Where will these business graduates be absorbed?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	We must be ready to face lot of upcoming challenges . But I think more than career searching, we should be more conscious about our own strength and weaknesses so that we could find the space to contribute.. Career changing is basically not the good options as professional managers are not among them who had changed their career track. . These are the people who knew what they are made for,what raw material they are and under what category they fall. This had led them to build their own career of interest. I run so many programs on career mapping. Only two days program will make an individual clear about how perfectly one can map his/her career.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>As you believe in spirituality, can you suggest how does it help to achieve full human potentials?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	If we want to know how to do marketing, we learn marketing, if we want to know history we have to study history similarly if we want to know about our self, we need to study spirituality. If only we could know ourselves better, the contribution can be seen in much better way. This ultimately will help us to be a better member of a family; better member of institution, and also better citizen as a whole. In such a way, spirituality helps to achieve the full potential.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Where do you see Nepali economy in 10 years?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	It&rsquo;s a very difficult question; my only wish is to see the private sector free from politics. Today, politicians are at driving seat but basically entrepreneurs should be in driving seat of private sector. I see much better future of Nepal in next 10 years. But the thing we should not miss out is of our personal values which we should improve. For this, people like us should be more efficient, effective and more professional so that we wont have to face any internal conflict. Unless there is good foundation of values among us, it is very difficult for sustainable growth. So, Media and education should start cultivating those values.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-10',
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			'description' => 'LP Bhanu Sharma is the Principal of Apex College, one of the leading management colleges of Nepal. He is also the Chairman of Chartered Academic International Pvt. Ltd. He has over 16 years of experience in management, teaching and training.',
			'sortorder' => '1935',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2089',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => 'Lifelong Learning',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong>By Ajay Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Not until much later in my life did I realize what Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote, &ldquo;Wherever we go, whatever we do, self is the sole subject we study and learn.&rdquo; One of my favourites is from Polly B. Berends, &ldquo;Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But don&rsquo;t take knowing yourself for granted. In the words of GK Chesterton (1874-1936): &ldquo;One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star.&rdquo; Recall how many times you have said, &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe I actually did or said that.&rdquo; Even today, at this age, I am struggling to know what I must learn and do to realize my individual potential. My advice to you: cultivate the habit of making conscious efforts to learn about yourself.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	I would like to share with you two disciplines I have found quite useful for continual learning. They are from the book called The Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck and the disciplines are named a) Acceptance of Responsibility, and b) Dedication to Truth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Acceptance of Responsibility&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/lifelong.jpg" style="margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; height: 253px; width: 550px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The first of the Four Noble Truths Buddha taught was &ldquo;Life is a suffering&rdquo;. We may accept or deny this assertion but there is overwhelming evidences in its favour. As we move on with our lives, we will inevitably encounter a series of problems. Of course, problems do not last forever. They come and go. But Dr Peck argues that problems must be worked through or else they remain, forever, a barrier to our growth and development. By accepting responsibility for problems, experiencing their pain, working through them in solving them, we learn and grow.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In accepting responsibility, though, Dr Peck warns us of the extremes. On one extreme, which he terms Character Disorder, we blame others for everything that goes wrong, or when we are in conflict with others. On the other extreme, which he terms Neurosis, we blame ourselves for everything that goes wrong or when we are in conflict with others. In one extreme, we assume no responsibility and in the other we assume too much.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	We do not have the inherent capacity to realistically distinguish between what we are and what we are not responsible for. It develops only if we are willing to suffer continual self-examination, which at times can be painful. In Ace Institute&rsquo;s short history of 14 years, this discipline of realistically distinguishing between what we are and we are not responsible for has helped us successfully navigate all sorts of problems, including coercion and threat of closure. In personal life also, application of this discipline has helped me work through what at times appeared to be insurmountable problems.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Dedication to Truth&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	As we view and interact with the world, we develop our own concepts of what is true and real. What was true and real to us as a child may not be so when we are grown up. What was true and real to a person when he was poor may not be so when he is rich. Dr Peck describes each of us as a mapmaker negotiating the terrain of our lives with maps of our own. We are not born with maps; we have to make them. And for our maps to be relevant and useful, we have to continually revise them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The problem he points out is that many of us stop revising our maps after certain time. The result: our maps remain small and sketchy and our view of the world narrow and misleading. His advice: we should subject ourselves to continual self-examination, expose ourselves to the criticism of other mapmakers, continually revise our map and thereby enlarge and refine our understanding of the world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Therefore, be prepared to accept that whatever you have learnt or you have been taught could be wrong, if not today, tomorrow. If it sounds strange and hard to accept, Gustave Falubert&rsquo;s assertion &ldquo;There is no truth. There is only perception&rdquo; might help. If Flaubert&rsquo;s assertion is not convincing enough, listen to this from Raman Maharshi: &ldquo;There is no Truth. There is only Truth within each moment.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Some Parting Advice&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	We regularly encounter social pressure to conform and personal pressure to establish our uniqueness. You may want to listen to this advice from the Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004): &ldquo;Our concern must be to live while we&rsquo;re alive &ndash; to release our inner selves from the spiritual death that comes with living behind a fa&ccedil;ade designed to conform to external definitions of who and what we are.&rdquo; Lisa Nichols warns, &ldquo;No one else can dance your dance, no one else can sing your song, no one else can write your story.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	And pleads John Mason with the title of his book: &ldquo;You&rsquo;re born original; don&rsquo;t die a copy.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>- Ghimire is the Chairman of Ace Institute of Management. This article is adapted from his key-note speech made at the MBA and EMBA graduation ceremony 2013 of the institute.</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-11-10',
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			'description' => 'Not until much later in my life did I realize what Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote, “Wherever we go, whatever we do, self is the sole subject we study and learn.” One of my favourites is from Polly B. Berends, “Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.”',
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2088',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => 'Holistic Education For Complete Life',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/holistic.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 168px; height: 167px;" /></div>
<div>
	One might ask a question: what is so lacking in current education that holistic education promises to fulfill? Education, as is understood and taken today, is an attempt to discover, understand and instill the various aspects of human living to each individual with the purpose of enhancing the living standard of people. This education teaches us all about our living. But it somehow fails to explore, discover and teach students about themselves, their own life and its dimensions. It teaches the students how to earn, but fails to talk anything about the person for whom the wealth is sought to be earned. It teaches about different aspects of life, but leaves no clue about the life itself. In a nutshell, it studies the objects in the exterior world but has nothing to do with the subject in the inner world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A basic premise of holistic education is the belief that our life has a meaning and purpose greater than the mechanistic laws described by science, and greater than the &lsquo;consensus consciousness&rsquo; of any one culture. The current system conceives education as a &ldquo;race&rdquo;&mdash;a competition forcing schools, teachers, and students to contend for some sort of victory. This has poisoned the very human psyche which strives for understanding and meaning, more than just quantitative living. Defined as a competitive race, current education is not yet a collaborative art of mentoring and nurturing the young, but a harried and random effort to succeed according to some external measure of success&mdash;to reach some goal line established by those in authority.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The past century witnessed the most intensive efforts in education, perhaps much more than the entire millennium put together. Many nations have been able to hit the literacy rate of close to one hundred percent. It was hoped that an educated world will bring all the wealth, happiness, friendliness and peace in the world. But the results, to our dismay, fail to meet any such targets. The entire human race is suffering from stress, negativities, worries, anxieties and uncertainties. Family ties are less than strong; distrust has become the rule of the day and threat of wars hover around our heads. And the credit for all this goes to the educated people. This is not to undermine their contributions to physical and financial well-being and all the progress in the science, technology and other disciplines. But, a deeper look at the minds and hearts of the individuals will show that they clearly lack something special in life.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What is holistic education? First, holistic education attempts to nurture the development of the person as a whole. This includes the intellectual, emotional, physical, social, aesthetic, and spiritual elements. Perhaps the defining aspect of holistic education is the spiritual.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Holistic education is based on the notion that there is an active creative force within each person, and that this force has an intrinsic purpose and direction. If properly explored, understood and channelised, this force will pave way for total development of each individual and a much better social ecosystem. It would provide opportunities for students to be creative, contemplative and imaginative, while also being scientific and truthful. It allows time to tell old and new stories of heroes, ideals and transformation. It encourages students to go deep into themselves, into nature and into human affairs. It values service to others and the world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Various dimensions of holistic education will be explored in the ensuing issues of New Business Age.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'One might ask a question: what is so lacking in current education that holistic education promises to fulfill? Education, as is understood and taken today, is an attempt to discover, understand and instill the various aspects of human living to each individual with the purpose of enhancing the living standard of people.',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2087',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Govern Like A Government',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	One of the influential leaders in the United CPN Maoist Party -- UCPN (M), Barsha Man Pun has recently alleged that present government has started to behave like a &lsquo;political government.&rsquo; If that is the case, it is doing the right thing. The government must behave like a political than technical government, which can only solve political problems. It is irrelevant by now to keep hammering on the very nature of its structure just because a special kind of political equations that led to form this.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Once formed, it is the government of the country and it should function like a government, not as puppet show. Moreover, it is the government awarded with wider political legitimacy in the form of &lsquo;first consensus government in years&rsquo;. Every other petty detail automatically gets pushed to the background.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is no longer a news, rather a foregone conclusion, that the polls are impossible, at least, until November. Of course, it would still be a grand success story if they could be held by the end of this year, 2013. The growing inaction of the government has redoubled the doubts that are already thick in the air as regards real possibility of holding elections.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	No doubt, it was perhaps one of the greatest mistakes that Nepal&rsquo;s political leaders made by choosing the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Khil Raj Regmi, to head the election government. To add to the woes, leaders of the four political parties through the High-level Political Mechanism are trying to control the government. It must be mentioned here that any such mechanism doesn&rsquo;t have a constitutional validation. Anything the Mechanism forwards can only be recommendatory, not mandatory for the government to adhere to. And if certain political parties are capable to continue to exert such pressure, how could the elections held by this government be free and fair?&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This unnecessary practice has given rise to a double-fold nuisance. First, it has greatly affected the performance of the government. It sometimes appears as waiting for the &lsquo;direction&rsquo; from the Mechanism and, sometimes tries to assert its own course of actions. The end result is: it has lost its direction and pace. Second, it has created a situation where for all the failures of the government, it can directly put blame on the Mechanism and for any success it can claim its own.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Therefore, the political leadership should now come out of the mindset of plying a guardian angel to the government. It is only way that this government can be made responsible to its national duties and accountable to political contract of holding the Constituent Assembly elections sooner. But this rationality doesn&rsquo;t seem to have dawned upon the political top-hats of our country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The world has taken well into account that these four political leaders jointly declared themselves incapable of leading this country. They doubted their own level of integrity such that heading an election government by one of them would not produce impartial poll results. This was what led the situation of Regmi becoming the head of the government, virtually out of the blue.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It looks rather clumsy on the part of same set of leaders to act as the true &lsquo;drivers&rsquo; of the government. One of glaringly gauche example is the UCPN (M) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal&rsquo;s posture while departing for the &lsquo;official&rsquo; tour of China and then to India in the second and the third week of April, respectively. He tried to portray himself as a virtual head of the government going for a state visit, particularly in his dealing with media at home. But it is now a public knowledge how these countries matched the protocol to this visit. Outcome of course is limited to him, if any at all. But these things don&rsquo;t seem to have deterred our set of leaders feigning as grand saviours.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For this behaviour of our political leaders, Regmi and his cabinet colleagues have found more excuses, and, ironically, time to inaugurate painting exhibition, release some second-graded books or pose with gawky smiles in prize distribution ceremony of some primary school. The real business of governing the country is largely ignored.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The governance dysfunction was somewhat a foregone phenomenon as Regmi refused to resign from the post of Chief Justice to head the government. It was the message that he didn&rsquo;t want to be fully responsible. His greed to go back to the old position, just for a few remaining months, after heading the government, speaks in volume how calculative he would be in taking decisions. This is undesirable on the part of the country&rsquo;s chief executive. And, it must be corrected. He should govern, not dither.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Only remedy for all these ills, surfaced even in the day-to-day business of the government is to make this government entirely responsible for what it does and what it should do. It is in the interest of country and also, in the interest of the political parties concerned. Only when political parties step aside to give full space for the government to work, can they conduct a sort of performance audit on the government. Equally important, Regmi and his cabinet colleagues must be able to demonstrate their ability to govern, which so far seems unimpressive to say the least.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Putatively, holding the Constituent Assembly election is no doubt the cardinal of all responsibilities of this government. But, there are hundreds of other matters that have gone out of track and government can work to restore them in the interim. It will ultimately help to create a proper atmosphere for the polls.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is perhaps right time to control organized crime, which is largely thought to be protected by the influential political leaders. These leaders now can&rsquo;t have access to the official files of these goons and once the action is taken, these leaders, technically, will not be in position to defend them in public. This indeed will help decriminalize our politics in a great way.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Another important issue it can decide is: it can bring down the number of seats in the proposed Constituent Assembly, to a reasonable level of say, one hundred fifty to two hundred. This will be both popular and wise decision. But on the contrary, it is reported to be succumbing to the political pressure to increase it again to six hundred.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The donor community is surprised by lack-luster performance of this learned bunch in the government. The international community, for example, had asked to enlist the kind of support the government would seek from them for the new elections. But the government has even failed to coordinate a meeting of all these donors even in two months time, after it took charge.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Recently, a message was circulated that Nepal cannot hold the next summit of South Asian Regional Cooperation (SAARC) within 2013. Reason given is weird: there is no government in Nepal now. Is this government in position to react and say &lsquo;we can&rsquo;? The head of the government has not even thought it necessary to address the nation to give a sense where we are exactly heading. The list could be very long. But much needed guts is apparently lacking in every respect of the decision-making in the government.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Will this government without political will on the one hand and totally paralyzed by undue, frequent interference from the Political Mechanism on the other be able to hold Constituent Assembly elections by this year end? Doubts are high. And, only way to ensure that this government doesn&rsquo;t shirk away from this responsibility is to make it look and act more like a true government than a club of volunteers.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For this, those political parties that think they obliged Regmi by choosing him to be the head of current government should stop interfering in the functioning of the government. And there is the role of the President, as a sole functional constitutional entity of the country, to remind this government to its duties and admonish when derailed. But, to repeat it again, this government must realize the fact that it is there to govern the country, not to appease any of the political masters. And it has true opportunity to choose than snooze.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-08',
			'modified' => '2013-11-10',
			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'One of the influential leaders in the United CPN Maoist Party -- UCPN (M), Barsha Man Pun has recently alleged that present government has started to behave like a ‘political government.’ If that is the case, it is doing the right thing. The government must behave like a political than technical government, which can only solve political problems. It is irrelevant by now to keep hammering on the very nature of its structure just because a special kind of political equations that led to form this.',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2086',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Fears Of Polls Going Futile',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The chieftains of major four political parties -- United CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi Morcha -- appear contended and relaxed for being able to install the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi as the head of the new interim &lsquo;election&rsquo; government. The questions related to constitutionality and conflict of interests between executive and judicial organs of the country, since the same person effectively heads the both, do yet remain unanswered.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are a number of cases under consideration in the court of law seeking appropriate interpretation of relevant constitutional provisions on it. Worst of all, the very first recommendation for constitutional appointment made by the government headed by the Chief Justice himself was returned by the President for &lsquo;further constitutional explanation.&rsquo; This controversy surrounding the appointment of Chief and other Commissioners in the Election Commission indeed gives some indication to the modus operandi of the new government.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	More than that, the practice of extra-constitutional imposition of the political vested interests by the &lsquo;High Level Political Mechanism&rsquo; practically makes the Regmi government a faceless scarecrow. Apparently, all the new ministers got appointed on a shared quota-basis amongst the four political parties involved. And people are told to believe that it is politically neutral coalition government. &nbsp;This is a total farce. Yet, the whole coalition looks like a coalition game in economics game theory where there is no easy &lsquo;core&rsquo; or equitable distribution of pay-offs among the parties, but still they are clinging to it.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The much touted-about political consensus appears a total mockery as there are reckonable political forces out of this &lsquo;all party&rsquo; mechanism; disgruntled and determined to create any obstacle possible if they are not listened to any time soon. Among them, the break-away faction of the Maoists party (CPN-Maoist headed by Mohan Baidya), all three parties of former panchas (Rastriya Prajatantra Party-RPP, Rastriya Janashakti Party and RPP Nepal) and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum headed by Upendra Yadav are some of those that deserve consideration to include in the so called all party mechanism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But absolute inflexibility and ungenerous attitude of the four parties to accommodate or address the concerns of these disgruntled political outfits in some way or the other raises further apprehensions about the possibility of polls any time sooner. And, UCPN (M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal&rsquo;s over ambitious plan of hastening to polls within June this year smells rat in his design.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	True that Nepali people want to go for ballot sooner than later. But, the polls are not instant soup-making recipe. The national polls are massive management nightmare. Still, several legal arrangements are needed to be made to enable the Election Commission to hold putatively free and fair polls. The budgetary arrangement is equally difficult. No doubt, there are several donors ready to dole out money for elections here, but they also need adequate time to process our requests through their respective home governments and bureaucracies. Our own budget for the current fiscal year needs recasting if the polls were to be held within this fiscal year, say June.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Logistics and stationery arrangements including the designing and printing of ballot papers, transportation of polling boxes and machines etc. involve a substantial amount of time and human resources. Security mobilization is perhaps going to be the most extensive and exhaustive affair.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	On top of it, controlling the violence carried-out by some fringe and purportedly political outfits, active in different part of the country, remains crucial. Whether the new government of bureaucrats and with limited technical mandate has authority to negotiate peace or, if required, will-power to obliterate them by combing operation is critical of all questions to make polls a success.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite these all obstacles evident than ever before, why Dahal is insistent on June date? Is he so keen to reestablish the democratic process sooner, which for so long has been derailed mainly because of him? &nbsp;There are suggestions that June is the month when common people hardly can find time to go to polls due to their seasonal engagement in cultivation as monsoon just begins. And, only those who come to vote are the committed party cadres of any party. Implicitly, the winning chance of UCPN (M) is likely to increase in such a scenario. Also, if polls are scheduled in such a short notice, number of international election observers arriving to monitor the polls is likely to be far less, giving room to rigging for the forces with organised and violent youth wings like Youth Communist League (YCL) of the UCPN (M), or similar outfit of CPN-UML. These arguments about Dahal&rsquo;s discrete planning are not unfounded since Dahal has been able to fill the key state positions by the people highly loyal or made so by several machinations, including the head of the election government, Regmi. All in all, Dahal wants absolute majority in new Constituent Assembly (CA) at any cost, that too without recognizing the splinted off Baidya faction and yet, legitimizing all his political moves making Nepali Congress and CPN-UML mere mute witnesses, compelled to sign on the margins of his political contract papers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite all maneuvers and scrambling of Dahal and his party, polls within June still look a distant possibility. And the fact that seven years have passed without any significant achievement towards ending the political transition, there is no point going so hastily just to cover a few months time without proper preparations. The most rational expectation would be to hold the polls in November with adequate perseverance and nuanced management of time and resources.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What if even the Regmi government couldn&rsquo;t hold the polls for all those reasons Dr. Baburam Bhattarai government failed to meet the two deadlines of November 2012 and April 2013? &nbsp;Interestingly, the political parties who signed the 11-point deal to enthrone Regmi perhaps have no clue about the possible next step if he failed to deliver the polls and choose to remain in power in whatever pretext.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Even if the elections are held, regardless when, as the fact of matter remains, outcomes of these new CA polls would take Nepal only to a status quo of April 10, 2008, the day when the first election for the CA was held. Despite a number of extensions, that CA during its four years in existence had failed to make any headway in drafting a new constitution. All major political parties represented in that CA failed to reach a consensus to extend its tenure for the fourth time on 27th May, 2012. If one remembers it correctly, it was the Supreme Court verdict from a bench of justices including Regmi that had barred the extension of the CA term.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Without addressing the very causes which made the last CA dysfunctional and ultimately dead, the new CA, even if it is instituted by coming November -- the earliest possibility, would not be able to deliver new federal constitution as expected by the people. The politics has become so messy with rising ethnic hatred, unrealistic expectations of regionalism and culture of using violence to capitulate the authority to meet all implausible demands of divisive and sectarian nature.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	No political party seems to be prepared to go to the polls with a concrete frame of the constitution they are planning to draft if they got elected. This in fact should have been the main basis of each party&rsquo;s CA election manifesto. It is because, people can rationalize their expectations before deciding whom to vote and what to expect when the CA takes shape. Even smaller parties with extreme demands may come up with their respective propositions and their issues could be addressed on the strength of votes they secure. It would have made things far easier to promulgate the new constitution once drafted. But the so called big parties are also not prepared to come up with any clarity on these crucial matters for the obvious ulterior motives of fishing in the rough waters. Such ill intentions are more ingrained in those parties who are inclined to one party dictatorship under the veil of democratic mandate. People again have to vote on the basis of the guesswork without knowing their distinct position on constitution drafting process.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In fact, Election Commission&rsquo;s code of conduct can regulate such things by making every party mandatory to go to the polls with complete shape of their proposed constitution. But whether the Commission will have that guts and vision is an unanswered question here.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Finally, if the parties do not plan on how they want to proceed once the CA elections are held, things are not going to change for the better in Nepal. Even if one party gets clear majority in CA, it will be impossible to move ahead without taking on board all big or small political players along both to draft and promulgate the new constitution. Therefore, this process is better if it began now. Otherwise, like in the past, we will be back to square one again after spending many valuable years for the same cause. The whole exercise of this CA election would also automatically go down the drain.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-08',
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			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'The chieftains of major four political parties -- United CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi Morcha -- appear contended and relaxed for being able to install the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi as the head of the new interim ‘election’ government.',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2085',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Fall Of The Last Pillar',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	If no extremely dramatic events unfold in Nepali politics overnight, the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi, may have sworn in by the time this writing reaches to our readers. He, or whoever for that matter, will be the tenth chief executive of the nation in as many years, which exposes the gravity of the political instability and difficult transition the country is reeling under.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Prey to Politics&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whether or not Regmi became prime minister is by now an issue of secondary importance. The prime concern here is: the judiciary also couldn&rsquo;t resist the temptation of political indulgence at the cost of its so far largely maintained independence and respect to professionalism. In this sense, the judiciary, that was somehow saving Nepal from falling into the abyss of acute form of anarchy and was the last testimony to the remnant feature of rule of law, has been the last pillar to fall prey to political machinations. Otherwise, Nepal is by now already faced with the consequences of the institutional degeneration, almost in every spectrum of life. Every professional and state institution is highly politicized. The security apparatus like army, police, intelligence, the civil service and diplomacy, the academia and civil society and to a large extent even the media now wear the cloak of some hue of politics. Lately, all government set-ups have been forced by design and default to act as the extended wings of the UCPN (Maoist). Democratic forces of the country remain defensive and indifferent to growing aggressiveness intrusion of the Party invariably into all state organs of the country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>The Question of Constitutionality&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	The prevalent Interim Constitution of the Country doesn&rsquo;t provide for an incumbent chief justice to become the chief executive of the country as well. The Supreme Court still headed by Regmi has the ultimate authority to interpret the constitution. But, at this juncture, any interpretation of the provision that is completely absent in the constitution would tantamount to nothing but a blatant conflict of interest, since such an interpretation, technically presided by Regmi himself, is only likely to justify his decision to take-up the top job. The press statement issued by the Supreme Court in the last week of February, apparently at Regmi&rsquo;s will and design, already demonstrated the overall tilt of what it could be possibly like. The entire objective of the statement was that, he is only willing to go on &lsquo;deputation of duty&rsquo; from chief justice to the chief executive, without resigning from his present post. This is more of an ominous than welcome sign, both in view of judicial independence and concept of balance of power in democracy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Controversial Beginning&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Let&rsquo;s suppose Justice Regmi is assigned to head the election government. He would be taking up the job not as a much-touted-about &lsquo;consensus figure&rsquo; but amidst a sharp division regarding his choice for the job. Not only the opposition parties, but all four largest parties -- ruling UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madheshi Morcha -- are vertically split into two factions each, on Regmi&rsquo;s pick. And, some of the arguments of the dissenting factions in each party are worth pondering. Firstly, the move would directly prove that political parties are grossly incompetent and not trustworthy to head an election government. Second, they are oblivious of the very concept of balance of power among the major three organs -- executive, legislative and judicial -- of the state. And thirdly, what miracle could Regmi alone demonstrate as the country now languishes in a serious nature of constitutional vacuum. The institutions like Nepal Bar Association have voiced serious concern over the Chief Justice&rsquo;s lust for power at the cost of judicial independence. There are apprehensions that the UCPN (Maoist) has plans to rig the next polls by misusing the state-power yet would validate results by making the chief justice the head of the election government. Regmi&rsquo;s appointment automatically blocks the other parties to seek judicial remedy in case of electoral malpractices. These points of view definitely hold waters and cannot be glossed over instantaneously.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Crisis of Management&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Regmi&rsquo;s appointment requires a series of important makeovers under the guise of the constitutional provision of &lsquo;Power to Remove Difficulties&rsquo; by the President of Nepal. The constitution has not envisioned an incumbent justice becoming the prime minster (in whatever name, the chief executive of the country). This would require a special decree form the President, citing the political consensus among the major parties, which again looks a pure farce with so much discontent fumed around. Even if the appointment hurdle is cleared, there are several other constitutional issues that warrant a speedy sorting out. The positions in the Election Commission, including that of the chief commissioner, are vacant. Does Regmi want to play this role as well, as he is officially likely to be titled as the chief of Election Council? What happens to the positions of the chief justice itself whereas the constitutional spirit is that both the head of the government and the judiciary represent separate, independent capacities in several crucial institutions like the Constitutional Council, that make appointment of the heads and office-bearers of several constitutional bodies including the Election Commission. Incidentally, almost all constitutional bodies like Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Auditor General&rsquo;s Office and Election Commission are without the chiefs or office-bearers, for years in some cases. Even in the Supreme Court, three-fourth of positions of justices remains vacant. To fill these all would require a separate arrangement as there is no possibility of fulfilling the constitutional provisions through parliamentary hearing in absence of the legislature.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Competence and Delivery&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whether Regmi would be able to hold fresh elections by November this year is the cardinal of all questions here. This requires a lot of political work that begins from the point where he starts to choose the kind of people to fill in the positions in his government. The impartiality issue of himself and his picks will be crucial. And, worst of all he will be functioning under a situation where all major constitutional positions will have already violated to pave the way for his appointment and only resort to move ahead will be the kind of political support he gets as he moves ahead. This implies that there will be forces on the ground who would be constantly challenging his actions. As the nation has not decided on the number of constituencies for new elections, their modalities and, whether it would be an election for both Constituent Assembly and Legislature or only for the former, to propose a formula agreeable to all is impossible and purely a political rather than a bureaucratic exercise. Regmi has yet to try his art in this trade.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is too early to say anything whether he is competent enough and would be successful to deliver what he is expected of. But his track record is not very encouraging. The latest allegation is that he paralyzed the justice delivery system by not taking any initiative to appoint the judges in the Supreme Court in time. It was the Court verdict that had barred the extension of the then Constituent Assembly tenure beyond May 27 last year. Despite the fact that he knew the parliamentary hearing of new judges would be impossible beyond that date, he failed to initiate the action of extending the term of existing justices or to appoint new ones when there was adequate time left. At present, the result is that the Supreme Court is left with only six justices whereas in high times it used to have as many as two dozen justices. This indeed have made justice delivery difficult, and, at the same time put Regmi&rsquo;s credibility under huge interrogation mark.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>The Last Optimism&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whatever the cost or difficulty in the process involved for his appointment, the only hope is that Regmi as the accepted figure by four or five largest political parties could hold elections and those polls would be free and fair at an acceptable degree. Every party though has viewed Regmi&rsquo;s installation as their convenience for entirely different reasons than this, which again could complicate the situation in future. For Maoists, it was a great achievement to be able to stop Nepali Congress from heading an election government and it hopes that Regmi would duly oblige the party for surprisingly picking him to head the next government. Congress and UML are contended only at the ouster of Baburam Bhattarai from the prime ministerial position, who otherwise seemed unrelenting to relinquish the position. Other forces, including the international community wanted to trust on Regmi&rsquo;s legal credentials and his largely maintained non-corrupt image during a long legal career.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But, interestingly again, even if new polls could be held within a year or so and a new Assembly is instituted, Nepal&rsquo;s political challenges will still be where they were immediately after April 2008 elections. Therefore, there is no point being over ambitious at this very moment about anyone heading another government or holding polls. Unless, political rationality, read it metamorphosis of parties from authoritarian to democratic mindset, prevails among the major political players the country, Nepal&rsquo;s political crisis will only deepen regardless of any drama we orchestrate, be that drama of government headed by the chief justice.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-08',
			'modified' => '2013-11-08',
			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'If no extremely dramatic events unfold in Nepali politics overnight, the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi, may have sworn in by the time this writing reaches to our readers. He, or whoever for that matter, will be the tenth chief executive of the nation in as many years, which exposes the gravity of the political instability and difficult transition the country is reeling under.',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2084',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Manifesto Recast At Hetauda Commune',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The UCPN (M) truly wants to remain in the mainstream of Nepali Politics. It, therefore, has ventured into a dramatic change in policy paradigm through its Seventh National Congress. The seventh Congress was a hundred and eighty degree shift in the party&#39;s policy stand, from its Sixth Congress twenty-one years ago. The previous one had adopted the policy of raising arms against the state and the recent one has formally proposed to relinquish them altogether -- a changed face of revolution, as the party has baptized it.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Paradigm Shift</strong></span></div>
<div>
	UCPN (M)&rsquo;s Seventh General Congress held in Hetauda from February 2-7 undoubtedly heralded a new era in Nepal&#39;s politics. Thanks to a complete &nbsp;departure from the doctrine of &#39;bullets for political change&#39;, which had been the political mainstay of the party for the last two decades, to a fairly convincingly documented commitment to embrace &#39;the politics of ballots and open competition.&#39; With this development, the much needed optimism to restore a peaceful competitive democracy in Nepal has &nbsp;now revived, more reassuringly than ever before. Skeptics there are, but when the largest political force of the country resolutely announces that it would strip away the hangover of &#39;establishing the &nbsp;people&#39;s republic&#39; by all possible violent means, the country must give them a chance, at least for once. And, Nepal has no alternative to that for now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Understandably, this recast was not easy for the party which fought a ten-year long guerrilla war, sent its fighters home largely discontented with the resettlement arrangements and suffered a split recently. But the new policy paper crafted jointly by Chairman of the party, Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) and Prime Minister Dr. Baburam &nbsp;Bhattarai who is also the senior vice-chair of the party needed to gather massive guts to face the present day reality and come out of the longheld revolutionary hegemony.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	As evident at the Congress venue, it indeed was a daunting endeavour for the party leadership to rein in and satisfy the cadres about this change rather unexpected for many of them, who were initially indoctrinated, rather foolhardily, to establish a proletarian dictatorship before they would be asked to put their guns down. They were not ready to believe the claim that whatever the party could achieve politically from the 10-year &#39;revolution&#39; was optimum for now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In this context, the Dahal-Bhattarai duo deserves a real acclaim for not only making this ideological change possible, and that too relatively smoothly, but also for accepting the fact that there is no polity beyond political co-existence with other forces and a rule-based competition with them in polls.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It was not in a very distant past that the whole party rallied behind a highly mystified dogma of Prachandapath. But over the last seven years, when Prachanda himself has been at the centre of national politics, Prachanda-path emained a neverexplained political term and now it is completely out of the party&#39;s official literature. This is indicative of the urgency felt by Prachanda to come out of the violent legacy of the insurgency era. In addition to this, to the surprise of many, he has started to publicly criticize summary execution of his opponents by former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and cautiously negate Maoism for being &#39;not replicable in our different context.&#39; (It is a great irony though, for both Dahal and Bhattarai deliberately wore special hair-do to look like Stalin as early as a couple of years ago and the party&#39;s official banner still carries Stalin&#39;s portrait).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dahal&#39;s meticulously crafted paper makes every effort possible to sound credible to both- his cadres by using lexicons akin to communist glossary and to the world by practically accepting the ground realities. &#39;Nepal no longer is a semi-feudal and semicolonial state, but rather a new comprador bourgeoisie capitalist one,&#39; &nbsp;reads his main policy paper suggesting that another armed rebellion under any pretext would be unjustifiable under these realities. His assessment that &#39;Nepal is also under the influence of a neo-colonialism of globalization is not much different from the standpoint taken by the underdeveloped world in the world arena, albeit with a bit different diplomatic decorum. He has repeatedly tried to reassure that the party would no longer indulge in a killing spree in the name of physically eliminating the class-enemy, as it has changed plank from the abolition of social classes to capitalistic growth leading to socialism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This transformation is essentially not much different from the &#39;people&#39;s &nbsp;multi-party democracy&#39; (jantako &nbsp;bahudaliya janabad) propounded by late general secretary of the CPN-UML, Madan Bhandari, some 23 years ago. Dahal&#39;s detractors have even gone to the extent of calling him &lsquo;nothing but a mere shadow of the UML&rsquo;. Regardless of anything, this a was much-needed change in the Maoist fold for Nepal to &nbsp;resolve its political impasse peacefully and it was duly heeded by the Maoists, which is a welcome development.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dahal&#39;s policy paper, finally adopted as the 7th Congress Resolution with some ritual modifications, at times is unexpectedly mild and flexible. As reason for this, Dahal has tried to vindicate that all inflexibility, irrationality, dogmatism and impractical policy rigidities had gone with the party&#39;s break-away Mohan Baidya faction and what now remains in the UCPN (M) is a political organization with modern, 21st century outlook and vision.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Grip Not Loosened</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Despite all odds, Dahal has emerged quintessentially an unchallenged leader from this Congress as well. It appears that as long as Dahal and Bhattarai can work together, a third person is &nbsp;unlikely to claim the topmost position in the party, for the foreseeable future. At least, this looks like a smooth sail at the centre. But the situation at the</div>
<div>
	grassroots is much different as reported by the respective local representatives of the Congress. They complained that the party had failed to assign political responsibility to the entire rank and file in the organizational structure. Former cadres who returned home dejected are hardly under party discipline and a large &#39;garbage lot&#39; of socially discarded people who were used during the armed rebellion are proving a nuisance to entire party. These factors can erode Dahal&#39;s grip on the party in the long run. When the party actually goes to the polls sooner or later, Dahal is likely to face a steeply uphill task of differentiating his party with the one like the CPN-UML and establishing the rationale of killing so many thousands of people at the cost of the country&#39;s great opportunity for development and growth, ultimately, just to become another UML. But for now he is the helmsman, which in turn is an opportunity to keep his grip intact with tactical moves like the present one.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Confession Drama</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Dahal has confessed that his resignation from the prime ministerial position over the tussle with the then Chief of Nepal Army, Rookmangud Katwal, was a na&iuml;ve and unnecessary emotionalism. Though not explicitly expressed, his remorse was apparently for the anti-Indian tirade he belched out while leaving the post; perhaps in hope of placating the power blocs in the southern neighbour that he believes have gone against him since. In a bid to be seen as a &nbsp;mature political force, he has omitted all traditionally used vocabularies such as &#39;Indian &nbsp;expansionism, American and Russian imperialism, Chinese revisionism&#39; etc from the official party literature. &#39;The differences now should be dealt &nbsp;through mature diplomacy,&#39; he argued to pacify the cadres. But, that is what exactly should be done, &nbsp;practically.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Economy First&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The party&#39;s new policy paper has put the economic agenda in the forefront of its &#39;vision&#39;, so to speak. Its policy paper on harnessing the country&rsquo;s water resource by mobilizing the local and domestic resources and setting up a production and development brigade are testimony to this. But, these propositions lack maturity and need a gross &nbsp;overhaul that suits to the ground realities of the country.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Developing hydropower projects on a commercial scale with only local resources is a sweet but impossible dream. It is not like a cooperative farming where labour-intensive production can be adopted. Capital, technology and market - all three have to be explored and traded across the national borders.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is not difficult to understand that Dahal needed some mechanism to adjust the party&rsquo;s erstwhile armed members. So, he proposed a production and development brigade. It sounds like a good idea from the supply side, but as a responsible political party, UCPN (M) needs to adequately consider the demand side of it as well. What to produce? How and where to produce? Where to sell it? And, will his cadres be willing to be in another labour camp of a sort for this purpose? These are a few example- questions to argue that the UCPN (M) needs further clarifications in these propositions to remain in the political forefront in future Nepal. Nevertheless, the party has made a good beginning by the cardinal policy change through its recently concluded 7th Congress.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite a good and encouraging beginning to transform his party into a contemporaneous force, Dahal has left many crucial unanswered questions which still cast doubts over his intentions. He has mentioned Nepali Congress as the &#39;prime enemy&#39; but has failed to enumerate the reasons. There is no mention of what the party would do to the land and property forcefully occupied by its cadres during the insurgency period. How will the party view the private property rights, civil &nbsp;rights and individual as well as press freedom? Until these questions are answered satisfactorily, the proposed transformations from the margins will not yield the benefits as aspired by Dahal and his party. But again, transformation is a continuous process and momentum is more important than the event.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/polt.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 168px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" /></div>',
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			'keywords' => 'new business age visiting business people news & articles, visiting business people news & articles from new business age nepal, visiting business people headlines from nepal,  current and latest visiting business people news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali visiting business people econ',
			'description' => 'The UCPN (M) truly wants to remain in the mainstream of Nepali Politics. It, therefore, has ventured into a dramatic change in policy paradigm through its Seventh National Congress. The seventh Congress was a hundred and eighty degree shift in the party's policy stand, from its Sixth Congress twenty-one years ago. The previous one had adopted the policy of raising arms against the state and the recent one has formally proposed to relinquish them altogether -- a changed face of revolution, as the party has baptized it.',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2083',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Presidential Weight-loss',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Achyut Wagle</strong></div>
<p>
	&nbsp;President Dr Ram Baran Yadav&rsquo;s call to the political parties of Nepal to form an all-inclusive consensus government has not materialized even after the eighth deadline elapsed, as of penning down these lines. It was not surprising that an ever-elusive consensus in the present day Nepali politics was not arrested even this time around, though to humiliation of a presidential decree. But what is most engrossing question here is not why it did not materialize, but why did President Yadav at the first place choose to issue such calls to the parties to forge a consensus, the impossibility of which was absolutely foregone? Even if such a consensus evolved over time by any chance, the presidential dignity and credibility that had remained largely intact over these turbulent years of political transition will have been irreparably tarnished by then. During these two months, since his office began to issue seemingly never-ending series of deadlines to parties, but all in vain, his action has been seen as unwise by the people.<br />
	<br />
	Not only that, at one instance, President Yadav also gave a na&iuml;ve public speech which was construed as throwing political weight behind Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, the rarest thing expected from him. &lsquo;Creating a consensus for a new government around the incumbent one would add jewel to the crown,&rsquo; he was quoted by the media as saying in a public function in Pokhara during the first week of December. Though it later turned out that the President was quoted out of context (the message the President was trying to convey was something like &ldquo;I would not mind if the consensus is formed for Dr. Bhattarai to continue as the Prime Minister and other parties joining that government), the damage was already done. The president could have avoided making any such statement altogether. The two acts by President Yadav-- calling to parties for consensus to form an electoral government and, at the same time implicitly favouring incumbent Prime Minister Bhattarai to head that new government -- are in apparent contrast. A very strong fraction of Kathmandu&rsquo;s political high-circle attributes this Presidential blunder to the prowess of senior Indian National Congress Leader Dr Karan Singh, who called on Yadav in the first week of December in the pretext of inviting the latter in an academic function of Banaras Hindu University. In essence, this act of calling for consensus for new government on the one hand and supporting the incumbent prime minister on the other defeats the very purpose of presidential call for a new government.</p>
<p>
	Then, the most crucial questions here are: what prompted him to do so? And, who ultimately has benefitted politically from this entire episode. As for the prompters, there are three theories on the float. First, the president in fact knew that no such consensus was tangible even in farthest horizon, yet wanted to call for it. Because, the failure of the political parties to act upon his call would pave the way for his &lsquo;more assertive role&rsquo; in the present day Nepali politics. But that seems flatly implausible, as he has not done enough scratching whether he can actually assume the position of an executive president, even if he wished so. The second theory is that he was sincerely concerned about the prolonged constitutional vacuum and wanted to build a moral pressure on the political parties to work out a tenable solution to it. Even that was the case, he should have gauged on what would happen ultimately if his call did not yield any result. And, more importantly, there are no constitutional way outs available to push the present government out of power and form a new government. Without such constitutional backing, the president was naturally ill-equipped to adventure into such never-ending game of calling for consensus. His guts and practicalities, both, are not permitting him to randomly pick a figure of his like as the next prime minister. And, for the third, there is a section of political analysts who take his recent call as the success of a game plan by the UCPN (Maoist) and the Indian establishment which are making every possible effort to retain Dr Bhattarai as the prime minister as long as possible.<br />
	<br />
	This argument appears relatively convincing. The only impediment to PM Bhattarai and the Maoists to continue in power was none other than the president himself. President Yadav&rsquo;s public image is way above that of Prime Minister Bhattarai and the person who can announce the removal of Bhattarai from his post is, of course, the president only. At least, they saw it that way. Since there is not any constitutional clarity on the further course to change the government, the Maoists feared that if president acted in this line, he might get a popular support. But, if the president&rsquo;s image got obliqued by some machinations, his moral authority would dwindle sharply, as it did by his current faux pas. Hence, there were advices from largely unassuming quarters to thrust him into this vicious game of calling for a new CONSENSUS government. This has provided room for the UCPN-Maoist&rsquo;s to consolidate its campaign against the President alleging him as harbouring dream of becoming the executive head of the country. When the credibility of the president substantially erodes further, it will only be easier for the UCPN-Maoist and Prime Minister Bhattarai to consolidate the grip on state powers.<br />
	<br />
	Not only vindicated by the circumstances but also in essence, the president&rsquo;s this call for consensus was a premature and novice adventure to say the least. His implicit intention of calling for consensus government seems to hold the elections for a new constituent assembly (CA). But, he did not realise the fact that without a lot of ground work and a thorough review of the past failures, holding a new elections is impossible and likely to be futile like in the past even if they were held. The last CA was too big to deliver a constitution and the CA members both elected by people and handpicked by the party leadership across the board were apparently under qualified for the job of writing the law of the land. This was proved by their four-year tenure that ended without delivering a new constitution. Therefore, before thinking of another election, there must be a single national voice on the very size of the CA, the mechanisms of assigning constituencies and eligibility for candidacy to CA membership. Further, the constitutional bodies like the Election Commission have expressed their concern over the absence of required legal framework to conduct the polls of any objective.<br />
	<br />
	There is another question that must be answered by the top hats of the parties to be represented in the CA. In the last CA, members of the House were hardly given opportunity to debate and contribute in originating and finalising the proposed provisions of the new constitution. They were virtually herded in as per the wish and whim of their respective party leaders. Only a handful of top leaders participated in whatever deliberations that took place and the rest of the CA members just blindly followed them. If that were to be the case, why do we need an extensive new CA through very expensive elections? If everything is to be decided by ten or twelve people, then it is appropriate to form a commission of these very people with some technocrats in it to write the new constitution. Then a new legislature elected after promulgating this constitution may ratify it. The scope of amendment is and should always be there. The fact of the matter is that, whatever may be written in the new constitution, no matter whether it is written by a commission or a CA, that is going to spark controversy of this or that form, for reasons that people have now more sectarian and irrational expectations which are impossible to be addressed by any balanced, democratic and forward-looking document called constitution.<br />
	<br />
	These are some of the issues, the institution like Presidential Office of the country should have considered before jumping into &lsquo;deadline business&rsquo;. At present, there seems no viability of such a government that can accommodate every force of the country. Then, an all inclusive roundtable under the president&rsquo;s sponsorship could be an alternative, which can help chart a future course of the nation.<br />
	<br />
	Even if the elections were to be held, it is now proper to hold them to select a form of the constitution itself, not the members of CA. This means, every contesting political party should first draft a full version of the constituent of their liking and go for the ratification by the people for the vote. This indeed will reduce a lot of complications. People will know at the first hand what is in different verson of the constitution presented by the parties. It will invite a meaningful debate and provide room for input. This will also help for faster face of political polarization between, the Left, Right and the Centre forces. More importantly, this will mainifest the intentions of eacdh party before people could vote for any of them and, above all, will give a good homework for political leaders to talk and act sense with acceptable degree of coherence in preparing a feasible draft. In view of sharp divisions along ethnic and communal lines, this proposition contributes to diffuse the tensions before the adoption of the constitution. Various facets potential federal set-up will get space to be debated in public. Then the ultimate promulgation would be lot easier than in any other deemed process.<br />
	<br />
	Instead of indulging into self-degrading course of action like issuing deadlines for the parties, the president should now focus on rescuing the country from the current mess. For this, he does not necessarily need to go beyond available constitutional jurisdiction. For instance, he can hold a comprehensive round-table in the form of consultative meet. There could be several other ways and means available. But, he will in a position to make a difference, if and only if, he maintained a dignity that suits to the first president of a new republic nation-state. His recent move was undoubtedly far below that mark.</p>',
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			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s call to the political parties of Nepal to form an all-inclusive consensus government has not materialized even after the eighth deadline elapsed, as of penning down these lines. It was not surprising that an ever-elusive consensus in the present day Nepali politics was not arrested even this time around',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2082',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Double Drama, Fresh Conflict',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Achyut Wagle</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Although the countdown to November 19, the scheduled date for the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, reduces from months to days, uncertainty on the polls continue to hover. A drama of double acts, on-stage and off-stage, orchestrated simultaneously by forces striving to hold the polls and forces trying to foil it, respectively, takes upon the country.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The on-stage drama looks normal - as though nothing is amiss and things are all set to sail smoothly until the polls and even beyond. The four-party pro-poll alliance of the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and Madhesi Front now swells to a six-party one after the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum of Upendra Yadav and the Federal Socialist Party led by Ashok Rai joined the group upon agreeing to participate in the polls. The leaders and working committees of these parties are flexing their muscles to select candidates for the first-past-the-post system for two hundred and forty constituencies. The elites in all these parties are busy drafting their respective manifestoes. Aspirants of party tickets for candidacy, from all parties alike, have gathered in Kathmandu to cajole their leaders. The party offices are crowded, traffic jams in the capital have increased not only due to an increased number of vehicles and people but also due to increased violation of traffic rules by those who are not used to following them in districts outside of Kathmandu.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are fringe parties like the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and RPP-Nepal that are not in the alliance but have opted to join the election bandwagon. The pro-royalist RPP-Nepal hopes to perform better if polls were to take place in view of the people&rsquo;s growing disenchantment towards the major political parties. The ambitious ones who failed to woo the party they belong to pick them as candidates are defecting and joining other parties. Professionals and celebrities are taking membership of parties of their choice, hoping to be new leaders.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Election Commission says it has completed all preparations. The election offices in all two hundred and forty constituencies have been opened, logistics and personnel supplied and ballot papers are ready to be printed. Security agencies are recruiting additional forces. Everything on this side of the screen appears destined to have a happy ending.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But the off-stage rehearsal of the other act determined to foil this election at any cost does not signal anything as good. An alliance of supposedly thirty-three parties, led by CPN-Maoist, Mohan Baidya group, has made all possible preparations to create impediments at every possible stage of this election and the scale of their preparation in no way looks dismal.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	They have printed thousands of red T-shirts with the slogan &lsquo;Lets boycott the so- called CA polls&rsquo; printed across. The party has reorganized its youth wing and informal sources claim that they have been instructed to service their concealed old guns that were put to rest after the peace deal seven years ago. If anybody has cared to notice the walls across the country, they have been made colourful with boycott slogans. The leaders of the Baidya group have publicly declared that they will resort to kidnapping candidates from the day of nomination, which was rescheduled from September 25th to October 2nd. The processions organized by this group already look scary. Cadres carry flags and placards on iron rods, with obvious objectives. The back rows are armed with clubs, bamboo sticks, hammers and some even with catapults.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The No-option Trap</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Violence seems imminent, and it might easily exacerbate to make it impossible to hold the polls for two main reasons. First, the Baidya group with its alliance partners has a nation-wide presence. Second, they are left in a no option trap as the logistics to bring the opposing alliance onboard the election process appears impossible, at least so to manage it for November 19th.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The pro-poll alliance is, though, pretending to be engaged in dialogue with Baidya and his group. In essence, the very rationale of such a dialogue no longer holds. It is not only that the poll-opposing parties have not registered in the Election Commission - their rank and files have not enrolled in the voter list either. Thus they cannot file for candidacy even if dialogues bore any positive result. While addressing the demand of Rai&rsquo;s party, the four-party alliance agreed to increase the total number of CA seats from 586 to 601, leaving no further option of placating Baidya and group through addition of CA seats.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For all practical reasons, Baidya and his alliance are left to a no-option trap than opposing the proposed elections. It must be acknowledged that this group had shown unprecedented flexibility in the all-party meeting called by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav mid-September. The only major condition it had put forth to participate in the polls was that the Chairman of the Interim Election Government Khil Raj Regmi resign from the post of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal. This demand was indeed in compliance to the principle of the separation of power among the organs of the state under any acceptable form of democratic governance. It was surprising that the so-called democratic parties also failed to agree on this very reasonable demand by the opposition. It appeared as if the six-party alliance was determined not to bring Baidya into the election fold. Often reported clandestine machinations to throw Baidya at the bay, do appear to be holding some water.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Peculiar Movements</strong></span></div>
<div>
	There are unnatural political movements that contribute to gradually worsen the situation. It is no longer a secret that Baidya&rsquo;s participation in the polls would not affect anyone substantially but the UCPN (Maoist). Therefore, sidelining of Baidya is seen as the outcome of the successful hoodwinking of UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal. Regmi&rsquo;s stiffening of position on the resignation issue and wee hour meetings between the duo, even when Dahal was not the convener of the six-party alliance, are viewed as part of such machinations.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Forces at Play</strong></span></div>
<div>
	There is a very strong intelligentsia in Kathmandu which believes that the dialogue with Baidya, which at one point of time appeared heading to a resolution, got suddenly aborted after Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh visited Nepal in the second week of September. Her insistence on holding the polls in the November &lsquo;at any cost&rsquo; is in effect tantamount to leaving the poll-opposing groups out of the fray.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following Singh&rsquo;s visit, Chinese information minister Cai Moinzhu came to Nepal in the third week of the same month, who unlike Singh reportedly chose to meet Baidya, which interestingly was not covered by the media.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The public speeches of ambassadors like that of Germany and the United States have also created some political ripples as they &lsquo;campaigned&rsquo; for the scheduled elections. Media reports claiming that international election observers have started to land in Nepal suggests that the outside world is more interested in elections here than the Nepali people themselves.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Degrading to a soft-state</strong></span></div>
<div>
	President Yadav recently gave assent to an ordinance that enables the government to mobilize the Nepal Army for the scheduled polls. Yadav, in fact, is bowing down to sign everything that the six-party mechanism wants him to do, invoking the single constitutional provision of &lsquo;removing the difficulties&rsquo;. He, for example, first agreed to a 491-member CA, then to 586 and finally, again to 601.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He is doing all these things without making sure that the elections would actually take place and his signing of these documents do facilitate the process of political reconciliation and peace building.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	These developments have created a situation that any constitutional, institutional and legal changes can be effected in Nepal at any point of time, at will. There is no stability factor and there is no defined position of the State. This is a very dangerous soft state syndrome. The editor of a prominent news magazine tweeted last week, &lsquo;if anything can come as removing difficulties, why can&rsquo;t one new constitution too come from the same window, putting all fuss to an end?&rsquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>New Round of Conflict</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The country is all set to enter a fresh round of conflict, for now as a clash between pro and anti-poll forces, if the government chooses to crush the ones determined to oppose these polls. The fact is: the opposition forces are determined to stop this election and they are not a very fringe force that could be quelled with regular security operation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Even if these polls are held by using all possible instruments, the CA elected thus is unlikely to deliver a constitution that is acceptable even to those now opposing the polls. The conflict might even aggravate at this point. &nbsp;As such, the promulgation of a constitution would be next to impossible. The only way to peace again is to bring all political forces to the electoral process, which for now means, unquestionably, deferral of the election date to a new one acceptable to all - both to create political space for the dissenting parties and make it logistically possible for them to participate in the electoral process.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(The writer is former editor of Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily.)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'Although the countdown to November 19, the scheduled date for the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, reduces from months to days, uncertainty on the polls continue to hover. A drama of double acts, on-stage and off-stage, orchestrated simultaneously by forces striving to hold the polls and forces trying to foil it, respectively, takes upon the country.',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2081',
			'article_category_id' => '173',
			'title' => 'The Multiplex Effect',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fcube Multiplex" src="/userfiles/images/fcube%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 181px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Bhawani Timalsina</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities. &nbsp;The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city. &nbsp;However, the trend of digitization was initiated by the QFX centre after acquiring Jai Nepal cinema hall in 2000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Experts opine that multiplexes lure the audience mainly through technologies that make films more visually appealing. &nbsp;Alongside movie watching, multiplexes offer other attractive facilities such as complimentary pop-corns, game-zones, separate lounges and a good ambience. Multiplexes offer quality experience to the audience. Multiplex are provided with operators more opportunities to grow as conventional cinema halls lack enough resources to maintain quality, operators say.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Film makers in Nepal say that the multiplex cinema halls here have been playing a key role in uplifting the Nepali film industry. New film-makers have been thrilled with the response they have received from the audience in multiplex movie halls. Film producer and director Nischal Basnet says, &ldquo;The trend is positive for Nepali film-makers as the multiplexes have attracted audiences that previously neglected Nepali films. These are audiences that regard ambience and facility as important aspects of the movie-watching experience.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Infrastructure Officer of the Film Development Board Nepal, Harihar Rekhoula, agrees that the multiplexes have helped in promoting Nepali films. Rekhoula agrees that the multiplexes have given a new avenue to promote Nepali films and opines that audiences should encourage Nepali films by watching them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Chairman of Quest Entertainment Pvt Ltd Nakim Uddin is pleased with the response the multiplex halls have received recently. &ldquo;We have been receiving a positive response from the audiences ever since the inception of Jai Nepal cinema hall,&rdquo; he claims.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Rakesh Shrestha, Managing Operator of Big Movies sees investment in the movie exhibition business (multiplex) has huge potential. &ldquo;New players are emerging in the business and the market has been expanding,&rdquo; he says. Shrestha is optimistic and confident that the future of the film exhibition business will remain bright as positive responses from movie-goers have prompted new investors as well. &nbsp;&ldquo;Growing competition helps expand the market,&rdquo; he adds.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dr Pradeep Bhattarai, President of Film Critics Society Nepal (FCSN), mentioned in his presentation &lsquo;Setting the Scene: Nepal and Film Market&rsquo; at the Workshop on Copyright for Film Professionals held in Kathmandu in December 2012, that investment in the film exhibition business has increased with the introduction of multiplexes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the Film Development Board, there are 215 film theatres and 43 high vision halls in Nepal. Out of them, 90 percent are following the digital format whereas the rest are under process. &ldquo;Audiences are now ready to pay overpriced tickets, though it was quite difficult to convince them in the beginning,&rdquo; says Roshan Adiga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of QFX Cinemas. Adiga also mentions that online booking and online purchasing are additional facilities of multiplexes that encourage ticket-buying. Tickets at multiplexes are priced from Rs 175 to Rs 400, and occupancy in general is 70-80 percent when a good movie is on, according to Shrestha, who speaks for Big Cinemas alone. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have the ability to screen a single film in several auditoria via interlinked equipment in a single projection room. &nbsp;Due to this, multiplex operators accommodate a broad choice of films to attract large audiences. Given the range of price in tickets and variety of choice in films, multiplexes have also become a recreation centre for people of all classes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Malls and Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have always been an integral part of shopping malls worldwide. In the context of Nepal, renowned multiplexes such as QFX, F-Cube and Big cinemas are located in famous shopping malls &ndash; the QFX Central in Civil mall, Big Cinemas in City Centre and F-Cube in KL tower. Adiga says that malls and multiplexes are integral as both have to depend upon each other for footfalls. The increasing number of shopping malls in Kathmandu has boosted the number of multiplexes. Co-location of malls and multiplexes are beneficial as multiplexes help increase sales, say operators at malls. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Increasing Investment Volume in Film Exhibition&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The movie-watching experience has changed with the multiplex boom. Trends indicate change in the financial aspect of the entertainment sector. The massive success of multiplexes has attracted huge amounts of investment in the exhibition business. Multiplex operators are optimistic that the multiplex business will reach heights with increasing competitors and expansion plans in the days to come. &nbsp;The rise of the multiplex has pressurized single stand cinema halls to improve quality and facility. Multiplex owners have also lured good revenue from food vendors and advertisements as most of them have been tying up with various brands.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Average cost of the multi-screen cinema</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Quest Entertainment invested Rs 30 million in Jai Nepal and Rs 45 million in Kumari Cinema hall. According to multiplex operators, the cost of multiplex business would be Rs 50 million in average. However, cost also depend upon the quality of technology and other factors affecting investment. According to Shrestha, the cost can range from Rs 70 million to Rs 90 million given different technologies and business capacity.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Upcoming Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The QFX Centre is planning to roll out a 3-auditoria multiplex in Lalitpur in the near future. The company informs that the project will be completed within a year. &nbsp;Some old single stand theaters are also set to build multi-screen cinema halls. Some of Kathmandu&rsquo;s oldest cinema halls like Bishwojyoti and Ranjana halls have already begun the venture. Big Movies has also been planning to come up with other projects in the days to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Multiplex in KTM" src="/userfiles/images/fcube1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 133px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
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			'description' => 'The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities.  The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city.',
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			'article_category_id' => '165',
			'title' => 'Global Business Trends October 2013',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Switzerland Leads in Global Energy Ranking</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 188px;" />Switzerland and a handful of countries in Europe led the way in a global ranking of energy efficiency, access to resources and environmental sustainability. China ranked 78th and the United States was 15th, according to the report by the World Energy Council, a London-based group that promotes sustainable power. Canada came in sixth and France was 10th, while the worst showing of all 129 countries was made by Zimbabwe.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Countries were also given letter grades for their performance in three categories: how well they manage their energy supply, how accessible and affordable energy is across the population, and how much of their power is derived from low-carbon renewables. Only five countries received all A&#39;s -- Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Britain and Spain. Benin and Zimbabwe received all D&#39;s. India, Lebanon, Yemen and Nicaragua also fared poorly with C&#39;s and D&#39;s.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	China got an A for energy security but D&#39;s for the environment and affordability and equitable access to power. The United States was a top scorer in security and supply but earned a C in environmental friendliness. The report was based on interviews with more than 50 government officials, development banks and international experts from more than 25 countries, the WEC said. Policymakers interviewed for the report urged more proactive energy policies, and called on the energy industry to help developed countries makes strides toward sustainable energy. The report was released three weeks ahead of talks at the World Energy Congress, to be held in Daegu, Korea.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Asia to have Most Millionaires: Survey</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 188px;" />Asia will have the world&rsquo;s largest number of millionaires as early as next year despite the expected tapering of the US Federal Reserve&rsquo;s stimulus programme, according to a report published on September 25th. With strong growth and high saving rates, the wealth of the region&rsquo;s millionaires will grow by an annual average 9.8 percent and reach nearly $16 trillion in 2015, according to the wealth management unit of Royal Bank of Canada.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite concerns of devaluing asset prices due to capital outflows triggered by Fed tapering, Asia is set to lead the world in the number of millionaires and their total wealth, the bank said in a report prepared with consulting firm Capgemini. &ldquo;The region&rsquo;s high net worth population and wealth has increased by 31 percent and 27 percent respectively since 2007, far outpacing growth in the rest of the world of 14 percent and nine percent,&rdquo; George Lewis, group head of RBC Wealth Management, said in a statement.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The number of millionaires in Asia surged by 9.4 percent year-on-year to 3.68 million in 2012, still trailing North America&rsquo;s 3.73 million. Millionaires in the report are defined as individuals with investable assets of $1 million or more, excluding residence, collectibles and others.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Asia&rsquo;s continual population growth, and economic growth expected to continue outperforming the rest of the world, would help it take the lead as early as next year, according to Eric Lascelles, chief economist of RBC Global Asset Management. He said the Fed&rsquo;s tapering plan could create &ldquo;hiccups&rdquo; but would not affect the trajectory of growth in the region. &nbsp;The bank said Japan saw the slowest growth in its millionaire population last year among Asian economies, with only a 4.4 percent increase in 2012 compared to the previous year. Hong Kong topped its Asian peers in the growth of both millionaire numbers and their investable assets in 2012.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>China&#39;s Smartphone Shipments to Exceed 450 mn&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 207px;" />The world&#39;s biggest smartphone market China will likely see shipments of more than 450 million devices in 2014, at least a quarter more than this year, research firm IDC said. IDC said the increase will be driven by the government&#39;s issuance of 4G licences and expectations that China Mobile Ltd , the world&#39;s biggest wireless operator, would carry iPhones by then.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	China, a market dominated by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Lenovo Group Ltd, is expected to ship 120 million 4G-enabledsmartphones to meet consumer demand for Internet connectivity. Smartphone shipments are expected to reach 360 million this year, IDC said.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the second quarter, Samsung and Lenovo maintained their lead in China with market shares of 18.5 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively, while China Wireless Technologies Ltd&#39;s Coolpad moved up a notch from the previous quarter to rank number 3. Apple Inc&#39;s iPhones saw market share and ranking fall to 5 percent and number 6 in the second quarter, from 9 per cent and number 5 a quarter ago, IDC analysts said. The US technology giant&#39;s market share usually slips a quarter or two before its next product launch.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&quot;Affected by the sluggish sales of iPhone 5, Apple&#39;s market share has declined dramatically, but its performance is expected to remarkably improve with the launch of the new iPhone,&quot; James Yan, an IDC analyst, said in a statement. Apple unveiled two new smartphone models, the iPhone 5S and a less expensive 5C, in China just hours after their US launch. Apple sold 9 million new iPhones during the first three days in stores after China joined the list of launch countries for the first time, though it declined to give a breakdown for the Chinese market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Blackberry in $4.7bn Takeover Deal&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 155px;" />Struggling smartphone maker Blackberry has agreed in principle to be bought by a consortium led by Fairfax Financial for $4.7bn (&pound;3bn). Blackberry said in statement that Fairfax, its largest shareholder with about 10% of the stock, had offered $9 a share in cash to buy the company. But Blackberry said it would continue to explore other options while negotiations with Fairfax continued.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Two weeks ago, Blackberry announced 4,500 jobs cuts in a bid to stem losses. The Canadian company said it expected to make a loss of up to $1bn after poor sales of its new handsets. In August, Blackberry said it was evaluating a possible sale. On Monday, 23rd September, the company announced that it had &quot;signed a letter of intent agreement under which a consortium to be led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited has offered to acquire the company subject to due diligence&quot;.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The statement continued: &quot;Diligence is expected to be complete by November 4, 2013. The parties&#39; intention is to negotiate and execute a definitive transaction agreement by such date.&quot; However, Blackberry said it was not in exclusive talks with Fairfax and would continue to &quot;actively solicit, receive, evaluate and potentially enter into negotiations&quot; with other potential buyers. Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa, Fairfax&#39;s chairman and chief executive, said: &quot;We believe this transaction will open an exciting new private chapter for Blackberry, its customers, carriers and employees.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Blackberry&#39;s financial problems came to a head this year following disappointing sales of its new Z10 model smartphone. Released in January - after many delays - the phone has failed to enthuse consumers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Scandals Cost JPMorgan $1 Billion in Fines</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl4%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 156px;" />It&#39;s $1 billion in payouts that JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co most likely wants to forget. In agreements with regulators totaling $1 billion and made public on September 19, the biggest bank of US settled four civil investigations into its &quot;London Whale&quot; trading scandal and two more into the wrongful billing of credit-card customers. The deals, which involve five authorities from the United States and one from the UK, are a milestone in the company&#39;s push to clean up its legal affairs but leave JPMorgan exposed to additional costs and embarrassment.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The bank still faces criminal probes into the trading scandal, its conduct during an energy trading investigation, sales of mortgage securities in the United States and possible bribery in China. Investigators are also looking into its role in setting benchmark interest rates known as LIBOR. The settlements include $920 million of penalties for JPMorgan&#39;s London Whale trading scandal, which Chief Executive Jamie Dimon at first dismissed as a &quot;tempest in a teapot&quot; and ultimately resulted in $6.2 billion in losses. The deals included an admission of wrongdoing, which has been rare in past settlements made by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A second set of settlements includes $80 million of payments for billing of credit-card customers for identity-theft protection services that they did not receive. The deals, made with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, come after the company issued $309 million of refunds to customers. The Comptroller of the Currency also on Thursday ordered JPMorgan to improve its consumer debt-collection practices. That order did not include financial penalties and involved allegations made public more than two years ago. The London Whale deals, reached with the UK&#39;s Financial Conduct Authority and the U.S. Federal Reserve, SEC and Comptroller of the Currency, resolve the biggest civil probes into the trading debacle. The deals include citations against JPMorgan for poor risk controls and failure to inform regulators about deficiencies in risk management identified by bank management. The scandal took on the London Whale nickname that hedge funds had given to Bruno Iksil, a trader at JPMorgan&#39;s Chief Investment Office in London, for the enormous size of the positions he took for the company.</div>',
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			'description' => 'Switzerland and a handful of countries in Europe led the way in a global ranking of energy efficiency, access to resources and environmental sustainability. China ranked 78th and the United States was 15th, according to the report by the World Energy Council, a London-based group that promotes sustainable power.',
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			'id' => '2079',
			'article_category_id' => '163',
			'title' => 'Tech Talk October 2013',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Samsung Launches UHD TV &nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 99px;" />HIM Electronics, authorized distributor of Samsung in Nepal, launched a new series of Ultra High Definition (UHD) Televisions and refrigerators in the Nepali market. The latest model of Samsung TV is available in 65 and 55 inches with more than 8 million pixels which helps bring out intricate and detailed pictures. UHD TV series offers a revolutionary voice command recognition system and intuitive motion sensing. In order to enable the basic functions such as changing channels or the volume, one has to say &lsquo;HI TV&rsquo; or wave a hand. In addition, users can also use videos, photos and other available apps in the TV to share content through social media like Facebook and Twitter. The price of the 65 inch and 55 inch UHD TV is Rs 800,000 and Rs 750,000, respectively.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, the BEE 5 star rating Samsung Refrigerator 3050 series provides facility to store food with a minimum consumption of electricity as it uses LED lights and the digital Inverter Compressor. The refrigerator also has a decade-long warranty facility. The cost of a refrigerator varies from Rs 33.000 to Rs 45, 000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Apple Unveils Two New iphone Models</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 113px;" />Apple&rsquo;s latest iPhones will come in a bevy of colours and two distinct designs, one made of plastic and the other that aims to be &ldquo;the gold standard of smartphones&rdquo; and reads your fingerprint. Apple unveiled the latest iPhone models during an event at its Cupertino, California, headquarters. The iPhone 5C will be available in five colours &ndash; green, blue, yellow, pink and white. CEO Tim Cook calls it &ldquo;more fun and colourful&rdquo; than any other iPhone. The 5C has a 4-inch Retina display and is powered by Apple&rsquo;s A6 chip. It also has an 8 megapixel camera, live photo filters and a rear cover that lights up. The second phone, the 5S, is &ldquo;the most forward-looking phone we have ever created,&rdquo; said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple. It will come in silver, gold and &ldquo;space gray&rdquo; and run a new chip, the A7 that is up to twice as fast as the A6.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Canvas Lite A92 in Market</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 89px;" />Micromax has launched Canvas Lite A92 in the market. The phone is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor and runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. For imaging, the phone has a 5 Megapixel primary camera and a 0.3 Megapixel secondary camera. A92 sports a 5.0&quot; capacitive full touch screen, 32 GB expandable memory and comes with a 2000 mAh battery. &nbsp;Other features of the phone include gravity sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS support.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Colors Launches Xfactor Shine 1&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 99px; height: 200px;" />Colors mobile has introduced new Xfactor Shine 1 in the market. According to a press release from the company, the handset is loaded with the best of the features, comes with a faster processor and beautiful sleek design and Android version 4.0.3. The phone is powered by a 1.2 GHz Dual Core Processor and has 4 GB ROM and 512 MB of RAM. Other features include 4.5 inch screen, WAP/GPRS/EDGE support, dual SIM standby and expandable memory up to 32 GB.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>New Ultraviolet LED for Portable Devices Developed</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt4%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 113px;" />Researchers have developed a new ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diode that could lead to more portable and low-cost devices. The patent-pending LED creates a more precise wavelength of UV light than today&#39;s commercially available UV LEDs, and runs at much lower voltages and is more compact than other experimental methods for creating precise wavelength UV light. Ohio State University engineers created LEDs out of semiconductor nanowires which were doped with the rare earth element gadolinium.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Twitter files for IPO</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt5%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 99px;" />Twitter has filed for an initial public offering of stock, though the details of its business will remain a secret for now. The company sent its filing confidentially to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Twitter has been rumored to be going public for the past few years. After Facebook&#39;s IPO in May 2012, it was widely believed that Twitter would be the next major technology company to offer its stock to public investors.</div>',
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			'id' => '2046',
			'article_category_id' => '153',
			'title' => 'Two-wheelers Getting More Riders',
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	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Suraksha Adhikari&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In a country like Nepal where a proficient transportation service seems to be a far-fetched dream, two-wheelers have become the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Motorcycles have become the choice for the people working during odd hours to move around in the busiest roads of capital or the bumpy roads in the countryside or say the narrow roads where the four wheelers cannot easily pass by.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	With the arrival of the main festivals in Nepal, the mob of people is seen around the motorcycle showrooms to grab the offers and schemes provided by various companies on the occasion of festivals. Adhir Kumar Shrestha, Assistant Managing Director of V.G. Automobiles Pvt. Ltd said that the sale of motorcycles has increased to double following the offers. This company has already sold around 1,200 units of motorcycles in short span of being authorized dealer of Nepal.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shekhar Golchha, President of the Nepal Automobile Dealers&rsquo; Association (NADA) said that the size of the market increases during the festival season because of the trend of buying new things during the special occasions. He said, &ldquo;Around 20 to 50 per cent of total sale of two wheelers on Nepal is during Dashain.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He added, &ldquo;The first choice of people after having some amount of money is automobile and Dashain is the most suitable occasion for the people to buy new things in the family.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The road widening drive in Kathmandu and other cities in the country started some time ago. However, most roads still await completion. &ldquo;Having wide roads will definitely have a positive impact on the industry,&rdquo; said Shrestha.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Market Status</strong></span></div>
<div>
	After the continuous dropdown of the two wheelers market for more than two years, the market has again picked up the pace. As per the data of Department of Transport Management the import of two-wheelers rose 22 percent in the first nine months of the fiscal year compared to the same period last year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Analyzing the data of past one decade, the motorcycle segment has witnessed a very impressive growth. The number of two-wheelers has grown from 26,547 in fiscal 2003-04 to 175,381 in fiscal 2012-13.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	One of the largest players in the two-wheeler scene in the country, HH Bajaj, reported that they had witnessed a growth in sales of more than 40 percent. The company has so far sold around 30,000 units of two-wheelers. Shekhar Golchha, executive director of HH Bajaj, said that the reason behind the increase in sales was the bounce-back effect afterv a huge fall.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The enormous growth the two-wheeler segment has been witnessing annually has been spreading to areas outside the capital city. While the market for two-wheelers has come to a saturation point in the Kathmandu valley, sales outside the valley have seen a massive growth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Factors in Increasing Sales</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The easy availability of auto loans at a lower interest rate compared to the past few years has contributed to the growth in auto sales. Currently, finance companies are offering auto loans in the range of 9.5 to 12 percent interest. &ldquo;As two-wheelers are the means of transportation of the general people, easy availability of finance has played a positive role in the increment in sales,&rdquo; Golchha said. Meanwhile the sales of two-wheelers had increased as public transportation isn&rsquo;t reliable in the country. Launching of schemes by motorcycle dealers round the year and new model rollouts too have aided growth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Problems and Challenges</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Traders say that the license distribution system of Transportation Management Department is capital centric which has been creating problem to the license holder outside the valley. This has been degrading the sale as the facility of trial for two wheelers is only in Pokhara and Kathmandu after the upgrade of license distribution system.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Other major challenges include transportation hurdles and traffic management. Pradip Pradhan, member of NADA, said that the government&rsquo;s categorizing automobiles in the luxury segment has hindered the growth of the sector.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-10-28',
			'modified' => '2013-11-11',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'In a country like Nepal where a proficient transportation service seems to be a far-fetched dream, two-wheelers have become the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Motorcycles have become the choice for the people working during odd hours to move around in the busiest roads of capital or the bumpy roads in the countryside or say the narrow roads where the four wheelers cannot easily pass by.',
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	(int) 1 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2072',
			'article_category_id' => '31',
			'title' => 'A Recipe For Development Through Rights',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>William Ruger</strong>&nbsp;is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University and an adjunct assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. He earned his PhD in Politics from Brandeis University. Professor Ruger has authored a biography, Milton Friedman, and is also co-author of The State of Texas: Government, Politics, and Policy and Freedom in the 50 States and An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom. His scholarly articles have been appeared in International Studies Quarterly, Armed Forces and Society, and State Politics and Policy Quarterly. During his recent visit in Nepal, he spoke to&nbsp;<strong>Editor-in-Chief Madan Lamsal</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Suraksha Adhikari</strong>&nbsp;of New Business Age.<strong>&nbsp;Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What brought you to Nepal this time?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Well, I am here as a guest and also to address a workshop at the King&rsquo;s College. I love interacting with people and the same thing I am doing here in Kathmandu to exchange thought and views on current scenario in this country. So, it&rsquo;s been very enjoyable.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You argue that developing economies need well-functioning institutions that keep peace (both domestically and internationally) and administer justice. Can you elaborate?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	One of the most important things that the social scientists have identified is being consistent with the prosperous economy where a state protests property rights. When people want to invest for better economy, they need to be protected in terms of their property rights. Their profits won&rsquo;t be confiscated and the investment they make won&rsquo;t get affected with high tax issues, which will led them to rough weather &mdash; crushing their efforts by the regulations. It&rsquo;s really important to have a thorough research and to get the institutions right. For example: There is a book called, &ldquo;Why Nations Fail?&rdquo; where the difference between North and South Korea was beautifully portrayed as different sets of institutions. South Korea and United States have more inclusive institutions including property right protection while other places do not. One can see the difference in these two places.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You have emphasized that the governments need to focus on protecting private property rights. What are major implications of private property rights on economy?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	I don&rsquo;t think we should defend property rights simply because they lead to economic prosperity. I think it should be protected because it&rsquo;s the right thing a state should do. People have the right to own their property, to include their integrity, their thoughts and the products of their labour in terms of making or buying. This is the right thing to do with consistence to the prosperous society. So I will not say that the state shouldn&rsquo;t do it only because of its relationship with prosperity. A government is the one that protects people&rsquo;s individual rights to include property right.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">Considering the situation, when we are not being able to enjoy the basic fundamental rights, how can we think of including the private property rights in the list?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	I am not saying it&rsquo;s easy for any society including my own to ensure that the government should respect its rights. There are many examples where I think that my own government failed in protecting individual rights. I believe it&rsquo;s same in Nepal too. A right state provides a situation to see whether the government&rsquo;s function in ideal or not. If the government sticks to doing the basic things of protecting property rights, individual rights, allowing individual to execute their projects, having interest in bettering themselves and their family then you can see prosperity across. These are the basic things that the government should do. Unfortunately there are so many governments around the world that try to do so many things for good reasons but sometimes even for self-interested reasons. That&rsquo;s why a democratic society is important so that some pressure can be put on the government by the people. That means the people have to hold the government and governing class feet to the fire. If they engage in corruption this needs to be rooted out.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"><img alt="William Ruger,Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University" src="/userfiles/images/wr1.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px; height: 459px;" />Do you think the government needs to protect the powerless from the powerful who aim to rent-seek contrary to the public good or whose persons and property are threatened or violated by other citizens?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Yes, indeed. You know a lot of people talk about how there is need to have economic right for the less well-off. Part of the problem for the weaker section of the society is that government is strictly rest-seeking against the renters, putting barriers and regulations on the business activities. It makes it harder to people to actually move up in the society. In creating a situation in which economic growth is difficult for the entire society and that doesn&rsquo;t help anyone but especially hurts people towards the bottom in many ways in terms of quality and poverty. So, what we need is a real pro-growth business policy of the government &mdash; consistent with the rise so that you can see society as a whole become more progressive.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What are the major constraints of developing countries when it comes to growth?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The economic growth is a complicated picture. You must have a right institution in terms of the government, you also have to have the culture that is consistent with entrepreneur activities and a peaceful society that is relatively tolerant having strong work ethic which teaches a kind of value consistent with human flourishing. So it is very important for families and institutions in society to help develop those values.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">How can we develop the entrepreneurial culture among the people&rsquo;s lives in society like us?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Entrepreneurship is the thing that should be awarded not hindered. Its&rsquo; really easy to squelch an entrepreneurial skill if you frustrate it constantly especially when you are trying to raise yourself to build a business and so forth. And I think in many ways the informal economy in Nepal shows that there is still a lot of entrepreneurial spirit. It&rsquo;s not just out in the formal economy perhaps it should be a really important for the government to get out of the way of the people engaging in those types of business but to make them easier and to have a kind of feeling that they won&rsquo;t be punished.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is also good for the government if they could secure the property rights of individual in business. There is a role for government to administer justice and it should engage police to protect the property rights, the people and to protect the state from other countries. And it needs tax revenue to do so.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For making the people aware about the entrepreneurship and its importance &mdash; education will play a pivotal role. These things should be taught to our children in schools and institutions to make them aware about what is necessary to achieve prosperity.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You often talk about freedom to price exploration. What&rsquo;s your main proposition to this regard?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	The price mechanism is important for transmitting local information efficiently in the complicated large society. Without the price mechanism it&rsquo;s hard for economy to be efficient. So when government steps into that, it creates a lot of problems. In fact, without the price mechanism, how would we know how to use our resources including our work force. So when government gets in the way of that it creates problems.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">How important is the ideology of political forces in development?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Unfortunately lots of parties have ideas that that the society is flourishing. And that&rsquo;s the king of rent-seeking behavior we see but also that is a kind of desire for power that individuals in the parties have. In some ways you have to find ways in which ambition can be changed on the right direction. The people who are ambitious should be focused on doing positive things. You rather want to be Bill Gates and earn millions of dollars rather than being a simple person or any political entrepreneur who often spend time is creating a resources and goods for himself rather than for others. And a person like Bill Gates is the one who creates a lot of value for everyone. We should honour these people not envy them. Certainly we should not do the things that prevent the person like Bill Gates from doing what they do.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is difficult to change the situation in the country like Nepal but part of this can be initiated from education, free press where people in media can talk about some of the stories of entrepreneurship, talk about where government has hindered this activities. But it is hard. Once you get into a bad cycle it can be difficult. Again there is a very good research in social science to show somebody&rsquo;s problem and how to get out of it.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What&rsquo;s your stand about communist ideology for the development of the country?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Communism is the failed idea. It should be something that any state or any group repatriates. It is amazing that after the fall of Soviet Union that anybody would generate those views particularly because they haven&rsquo;t been consistent with our flourishing especially economically. Justice is quite difficult to receive in these places that adopt a communist ideology. So I am not sure why anybody want communism not to mention the fact that it just doesn&rsquo;t work and it is something that even the people of the progressive forces in my country don&rsquo;t want the system where the means of production are not held in private hands. So it is just amazing that why anybody would want that. But china has broken with a lot of tendencies of economy. They have tried to encourage more market forces. They are not all the way &mdash; they have to be yet &mdash; but part of the reason that they have a large economy take off was when they started liberalizing their economy and especially to open themselves to international trade. That&rsquo;s part of the recipe of success.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">Professor Ruger you have authored a biography, Milton Friedman. Why is Milton Friedman an important figure to write about?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Friedman is one of the best economists of the 21st century. He is the public intellectual. He was the big figure in the USA and the world promoting markets, reforms in other areas that increased freedom. Lots of people don&rsquo;t realise that he was an important figure in moving USA away from conscription to an all-volunteer military force. He believed in government funding of education but didn&rsquo;t believed in government administration of school so that was really important thing for him. He is important not only he was a great economist and a Nobel Prize Winner in economics for his work on monetary policy largely but also someone who passed a fairly consistent freedom agenda in all kinds of area not just in economic ground.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What is your observation on Nepali business schools based on your short surveillance?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Basically I am a political scientist but one of the best things I found out that there are really bright students who are interested about the ideas we are talking about. It&rsquo;s a long way to come from Texas to Nepal and it is very nice to see the enthusiasm of the students. I wish more people come to Nepal and learn something from the people here because I have learned a lot from this place.</div>',
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			'description' => 'William Ruger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University and an adjunct assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. He earned his PhD in Politics from Brandeis University.',
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	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2067',
			'article_category_id' => '46',
			'title' => '“Private Sector  Is Publicity-Oriented”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 16px;">Though a businessman, he is well known in political circles. Entering the business world at the age of 14, Ajay Raj Sumargi, Chairman of Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd, has many successes under his belt. Shifting between political and business circles, and from one business sector to the next, Sumargi makes an interesting business personality in Nepal. His favourite sector at the moment is hydropower which, according to him, is the one that can change the economy of the country for the better. He does not try to hide his interest in politics and ways he interacts with political forces in order to develop a common minimum understanding among political leaders. &ldquo;Yes, leaders come to me and request to play the role of mediator when there are disputes and differences among them,&rdquo; he reveals. Sumargi talks to New Business Age&rsquo;s Siromani Dhungana about his journey and perspective on business in Nepal.&nbsp;<strong>Excerpts:&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Can you please share with us your journey from being a local businessman outside of the valley to a renowned and one of the richest ones in the country?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was 14 when my father passed away. Our family was already renowned for business at that time. We were involved in various businesses such as transportation, mines and wood works. My mother was always worried about my studies owing to my involvement in business from a very young age. I was responsible toward my younger brothers and we were liable to huge bank loans at that time.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		In 1978, I was liable for a bank loan worth Rs 1.1 million because I had taken over all responsibilities of my father&rsquo;s business. I must confess that I am not a first generation businessman - all I did was continued the businesses initiated by my father. I cleared all my banks loans by 1986 and was able to own a car at that time. All my success today is due to my hard work in those days.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>You entered the business world at a very young age. How did you cope with challenges in business?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was born in a very prosperous and educated family that had great influence at the local level. I cannot forget the contribution of my predecessors for my progress. Similarly, I got many opportunities, warmth and cooperation from society due to my father&rsquo;s fame.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Another reason for my success is my readiness to take risks in business. For instance, I bought a loader worth $60,000 around 1993. At that time most people suggested that I buy a truck instead because the profit attained from trucks was more secure compared to loaders. However, my decision of purchasing a loader paid back and proved to be a right within six years as I was able to reap profit and invest it further in other projects. As a businessman, I always took risks and my readiness to bear risks has benefitted me thus far.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Generally, I change my sector every 11-12 years. In the initial 10 years, I was involved in the business of wood mills; after that, I moved on to the business of mines; later, I got involved in the telecom business and have been in it for the last 10 years.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>So, which sector do you anticipate engaging in the next 10 years?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		It is obviously the hydropower sector I want to concentrate in the coming decade. I have planned to invest in a 35MW hydropower project in Dhading district. I will also put my energies to bring foreign investment in the hydropower sector.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		I had planned to construct a large capacity hydropower project in Karnali when Pushpa Kamal Dahal was Prime Minister. But it could not start due to hassles at the political level. I have put hydropower in my priority list and I think my presence will have a positive impact just as in the telecom sector. My contribution to make the telecom sector competitive and cheap has proved that I can create positive impact in business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Private sector investment in hydropower has been a much hyped issue. In your opinion, what are some major problems impeding the big hydro hope?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		There are many problems in the hydropower sector. First, we have entrusted the responsibility of production, transmission and distribution work to the same agency - the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). In my opinion, a single government agency cannot carry out all these responsibilities. The government&rsquo;s role should be limited to the monitoring of the entire sector whereas work of production, transmission and distribution should be given to the private sector. But the government should provide some sort of subsidy to develop this sector. Another major problem is in transmission. The existing transmission line is not sufficient to supply electricity to households connected to the grid. The line cannot supply power even if sufficient power is produced. Lack of an effective system in NEA and lack of appropriate policies and laws have also affected the development of the hydropower sector.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>The private sector is also blamed for malpractices in the hydropower sector. What is your say?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		It seems the private sector has been publicity-oriented to some extent. Hoarding of hydropower licenses is a serious malpractice on the part of the private sector. Such trends tarnish the reputation of the private sector. The government should revoke the licenses of those firms that are squatting on the licenses just for pocketing them.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Genuine businessmen have been suffering due to the license hoarding trend. The government cannot issue licenses to genuine businessmen like me since all rivers are already occupied. The government should end this and the private sector should support the government in doing so.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Let&rsquo;s change the topic. In your opinion, what should the government do to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Instead of the government acting for that purpose, I think the private sector should be sincere. Activities of the private sector should promote and strengthen it. The government alone cannot create an environment conducive for &nbsp;entrepreneurship and a blame game is not enough. &nbsp;Yet, the government has many responsibilities. The government should facilitate business activities by investing in infrastructure. Three sectors including information technology, hydropower and road connectivity are especially important for positive environment in business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>In spite of your attempt to stay away from controversy, you are always amidst it due to your political connections. Why is this so?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I never want controversy pertaining to my personal life. But people always try to drag me into it which is not good. I don&rsquo;t think it is my fault. People often see things from a single perspective and fail to evaluate things from multiple sides. I think a one-sided assessment of any person will victimise the concerned person.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>There are rumours that you and Prachanda have joint investment in some commercial organizations. Is this true?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was equally close to late Girija Prasad Koirala. Once, I did not speak with him for three months and later he himself came to my house. This does not mean that I want to show off my connection with leaders. But I have good relations with all leaders regardless of their political ideology. I do not have any special connection with Prachanda. I frequently meet Sushil Koirala, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Ram Chandra Paudel. People do not care when I meet other leaders but I don&rsquo;t understand why they hype my meeting with Prachanda. Instead, I claim that I have played a role among political leaders to mitigate the differences among them. They also ask me to play the role of mediator when there are disputes and differences among them.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>It is also said that you constructed &lsquo;Mukti Tower&rsquo; in Baneshwar, naming it after Prachanda&rsquo;s father?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, it is correct that I have constructed Mukti Tower. Its full name is &lsquo;Mukti Shree Tower&rsquo; and I named it after Lord Muktinath. I want to inform that I have kept more than 90 per cent of names of my companies after Lord Muktinath. It is false information that the name of the tower was after Prachanda&rsquo;s father. I don&rsquo;t have special relations with Prachanda. Rather, I have known Dr Baburam Bhattarai for long. What I want as a businessman is very clear - that our leaders should have common minimum agenda for the economic development of the country, and I want to contribute to develop such agenda.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Despite being a businessman, you are equally familiar with the political situation of the country. How do you see the relation between politics and business?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Political stability is very important to foster good business environment. Politicians need to assure that it is safe to invest. Similarly, right to property is also very important to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship. All business people should be convinced that there is level playing field in the business sector. No one will be ready to take risks in an environment of political instability. We want a constitution that will ensure right to property and a free market economy. I want the election to be held in the stipulated time which will be crucial for stability in the country. There may be a group that does not want elections to take place for their own benefit. Prolonged transition in politics will lead us to the worst situation in terms of business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Political parties still seem to be less worried about economic agenda during election. How do you view this?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Recently, Nepali Congress organized a meeting with the business community and entrepreneurs to hold a discussion about economic agendas. I was very happy to be participating in the meeting. I want other parties to hold similar discussions. In my opinion, economic agendas should be forwarded in a professional manner, leaving political advantages and disadvantages aside. &nbsp;Political parties should include the issues of economic reform in their manifestos. Political commitments in manifestos help citizens make parties accountable. In spite of having potential for economic prosperity, we have been failing to tap it, forcing our human resource to go abroad for job opportunities.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>So you are worried about the trend of Nepalis seeking jobs abroad?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, indeed I am. Our country has been supplying unskilled labour abroad. My wish is to create more and more jobs in this country so that people will not be compelled to seek jobs in a foreign land. If we cannot create enough jobs, the government should at least train the manpower going abroad to prevent trouble there. We need to provide training for basic skills and knowledge for job seekers. Similarly, the country needs to provide basic language training so that employees will be able to converse in a foreign land. Manpower agencies should also be made accountable to their clients.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What are the three most important qualities to be a successful entrepreneur?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Integrity, duty, and patience are essential to be a successful entrepreneur. One should be straightforward and clear in conversation. Anyone should have the courage to say &lsquo;No&rsquo; for what is wrong or impossible and &lsquo;Yes&rsquo; for what is right and possible. Sincerity in business dealings goes a long way. I think, we should respect all and should have patience for everything as well.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Are you satisfied with what you have achieved so far?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, indeed, I am satisfied with my work thus far - I am an optimistic person by nature. Rather, I worry about whom to pay for the heat we get from the sun or the air we breathe. I have been interested in contributing to society through various philanthropic deeds. And thus far I have been involved in road and public taps construction, and canal and bridge construction. I get pleasure from social work as I feel I am obligated towards society. Social work has been a satisfactory experience and I request fellow businessmen to realize the same. &nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-10-29',
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			'description' => 'Though a businessman, he is well known in political circles. Entering the business world at the age of 14, Ajay Raj Sumargi, Chairman of Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd, has many successes under his belt. Shifting between political and business circles, and from one business sector to the next, Sumargi makes an interesting business personality in Nepal. His favourite sector at the moment is hydropower which, according to him, is the one that can change the economy of the country for the better. He does not try to hide his interest in politics and ways he interacts with political forces in order to develop a common minimum understanding among political leaders.',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2090',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => '‘MBA Is Not For Everyone’',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/lp%20bhanu.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 131px; height: 161px;" /></div>
<div>
	<strong>LP Bhanu Sharma is the Principal of Apex College, one of the leading management colleges of Nepal. He is also the Chairman of Chartered Academic International Pvt. Ltd. He has over 16 years of experience in management, teaching and training. He is also a spiritualist and trainer on positive living and mediation. In an interview with Keshab Raj Gautam of New Business Age, Sharma shared his opinion on trend of business education in Nepal. Excerpts:</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>You have been working in the education sector for a decade and half. What is your experience?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	I have been working in education sector for more than 16 years. Education has transformed and it is not the same. The curriculum has changed, teachers and students&rsquo; mentality has changed and this sector is looking for newer changes. At present, students have realised the importance of global prospective. Due to these prospects, many students, even management students, are studying Chinese, French, German and Swiss language. Current students no longer thinks that classroom education are enough, they have understood the need of real experience in this competitive business world. The mentality that, unless I do very well I will not be able to do anything has developed among students.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Do you find any difference between the students five years back and students now?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Yes, there is a difference. Today&rsquo;s students know how to make use of technology. Also, sense of competition has grown up and the number of serious students has increased.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>How do you evaluate the growing number of business schools in Nepal?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	At present, number of colleges which offer MBA programme in Nepal has increased to 37.Even a small city like Narayanghat has four institutions offering MBA degree. I take this growing number of business schools as very positive step but this is just the start of journey. This shows that, business education has come up and students really desire for business and management education. Over 52 per cent of Nepali students into higher education study management in Nepal. If we look at USA data, only 25 per cent of graduate students are involved in MBA programme. Market will give these business school three to five years time to prove themselves. In business school, the researches brought into the classes are more important which many of the business school lack. Apparently, this is not the scenario of new institutions but market will give these institution times to stand out. Even older ones like Apex College are having new testing times and we are working on quality. If all these institution works on quality, things will change otherwise market will categorise these intuitions as A, B, C and D grade which ultimately lead these institutions to lose their ground.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>How to choose the best business institution?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Students have to be smarter in this case. Choice of the intuitions is very core. Unless the intuition or the founder have some good records, student must think twice before joining it. Many of the intuitions claim to be the business school but are founded and run by non business graduates. What do they know about business? How are they going to do? These are the sincere questions which students as well as the common people must ask before joining any institution.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>What are your suggestions to potential business students?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	First of all, we must get out of this fashion race. MBA has become a fashion but it should not be. MBA is not for everyone. Everyone does not need to do an MBA. There are much other college options. Students must first need to analyze their strengths and define the expectation from the specific program. Secondly , MBA is not for fresher&rsquo;s. I have a clear feeling that, not more than one third of present MBA students should be doing MBA. Because I found that fresher&rsquo;s are unable to catch the sincerity and seriousness of MBA program. MBA is for people who have work experience of not less than three years. But it&rsquo;s probably our compulsion to take fresher&rsquo;s in our MBA program because the culture has not yet come where people with experience and different set of ambition apply for MBA. We are looking for more deserving students.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Where do you see today&rsquo;s business students after 5 years?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Many business students will be working as entrepreneurs. This is very good sign. At present, around 50 per cent have gone to banking industry. In next five years, I would expect them to go into different NGOs, INGOs and trading companies. I also see some of these business students contributing to transportation, cooperatives, and managing schools of the country in next five years.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Nepali economy is growing at a slow pace. Where will these business graduates be absorbed?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	We must be ready to face lot of upcoming challenges . But I think more than career searching, we should be more conscious about our own strength and weaknesses so that we could find the space to contribute.. Career changing is basically not the good options as professional managers are not among them who had changed their career track. . These are the people who knew what they are made for,what raw material they are and under what category they fall. This had led them to build their own career of interest. I run so many programs on career mapping. Only two days program will make an individual clear about how perfectly one can map his/her career.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>As you believe in spirituality, can you suggest how does it help to achieve full human potentials?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	If we want to know how to do marketing, we learn marketing, if we want to know history we have to study history similarly if we want to know about our self, we need to study spirituality. If only we could know ourselves better, the contribution can be seen in much better way. This ultimately will help us to be a better member of a family; better member of institution, and also better citizen as a whole. In such a way, spirituality helps to achieve the full potential.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Where do you see Nepali economy in 10 years?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	It&rsquo;s a very difficult question; my only wish is to see the private sector free from politics. Today, politicians are at driving seat but basically entrepreneurs should be in driving seat of private sector. I see much better future of Nepal in next 10 years. But the thing we should not miss out is of our personal values which we should improve. For this, people like us should be more efficient, effective and more professional so that we wont have to face any internal conflict. Unless there is good foundation of values among us, it is very difficult for sustainable growth. So, Media and education should start cultivating those values.</div>',
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			'description' => 'LP Bhanu Sharma is the Principal of Apex College, one of the leading management colleges of Nepal. He is also the Chairman of Chartered Academic International Pvt. Ltd. He has over 16 years of experience in management, teaching and training.',
			'sortorder' => '1935',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2089',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => 'Lifelong Learning',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong>By Ajay Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Not until much later in my life did I realize what Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote, &ldquo;Wherever we go, whatever we do, self is the sole subject we study and learn.&rdquo; One of my favourites is from Polly B. Berends, &ldquo;Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But don&rsquo;t take knowing yourself for granted. In the words of GK Chesterton (1874-1936): &ldquo;One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star.&rdquo; Recall how many times you have said, &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe I actually did or said that.&rdquo; Even today, at this age, I am struggling to know what I must learn and do to realize my individual potential. My advice to you: cultivate the habit of making conscious efforts to learn about yourself.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	I would like to share with you two disciplines I have found quite useful for continual learning. They are from the book called The Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck and the disciplines are named a) Acceptance of Responsibility, and b) Dedication to Truth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Acceptance of Responsibility&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/lifelong.jpg" style="margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; height: 253px; width: 550px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The first of the Four Noble Truths Buddha taught was &ldquo;Life is a suffering&rdquo;. We may accept or deny this assertion but there is overwhelming evidences in its favour. As we move on with our lives, we will inevitably encounter a series of problems. Of course, problems do not last forever. They come and go. But Dr Peck argues that problems must be worked through or else they remain, forever, a barrier to our growth and development. By accepting responsibility for problems, experiencing their pain, working through them in solving them, we learn and grow.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In accepting responsibility, though, Dr Peck warns us of the extremes. On one extreme, which he terms Character Disorder, we blame others for everything that goes wrong, or when we are in conflict with others. On the other extreme, which he terms Neurosis, we blame ourselves for everything that goes wrong or when we are in conflict with others. In one extreme, we assume no responsibility and in the other we assume too much.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	We do not have the inherent capacity to realistically distinguish between what we are and what we are not responsible for. It develops only if we are willing to suffer continual self-examination, which at times can be painful. In Ace Institute&rsquo;s short history of 14 years, this discipline of realistically distinguishing between what we are and we are not responsible for has helped us successfully navigate all sorts of problems, including coercion and threat of closure. In personal life also, application of this discipline has helped me work through what at times appeared to be insurmountable problems.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Dedication to Truth&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	As we view and interact with the world, we develop our own concepts of what is true and real. What was true and real to us as a child may not be so when we are grown up. What was true and real to a person when he was poor may not be so when he is rich. Dr Peck describes each of us as a mapmaker negotiating the terrain of our lives with maps of our own. We are not born with maps; we have to make them. And for our maps to be relevant and useful, we have to continually revise them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The problem he points out is that many of us stop revising our maps after certain time. The result: our maps remain small and sketchy and our view of the world narrow and misleading. His advice: we should subject ourselves to continual self-examination, expose ourselves to the criticism of other mapmakers, continually revise our map and thereby enlarge and refine our understanding of the world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Therefore, be prepared to accept that whatever you have learnt or you have been taught could be wrong, if not today, tomorrow. If it sounds strange and hard to accept, Gustave Falubert&rsquo;s assertion &ldquo;There is no truth. There is only perception&rdquo; might help. If Flaubert&rsquo;s assertion is not convincing enough, listen to this from Raman Maharshi: &ldquo;There is no Truth. There is only Truth within each moment.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Some Parting Advice&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	We regularly encounter social pressure to conform and personal pressure to establish our uniqueness. You may want to listen to this advice from the Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004): &ldquo;Our concern must be to live while we&rsquo;re alive &ndash; to release our inner selves from the spiritual death that comes with living behind a fa&ccedil;ade designed to conform to external definitions of who and what we are.&rdquo; Lisa Nichols warns, &ldquo;No one else can dance your dance, no one else can sing your song, no one else can write your story.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	And pleads John Mason with the title of his book: &ldquo;You&rsquo;re born original; don&rsquo;t die a copy.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>- Ghimire is the Chairman of Ace Institute of Management. This article is adapted from his key-note speech made at the MBA and EMBA graduation ceremony 2013 of the institute.</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'Not until much later in my life did I realize what Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote, “Wherever we go, whatever we do, self is the sole subject we study and learn.” One of my favourites is from Polly B. Berends, “Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.”',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2088',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => 'Holistic Education For Complete Life',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/holistic.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 168px; height: 167px;" /></div>
<div>
	One might ask a question: what is so lacking in current education that holistic education promises to fulfill? Education, as is understood and taken today, is an attempt to discover, understand and instill the various aspects of human living to each individual with the purpose of enhancing the living standard of people. This education teaches us all about our living. But it somehow fails to explore, discover and teach students about themselves, their own life and its dimensions. It teaches the students how to earn, but fails to talk anything about the person for whom the wealth is sought to be earned. It teaches about different aspects of life, but leaves no clue about the life itself. In a nutshell, it studies the objects in the exterior world but has nothing to do with the subject in the inner world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A basic premise of holistic education is the belief that our life has a meaning and purpose greater than the mechanistic laws described by science, and greater than the &lsquo;consensus consciousness&rsquo; of any one culture. The current system conceives education as a &ldquo;race&rdquo;&mdash;a competition forcing schools, teachers, and students to contend for some sort of victory. This has poisoned the very human psyche which strives for understanding and meaning, more than just quantitative living. Defined as a competitive race, current education is not yet a collaborative art of mentoring and nurturing the young, but a harried and random effort to succeed according to some external measure of success&mdash;to reach some goal line established by those in authority.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The past century witnessed the most intensive efforts in education, perhaps much more than the entire millennium put together. Many nations have been able to hit the literacy rate of close to one hundred percent. It was hoped that an educated world will bring all the wealth, happiness, friendliness and peace in the world. But the results, to our dismay, fail to meet any such targets. The entire human race is suffering from stress, negativities, worries, anxieties and uncertainties. Family ties are less than strong; distrust has become the rule of the day and threat of wars hover around our heads. And the credit for all this goes to the educated people. This is not to undermine their contributions to physical and financial well-being and all the progress in the science, technology and other disciplines. But, a deeper look at the minds and hearts of the individuals will show that they clearly lack something special in life.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What is holistic education? First, holistic education attempts to nurture the development of the person as a whole. This includes the intellectual, emotional, physical, social, aesthetic, and spiritual elements. Perhaps the defining aspect of holistic education is the spiritual.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Holistic education is based on the notion that there is an active creative force within each person, and that this force has an intrinsic purpose and direction. If properly explored, understood and channelised, this force will pave way for total development of each individual and a much better social ecosystem. It would provide opportunities for students to be creative, contemplative and imaginative, while also being scientific and truthful. It allows time to tell old and new stories of heroes, ideals and transformation. It encourages students to go deep into themselves, into nature and into human affairs. It values service to others and the world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Various dimensions of holistic education will be explored in the ensuing issues of New Business Age.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'One might ask a question: what is so lacking in current education that holistic education promises to fulfill? Education, as is understood and taken today, is an attempt to discover, understand and instill the various aspects of human living to each individual with the purpose of enhancing the living standard of people.',
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			'id' => '2087',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Govern Like A Government',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	One of the influential leaders in the United CPN Maoist Party -- UCPN (M), Barsha Man Pun has recently alleged that present government has started to behave like a &lsquo;political government.&rsquo; If that is the case, it is doing the right thing. The government must behave like a political than technical government, which can only solve political problems. It is irrelevant by now to keep hammering on the very nature of its structure just because a special kind of political equations that led to form this.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Once formed, it is the government of the country and it should function like a government, not as puppet show. Moreover, it is the government awarded with wider political legitimacy in the form of &lsquo;first consensus government in years&rsquo;. Every other petty detail automatically gets pushed to the background.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is no longer a news, rather a foregone conclusion, that the polls are impossible, at least, until November. Of course, it would still be a grand success story if they could be held by the end of this year, 2013. The growing inaction of the government has redoubled the doubts that are already thick in the air as regards real possibility of holding elections.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	No doubt, it was perhaps one of the greatest mistakes that Nepal&rsquo;s political leaders made by choosing the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Khil Raj Regmi, to head the election government. To add to the woes, leaders of the four political parties through the High-level Political Mechanism are trying to control the government. It must be mentioned here that any such mechanism doesn&rsquo;t have a constitutional validation. Anything the Mechanism forwards can only be recommendatory, not mandatory for the government to adhere to. And if certain political parties are capable to continue to exert such pressure, how could the elections held by this government be free and fair?&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This unnecessary practice has given rise to a double-fold nuisance. First, it has greatly affected the performance of the government. It sometimes appears as waiting for the &lsquo;direction&rsquo; from the Mechanism and, sometimes tries to assert its own course of actions. The end result is: it has lost its direction and pace. Second, it has created a situation where for all the failures of the government, it can directly put blame on the Mechanism and for any success it can claim its own.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Therefore, the political leadership should now come out of the mindset of plying a guardian angel to the government. It is only way that this government can be made responsible to its national duties and accountable to political contract of holding the Constituent Assembly elections sooner. But this rationality doesn&rsquo;t seem to have dawned upon the political top-hats of our country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The world has taken well into account that these four political leaders jointly declared themselves incapable of leading this country. They doubted their own level of integrity such that heading an election government by one of them would not produce impartial poll results. This was what led the situation of Regmi becoming the head of the government, virtually out of the blue.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It looks rather clumsy on the part of same set of leaders to act as the true &lsquo;drivers&rsquo; of the government. One of glaringly gauche example is the UCPN (M) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal&rsquo;s posture while departing for the &lsquo;official&rsquo; tour of China and then to India in the second and the third week of April, respectively. He tried to portray himself as a virtual head of the government going for a state visit, particularly in his dealing with media at home. But it is now a public knowledge how these countries matched the protocol to this visit. Outcome of course is limited to him, if any at all. But these things don&rsquo;t seem to have deterred our set of leaders feigning as grand saviours.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For this behaviour of our political leaders, Regmi and his cabinet colleagues have found more excuses, and, ironically, time to inaugurate painting exhibition, release some second-graded books or pose with gawky smiles in prize distribution ceremony of some primary school. The real business of governing the country is largely ignored.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The governance dysfunction was somewhat a foregone phenomenon as Regmi refused to resign from the post of Chief Justice to head the government. It was the message that he didn&rsquo;t want to be fully responsible. His greed to go back to the old position, just for a few remaining months, after heading the government, speaks in volume how calculative he would be in taking decisions. This is undesirable on the part of the country&rsquo;s chief executive. And, it must be corrected. He should govern, not dither.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Only remedy for all these ills, surfaced even in the day-to-day business of the government is to make this government entirely responsible for what it does and what it should do. It is in the interest of country and also, in the interest of the political parties concerned. Only when political parties step aside to give full space for the government to work, can they conduct a sort of performance audit on the government. Equally important, Regmi and his cabinet colleagues must be able to demonstrate their ability to govern, which so far seems unimpressive to say the least.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Putatively, holding the Constituent Assembly election is no doubt the cardinal of all responsibilities of this government. But, there are hundreds of other matters that have gone out of track and government can work to restore them in the interim. It will ultimately help to create a proper atmosphere for the polls.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is perhaps right time to control organized crime, which is largely thought to be protected by the influential political leaders. These leaders now can&rsquo;t have access to the official files of these goons and once the action is taken, these leaders, technically, will not be in position to defend them in public. This indeed will help decriminalize our politics in a great way.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Another important issue it can decide is: it can bring down the number of seats in the proposed Constituent Assembly, to a reasonable level of say, one hundred fifty to two hundred. This will be both popular and wise decision. But on the contrary, it is reported to be succumbing to the political pressure to increase it again to six hundred.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The donor community is surprised by lack-luster performance of this learned bunch in the government. The international community, for example, had asked to enlist the kind of support the government would seek from them for the new elections. But the government has even failed to coordinate a meeting of all these donors even in two months time, after it took charge.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Recently, a message was circulated that Nepal cannot hold the next summit of South Asian Regional Cooperation (SAARC) within 2013. Reason given is weird: there is no government in Nepal now. Is this government in position to react and say &lsquo;we can&rsquo;? The head of the government has not even thought it necessary to address the nation to give a sense where we are exactly heading. The list could be very long. But much needed guts is apparently lacking in every respect of the decision-making in the government.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Will this government without political will on the one hand and totally paralyzed by undue, frequent interference from the Political Mechanism on the other be able to hold Constituent Assembly elections by this year end? Doubts are high. And, only way to ensure that this government doesn&rsquo;t shirk away from this responsibility is to make it look and act more like a true government than a club of volunteers.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For this, those political parties that think they obliged Regmi by choosing him to be the head of current government should stop interfering in the functioning of the government. And there is the role of the President, as a sole functional constitutional entity of the country, to remind this government to its duties and admonish when derailed. But, to repeat it again, this government must realize the fact that it is there to govern the country, not to appease any of the political masters. And it has true opportunity to choose than snooze.</div>',
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			'description' => 'One of the influential leaders in the United CPN Maoist Party -- UCPN (M), Barsha Man Pun has recently alleged that present government has started to behave like a ‘political government.’ If that is the case, it is doing the right thing. The government must behave like a political than technical government, which can only solve political problems. It is irrelevant by now to keep hammering on the very nature of its structure just because a special kind of political equations that led to form this.',
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			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Fears Of Polls Going Futile',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The chieftains of major four political parties -- United CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi Morcha -- appear contended and relaxed for being able to install the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi as the head of the new interim &lsquo;election&rsquo; government. The questions related to constitutionality and conflict of interests between executive and judicial organs of the country, since the same person effectively heads the both, do yet remain unanswered.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are a number of cases under consideration in the court of law seeking appropriate interpretation of relevant constitutional provisions on it. Worst of all, the very first recommendation for constitutional appointment made by the government headed by the Chief Justice himself was returned by the President for &lsquo;further constitutional explanation.&rsquo; This controversy surrounding the appointment of Chief and other Commissioners in the Election Commission indeed gives some indication to the modus operandi of the new government.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	More than that, the practice of extra-constitutional imposition of the political vested interests by the &lsquo;High Level Political Mechanism&rsquo; practically makes the Regmi government a faceless scarecrow. Apparently, all the new ministers got appointed on a shared quota-basis amongst the four political parties involved. And people are told to believe that it is politically neutral coalition government. &nbsp;This is a total farce. Yet, the whole coalition looks like a coalition game in economics game theory where there is no easy &lsquo;core&rsquo; or equitable distribution of pay-offs among the parties, but still they are clinging to it.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The much touted-about political consensus appears a total mockery as there are reckonable political forces out of this &lsquo;all party&rsquo; mechanism; disgruntled and determined to create any obstacle possible if they are not listened to any time soon. Among them, the break-away faction of the Maoists party (CPN-Maoist headed by Mohan Baidya), all three parties of former panchas (Rastriya Prajatantra Party-RPP, Rastriya Janashakti Party and RPP Nepal) and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum headed by Upendra Yadav are some of those that deserve consideration to include in the so called all party mechanism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But absolute inflexibility and ungenerous attitude of the four parties to accommodate or address the concerns of these disgruntled political outfits in some way or the other raises further apprehensions about the possibility of polls any time sooner. And, UCPN (M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal&rsquo;s over ambitious plan of hastening to polls within June this year smells rat in his design.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	True that Nepali people want to go for ballot sooner than later. But, the polls are not instant soup-making recipe. The national polls are massive management nightmare. Still, several legal arrangements are needed to be made to enable the Election Commission to hold putatively free and fair polls. The budgetary arrangement is equally difficult. No doubt, there are several donors ready to dole out money for elections here, but they also need adequate time to process our requests through their respective home governments and bureaucracies. Our own budget for the current fiscal year needs recasting if the polls were to be held within this fiscal year, say June.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Logistics and stationery arrangements including the designing and printing of ballot papers, transportation of polling boxes and machines etc. involve a substantial amount of time and human resources. Security mobilization is perhaps going to be the most extensive and exhaustive affair.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	On top of it, controlling the violence carried-out by some fringe and purportedly political outfits, active in different part of the country, remains crucial. Whether the new government of bureaucrats and with limited technical mandate has authority to negotiate peace or, if required, will-power to obliterate them by combing operation is critical of all questions to make polls a success.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite these all obstacles evident than ever before, why Dahal is insistent on June date? Is he so keen to reestablish the democratic process sooner, which for so long has been derailed mainly because of him? &nbsp;There are suggestions that June is the month when common people hardly can find time to go to polls due to their seasonal engagement in cultivation as monsoon just begins. And, only those who come to vote are the committed party cadres of any party. Implicitly, the winning chance of UCPN (M) is likely to increase in such a scenario. Also, if polls are scheduled in such a short notice, number of international election observers arriving to monitor the polls is likely to be far less, giving room to rigging for the forces with organised and violent youth wings like Youth Communist League (YCL) of the UCPN (M), or similar outfit of CPN-UML. These arguments about Dahal&rsquo;s discrete planning are not unfounded since Dahal has been able to fill the key state positions by the people highly loyal or made so by several machinations, including the head of the election government, Regmi. All in all, Dahal wants absolute majority in new Constituent Assembly (CA) at any cost, that too without recognizing the splinted off Baidya faction and yet, legitimizing all his political moves making Nepali Congress and CPN-UML mere mute witnesses, compelled to sign on the margins of his political contract papers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite all maneuvers and scrambling of Dahal and his party, polls within June still look a distant possibility. And the fact that seven years have passed without any significant achievement towards ending the political transition, there is no point going so hastily just to cover a few months time without proper preparations. The most rational expectation would be to hold the polls in November with adequate perseverance and nuanced management of time and resources.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What if even the Regmi government couldn&rsquo;t hold the polls for all those reasons Dr. Baburam Bhattarai government failed to meet the two deadlines of November 2012 and April 2013? &nbsp;Interestingly, the political parties who signed the 11-point deal to enthrone Regmi perhaps have no clue about the possible next step if he failed to deliver the polls and choose to remain in power in whatever pretext.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Even if the elections are held, regardless when, as the fact of matter remains, outcomes of these new CA polls would take Nepal only to a status quo of April 10, 2008, the day when the first election for the CA was held. Despite a number of extensions, that CA during its four years in existence had failed to make any headway in drafting a new constitution. All major political parties represented in that CA failed to reach a consensus to extend its tenure for the fourth time on 27th May, 2012. If one remembers it correctly, it was the Supreme Court verdict from a bench of justices including Regmi that had barred the extension of the CA term.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Without addressing the very causes which made the last CA dysfunctional and ultimately dead, the new CA, even if it is instituted by coming November -- the earliest possibility, would not be able to deliver new federal constitution as expected by the people. The politics has become so messy with rising ethnic hatred, unrealistic expectations of regionalism and culture of using violence to capitulate the authority to meet all implausible demands of divisive and sectarian nature.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	No political party seems to be prepared to go to the polls with a concrete frame of the constitution they are planning to draft if they got elected. This in fact should have been the main basis of each party&rsquo;s CA election manifesto. It is because, people can rationalize their expectations before deciding whom to vote and what to expect when the CA takes shape. Even smaller parties with extreme demands may come up with their respective propositions and their issues could be addressed on the strength of votes they secure. It would have made things far easier to promulgate the new constitution once drafted. But the so called big parties are also not prepared to come up with any clarity on these crucial matters for the obvious ulterior motives of fishing in the rough waters. Such ill intentions are more ingrained in those parties who are inclined to one party dictatorship under the veil of democratic mandate. People again have to vote on the basis of the guesswork without knowing their distinct position on constitution drafting process.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In fact, Election Commission&rsquo;s code of conduct can regulate such things by making every party mandatory to go to the polls with complete shape of their proposed constitution. But whether the Commission will have that guts and vision is an unanswered question here.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Finally, if the parties do not plan on how they want to proceed once the CA elections are held, things are not going to change for the better in Nepal. Even if one party gets clear majority in CA, it will be impossible to move ahead without taking on board all big or small political players along both to draft and promulgate the new constitution. Therefore, this process is better if it began now. Otherwise, like in the past, we will be back to square one again after spending many valuable years for the same cause. The whole exercise of this CA election would also automatically go down the drain.</div>',
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			'description' => 'The chieftains of major four political parties -- United CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi Morcha -- appear contended and relaxed for being able to install the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi as the head of the new interim ‘election’ government.',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2085',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Fall Of The Last Pillar',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	If no extremely dramatic events unfold in Nepali politics overnight, the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi, may have sworn in by the time this writing reaches to our readers. He, or whoever for that matter, will be the tenth chief executive of the nation in as many years, which exposes the gravity of the political instability and difficult transition the country is reeling under.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Prey to Politics&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whether or not Regmi became prime minister is by now an issue of secondary importance. The prime concern here is: the judiciary also couldn&rsquo;t resist the temptation of political indulgence at the cost of its so far largely maintained independence and respect to professionalism. In this sense, the judiciary, that was somehow saving Nepal from falling into the abyss of acute form of anarchy and was the last testimony to the remnant feature of rule of law, has been the last pillar to fall prey to political machinations. Otherwise, Nepal is by now already faced with the consequences of the institutional degeneration, almost in every spectrum of life. Every professional and state institution is highly politicized. The security apparatus like army, police, intelligence, the civil service and diplomacy, the academia and civil society and to a large extent even the media now wear the cloak of some hue of politics. Lately, all government set-ups have been forced by design and default to act as the extended wings of the UCPN (Maoist). Democratic forces of the country remain defensive and indifferent to growing aggressiveness intrusion of the Party invariably into all state organs of the country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>The Question of Constitutionality&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	The prevalent Interim Constitution of the Country doesn&rsquo;t provide for an incumbent chief justice to become the chief executive of the country as well. The Supreme Court still headed by Regmi has the ultimate authority to interpret the constitution. But, at this juncture, any interpretation of the provision that is completely absent in the constitution would tantamount to nothing but a blatant conflict of interest, since such an interpretation, technically presided by Regmi himself, is only likely to justify his decision to take-up the top job. The press statement issued by the Supreme Court in the last week of February, apparently at Regmi&rsquo;s will and design, already demonstrated the overall tilt of what it could be possibly like. The entire objective of the statement was that, he is only willing to go on &lsquo;deputation of duty&rsquo; from chief justice to the chief executive, without resigning from his present post. This is more of an ominous than welcome sign, both in view of judicial independence and concept of balance of power in democracy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Controversial Beginning&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Let&rsquo;s suppose Justice Regmi is assigned to head the election government. He would be taking up the job not as a much-touted-about &lsquo;consensus figure&rsquo; but amidst a sharp division regarding his choice for the job. Not only the opposition parties, but all four largest parties -- ruling UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madheshi Morcha -- are vertically split into two factions each, on Regmi&rsquo;s pick. And, some of the arguments of the dissenting factions in each party are worth pondering. Firstly, the move would directly prove that political parties are grossly incompetent and not trustworthy to head an election government. Second, they are oblivious of the very concept of balance of power among the major three organs -- executive, legislative and judicial -- of the state. And thirdly, what miracle could Regmi alone demonstrate as the country now languishes in a serious nature of constitutional vacuum. The institutions like Nepal Bar Association have voiced serious concern over the Chief Justice&rsquo;s lust for power at the cost of judicial independence. There are apprehensions that the UCPN (Maoist) has plans to rig the next polls by misusing the state-power yet would validate results by making the chief justice the head of the election government. Regmi&rsquo;s appointment automatically blocks the other parties to seek judicial remedy in case of electoral malpractices. These points of view definitely hold waters and cannot be glossed over instantaneously.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Crisis of Management&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Regmi&rsquo;s appointment requires a series of important makeovers under the guise of the constitutional provision of &lsquo;Power to Remove Difficulties&rsquo; by the President of Nepal. The constitution has not envisioned an incumbent justice becoming the prime minster (in whatever name, the chief executive of the country). This would require a special decree form the President, citing the political consensus among the major parties, which again looks a pure farce with so much discontent fumed around. Even if the appointment hurdle is cleared, there are several other constitutional issues that warrant a speedy sorting out. The positions in the Election Commission, including that of the chief commissioner, are vacant. Does Regmi want to play this role as well, as he is officially likely to be titled as the chief of Election Council? What happens to the positions of the chief justice itself whereas the constitutional spirit is that both the head of the government and the judiciary represent separate, independent capacities in several crucial institutions like the Constitutional Council, that make appointment of the heads and office-bearers of several constitutional bodies including the Election Commission. Incidentally, almost all constitutional bodies like Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Auditor General&rsquo;s Office and Election Commission are without the chiefs or office-bearers, for years in some cases. Even in the Supreme Court, three-fourth of positions of justices remains vacant. To fill these all would require a separate arrangement as there is no possibility of fulfilling the constitutional provisions through parliamentary hearing in absence of the legislature.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Competence and Delivery&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whether Regmi would be able to hold fresh elections by November this year is the cardinal of all questions here. This requires a lot of political work that begins from the point where he starts to choose the kind of people to fill in the positions in his government. The impartiality issue of himself and his picks will be crucial. And, worst of all he will be functioning under a situation where all major constitutional positions will have already violated to pave the way for his appointment and only resort to move ahead will be the kind of political support he gets as he moves ahead. This implies that there will be forces on the ground who would be constantly challenging his actions. As the nation has not decided on the number of constituencies for new elections, their modalities and, whether it would be an election for both Constituent Assembly and Legislature or only for the former, to propose a formula agreeable to all is impossible and purely a political rather than a bureaucratic exercise. Regmi has yet to try his art in this trade.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is too early to say anything whether he is competent enough and would be successful to deliver what he is expected of. But his track record is not very encouraging. The latest allegation is that he paralyzed the justice delivery system by not taking any initiative to appoint the judges in the Supreme Court in time. It was the Court verdict that had barred the extension of the then Constituent Assembly tenure beyond May 27 last year. Despite the fact that he knew the parliamentary hearing of new judges would be impossible beyond that date, he failed to initiate the action of extending the term of existing justices or to appoint new ones when there was adequate time left. At present, the result is that the Supreme Court is left with only six justices whereas in high times it used to have as many as two dozen justices. This indeed have made justice delivery difficult, and, at the same time put Regmi&rsquo;s credibility under huge interrogation mark.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>The Last Optimism&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whatever the cost or difficulty in the process involved for his appointment, the only hope is that Regmi as the accepted figure by four or five largest political parties could hold elections and those polls would be free and fair at an acceptable degree. Every party though has viewed Regmi&rsquo;s installation as their convenience for entirely different reasons than this, which again could complicate the situation in future. For Maoists, it was a great achievement to be able to stop Nepali Congress from heading an election government and it hopes that Regmi would duly oblige the party for surprisingly picking him to head the next government. Congress and UML are contended only at the ouster of Baburam Bhattarai from the prime ministerial position, who otherwise seemed unrelenting to relinquish the position. Other forces, including the international community wanted to trust on Regmi&rsquo;s legal credentials and his largely maintained non-corrupt image during a long legal career.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But, interestingly again, even if new polls could be held within a year or so and a new Assembly is instituted, Nepal&rsquo;s political challenges will still be where they were immediately after April 2008 elections. Therefore, there is no point being over ambitious at this very moment about anyone heading another government or holding polls. Unless, political rationality, read it metamorphosis of parties from authoritarian to democratic mindset, prevails among the major political players the country, Nepal&rsquo;s political crisis will only deepen regardless of any drama we orchestrate, be that drama of government headed by the chief justice.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-11-08',
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			'description' => 'If no extremely dramatic events unfold in Nepali politics overnight, the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi, may have sworn in by the time this writing reaches to our readers. He, or whoever for that matter, will be the tenth chief executive of the nation in as many years, which exposes the gravity of the political instability and difficult transition the country is reeling under.',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2084',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Manifesto Recast At Hetauda Commune',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The UCPN (M) truly wants to remain in the mainstream of Nepali Politics. It, therefore, has ventured into a dramatic change in policy paradigm through its Seventh National Congress. The seventh Congress was a hundred and eighty degree shift in the party&#39;s policy stand, from its Sixth Congress twenty-one years ago. The previous one had adopted the policy of raising arms against the state and the recent one has formally proposed to relinquish them altogether -- a changed face of revolution, as the party has baptized it.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Paradigm Shift</strong></span></div>
<div>
	UCPN (M)&rsquo;s Seventh General Congress held in Hetauda from February 2-7 undoubtedly heralded a new era in Nepal&#39;s politics. Thanks to a complete &nbsp;departure from the doctrine of &#39;bullets for political change&#39;, which had been the political mainstay of the party for the last two decades, to a fairly convincingly documented commitment to embrace &#39;the politics of ballots and open competition.&#39; With this development, the much needed optimism to restore a peaceful competitive democracy in Nepal has &nbsp;now revived, more reassuringly than ever before. Skeptics there are, but when the largest political force of the country resolutely announces that it would strip away the hangover of &#39;establishing the &nbsp;people&#39;s republic&#39; by all possible violent means, the country must give them a chance, at least for once. And, Nepal has no alternative to that for now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Understandably, this recast was not easy for the party which fought a ten-year long guerrilla war, sent its fighters home largely discontented with the resettlement arrangements and suffered a split recently. But the new policy paper crafted jointly by Chairman of the party, Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) and Prime Minister Dr. Baburam &nbsp;Bhattarai who is also the senior vice-chair of the party needed to gather massive guts to face the present day reality and come out of the longheld revolutionary hegemony.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	As evident at the Congress venue, it indeed was a daunting endeavour for the party leadership to rein in and satisfy the cadres about this change rather unexpected for many of them, who were initially indoctrinated, rather foolhardily, to establish a proletarian dictatorship before they would be asked to put their guns down. They were not ready to believe the claim that whatever the party could achieve politically from the 10-year &#39;revolution&#39; was optimum for now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In this context, the Dahal-Bhattarai duo deserves a real acclaim for not only making this ideological change possible, and that too relatively smoothly, but also for accepting the fact that there is no polity beyond political co-existence with other forces and a rule-based competition with them in polls.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It was not in a very distant past that the whole party rallied behind a highly mystified dogma of Prachandapath. But over the last seven years, when Prachanda himself has been at the centre of national politics, Prachanda-path emained a neverexplained political term and now it is completely out of the party&#39;s official literature. This is indicative of the urgency felt by Prachanda to come out of the violent legacy of the insurgency era. In addition to this, to the surprise of many, he has started to publicly criticize summary execution of his opponents by former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and cautiously negate Maoism for being &#39;not replicable in our different context.&#39; (It is a great irony though, for both Dahal and Bhattarai deliberately wore special hair-do to look like Stalin as early as a couple of years ago and the party&#39;s official banner still carries Stalin&#39;s portrait).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dahal&#39;s meticulously crafted paper makes every effort possible to sound credible to both- his cadres by using lexicons akin to communist glossary and to the world by practically accepting the ground realities. &#39;Nepal no longer is a semi-feudal and semicolonial state, but rather a new comprador bourgeoisie capitalist one,&#39; &nbsp;reads his main policy paper suggesting that another armed rebellion under any pretext would be unjustifiable under these realities. His assessment that &#39;Nepal is also under the influence of a neo-colonialism of globalization is not much different from the standpoint taken by the underdeveloped world in the world arena, albeit with a bit different diplomatic decorum. He has repeatedly tried to reassure that the party would no longer indulge in a killing spree in the name of physically eliminating the class-enemy, as it has changed plank from the abolition of social classes to capitalistic growth leading to socialism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This transformation is essentially not much different from the &#39;people&#39;s &nbsp;multi-party democracy&#39; (jantako &nbsp;bahudaliya janabad) propounded by late general secretary of the CPN-UML, Madan Bhandari, some 23 years ago. Dahal&#39;s detractors have even gone to the extent of calling him &lsquo;nothing but a mere shadow of the UML&rsquo;. Regardless of anything, this a was much-needed change in the Maoist fold for Nepal to &nbsp;resolve its political impasse peacefully and it was duly heeded by the Maoists, which is a welcome development.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dahal&#39;s policy paper, finally adopted as the 7th Congress Resolution with some ritual modifications, at times is unexpectedly mild and flexible. As reason for this, Dahal has tried to vindicate that all inflexibility, irrationality, dogmatism and impractical policy rigidities had gone with the party&#39;s break-away Mohan Baidya faction and what now remains in the UCPN (M) is a political organization with modern, 21st century outlook and vision.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Grip Not Loosened</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Despite all odds, Dahal has emerged quintessentially an unchallenged leader from this Congress as well. It appears that as long as Dahal and Bhattarai can work together, a third person is &nbsp;unlikely to claim the topmost position in the party, for the foreseeable future. At least, this looks like a smooth sail at the centre. But the situation at the</div>
<div>
	grassroots is much different as reported by the respective local representatives of the Congress. They complained that the party had failed to assign political responsibility to the entire rank and file in the organizational structure. Former cadres who returned home dejected are hardly under party discipline and a large &#39;garbage lot&#39; of socially discarded people who were used during the armed rebellion are proving a nuisance to entire party. These factors can erode Dahal&#39;s grip on the party in the long run. When the party actually goes to the polls sooner or later, Dahal is likely to face a steeply uphill task of differentiating his party with the one like the CPN-UML and establishing the rationale of killing so many thousands of people at the cost of the country&#39;s great opportunity for development and growth, ultimately, just to become another UML. But for now he is the helmsman, which in turn is an opportunity to keep his grip intact with tactical moves like the present one.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Confession Drama</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Dahal has confessed that his resignation from the prime ministerial position over the tussle with the then Chief of Nepal Army, Rookmangud Katwal, was a na&iuml;ve and unnecessary emotionalism. Though not explicitly expressed, his remorse was apparently for the anti-Indian tirade he belched out while leaving the post; perhaps in hope of placating the power blocs in the southern neighbour that he believes have gone against him since. In a bid to be seen as a &nbsp;mature political force, he has omitted all traditionally used vocabularies such as &#39;Indian &nbsp;expansionism, American and Russian imperialism, Chinese revisionism&#39; etc from the official party literature. &#39;The differences now should be dealt &nbsp;through mature diplomacy,&#39; he argued to pacify the cadres. But, that is what exactly should be done, &nbsp;practically.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Economy First&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The party&#39;s new policy paper has put the economic agenda in the forefront of its &#39;vision&#39;, so to speak. Its policy paper on harnessing the country&rsquo;s water resource by mobilizing the local and domestic resources and setting up a production and development brigade are testimony to this. But, these propositions lack maturity and need a gross &nbsp;overhaul that suits to the ground realities of the country.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Developing hydropower projects on a commercial scale with only local resources is a sweet but impossible dream. It is not like a cooperative farming where labour-intensive production can be adopted. Capital, technology and market - all three have to be explored and traded across the national borders.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is not difficult to understand that Dahal needed some mechanism to adjust the party&rsquo;s erstwhile armed members. So, he proposed a production and development brigade. It sounds like a good idea from the supply side, but as a responsible political party, UCPN (M) needs to adequately consider the demand side of it as well. What to produce? How and where to produce? Where to sell it? And, will his cadres be willing to be in another labour camp of a sort for this purpose? These are a few example- questions to argue that the UCPN (M) needs further clarifications in these propositions to remain in the political forefront in future Nepal. Nevertheless, the party has made a good beginning by the cardinal policy change through its recently concluded 7th Congress.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite a good and encouraging beginning to transform his party into a contemporaneous force, Dahal has left many crucial unanswered questions which still cast doubts over his intentions. He has mentioned Nepali Congress as the &#39;prime enemy&#39; but has failed to enumerate the reasons. There is no mention of what the party would do to the land and property forcefully occupied by its cadres during the insurgency period. How will the party view the private property rights, civil &nbsp;rights and individual as well as press freedom? Until these questions are answered satisfactorily, the proposed transformations from the margins will not yield the benefits as aspired by Dahal and his party. But again, transformation is a continuous process and momentum is more important than the event.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/polt.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 168px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" /></div>',
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			'description' => 'The UCPN (M) truly wants to remain in the mainstream of Nepali Politics. It, therefore, has ventured into a dramatic change in policy paradigm through its Seventh National Congress. The seventh Congress was a hundred and eighty degree shift in the party's policy stand, from its Sixth Congress twenty-one years ago. The previous one had adopted the policy of raising arms against the state and the recent one has formally proposed to relinquish them altogether -- a changed face of revolution, as the party has baptized it.',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2083',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Presidential Weight-loss',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Achyut Wagle</strong></div>
<p>
	&nbsp;President Dr Ram Baran Yadav&rsquo;s call to the political parties of Nepal to form an all-inclusive consensus government has not materialized even after the eighth deadline elapsed, as of penning down these lines. It was not surprising that an ever-elusive consensus in the present day Nepali politics was not arrested even this time around, though to humiliation of a presidential decree. But what is most engrossing question here is not why it did not materialize, but why did President Yadav at the first place choose to issue such calls to the parties to forge a consensus, the impossibility of which was absolutely foregone? Even if such a consensus evolved over time by any chance, the presidential dignity and credibility that had remained largely intact over these turbulent years of political transition will have been irreparably tarnished by then. During these two months, since his office began to issue seemingly never-ending series of deadlines to parties, but all in vain, his action has been seen as unwise by the people.<br />
	<br />
	Not only that, at one instance, President Yadav also gave a na&iuml;ve public speech which was construed as throwing political weight behind Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, the rarest thing expected from him. &lsquo;Creating a consensus for a new government around the incumbent one would add jewel to the crown,&rsquo; he was quoted by the media as saying in a public function in Pokhara during the first week of December. Though it later turned out that the President was quoted out of context (the message the President was trying to convey was something like &ldquo;I would not mind if the consensus is formed for Dr. Bhattarai to continue as the Prime Minister and other parties joining that government), the damage was already done. The president could have avoided making any such statement altogether. The two acts by President Yadav-- calling to parties for consensus to form an electoral government and, at the same time implicitly favouring incumbent Prime Minister Bhattarai to head that new government -- are in apparent contrast. A very strong fraction of Kathmandu&rsquo;s political high-circle attributes this Presidential blunder to the prowess of senior Indian National Congress Leader Dr Karan Singh, who called on Yadav in the first week of December in the pretext of inviting the latter in an academic function of Banaras Hindu University. In essence, this act of calling for consensus for new government on the one hand and supporting the incumbent prime minister on the other defeats the very purpose of presidential call for a new government.</p>
<p>
	Then, the most crucial questions here are: what prompted him to do so? And, who ultimately has benefitted politically from this entire episode. As for the prompters, there are three theories on the float. First, the president in fact knew that no such consensus was tangible even in farthest horizon, yet wanted to call for it. Because, the failure of the political parties to act upon his call would pave the way for his &lsquo;more assertive role&rsquo; in the present day Nepali politics. But that seems flatly implausible, as he has not done enough scratching whether he can actually assume the position of an executive president, even if he wished so. The second theory is that he was sincerely concerned about the prolonged constitutional vacuum and wanted to build a moral pressure on the political parties to work out a tenable solution to it. Even that was the case, he should have gauged on what would happen ultimately if his call did not yield any result. And, more importantly, there are no constitutional way outs available to push the present government out of power and form a new government. Without such constitutional backing, the president was naturally ill-equipped to adventure into such never-ending game of calling for consensus. His guts and practicalities, both, are not permitting him to randomly pick a figure of his like as the next prime minister. And, for the third, there is a section of political analysts who take his recent call as the success of a game plan by the UCPN (Maoist) and the Indian establishment which are making every possible effort to retain Dr Bhattarai as the prime minister as long as possible.<br />
	<br />
	This argument appears relatively convincing. The only impediment to PM Bhattarai and the Maoists to continue in power was none other than the president himself. President Yadav&rsquo;s public image is way above that of Prime Minister Bhattarai and the person who can announce the removal of Bhattarai from his post is, of course, the president only. At least, they saw it that way. Since there is not any constitutional clarity on the further course to change the government, the Maoists feared that if president acted in this line, he might get a popular support. But, if the president&rsquo;s image got obliqued by some machinations, his moral authority would dwindle sharply, as it did by his current faux pas. Hence, there were advices from largely unassuming quarters to thrust him into this vicious game of calling for a new CONSENSUS government. This has provided room for the UCPN-Maoist&rsquo;s to consolidate its campaign against the President alleging him as harbouring dream of becoming the executive head of the country. When the credibility of the president substantially erodes further, it will only be easier for the UCPN-Maoist and Prime Minister Bhattarai to consolidate the grip on state powers.<br />
	<br />
	Not only vindicated by the circumstances but also in essence, the president&rsquo;s this call for consensus was a premature and novice adventure to say the least. His implicit intention of calling for consensus government seems to hold the elections for a new constituent assembly (CA). But, he did not realise the fact that without a lot of ground work and a thorough review of the past failures, holding a new elections is impossible and likely to be futile like in the past even if they were held. The last CA was too big to deliver a constitution and the CA members both elected by people and handpicked by the party leadership across the board were apparently under qualified for the job of writing the law of the land. This was proved by their four-year tenure that ended without delivering a new constitution. Therefore, before thinking of another election, there must be a single national voice on the very size of the CA, the mechanisms of assigning constituencies and eligibility for candidacy to CA membership. Further, the constitutional bodies like the Election Commission have expressed their concern over the absence of required legal framework to conduct the polls of any objective.<br />
	<br />
	There is another question that must be answered by the top hats of the parties to be represented in the CA. In the last CA, members of the House were hardly given opportunity to debate and contribute in originating and finalising the proposed provisions of the new constitution. They were virtually herded in as per the wish and whim of their respective party leaders. Only a handful of top leaders participated in whatever deliberations that took place and the rest of the CA members just blindly followed them. If that were to be the case, why do we need an extensive new CA through very expensive elections? If everything is to be decided by ten or twelve people, then it is appropriate to form a commission of these very people with some technocrats in it to write the new constitution. Then a new legislature elected after promulgating this constitution may ratify it. The scope of amendment is and should always be there. The fact of the matter is that, whatever may be written in the new constitution, no matter whether it is written by a commission or a CA, that is going to spark controversy of this or that form, for reasons that people have now more sectarian and irrational expectations which are impossible to be addressed by any balanced, democratic and forward-looking document called constitution.<br />
	<br />
	These are some of the issues, the institution like Presidential Office of the country should have considered before jumping into &lsquo;deadline business&rsquo;. At present, there seems no viability of such a government that can accommodate every force of the country. Then, an all inclusive roundtable under the president&rsquo;s sponsorship could be an alternative, which can help chart a future course of the nation.<br />
	<br />
	Even if the elections were to be held, it is now proper to hold them to select a form of the constitution itself, not the members of CA. This means, every contesting political party should first draft a full version of the constituent of their liking and go for the ratification by the people for the vote. This indeed will reduce a lot of complications. People will know at the first hand what is in different verson of the constitution presented by the parties. It will invite a meaningful debate and provide room for input. This will also help for faster face of political polarization between, the Left, Right and the Centre forces. More importantly, this will mainifest the intentions of eacdh party before people could vote for any of them and, above all, will give a good homework for political leaders to talk and act sense with acceptable degree of coherence in preparing a feasible draft. In view of sharp divisions along ethnic and communal lines, this proposition contributes to diffuse the tensions before the adoption of the constitution. Various facets potential federal set-up will get space to be debated in public. Then the ultimate promulgation would be lot easier than in any other deemed process.<br />
	<br />
	Instead of indulging into self-degrading course of action like issuing deadlines for the parties, the president should now focus on rescuing the country from the current mess. For this, he does not necessarily need to go beyond available constitutional jurisdiction. For instance, he can hold a comprehensive round-table in the form of consultative meet. There could be several other ways and means available. But, he will in a position to make a difference, if and only if, he maintained a dignity that suits to the first president of a new republic nation-state. His recent move was undoubtedly far below that mark.</p>',
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			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s call to the political parties of Nepal to form an all-inclusive consensus government has not materialized even after the eighth deadline elapsed, as of penning down these lines. It was not surprising that an ever-elusive consensus in the present day Nepali politics was not arrested even this time around',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2082',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Double Drama, Fresh Conflict',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Achyut Wagle</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Although the countdown to November 19, the scheduled date for the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, reduces from months to days, uncertainty on the polls continue to hover. A drama of double acts, on-stage and off-stage, orchestrated simultaneously by forces striving to hold the polls and forces trying to foil it, respectively, takes upon the country.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The on-stage drama looks normal - as though nothing is amiss and things are all set to sail smoothly until the polls and even beyond. The four-party pro-poll alliance of the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and Madhesi Front now swells to a six-party one after the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum of Upendra Yadav and the Federal Socialist Party led by Ashok Rai joined the group upon agreeing to participate in the polls. The leaders and working committees of these parties are flexing their muscles to select candidates for the first-past-the-post system for two hundred and forty constituencies. The elites in all these parties are busy drafting their respective manifestoes. Aspirants of party tickets for candidacy, from all parties alike, have gathered in Kathmandu to cajole their leaders. The party offices are crowded, traffic jams in the capital have increased not only due to an increased number of vehicles and people but also due to increased violation of traffic rules by those who are not used to following them in districts outside of Kathmandu.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are fringe parties like the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and RPP-Nepal that are not in the alliance but have opted to join the election bandwagon. The pro-royalist RPP-Nepal hopes to perform better if polls were to take place in view of the people&rsquo;s growing disenchantment towards the major political parties. The ambitious ones who failed to woo the party they belong to pick them as candidates are defecting and joining other parties. Professionals and celebrities are taking membership of parties of their choice, hoping to be new leaders.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Election Commission says it has completed all preparations. The election offices in all two hundred and forty constituencies have been opened, logistics and personnel supplied and ballot papers are ready to be printed. Security agencies are recruiting additional forces. Everything on this side of the screen appears destined to have a happy ending.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But the off-stage rehearsal of the other act determined to foil this election at any cost does not signal anything as good. An alliance of supposedly thirty-three parties, led by CPN-Maoist, Mohan Baidya group, has made all possible preparations to create impediments at every possible stage of this election and the scale of their preparation in no way looks dismal.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	They have printed thousands of red T-shirts with the slogan &lsquo;Lets boycott the so- called CA polls&rsquo; printed across. The party has reorganized its youth wing and informal sources claim that they have been instructed to service their concealed old guns that were put to rest after the peace deal seven years ago. If anybody has cared to notice the walls across the country, they have been made colourful with boycott slogans. The leaders of the Baidya group have publicly declared that they will resort to kidnapping candidates from the day of nomination, which was rescheduled from September 25th to October 2nd. The processions organized by this group already look scary. Cadres carry flags and placards on iron rods, with obvious objectives. The back rows are armed with clubs, bamboo sticks, hammers and some even with catapults.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The No-option Trap</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Violence seems imminent, and it might easily exacerbate to make it impossible to hold the polls for two main reasons. First, the Baidya group with its alliance partners has a nation-wide presence. Second, they are left in a no option trap as the logistics to bring the opposing alliance onboard the election process appears impossible, at least so to manage it for November 19th.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The pro-poll alliance is, though, pretending to be engaged in dialogue with Baidya and his group. In essence, the very rationale of such a dialogue no longer holds. It is not only that the poll-opposing parties have not registered in the Election Commission - their rank and files have not enrolled in the voter list either. Thus they cannot file for candidacy even if dialogues bore any positive result. While addressing the demand of Rai&rsquo;s party, the four-party alliance agreed to increase the total number of CA seats from 586 to 601, leaving no further option of placating Baidya and group through addition of CA seats.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For all practical reasons, Baidya and his alliance are left to a no-option trap than opposing the proposed elections. It must be acknowledged that this group had shown unprecedented flexibility in the all-party meeting called by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav mid-September. The only major condition it had put forth to participate in the polls was that the Chairman of the Interim Election Government Khil Raj Regmi resign from the post of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal. This demand was indeed in compliance to the principle of the separation of power among the organs of the state under any acceptable form of democratic governance. It was surprising that the so-called democratic parties also failed to agree on this very reasonable demand by the opposition. It appeared as if the six-party alliance was determined not to bring Baidya into the election fold. Often reported clandestine machinations to throw Baidya at the bay, do appear to be holding some water.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Peculiar Movements</strong></span></div>
<div>
	There are unnatural political movements that contribute to gradually worsen the situation. It is no longer a secret that Baidya&rsquo;s participation in the polls would not affect anyone substantially but the UCPN (Maoist). Therefore, sidelining of Baidya is seen as the outcome of the successful hoodwinking of UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal. Regmi&rsquo;s stiffening of position on the resignation issue and wee hour meetings between the duo, even when Dahal was not the convener of the six-party alliance, are viewed as part of such machinations.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Forces at Play</strong></span></div>
<div>
	There is a very strong intelligentsia in Kathmandu which believes that the dialogue with Baidya, which at one point of time appeared heading to a resolution, got suddenly aborted after Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh visited Nepal in the second week of September. Her insistence on holding the polls in the November &lsquo;at any cost&rsquo; is in effect tantamount to leaving the poll-opposing groups out of the fray.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following Singh&rsquo;s visit, Chinese information minister Cai Moinzhu came to Nepal in the third week of the same month, who unlike Singh reportedly chose to meet Baidya, which interestingly was not covered by the media.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The public speeches of ambassadors like that of Germany and the United States have also created some political ripples as they &lsquo;campaigned&rsquo; for the scheduled elections. Media reports claiming that international election observers have started to land in Nepal suggests that the outside world is more interested in elections here than the Nepali people themselves.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Degrading to a soft-state</strong></span></div>
<div>
	President Yadav recently gave assent to an ordinance that enables the government to mobilize the Nepal Army for the scheduled polls. Yadav, in fact, is bowing down to sign everything that the six-party mechanism wants him to do, invoking the single constitutional provision of &lsquo;removing the difficulties&rsquo;. He, for example, first agreed to a 491-member CA, then to 586 and finally, again to 601.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He is doing all these things without making sure that the elections would actually take place and his signing of these documents do facilitate the process of political reconciliation and peace building.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	These developments have created a situation that any constitutional, institutional and legal changes can be effected in Nepal at any point of time, at will. There is no stability factor and there is no defined position of the State. This is a very dangerous soft state syndrome. The editor of a prominent news magazine tweeted last week, &lsquo;if anything can come as removing difficulties, why can&rsquo;t one new constitution too come from the same window, putting all fuss to an end?&rsquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>New Round of Conflict</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The country is all set to enter a fresh round of conflict, for now as a clash between pro and anti-poll forces, if the government chooses to crush the ones determined to oppose these polls. The fact is: the opposition forces are determined to stop this election and they are not a very fringe force that could be quelled with regular security operation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Even if these polls are held by using all possible instruments, the CA elected thus is unlikely to deliver a constitution that is acceptable even to those now opposing the polls. The conflict might even aggravate at this point. &nbsp;As such, the promulgation of a constitution would be next to impossible. The only way to peace again is to bring all political forces to the electoral process, which for now means, unquestionably, deferral of the election date to a new one acceptable to all - both to create political space for the dissenting parties and make it logistically possible for them to participate in the electoral process.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(The writer is former editor of Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily.)</em></div>',
			'published' => true,
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			'description' => 'Although the countdown to November 19, the scheduled date for the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, reduces from months to days, uncertainty on the polls continue to hover. A drama of double acts, on-stage and off-stage, orchestrated simultaneously by forces striving to hold the polls and forces trying to foil it, respectively, takes upon the country.',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2081',
			'article_category_id' => '173',
			'title' => 'The Multiplex Effect',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fcube Multiplex" src="/userfiles/images/fcube%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 181px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Bhawani Timalsina</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities. &nbsp;The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city. &nbsp;However, the trend of digitization was initiated by the QFX centre after acquiring Jai Nepal cinema hall in 2000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Experts opine that multiplexes lure the audience mainly through technologies that make films more visually appealing. &nbsp;Alongside movie watching, multiplexes offer other attractive facilities such as complimentary pop-corns, game-zones, separate lounges and a good ambience. Multiplexes offer quality experience to the audience. Multiplex are provided with operators more opportunities to grow as conventional cinema halls lack enough resources to maintain quality, operators say.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Film makers in Nepal say that the multiplex cinema halls here have been playing a key role in uplifting the Nepali film industry. New film-makers have been thrilled with the response they have received from the audience in multiplex movie halls. Film producer and director Nischal Basnet says, &ldquo;The trend is positive for Nepali film-makers as the multiplexes have attracted audiences that previously neglected Nepali films. These are audiences that regard ambience and facility as important aspects of the movie-watching experience.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Infrastructure Officer of the Film Development Board Nepal, Harihar Rekhoula, agrees that the multiplexes have helped in promoting Nepali films. Rekhoula agrees that the multiplexes have given a new avenue to promote Nepali films and opines that audiences should encourage Nepali films by watching them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Chairman of Quest Entertainment Pvt Ltd Nakim Uddin is pleased with the response the multiplex halls have received recently. &ldquo;We have been receiving a positive response from the audiences ever since the inception of Jai Nepal cinema hall,&rdquo; he claims.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Rakesh Shrestha, Managing Operator of Big Movies sees investment in the movie exhibition business (multiplex) has huge potential. &ldquo;New players are emerging in the business and the market has been expanding,&rdquo; he says. Shrestha is optimistic and confident that the future of the film exhibition business will remain bright as positive responses from movie-goers have prompted new investors as well. &nbsp;&ldquo;Growing competition helps expand the market,&rdquo; he adds.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dr Pradeep Bhattarai, President of Film Critics Society Nepal (FCSN), mentioned in his presentation &lsquo;Setting the Scene: Nepal and Film Market&rsquo; at the Workshop on Copyright for Film Professionals held in Kathmandu in December 2012, that investment in the film exhibition business has increased with the introduction of multiplexes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the Film Development Board, there are 215 film theatres and 43 high vision halls in Nepal. Out of them, 90 percent are following the digital format whereas the rest are under process. &ldquo;Audiences are now ready to pay overpriced tickets, though it was quite difficult to convince them in the beginning,&rdquo; says Roshan Adiga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of QFX Cinemas. Adiga also mentions that online booking and online purchasing are additional facilities of multiplexes that encourage ticket-buying. Tickets at multiplexes are priced from Rs 175 to Rs 400, and occupancy in general is 70-80 percent when a good movie is on, according to Shrestha, who speaks for Big Cinemas alone. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have the ability to screen a single film in several auditoria via interlinked equipment in a single projection room. &nbsp;Due to this, multiplex operators accommodate a broad choice of films to attract large audiences. Given the range of price in tickets and variety of choice in films, multiplexes have also become a recreation centre for people of all classes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Malls and Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have always been an integral part of shopping malls worldwide. In the context of Nepal, renowned multiplexes such as QFX, F-Cube and Big cinemas are located in famous shopping malls &ndash; the QFX Central in Civil mall, Big Cinemas in City Centre and F-Cube in KL tower. Adiga says that malls and multiplexes are integral as both have to depend upon each other for footfalls. The increasing number of shopping malls in Kathmandu has boosted the number of multiplexes. Co-location of malls and multiplexes are beneficial as multiplexes help increase sales, say operators at malls. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Increasing Investment Volume in Film Exhibition&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The movie-watching experience has changed with the multiplex boom. Trends indicate change in the financial aspect of the entertainment sector. The massive success of multiplexes has attracted huge amounts of investment in the exhibition business. Multiplex operators are optimistic that the multiplex business will reach heights with increasing competitors and expansion plans in the days to come. &nbsp;The rise of the multiplex has pressurized single stand cinema halls to improve quality and facility. Multiplex owners have also lured good revenue from food vendors and advertisements as most of them have been tying up with various brands.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Average cost of the multi-screen cinema</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Quest Entertainment invested Rs 30 million in Jai Nepal and Rs 45 million in Kumari Cinema hall. According to multiplex operators, the cost of multiplex business would be Rs 50 million in average. However, cost also depend upon the quality of technology and other factors affecting investment. According to Shrestha, the cost can range from Rs 70 million to Rs 90 million given different technologies and business capacity.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Upcoming Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The QFX Centre is planning to roll out a 3-auditoria multiplex in Lalitpur in the near future. The company informs that the project will be completed within a year. &nbsp;Some old single stand theaters are also set to build multi-screen cinema halls. Some of Kathmandu&rsquo;s oldest cinema halls like Bishwojyoti and Ranjana halls have already begun the venture. Big Movies has also been planning to come up with other projects in the days to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Multiplex in KTM" src="/userfiles/images/fcube1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 133px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
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			'created' => '2013-11-06',
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			'description' => 'The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities.  The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city.',
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			'id' => '2080',
			'article_category_id' => '165',
			'title' => 'Global Business Trends October 2013',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Switzerland Leads in Global Energy Ranking</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 188px;" />Switzerland and a handful of countries in Europe led the way in a global ranking of energy efficiency, access to resources and environmental sustainability. China ranked 78th and the United States was 15th, according to the report by the World Energy Council, a London-based group that promotes sustainable power. Canada came in sixth and France was 10th, while the worst showing of all 129 countries was made by Zimbabwe.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Countries were also given letter grades for their performance in three categories: how well they manage their energy supply, how accessible and affordable energy is across the population, and how much of their power is derived from low-carbon renewables. Only five countries received all A&#39;s -- Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Britain and Spain. Benin and Zimbabwe received all D&#39;s. India, Lebanon, Yemen and Nicaragua also fared poorly with C&#39;s and D&#39;s.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	China got an A for energy security but D&#39;s for the environment and affordability and equitable access to power. The United States was a top scorer in security and supply but earned a C in environmental friendliness. The report was based on interviews with more than 50 government officials, development banks and international experts from more than 25 countries, the WEC said. Policymakers interviewed for the report urged more proactive energy policies, and called on the energy industry to help developed countries makes strides toward sustainable energy. The report was released three weeks ahead of talks at the World Energy Congress, to be held in Daegu, Korea.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Asia to have Most Millionaires: Survey</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 188px;" />Asia will have the world&rsquo;s largest number of millionaires as early as next year despite the expected tapering of the US Federal Reserve&rsquo;s stimulus programme, according to a report published on September 25th. With strong growth and high saving rates, the wealth of the region&rsquo;s millionaires will grow by an annual average 9.8 percent and reach nearly $16 trillion in 2015, according to the wealth management unit of Royal Bank of Canada.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite concerns of devaluing asset prices due to capital outflows triggered by Fed tapering, Asia is set to lead the world in the number of millionaires and their total wealth, the bank said in a report prepared with consulting firm Capgemini. &ldquo;The region&rsquo;s high net worth population and wealth has increased by 31 percent and 27 percent respectively since 2007, far outpacing growth in the rest of the world of 14 percent and nine percent,&rdquo; George Lewis, group head of RBC Wealth Management, said in a statement.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The number of millionaires in Asia surged by 9.4 percent year-on-year to 3.68 million in 2012, still trailing North America&rsquo;s 3.73 million. Millionaires in the report are defined as individuals with investable assets of $1 million or more, excluding residence, collectibles and others.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Asia&rsquo;s continual population growth, and economic growth expected to continue outperforming the rest of the world, would help it take the lead as early as next year, according to Eric Lascelles, chief economist of RBC Global Asset Management. He said the Fed&rsquo;s tapering plan could create &ldquo;hiccups&rdquo; but would not affect the trajectory of growth in the region. &nbsp;The bank said Japan saw the slowest growth in its millionaire population last year among Asian economies, with only a 4.4 percent increase in 2012 compared to the previous year. Hong Kong topped its Asian peers in the growth of both millionaire numbers and their investable assets in 2012.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>China&#39;s Smartphone Shipments to Exceed 450 mn&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 207px;" />The world&#39;s biggest smartphone market China will likely see shipments of more than 450 million devices in 2014, at least a quarter more than this year, research firm IDC said. IDC said the increase will be driven by the government&#39;s issuance of 4G licences and expectations that China Mobile Ltd , the world&#39;s biggest wireless operator, would carry iPhones by then.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	China, a market dominated by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Lenovo Group Ltd, is expected to ship 120 million 4G-enabledsmartphones to meet consumer demand for Internet connectivity. Smartphone shipments are expected to reach 360 million this year, IDC said.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the second quarter, Samsung and Lenovo maintained their lead in China with market shares of 18.5 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively, while China Wireless Technologies Ltd&#39;s Coolpad moved up a notch from the previous quarter to rank number 3. Apple Inc&#39;s iPhones saw market share and ranking fall to 5 percent and number 6 in the second quarter, from 9 per cent and number 5 a quarter ago, IDC analysts said. The US technology giant&#39;s market share usually slips a quarter or two before its next product launch.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&quot;Affected by the sluggish sales of iPhone 5, Apple&#39;s market share has declined dramatically, but its performance is expected to remarkably improve with the launch of the new iPhone,&quot; James Yan, an IDC analyst, said in a statement. Apple unveiled two new smartphone models, the iPhone 5S and a less expensive 5C, in China just hours after their US launch. Apple sold 9 million new iPhones during the first three days in stores after China joined the list of launch countries for the first time, though it declined to give a breakdown for the Chinese market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Blackberry in $4.7bn Takeover Deal&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 155px;" />Struggling smartphone maker Blackberry has agreed in principle to be bought by a consortium led by Fairfax Financial for $4.7bn (&pound;3bn). Blackberry said in statement that Fairfax, its largest shareholder with about 10% of the stock, had offered $9 a share in cash to buy the company. But Blackberry said it would continue to explore other options while negotiations with Fairfax continued.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Two weeks ago, Blackberry announced 4,500 jobs cuts in a bid to stem losses. The Canadian company said it expected to make a loss of up to $1bn after poor sales of its new handsets. In August, Blackberry said it was evaluating a possible sale. On Monday, 23rd September, the company announced that it had &quot;signed a letter of intent agreement under which a consortium to be led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited has offered to acquire the company subject to due diligence&quot;.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The statement continued: &quot;Diligence is expected to be complete by November 4, 2013. The parties&#39; intention is to negotiate and execute a definitive transaction agreement by such date.&quot; However, Blackberry said it was not in exclusive talks with Fairfax and would continue to &quot;actively solicit, receive, evaluate and potentially enter into negotiations&quot; with other potential buyers. Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa, Fairfax&#39;s chairman and chief executive, said: &quot;We believe this transaction will open an exciting new private chapter for Blackberry, its customers, carriers and employees.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Blackberry&#39;s financial problems came to a head this year following disappointing sales of its new Z10 model smartphone. Released in January - after many delays - the phone has failed to enthuse consumers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Scandals Cost JPMorgan $1 Billion in Fines</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl4%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 156px;" />It&#39;s $1 billion in payouts that JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co most likely wants to forget. In agreements with regulators totaling $1 billion and made public on September 19, the biggest bank of US settled four civil investigations into its &quot;London Whale&quot; trading scandal and two more into the wrongful billing of credit-card customers. The deals, which involve five authorities from the United States and one from the UK, are a milestone in the company&#39;s push to clean up its legal affairs but leave JPMorgan exposed to additional costs and embarrassment.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The bank still faces criminal probes into the trading scandal, its conduct during an energy trading investigation, sales of mortgage securities in the United States and possible bribery in China. Investigators are also looking into its role in setting benchmark interest rates known as LIBOR. The settlements include $920 million of penalties for JPMorgan&#39;s London Whale trading scandal, which Chief Executive Jamie Dimon at first dismissed as a &quot;tempest in a teapot&quot; and ultimately resulted in $6.2 billion in losses. The deals included an admission of wrongdoing, which has been rare in past settlements made by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A second set of settlements includes $80 million of payments for billing of credit-card customers for identity-theft protection services that they did not receive. The deals, made with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, come after the company issued $309 million of refunds to customers. The Comptroller of the Currency also on Thursday ordered JPMorgan to improve its consumer debt-collection practices. That order did not include financial penalties and involved allegations made public more than two years ago. The London Whale deals, reached with the UK&#39;s Financial Conduct Authority and the U.S. Federal Reserve, SEC and Comptroller of the Currency, resolve the biggest civil probes into the trading debacle. The deals include citations against JPMorgan for poor risk controls and failure to inform regulators about deficiencies in risk management identified by bank management. The scandal took on the London Whale nickname that hedge funds had given to Bruno Iksil, a trader at JPMorgan&#39;s Chief Investment Office in London, for the enormous size of the positions he took for the company.</div>',
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			'description' => 'Switzerland and a handful of countries in Europe led the way in a global ranking of energy efficiency, access to resources and environmental sustainability. China ranked 78th and the United States was 15th, according to the report by the World Energy Council, a London-based group that promotes sustainable power.',
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			'id' => '2079',
			'article_category_id' => '163',
			'title' => 'Tech Talk October 2013',
			'sub_title' => '',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Samsung Launches UHD TV &nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 99px;" />HIM Electronics, authorized distributor of Samsung in Nepal, launched a new series of Ultra High Definition (UHD) Televisions and refrigerators in the Nepali market. The latest model of Samsung TV is available in 65 and 55 inches with more than 8 million pixels which helps bring out intricate and detailed pictures. UHD TV series offers a revolutionary voice command recognition system and intuitive motion sensing. In order to enable the basic functions such as changing channels or the volume, one has to say &lsquo;HI TV&rsquo; or wave a hand. In addition, users can also use videos, photos and other available apps in the TV to share content through social media like Facebook and Twitter. The price of the 65 inch and 55 inch UHD TV is Rs 800,000 and Rs 750,000, respectively.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, the BEE 5 star rating Samsung Refrigerator 3050 series provides facility to store food with a minimum consumption of electricity as it uses LED lights and the digital Inverter Compressor. The refrigerator also has a decade-long warranty facility. The cost of a refrigerator varies from Rs 33.000 to Rs 45, 000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Apple Unveils Two New iphone Models</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 113px;" />Apple&rsquo;s latest iPhones will come in a bevy of colours and two distinct designs, one made of plastic and the other that aims to be &ldquo;the gold standard of smartphones&rdquo; and reads your fingerprint. Apple unveiled the latest iPhone models during an event at its Cupertino, California, headquarters. The iPhone 5C will be available in five colours &ndash; green, blue, yellow, pink and white. CEO Tim Cook calls it &ldquo;more fun and colourful&rdquo; than any other iPhone. The 5C has a 4-inch Retina display and is powered by Apple&rsquo;s A6 chip. It also has an 8 megapixel camera, live photo filters and a rear cover that lights up. The second phone, the 5S, is &ldquo;the most forward-looking phone we have ever created,&rdquo; said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple. It will come in silver, gold and &ldquo;space gray&rdquo; and run a new chip, the A7 that is up to twice as fast as the A6.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Canvas Lite A92 in Market</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 89px;" />Micromax has launched Canvas Lite A92 in the market. The phone is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor and runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. For imaging, the phone has a 5 Megapixel primary camera and a 0.3 Megapixel secondary camera. A92 sports a 5.0&quot; capacitive full touch screen, 32 GB expandable memory and comes with a 2000 mAh battery. &nbsp;Other features of the phone include gravity sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS support.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Colors Launches Xfactor Shine 1&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 99px; height: 200px;" />Colors mobile has introduced new Xfactor Shine 1 in the market. According to a press release from the company, the handset is loaded with the best of the features, comes with a faster processor and beautiful sleek design and Android version 4.0.3. The phone is powered by a 1.2 GHz Dual Core Processor and has 4 GB ROM and 512 MB of RAM. Other features include 4.5 inch screen, WAP/GPRS/EDGE support, dual SIM standby and expandable memory up to 32 GB.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>New Ultraviolet LED for Portable Devices Developed</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt4%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 113px;" />Researchers have developed a new ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diode that could lead to more portable and low-cost devices. The patent-pending LED creates a more precise wavelength of UV light than today&#39;s commercially available UV LEDs, and runs at much lower voltages and is more compact than other experimental methods for creating precise wavelength UV light. Ohio State University engineers created LEDs out of semiconductor nanowires which were doped with the rare earth element gadolinium.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Twitter files for IPO</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt5%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 99px;" />Twitter has filed for an initial public offering of stock, though the details of its business will remain a secret for now. The company sent its filing confidentially to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Twitter has been rumored to be going public for the past few years. After Facebook&#39;s IPO in May 2012, it was widely believed that Twitter would be the next major technology company to offer its stock to public investors.</div>',
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			'description' => 'HIM Electronics, authorized distributor of Samsung in Nepal, launched a new series of Ultra High Definition (UHD) Televisions and refrigerators in the Nepali market. The latest model of Samsung TV is available in 65 and 55 inches with more than 8 million pixels which helps bring out intricate and detailed pictures.',
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			'id' => '2046',
			'article_category_id' => '153',
			'title' => 'Two-wheelers Getting More Riders',
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			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Suraksha Adhikari&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In a country like Nepal where a proficient transportation service seems to be a far-fetched dream, two-wheelers have become the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Motorcycles have become the choice for the people working during odd hours to move around in the busiest roads of capital or the bumpy roads in the countryside or say the narrow roads where the four wheelers cannot easily pass by.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	With the arrival of the main festivals in Nepal, the mob of people is seen around the motorcycle showrooms to grab the offers and schemes provided by various companies on the occasion of festivals. Adhir Kumar Shrestha, Assistant Managing Director of V.G. Automobiles Pvt. Ltd said that the sale of motorcycles has increased to double following the offers. This company has already sold around 1,200 units of motorcycles in short span of being authorized dealer of Nepal.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shekhar Golchha, President of the Nepal Automobile Dealers&rsquo; Association (NADA) said that the size of the market increases during the festival season because of the trend of buying new things during the special occasions. He said, &ldquo;Around 20 to 50 per cent of total sale of two wheelers on Nepal is during Dashain.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He added, &ldquo;The first choice of people after having some amount of money is automobile and Dashain is the most suitable occasion for the people to buy new things in the family.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The road widening drive in Kathmandu and other cities in the country started some time ago. However, most roads still await completion. &ldquo;Having wide roads will definitely have a positive impact on the industry,&rdquo; said Shrestha.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Market Status</strong></span></div>
<div>
	After the continuous dropdown of the two wheelers market for more than two years, the market has again picked up the pace. As per the data of Department of Transport Management the import of two-wheelers rose 22 percent in the first nine months of the fiscal year compared to the same period last year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Analyzing the data of past one decade, the motorcycle segment has witnessed a very impressive growth. The number of two-wheelers has grown from 26,547 in fiscal 2003-04 to 175,381 in fiscal 2012-13.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	One of the largest players in the two-wheeler scene in the country, HH Bajaj, reported that they had witnessed a growth in sales of more than 40 percent. The company has so far sold around 30,000 units of two-wheelers. Shekhar Golchha, executive director of HH Bajaj, said that the reason behind the increase in sales was the bounce-back effect afterv a huge fall.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The enormous growth the two-wheeler segment has been witnessing annually has been spreading to areas outside the capital city. While the market for two-wheelers has come to a saturation point in the Kathmandu valley, sales outside the valley have seen a massive growth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Factors in Increasing Sales</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The easy availability of auto loans at a lower interest rate compared to the past few years has contributed to the growth in auto sales. Currently, finance companies are offering auto loans in the range of 9.5 to 12 percent interest. &ldquo;As two-wheelers are the means of transportation of the general people, easy availability of finance has played a positive role in the increment in sales,&rdquo; Golchha said. Meanwhile the sales of two-wheelers had increased as public transportation isn&rsquo;t reliable in the country. Launching of schemes by motorcycle dealers round the year and new model rollouts too have aided growth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Problems and Challenges</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Traders say that the license distribution system of Transportation Management Department is capital centric which has been creating problem to the license holder outside the valley. This has been degrading the sale as the facility of trial for two wheelers is only in Pokhara and Kathmandu after the upgrade of license distribution system.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Other major challenges include transportation hurdles and traffic management. Pradip Pradhan, member of NADA, said that the government&rsquo;s categorizing automobiles in the luxury segment has hindered the growth of the sector.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-10-28',
			'modified' => '2013-11-11',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'In a country like Nepal where a proficient transportation service seems to be a far-fetched dream, two-wheelers have become the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Motorcycles have become the choice for the people working during odd hours to move around in the busiest roads of capital or the bumpy roads in the countryside or say the narrow roads where the four wheelers cannot easily pass by.',
			'sortorder' => '1938',
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	(int) 1 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2072',
			'article_category_id' => '31',
			'title' => 'A Recipe For Development Through Rights',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>William Ruger</strong>&nbsp;is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University and an adjunct assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. He earned his PhD in Politics from Brandeis University. Professor Ruger has authored a biography, Milton Friedman, and is also co-author of The State of Texas: Government, Politics, and Policy and Freedom in the 50 States and An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom. His scholarly articles have been appeared in International Studies Quarterly, Armed Forces and Society, and State Politics and Policy Quarterly. During his recent visit in Nepal, he spoke to&nbsp;<strong>Editor-in-Chief Madan Lamsal</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Suraksha Adhikari</strong>&nbsp;of New Business Age.<strong>&nbsp;Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What brought you to Nepal this time?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Well, I am here as a guest and also to address a workshop at the King&rsquo;s College. I love interacting with people and the same thing I am doing here in Kathmandu to exchange thought and views on current scenario in this country. So, it&rsquo;s been very enjoyable.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You argue that developing economies need well-functioning institutions that keep peace (both domestically and internationally) and administer justice. Can you elaborate?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	One of the most important things that the social scientists have identified is being consistent with the prosperous economy where a state protests property rights. When people want to invest for better economy, they need to be protected in terms of their property rights. Their profits won&rsquo;t be confiscated and the investment they make won&rsquo;t get affected with high tax issues, which will led them to rough weather &mdash; crushing their efforts by the regulations. It&rsquo;s really important to have a thorough research and to get the institutions right. For example: There is a book called, &ldquo;Why Nations Fail?&rdquo; where the difference between North and South Korea was beautifully portrayed as different sets of institutions. South Korea and United States have more inclusive institutions including property right protection while other places do not. One can see the difference in these two places.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You have emphasized that the governments need to focus on protecting private property rights. What are major implications of private property rights on economy?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	I don&rsquo;t think we should defend property rights simply because they lead to economic prosperity. I think it should be protected because it&rsquo;s the right thing a state should do. People have the right to own their property, to include their integrity, their thoughts and the products of their labour in terms of making or buying. This is the right thing to do with consistence to the prosperous society. So I will not say that the state shouldn&rsquo;t do it only because of its relationship with prosperity. A government is the one that protects people&rsquo;s individual rights to include property right.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">Considering the situation, when we are not being able to enjoy the basic fundamental rights, how can we think of including the private property rights in the list?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	I am not saying it&rsquo;s easy for any society including my own to ensure that the government should respect its rights. There are many examples where I think that my own government failed in protecting individual rights. I believe it&rsquo;s same in Nepal too. A right state provides a situation to see whether the government&rsquo;s function in ideal or not. If the government sticks to doing the basic things of protecting property rights, individual rights, allowing individual to execute their projects, having interest in bettering themselves and their family then you can see prosperity across. These are the basic things that the government should do. Unfortunately there are so many governments around the world that try to do so many things for good reasons but sometimes even for self-interested reasons. That&rsquo;s why a democratic society is important so that some pressure can be put on the government by the people. That means the people have to hold the government and governing class feet to the fire. If they engage in corruption this needs to be rooted out.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"><img alt="William Ruger,Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University" src="/userfiles/images/wr1.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px; height: 459px;" />Do you think the government needs to protect the powerless from the powerful who aim to rent-seek contrary to the public good or whose persons and property are threatened or violated by other citizens?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Yes, indeed. You know a lot of people talk about how there is need to have economic right for the less well-off. Part of the problem for the weaker section of the society is that government is strictly rest-seeking against the renters, putting barriers and regulations on the business activities. It makes it harder to people to actually move up in the society. In creating a situation in which economic growth is difficult for the entire society and that doesn&rsquo;t help anyone but especially hurts people towards the bottom in many ways in terms of quality and poverty. So, what we need is a real pro-growth business policy of the government &mdash; consistent with the rise so that you can see society as a whole become more progressive.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What are the major constraints of developing countries when it comes to growth?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The economic growth is a complicated picture. You must have a right institution in terms of the government, you also have to have the culture that is consistent with entrepreneur activities and a peaceful society that is relatively tolerant having strong work ethic which teaches a kind of value consistent with human flourishing. So it is very important for families and institutions in society to help develop those values.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">How can we develop the entrepreneurial culture among the people&rsquo;s lives in society like us?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Entrepreneurship is the thing that should be awarded not hindered. Its&rsquo; really easy to squelch an entrepreneurial skill if you frustrate it constantly especially when you are trying to raise yourself to build a business and so forth. And I think in many ways the informal economy in Nepal shows that there is still a lot of entrepreneurial spirit. It&rsquo;s not just out in the formal economy perhaps it should be a really important for the government to get out of the way of the people engaging in those types of business but to make them easier and to have a kind of feeling that they won&rsquo;t be punished.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is also good for the government if they could secure the property rights of individual in business. There is a role for government to administer justice and it should engage police to protect the property rights, the people and to protect the state from other countries. And it needs tax revenue to do so.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For making the people aware about the entrepreneurship and its importance &mdash; education will play a pivotal role. These things should be taught to our children in schools and institutions to make them aware about what is necessary to achieve prosperity.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">You often talk about freedom to price exploration. What&rsquo;s your main proposition to this regard?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	The price mechanism is important for transmitting local information efficiently in the complicated large society. Without the price mechanism it&rsquo;s hard for economy to be efficient. So when government steps into that, it creates a lot of problems. In fact, without the price mechanism, how would we know how to use our resources including our work force. So when government gets in the way of that it creates problems.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">How important is the ideology of political forces in development?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Unfortunately lots of parties have ideas that that the society is flourishing. And that&rsquo;s the king of rent-seeking behavior we see but also that is a kind of desire for power that individuals in the parties have. In some ways you have to find ways in which ambition can be changed on the right direction. The people who are ambitious should be focused on doing positive things. You rather want to be Bill Gates and earn millions of dollars rather than being a simple person or any political entrepreneur who often spend time is creating a resources and goods for himself rather than for others. And a person like Bill Gates is the one who creates a lot of value for everyone. We should honour these people not envy them. Certainly we should not do the things that prevent the person like Bill Gates from doing what they do.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is difficult to change the situation in the country like Nepal but part of this can be initiated from education, free press where people in media can talk about some of the stories of entrepreneurship, talk about where government has hindered this activities. But it is hard. Once you get into a bad cycle it can be difficult. Again there is a very good research in social science to show somebody&rsquo;s problem and how to get out of it.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What&rsquo;s your stand about communist ideology for the development of the country?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Communism is the failed idea. It should be something that any state or any group repatriates. It is amazing that after the fall of Soviet Union that anybody would generate those views particularly because they haven&rsquo;t been consistent with our flourishing especially economically. Justice is quite difficult to receive in these places that adopt a communist ideology. So I am not sure why anybody want communism not to mention the fact that it just doesn&rsquo;t work and it is something that even the people of the progressive forces in my country don&rsquo;t want the system where the means of production are not held in private hands. So it is just amazing that why anybody would want that. But china has broken with a lot of tendencies of economy. They have tried to encourage more market forces. They are not all the way &mdash; they have to be yet &mdash; but part of the reason that they have a large economy take off was when they started liberalizing their economy and especially to open themselves to international trade. That&rsquo;s part of the recipe of success.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">Professor Ruger you have authored a biography, Milton Friedman. Why is Milton Friedman an important figure to write about?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Friedman is one of the best economists of the 21st century. He is the public intellectual. He was the big figure in the USA and the world promoting markets, reforms in other areas that increased freedom. Lots of people don&rsquo;t realise that he was an important figure in moving USA away from conscription to an all-volunteer military force. He believed in government funding of education but didn&rsquo;t believed in government administration of school so that was really important thing for him. He is important not only he was a great economist and a Nobel Prize Winner in economics for his work on monetary policy largely but also someone who passed a fairly consistent freedom agenda in all kinds of area not just in economic ground.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 14px;">What is your observation on Nepali business schools based on your short surveillance?</span></strong></div>
<div>
	Basically I am a political scientist but one of the best things I found out that there are really bright students who are interested about the ideas we are talking about. It&rsquo;s a long way to come from Texas to Nepal and it is very nice to see the enthusiasm of the students. I wish more people come to Nepal and learn something from the people here because I have learned a lot from this place.</div>',
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			'description' => 'William Ruger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University and an adjunct assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin. He earned his PhD in Politics from Brandeis University.',
			'sortorder' => '1937',
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	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2067',
			'article_category_id' => '46',
			'title' => '“Private Sector  Is Publicity-Oriented”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 16px;">Though a businessman, he is well known in political circles. Entering the business world at the age of 14, Ajay Raj Sumargi, Chairman of Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd, has many successes under his belt. Shifting between political and business circles, and from one business sector to the next, Sumargi makes an interesting business personality in Nepal. His favourite sector at the moment is hydropower which, according to him, is the one that can change the economy of the country for the better. He does not try to hide his interest in politics and ways he interacts with political forces in order to develop a common minimum understanding among political leaders. &ldquo;Yes, leaders come to me and request to play the role of mediator when there are disputes and differences among them,&rdquo; he reveals. Sumargi talks to New Business Age&rsquo;s Siromani Dhungana about his journey and perspective on business in Nepal.&nbsp;<strong>Excerpts:&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Can you please share with us your journey from being a local businessman outside of the valley to a renowned and one of the richest ones in the country?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was 14 when my father passed away. Our family was already renowned for business at that time. We were involved in various businesses such as transportation, mines and wood works. My mother was always worried about my studies owing to my involvement in business from a very young age. I was responsible toward my younger brothers and we were liable to huge bank loans at that time.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		In 1978, I was liable for a bank loan worth Rs 1.1 million because I had taken over all responsibilities of my father&rsquo;s business. I must confess that I am not a first generation businessman - all I did was continued the businesses initiated by my father. I cleared all my banks loans by 1986 and was able to own a car at that time. All my success today is due to my hard work in those days.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>You entered the business world at a very young age. How did you cope with challenges in business?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was born in a very prosperous and educated family that had great influence at the local level. I cannot forget the contribution of my predecessors for my progress. Similarly, I got many opportunities, warmth and cooperation from society due to my father&rsquo;s fame.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Another reason for my success is my readiness to take risks in business. For instance, I bought a loader worth $60,000 around 1993. At that time most people suggested that I buy a truck instead because the profit attained from trucks was more secure compared to loaders. However, my decision of purchasing a loader paid back and proved to be a right within six years as I was able to reap profit and invest it further in other projects. As a businessman, I always took risks and my readiness to bear risks has benefitted me thus far.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Generally, I change my sector every 11-12 years. In the initial 10 years, I was involved in the business of wood mills; after that, I moved on to the business of mines; later, I got involved in the telecom business and have been in it for the last 10 years.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>So, which sector do you anticipate engaging in the next 10 years?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		It is obviously the hydropower sector I want to concentrate in the coming decade. I have planned to invest in a 35MW hydropower project in Dhading district. I will also put my energies to bring foreign investment in the hydropower sector.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		I had planned to construct a large capacity hydropower project in Karnali when Pushpa Kamal Dahal was Prime Minister. But it could not start due to hassles at the political level. I have put hydropower in my priority list and I think my presence will have a positive impact just as in the telecom sector. My contribution to make the telecom sector competitive and cheap has proved that I can create positive impact in business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Private sector investment in hydropower has been a much hyped issue. In your opinion, what are some major problems impeding the big hydro hope?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		There are many problems in the hydropower sector. First, we have entrusted the responsibility of production, transmission and distribution work to the same agency - the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). In my opinion, a single government agency cannot carry out all these responsibilities. The government&rsquo;s role should be limited to the monitoring of the entire sector whereas work of production, transmission and distribution should be given to the private sector. But the government should provide some sort of subsidy to develop this sector. Another major problem is in transmission. The existing transmission line is not sufficient to supply electricity to households connected to the grid. The line cannot supply power even if sufficient power is produced. Lack of an effective system in NEA and lack of appropriate policies and laws have also affected the development of the hydropower sector.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>The private sector is also blamed for malpractices in the hydropower sector. What is your say?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		It seems the private sector has been publicity-oriented to some extent. Hoarding of hydropower licenses is a serious malpractice on the part of the private sector. Such trends tarnish the reputation of the private sector. The government should revoke the licenses of those firms that are squatting on the licenses just for pocketing them.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Genuine businessmen have been suffering due to the license hoarding trend. The government cannot issue licenses to genuine businessmen like me since all rivers are already occupied. The government should end this and the private sector should support the government in doing so.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Let&rsquo;s change the topic. In your opinion, what should the government do to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Instead of the government acting for that purpose, I think the private sector should be sincere. Activities of the private sector should promote and strengthen it. The government alone cannot create an environment conducive for &nbsp;entrepreneurship and a blame game is not enough. &nbsp;Yet, the government has many responsibilities. The government should facilitate business activities by investing in infrastructure. Three sectors including information technology, hydropower and road connectivity are especially important for positive environment in business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>In spite of your attempt to stay away from controversy, you are always amidst it due to your political connections. Why is this so?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I never want controversy pertaining to my personal life. But people always try to drag me into it which is not good. I don&rsquo;t think it is my fault. People often see things from a single perspective and fail to evaluate things from multiple sides. I think a one-sided assessment of any person will victimise the concerned person.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>There are rumours that you and Prachanda have joint investment in some commercial organizations. Is this true?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		I was equally close to late Girija Prasad Koirala. Once, I did not speak with him for three months and later he himself came to my house. This does not mean that I want to show off my connection with leaders. But I have good relations with all leaders regardless of their political ideology. I do not have any special connection with Prachanda. I frequently meet Sushil Koirala, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Ram Chandra Paudel. People do not care when I meet other leaders but I don&rsquo;t understand why they hype my meeting with Prachanda. Instead, I claim that I have played a role among political leaders to mitigate the differences among them. They also ask me to play the role of mediator when there are disputes and differences among them.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>It is also said that you constructed &lsquo;Mukti Tower&rsquo; in Baneshwar, naming it after Prachanda&rsquo;s father?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, it is correct that I have constructed Mukti Tower. Its full name is &lsquo;Mukti Shree Tower&rsquo; and I named it after Lord Muktinath. I want to inform that I have kept more than 90 per cent of names of my companies after Lord Muktinath. It is false information that the name of the tower was after Prachanda&rsquo;s father. I don&rsquo;t have special relations with Prachanda. Rather, I have known Dr Baburam Bhattarai for long. What I want as a businessman is very clear - that our leaders should have common minimum agenda for the economic development of the country, and I want to contribute to develop such agenda.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Despite being a businessman, you are equally familiar with the political situation of the country. How do you see the relation between politics and business?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Political stability is very important to foster good business environment. Politicians need to assure that it is safe to invest. Similarly, right to property is also very important to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship. All business people should be convinced that there is level playing field in the business sector. No one will be ready to take risks in an environment of political instability. We want a constitution that will ensure right to property and a free market economy. I want the election to be held in the stipulated time which will be crucial for stability in the country. There may be a group that does not want elections to take place for their own benefit. Prolonged transition in politics will lead us to the worst situation in terms of business.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Political parties still seem to be less worried about economic agenda during election. How do you view this?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Recently, Nepali Congress organized a meeting with the business community and entrepreneurs to hold a discussion about economic agendas. I was very happy to be participating in the meeting. I want other parties to hold similar discussions. In my opinion, economic agendas should be forwarded in a professional manner, leaving political advantages and disadvantages aside. &nbsp;Political parties should include the issues of economic reform in their manifestos. Political commitments in manifestos help citizens make parties accountable. In spite of having potential for economic prosperity, we have been failing to tap it, forcing our human resource to go abroad for job opportunities.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>So you are worried about the trend of Nepalis seeking jobs abroad?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, indeed I am. Our country has been supplying unskilled labour abroad. My wish is to create more and more jobs in this country so that people will not be compelled to seek jobs in a foreign land. If we cannot create enough jobs, the government should at least train the manpower going abroad to prevent trouble there. We need to provide training for basic skills and knowledge for job seekers. Similarly, the country needs to provide basic language training so that employees will be able to converse in a foreign land. Manpower agencies should also be made accountable to their clients.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What are the three most important qualities to be a successful entrepreneur?</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Integrity, duty, and patience are essential to be a successful entrepreneur. One should be straightforward and clear in conversation. Anyone should have the courage to say &lsquo;No&rsquo; for what is wrong or impossible and &lsquo;Yes&rsquo; for what is right and possible. Sincerity in business dealings goes a long way. I think, we should respect all and should have patience for everything as well.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Are you satisfied with what you have achieved so far?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Yes, indeed, I am satisfied with my work thus far - I am an optimistic person by nature. Rather, I worry about whom to pay for the heat we get from the sun or the air we breathe. I have been interested in contributing to society through various philanthropic deeds. And thus far I have been involved in road and public taps construction, and canal and bridge construction. I get pleasure from social work as I feel I am obligated towards society. Social work has been a satisfactory experience and I request fellow businessmen to realize the same. &nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-10-29',
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			'description' => 'Though a businessman, he is well known in political circles. Entering the business world at the age of 14, Ajay Raj Sumargi, Chairman of Mukti Shree Pvt Ltd, has many successes under his belt. Shifting between political and business circles, and from one business sector to the next, Sumargi makes an interesting business personality in Nepal. His favourite sector at the moment is hydropower which, according to him, is the one that can change the economy of the country for the better. He does not try to hide his interest in politics and ways he interacts with political forces in order to develop a common minimum understanding among political leaders.',
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	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2090',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => '‘MBA Is Not For Everyone’',
			'sub_title' => '',
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	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/lp%20bhanu.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 131px; height: 161px;" /></div>
<div>
	<strong>LP Bhanu Sharma is the Principal of Apex College, one of the leading management colleges of Nepal. He is also the Chairman of Chartered Academic International Pvt. Ltd. He has over 16 years of experience in management, teaching and training. He is also a spiritualist and trainer on positive living and mediation. In an interview with Keshab Raj Gautam of New Business Age, Sharma shared his opinion on trend of business education in Nepal. Excerpts:</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>You have been working in the education sector for a decade and half. What is your experience?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	I have been working in education sector for more than 16 years. Education has transformed and it is not the same. The curriculum has changed, teachers and students&rsquo; mentality has changed and this sector is looking for newer changes. At present, students have realised the importance of global prospective. Due to these prospects, many students, even management students, are studying Chinese, French, German and Swiss language. Current students no longer thinks that classroom education are enough, they have understood the need of real experience in this competitive business world. The mentality that, unless I do very well I will not be able to do anything has developed among students.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Do you find any difference between the students five years back and students now?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Yes, there is a difference. Today&rsquo;s students know how to make use of technology. Also, sense of competition has grown up and the number of serious students has increased.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>How do you evaluate the growing number of business schools in Nepal?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	At present, number of colleges which offer MBA programme in Nepal has increased to 37.Even a small city like Narayanghat has four institutions offering MBA degree. I take this growing number of business schools as very positive step but this is just the start of journey. This shows that, business education has come up and students really desire for business and management education. Over 52 per cent of Nepali students into higher education study management in Nepal. If we look at USA data, only 25 per cent of graduate students are involved in MBA programme. Market will give these business school three to five years time to prove themselves. In business school, the researches brought into the classes are more important which many of the business school lack. Apparently, this is not the scenario of new institutions but market will give these institution times to stand out. Even older ones like Apex College are having new testing times and we are working on quality. If all these institution works on quality, things will change otherwise market will categorise these intuitions as A, B, C and D grade which ultimately lead these institutions to lose their ground.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>How to choose the best business institution?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Students have to be smarter in this case. Choice of the intuitions is very core. Unless the intuition or the founder have some good records, student must think twice before joining it. Many of the intuitions claim to be the business school but are founded and run by non business graduates. What do they know about business? How are they going to do? These are the sincere questions which students as well as the common people must ask before joining any institution.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>What are your suggestions to potential business students?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	First of all, we must get out of this fashion race. MBA has become a fashion but it should not be. MBA is not for everyone. Everyone does not need to do an MBA. There are much other college options. Students must first need to analyze their strengths and define the expectation from the specific program. Secondly , MBA is not for fresher&rsquo;s. I have a clear feeling that, not more than one third of present MBA students should be doing MBA. Because I found that fresher&rsquo;s are unable to catch the sincerity and seriousness of MBA program. MBA is for people who have work experience of not less than three years. But it&rsquo;s probably our compulsion to take fresher&rsquo;s in our MBA program because the culture has not yet come where people with experience and different set of ambition apply for MBA. We are looking for more deserving students.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Where do you see today&rsquo;s business students after 5 years?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Many business students will be working as entrepreneurs. This is very good sign. At present, around 50 per cent have gone to banking industry. In next five years, I would expect them to go into different NGOs, INGOs and trading companies. I also see some of these business students contributing to transportation, cooperatives, and managing schools of the country in next five years.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Nepali economy is growing at a slow pace. Where will these business graduates be absorbed?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	We must be ready to face lot of upcoming challenges . But I think more than career searching, we should be more conscious about our own strength and weaknesses so that we could find the space to contribute.. Career changing is basically not the good options as professional managers are not among them who had changed their career track. . These are the people who knew what they are made for,what raw material they are and under what category they fall. This had led them to build their own career of interest. I run so many programs on career mapping. Only two days program will make an individual clear about how perfectly one can map his/her career.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>As you believe in spirituality, can you suggest how does it help to achieve full human potentials?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	If we want to know how to do marketing, we learn marketing, if we want to know history we have to study history similarly if we want to know about our self, we need to study spirituality. If only we could know ourselves better, the contribution can be seen in much better way. This ultimately will help us to be a better member of a family; better member of institution, and also better citizen as a whole. In such a way, spirituality helps to achieve the full potential.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Where do you see Nepali economy in 10 years?&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	It&rsquo;s a very difficult question; my only wish is to see the private sector free from politics. Today, politicians are at driving seat but basically entrepreneurs should be in driving seat of private sector. I see much better future of Nepal in next 10 years. But the thing we should not miss out is of our personal values which we should improve. For this, people like us should be more efficient, effective and more professional so that we wont have to face any internal conflict. Unless there is good foundation of values among us, it is very difficult for sustainable growth. So, Media and education should start cultivating those values.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-10',
			'modified' => '2013-11-10',
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			'description' => 'LP Bhanu Sharma is the Principal of Apex College, one of the leading management colleges of Nepal. He is also the Chairman of Chartered Academic International Pvt. Ltd. He has over 16 years of experience in management, teaching and training.',
			'sortorder' => '1935',
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	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2089',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => 'Lifelong Learning',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong>By Ajay Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Not until much later in my life did I realize what Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote, &ldquo;Wherever we go, whatever we do, self is the sole subject we study and learn.&rdquo; One of my favourites is from Polly B. Berends, &ldquo;Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But don&rsquo;t take knowing yourself for granted. In the words of GK Chesterton (1874-1936): &ldquo;One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star.&rdquo; Recall how many times you have said, &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe I actually did or said that.&rdquo; Even today, at this age, I am struggling to know what I must learn and do to realize my individual potential. My advice to you: cultivate the habit of making conscious efforts to learn about yourself.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	I would like to share with you two disciplines I have found quite useful for continual learning. They are from the book called The Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck and the disciplines are named a) Acceptance of Responsibility, and b) Dedication to Truth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Acceptance of Responsibility&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/lifelong.jpg" style="margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; height: 253px; width: 550px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The first of the Four Noble Truths Buddha taught was &ldquo;Life is a suffering&rdquo;. We may accept or deny this assertion but there is overwhelming evidences in its favour. As we move on with our lives, we will inevitably encounter a series of problems. Of course, problems do not last forever. They come and go. But Dr Peck argues that problems must be worked through or else they remain, forever, a barrier to our growth and development. By accepting responsibility for problems, experiencing their pain, working through them in solving them, we learn and grow.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In accepting responsibility, though, Dr Peck warns us of the extremes. On one extreme, which he terms Character Disorder, we blame others for everything that goes wrong, or when we are in conflict with others. On the other extreme, which he terms Neurosis, we blame ourselves for everything that goes wrong or when we are in conflict with others. In one extreme, we assume no responsibility and in the other we assume too much.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	We do not have the inherent capacity to realistically distinguish between what we are and what we are not responsible for. It develops only if we are willing to suffer continual self-examination, which at times can be painful. In Ace Institute&rsquo;s short history of 14 years, this discipline of realistically distinguishing between what we are and we are not responsible for has helped us successfully navigate all sorts of problems, including coercion and threat of closure. In personal life also, application of this discipline has helped me work through what at times appeared to be insurmountable problems.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Dedication to Truth&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	As we view and interact with the world, we develop our own concepts of what is true and real. What was true and real to us as a child may not be so when we are grown up. What was true and real to a person when he was poor may not be so when he is rich. Dr Peck describes each of us as a mapmaker negotiating the terrain of our lives with maps of our own. We are not born with maps; we have to make them. And for our maps to be relevant and useful, we have to continually revise them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The problem he points out is that many of us stop revising our maps after certain time. The result: our maps remain small and sketchy and our view of the world narrow and misleading. His advice: we should subject ourselves to continual self-examination, expose ourselves to the criticism of other mapmakers, continually revise our map and thereby enlarge and refine our understanding of the world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Therefore, be prepared to accept that whatever you have learnt or you have been taught could be wrong, if not today, tomorrow. If it sounds strange and hard to accept, Gustave Falubert&rsquo;s assertion &ldquo;There is no truth. There is only perception&rdquo; might help. If Flaubert&rsquo;s assertion is not convincing enough, listen to this from Raman Maharshi: &ldquo;There is no Truth. There is only Truth within each moment.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Some Parting Advice&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	We regularly encounter social pressure to conform and personal pressure to establish our uniqueness. You may want to listen to this advice from the Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004): &ldquo;Our concern must be to live while we&rsquo;re alive &ndash; to release our inner selves from the spiritual death that comes with living behind a fa&ccedil;ade designed to conform to external definitions of who and what we are.&rdquo; Lisa Nichols warns, &ldquo;No one else can dance your dance, no one else can sing your song, no one else can write your story.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	And pleads John Mason with the title of his book: &ldquo;You&rsquo;re born original; don&rsquo;t die a copy.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>- Ghimire is the Chairman of Ace Institute of Management. This article is adapted from his key-note speech made at the MBA and EMBA graduation ceremony 2013 of the institute.</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-11-10',
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			'description' => 'Not until much later in my life did I realize what Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote, “Wherever we go, whatever we do, self is the sole subject we study and learn.” One of my favourites is from Polly B. Berends, “Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.”',
			'sortorder' => '1934',
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2088',
			'article_category_id' => '168',
			'title' => 'Holistic Education For Complete Life',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/holistic.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 168px; height: 167px;" /></div>
<div>
	One might ask a question: what is so lacking in current education that holistic education promises to fulfill? Education, as is understood and taken today, is an attempt to discover, understand and instill the various aspects of human living to each individual with the purpose of enhancing the living standard of people. This education teaches us all about our living. But it somehow fails to explore, discover and teach students about themselves, their own life and its dimensions. It teaches the students how to earn, but fails to talk anything about the person for whom the wealth is sought to be earned. It teaches about different aspects of life, but leaves no clue about the life itself. In a nutshell, it studies the objects in the exterior world but has nothing to do with the subject in the inner world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A basic premise of holistic education is the belief that our life has a meaning and purpose greater than the mechanistic laws described by science, and greater than the &lsquo;consensus consciousness&rsquo; of any one culture. The current system conceives education as a &ldquo;race&rdquo;&mdash;a competition forcing schools, teachers, and students to contend for some sort of victory. This has poisoned the very human psyche which strives for understanding and meaning, more than just quantitative living. Defined as a competitive race, current education is not yet a collaborative art of mentoring and nurturing the young, but a harried and random effort to succeed according to some external measure of success&mdash;to reach some goal line established by those in authority.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The past century witnessed the most intensive efforts in education, perhaps much more than the entire millennium put together. Many nations have been able to hit the literacy rate of close to one hundred percent. It was hoped that an educated world will bring all the wealth, happiness, friendliness and peace in the world. But the results, to our dismay, fail to meet any such targets. The entire human race is suffering from stress, negativities, worries, anxieties and uncertainties. Family ties are less than strong; distrust has become the rule of the day and threat of wars hover around our heads. And the credit for all this goes to the educated people. This is not to undermine their contributions to physical and financial well-being and all the progress in the science, technology and other disciplines. But, a deeper look at the minds and hearts of the individuals will show that they clearly lack something special in life.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What is holistic education? First, holistic education attempts to nurture the development of the person as a whole. This includes the intellectual, emotional, physical, social, aesthetic, and spiritual elements. Perhaps the defining aspect of holistic education is the spiritual.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Holistic education is based on the notion that there is an active creative force within each person, and that this force has an intrinsic purpose and direction. If properly explored, understood and channelised, this force will pave way for total development of each individual and a much better social ecosystem. It would provide opportunities for students to be creative, contemplative and imaginative, while also being scientific and truthful. It allows time to tell old and new stories of heroes, ideals and transformation. It encourages students to go deep into themselves, into nature and into human affairs. It values service to others and the world.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Various dimensions of holistic education will be explored in the ensuing issues of New Business Age.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'One might ask a question: what is so lacking in current education that holistic education promises to fulfill? Education, as is understood and taken today, is an attempt to discover, understand and instill the various aspects of human living to each individual with the purpose of enhancing the living standard of people.',
			'sortorder' => '1933',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2087',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Govern Like A Government',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	One of the influential leaders in the United CPN Maoist Party -- UCPN (M), Barsha Man Pun has recently alleged that present government has started to behave like a &lsquo;political government.&rsquo; If that is the case, it is doing the right thing. The government must behave like a political than technical government, which can only solve political problems. It is irrelevant by now to keep hammering on the very nature of its structure just because a special kind of political equations that led to form this.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Once formed, it is the government of the country and it should function like a government, not as puppet show. Moreover, it is the government awarded with wider political legitimacy in the form of &lsquo;first consensus government in years&rsquo;. Every other petty detail automatically gets pushed to the background.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is no longer a news, rather a foregone conclusion, that the polls are impossible, at least, until November. Of course, it would still be a grand success story if they could be held by the end of this year, 2013. The growing inaction of the government has redoubled the doubts that are already thick in the air as regards real possibility of holding elections.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	No doubt, it was perhaps one of the greatest mistakes that Nepal&rsquo;s political leaders made by choosing the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Khil Raj Regmi, to head the election government. To add to the woes, leaders of the four political parties through the High-level Political Mechanism are trying to control the government. It must be mentioned here that any such mechanism doesn&rsquo;t have a constitutional validation. Anything the Mechanism forwards can only be recommendatory, not mandatory for the government to adhere to. And if certain political parties are capable to continue to exert such pressure, how could the elections held by this government be free and fair?&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This unnecessary practice has given rise to a double-fold nuisance. First, it has greatly affected the performance of the government. It sometimes appears as waiting for the &lsquo;direction&rsquo; from the Mechanism and, sometimes tries to assert its own course of actions. The end result is: it has lost its direction and pace. Second, it has created a situation where for all the failures of the government, it can directly put blame on the Mechanism and for any success it can claim its own.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Therefore, the political leadership should now come out of the mindset of plying a guardian angel to the government. It is only way that this government can be made responsible to its national duties and accountable to political contract of holding the Constituent Assembly elections sooner. But this rationality doesn&rsquo;t seem to have dawned upon the political top-hats of our country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The world has taken well into account that these four political leaders jointly declared themselves incapable of leading this country. They doubted their own level of integrity such that heading an election government by one of them would not produce impartial poll results. This was what led the situation of Regmi becoming the head of the government, virtually out of the blue.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It looks rather clumsy on the part of same set of leaders to act as the true &lsquo;drivers&rsquo; of the government. One of glaringly gauche example is the UCPN (M) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal&rsquo;s posture while departing for the &lsquo;official&rsquo; tour of China and then to India in the second and the third week of April, respectively. He tried to portray himself as a virtual head of the government going for a state visit, particularly in his dealing with media at home. But it is now a public knowledge how these countries matched the protocol to this visit. Outcome of course is limited to him, if any at all. But these things don&rsquo;t seem to have deterred our set of leaders feigning as grand saviours.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For this behaviour of our political leaders, Regmi and his cabinet colleagues have found more excuses, and, ironically, time to inaugurate painting exhibition, release some second-graded books or pose with gawky smiles in prize distribution ceremony of some primary school. The real business of governing the country is largely ignored.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The governance dysfunction was somewhat a foregone phenomenon as Regmi refused to resign from the post of Chief Justice to head the government. It was the message that he didn&rsquo;t want to be fully responsible. His greed to go back to the old position, just for a few remaining months, after heading the government, speaks in volume how calculative he would be in taking decisions. This is undesirable on the part of the country&rsquo;s chief executive. And, it must be corrected. He should govern, not dither.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Only remedy for all these ills, surfaced even in the day-to-day business of the government is to make this government entirely responsible for what it does and what it should do. It is in the interest of country and also, in the interest of the political parties concerned. Only when political parties step aside to give full space for the government to work, can they conduct a sort of performance audit on the government. Equally important, Regmi and his cabinet colleagues must be able to demonstrate their ability to govern, which so far seems unimpressive to say the least.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Putatively, holding the Constituent Assembly election is no doubt the cardinal of all responsibilities of this government. But, there are hundreds of other matters that have gone out of track and government can work to restore them in the interim. It will ultimately help to create a proper atmosphere for the polls.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is perhaps right time to control organized crime, which is largely thought to be protected by the influential political leaders. These leaders now can&rsquo;t have access to the official files of these goons and once the action is taken, these leaders, technically, will not be in position to defend them in public. This indeed will help decriminalize our politics in a great way.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Another important issue it can decide is: it can bring down the number of seats in the proposed Constituent Assembly, to a reasonable level of say, one hundred fifty to two hundred. This will be both popular and wise decision. But on the contrary, it is reported to be succumbing to the political pressure to increase it again to six hundred.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The donor community is surprised by lack-luster performance of this learned bunch in the government. The international community, for example, had asked to enlist the kind of support the government would seek from them for the new elections. But the government has even failed to coordinate a meeting of all these donors even in two months time, after it took charge.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Recently, a message was circulated that Nepal cannot hold the next summit of South Asian Regional Cooperation (SAARC) within 2013. Reason given is weird: there is no government in Nepal now. Is this government in position to react and say &lsquo;we can&rsquo;? The head of the government has not even thought it necessary to address the nation to give a sense where we are exactly heading. The list could be very long. But much needed guts is apparently lacking in every respect of the decision-making in the government.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Will this government without political will on the one hand and totally paralyzed by undue, frequent interference from the Political Mechanism on the other be able to hold Constituent Assembly elections by this year end? Doubts are high. And, only way to ensure that this government doesn&rsquo;t shirk away from this responsibility is to make it look and act more like a true government than a club of volunteers.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For this, those political parties that think they obliged Regmi by choosing him to be the head of current government should stop interfering in the functioning of the government. And there is the role of the President, as a sole functional constitutional entity of the country, to remind this government to its duties and admonish when derailed. But, to repeat it again, this government must realize the fact that it is there to govern the country, not to appease any of the political masters. And it has true opportunity to choose than snooze.</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-11-08',
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			'description' => 'One of the influential leaders in the United CPN Maoist Party -- UCPN (M), Barsha Man Pun has recently alleged that present government has started to behave like a ‘political government.’ If that is the case, it is doing the right thing. The government must behave like a political than technical government, which can only solve political problems. It is irrelevant by now to keep hammering on the very nature of its structure just because a special kind of political equations that led to form this.',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2086',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Fears Of Polls Going Futile',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The chieftains of major four political parties -- United CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi Morcha -- appear contended and relaxed for being able to install the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi as the head of the new interim &lsquo;election&rsquo; government. The questions related to constitutionality and conflict of interests between executive and judicial organs of the country, since the same person effectively heads the both, do yet remain unanswered.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are a number of cases under consideration in the court of law seeking appropriate interpretation of relevant constitutional provisions on it. Worst of all, the very first recommendation for constitutional appointment made by the government headed by the Chief Justice himself was returned by the President for &lsquo;further constitutional explanation.&rsquo; This controversy surrounding the appointment of Chief and other Commissioners in the Election Commission indeed gives some indication to the modus operandi of the new government.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	More than that, the practice of extra-constitutional imposition of the political vested interests by the &lsquo;High Level Political Mechanism&rsquo; practically makes the Regmi government a faceless scarecrow. Apparently, all the new ministers got appointed on a shared quota-basis amongst the four political parties involved. And people are told to believe that it is politically neutral coalition government. &nbsp;This is a total farce. Yet, the whole coalition looks like a coalition game in economics game theory where there is no easy &lsquo;core&rsquo; or equitable distribution of pay-offs among the parties, but still they are clinging to it.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The much touted-about political consensus appears a total mockery as there are reckonable political forces out of this &lsquo;all party&rsquo; mechanism; disgruntled and determined to create any obstacle possible if they are not listened to any time soon. Among them, the break-away faction of the Maoists party (CPN-Maoist headed by Mohan Baidya), all three parties of former panchas (Rastriya Prajatantra Party-RPP, Rastriya Janashakti Party and RPP Nepal) and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum headed by Upendra Yadav are some of those that deserve consideration to include in the so called all party mechanism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But absolute inflexibility and ungenerous attitude of the four parties to accommodate or address the concerns of these disgruntled political outfits in some way or the other raises further apprehensions about the possibility of polls any time sooner. And, UCPN (M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal&rsquo;s over ambitious plan of hastening to polls within June this year smells rat in his design.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	True that Nepali people want to go for ballot sooner than later. But, the polls are not instant soup-making recipe. The national polls are massive management nightmare. Still, several legal arrangements are needed to be made to enable the Election Commission to hold putatively free and fair polls. The budgetary arrangement is equally difficult. No doubt, there are several donors ready to dole out money for elections here, but they also need adequate time to process our requests through their respective home governments and bureaucracies. Our own budget for the current fiscal year needs recasting if the polls were to be held within this fiscal year, say June.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Logistics and stationery arrangements including the designing and printing of ballot papers, transportation of polling boxes and machines etc. involve a substantial amount of time and human resources. Security mobilization is perhaps going to be the most extensive and exhaustive affair.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	On top of it, controlling the violence carried-out by some fringe and purportedly political outfits, active in different part of the country, remains crucial. Whether the new government of bureaucrats and with limited technical mandate has authority to negotiate peace or, if required, will-power to obliterate them by combing operation is critical of all questions to make polls a success.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite these all obstacles evident than ever before, why Dahal is insistent on June date? Is he so keen to reestablish the democratic process sooner, which for so long has been derailed mainly because of him? &nbsp;There are suggestions that June is the month when common people hardly can find time to go to polls due to their seasonal engagement in cultivation as monsoon just begins. And, only those who come to vote are the committed party cadres of any party. Implicitly, the winning chance of UCPN (M) is likely to increase in such a scenario. Also, if polls are scheduled in such a short notice, number of international election observers arriving to monitor the polls is likely to be far less, giving room to rigging for the forces with organised and violent youth wings like Youth Communist League (YCL) of the UCPN (M), or similar outfit of CPN-UML. These arguments about Dahal&rsquo;s discrete planning are not unfounded since Dahal has been able to fill the key state positions by the people highly loyal or made so by several machinations, including the head of the election government, Regmi. All in all, Dahal wants absolute majority in new Constituent Assembly (CA) at any cost, that too without recognizing the splinted off Baidya faction and yet, legitimizing all his political moves making Nepali Congress and CPN-UML mere mute witnesses, compelled to sign on the margins of his political contract papers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite all maneuvers and scrambling of Dahal and his party, polls within June still look a distant possibility. And the fact that seven years have passed without any significant achievement towards ending the political transition, there is no point going so hastily just to cover a few months time without proper preparations. The most rational expectation would be to hold the polls in November with adequate perseverance and nuanced management of time and resources.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What if even the Regmi government couldn&rsquo;t hold the polls for all those reasons Dr. Baburam Bhattarai government failed to meet the two deadlines of November 2012 and April 2013? &nbsp;Interestingly, the political parties who signed the 11-point deal to enthrone Regmi perhaps have no clue about the possible next step if he failed to deliver the polls and choose to remain in power in whatever pretext.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Even if the elections are held, regardless when, as the fact of matter remains, outcomes of these new CA polls would take Nepal only to a status quo of April 10, 2008, the day when the first election for the CA was held. Despite a number of extensions, that CA during its four years in existence had failed to make any headway in drafting a new constitution. All major political parties represented in that CA failed to reach a consensus to extend its tenure for the fourth time on 27th May, 2012. If one remembers it correctly, it was the Supreme Court verdict from a bench of justices including Regmi that had barred the extension of the CA term.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Without addressing the very causes which made the last CA dysfunctional and ultimately dead, the new CA, even if it is instituted by coming November -- the earliest possibility, would not be able to deliver new federal constitution as expected by the people. The politics has become so messy with rising ethnic hatred, unrealistic expectations of regionalism and culture of using violence to capitulate the authority to meet all implausible demands of divisive and sectarian nature.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	No political party seems to be prepared to go to the polls with a concrete frame of the constitution they are planning to draft if they got elected. This in fact should have been the main basis of each party&rsquo;s CA election manifesto. It is because, people can rationalize their expectations before deciding whom to vote and what to expect when the CA takes shape. Even smaller parties with extreme demands may come up with their respective propositions and their issues could be addressed on the strength of votes they secure. It would have made things far easier to promulgate the new constitution once drafted. But the so called big parties are also not prepared to come up with any clarity on these crucial matters for the obvious ulterior motives of fishing in the rough waters. Such ill intentions are more ingrained in those parties who are inclined to one party dictatorship under the veil of democratic mandate. People again have to vote on the basis of the guesswork without knowing their distinct position on constitution drafting process.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In fact, Election Commission&rsquo;s code of conduct can regulate such things by making every party mandatory to go to the polls with complete shape of their proposed constitution. But whether the Commission will have that guts and vision is an unanswered question here.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Finally, if the parties do not plan on how they want to proceed once the CA elections are held, things are not going to change for the better in Nepal. Even if one party gets clear majority in CA, it will be impossible to move ahead without taking on board all big or small political players along both to draft and promulgate the new constitution. Therefore, this process is better if it began now. Otherwise, like in the past, we will be back to square one again after spending many valuable years for the same cause. The whole exercise of this CA election would also automatically go down the drain.</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-11-08',
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			'description' => 'The chieftains of major four political parties -- United CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi Morcha -- appear contended and relaxed for being able to install the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi as the head of the new interim ‘election’ government.',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2085',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Fall Of The Last Pillar',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	If no extremely dramatic events unfold in Nepali politics overnight, the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi, may have sworn in by the time this writing reaches to our readers. He, or whoever for that matter, will be the tenth chief executive of the nation in as many years, which exposes the gravity of the political instability and difficult transition the country is reeling under.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Prey to Politics&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whether or not Regmi became prime minister is by now an issue of secondary importance. The prime concern here is: the judiciary also couldn&rsquo;t resist the temptation of political indulgence at the cost of its so far largely maintained independence and respect to professionalism. In this sense, the judiciary, that was somehow saving Nepal from falling into the abyss of acute form of anarchy and was the last testimony to the remnant feature of rule of law, has been the last pillar to fall prey to political machinations. Otherwise, Nepal is by now already faced with the consequences of the institutional degeneration, almost in every spectrum of life. Every professional and state institution is highly politicized. The security apparatus like army, police, intelligence, the civil service and diplomacy, the academia and civil society and to a large extent even the media now wear the cloak of some hue of politics. Lately, all government set-ups have been forced by design and default to act as the extended wings of the UCPN (Maoist). Democratic forces of the country remain defensive and indifferent to growing aggressiveness intrusion of the Party invariably into all state organs of the country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>The Question of Constitutionality&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	The prevalent Interim Constitution of the Country doesn&rsquo;t provide for an incumbent chief justice to become the chief executive of the country as well. The Supreme Court still headed by Regmi has the ultimate authority to interpret the constitution. But, at this juncture, any interpretation of the provision that is completely absent in the constitution would tantamount to nothing but a blatant conflict of interest, since such an interpretation, technically presided by Regmi himself, is only likely to justify his decision to take-up the top job. The press statement issued by the Supreme Court in the last week of February, apparently at Regmi&rsquo;s will and design, already demonstrated the overall tilt of what it could be possibly like. The entire objective of the statement was that, he is only willing to go on &lsquo;deputation of duty&rsquo; from chief justice to the chief executive, without resigning from his present post. This is more of an ominous than welcome sign, both in view of judicial independence and concept of balance of power in democracy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Controversial Beginning&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Let&rsquo;s suppose Justice Regmi is assigned to head the election government. He would be taking up the job not as a much-touted-about &lsquo;consensus figure&rsquo; but amidst a sharp division regarding his choice for the job. Not only the opposition parties, but all four largest parties -- ruling UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madheshi Morcha -- are vertically split into two factions each, on Regmi&rsquo;s pick. And, some of the arguments of the dissenting factions in each party are worth pondering. Firstly, the move would directly prove that political parties are grossly incompetent and not trustworthy to head an election government. Second, they are oblivious of the very concept of balance of power among the major three organs -- executive, legislative and judicial -- of the state. And thirdly, what miracle could Regmi alone demonstrate as the country now languishes in a serious nature of constitutional vacuum. The institutions like Nepal Bar Association have voiced serious concern over the Chief Justice&rsquo;s lust for power at the cost of judicial independence. There are apprehensions that the UCPN (Maoist) has plans to rig the next polls by misusing the state-power yet would validate results by making the chief justice the head of the election government. Regmi&rsquo;s appointment automatically blocks the other parties to seek judicial remedy in case of electoral malpractices. These points of view definitely hold waters and cannot be glossed over instantaneously.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Crisis of Management&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Regmi&rsquo;s appointment requires a series of important makeovers under the guise of the constitutional provision of &lsquo;Power to Remove Difficulties&rsquo; by the President of Nepal. The constitution has not envisioned an incumbent justice becoming the prime minster (in whatever name, the chief executive of the country). This would require a special decree form the President, citing the political consensus among the major parties, which again looks a pure farce with so much discontent fumed around. Even if the appointment hurdle is cleared, there are several other constitutional issues that warrant a speedy sorting out. The positions in the Election Commission, including that of the chief commissioner, are vacant. Does Regmi want to play this role as well, as he is officially likely to be titled as the chief of Election Council? What happens to the positions of the chief justice itself whereas the constitutional spirit is that both the head of the government and the judiciary represent separate, independent capacities in several crucial institutions like the Constitutional Council, that make appointment of the heads and office-bearers of several constitutional bodies including the Election Commission. Incidentally, almost all constitutional bodies like Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Auditor General&rsquo;s Office and Election Commission are without the chiefs or office-bearers, for years in some cases. Even in the Supreme Court, three-fourth of positions of justices remains vacant. To fill these all would require a separate arrangement as there is no possibility of fulfilling the constitutional provisions through parliamentary hearing in absence of the legislature.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>Competence and Delivery&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whether Regmi would be able to hold fresh elections by November this year is the cardinal of all questions here. This requires a lot of political work that begins from the point where he starts to choose the kind of people to fill in the positions in his government. The impartiality issue of himself and his picks will be crucial. And, worst of all he will be functioning under a situation where all major constitutional positions will have already violated to pave the way for his appointment and only resort to move ahead will be the kind of political support he gets as he moves ahead. This implies that there will be forces on the ground who would be constantly challenging his actions. As the nation has not decided on the number of constituencies for new elections, their modalities and, whether it would be an election for both Constituent Assembly and Legislature or only for the former, to propose a formula agreeable to all is impossible and purely a political rather than a bureaucratic exercise. Regmi has yet to try his art in this trade.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is too early to say anything whether he is competent enough and would be successful to deliver what he is expected of. But his track record is not very encouraging. The latest allegation is that he paralyzed the justice delivery system by not taking any initiative to appoint the judges in the Supreme Court in time. It was the Court verdict that had barred the extension of the then Constituent Assembly tenure beyond May 27 last year. Despite the fact that he knew the parliamentary hearing of new judges would be impossible beyond that date, he failed to initiate the action of extending the term of existing justices or to appoint new ones when there was adequate time left. At present, the result is that the Supreme Court is left with only six justices whereas in high times it used to have as many as two dozen justices. This indeed have made justice delivery difficult, and, at the same time put Regmi&rsquo;s credibility under huge interrogation mark.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>The Last Optimism&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	Whatever the cost or difficulty in the process involved for his appointment, the only hope is that Regmi as the accepted figure by four or five largest political parties could hold elections and those polls would be free and fair at an acceptable degree. Every party though has viewed Regmi&rsquo;s installation as their convenience for entirely different reasons than this, which again could complicate the situation in future. For Maoists, it was a great achievement to be able to stop Nepali Congress from heading an election government and it hopes that Regmi would duly oblige the party for surprisingly picking him to head the next government. Congress and UML are contended only at the ouster of Baburam Bhattarai from the prime ministerial position, who otherwise seemed unrelenting to relinquish the position. Other forces, including the international community wanted to trust on Regmi&rsquo;s legal credentials and his largely maintained non-corrupt image during a long legal career.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But, interestingly again, even if new polls could be held within a year or so and a new Assembly is instituted, Nepal&rsquo;s political challenges will still be where they were immediately after April 2008 elections. Therefore, there is no point being over ambitious at this very moment about anyone heading another government or holding polls. Unless, political rationality, read it metamorphosis of parties from authoritarian to democratic mindset, prevails among the major political players the country, Nepal&rsquo;s political crisis will only deepen regardless of any drama we orchestrate, be that drama of government headed by the chief justice.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-08',
			'modified' => '2013-11-08',
			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'If no extremely dramatic events unfold in Nepali politics overnight, the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Khil Raj Regmi, may have sworn in by the time this writing reaches to our readers. He, or whoever for that matter, will be the tenth chief executive of the nation in as many years, which exposes the gravity of the political instability and difficult transition the country is reeling under.',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2084',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Manifesto Recast At Hetauda Commune',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The UCPN (M) truly wants to remain in the mainstream of Nepali Politics. It, therefore, has ventured into a dramatic change in policy paradigm through its Seventh National Congress. The seventh Congress was a hundred and eighty degree shift in the party&#39;s policy stand, from its Sixth Congress twenty-one years ago. The previous one had adopted the policy of raising arms against the state and the recent one has formally proposed to relinquish them altogether -- a changed face of revolution, as the party has baptized it.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Paradigm Shift</strong></span></div>
<div>
	UCPN (M)&rsquo;s Seventh General Congress held in Hetauda from February 2-7 undoubtedly heralded a new era in Nepal&#39;s politics. Thanks to a complete &nbsp;departure from the doctrine of &#39;bullets for political change&#39;, which had been the political mainstay of the party for the last two decades, to a fairly convincingly documented commitment to embrace &#39;the politics of ballots and open competition.&#39; With this development, the much needed optimism to restore a peaceful competitive democracy in Nepal has &nbsp;now revived, more reassuringly than ever before. Skeptics there are, but when the largest political force of the country resolutely announces that it would strip away the hangover of &#39;establishing the &nbsp;people&#39;s republic&#39; by all possible violent means, the country must give them a chance, at least for once. And, Nepal has no alternative to that for now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Understandably, this recast was not easy for the party which fought a ten-year long guerrilla war, sent its fighters home largely discontented with the resettlement arrangements and suffered a split recently. But the new policy paper crafted jointly by Chairman of the party, Puspa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) and Prime Minister Dr. Baburam &nbsp;Bhattarai who is also the senior vice-chair of the party needed to gather massive guts to face the present day reality and come out of the longheld revolutionary hegemony.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	As evident at the Congress venue, it indeed was a daunting endeavour for the party leadership to rein in and satisfy the cadres about this change rather unexpected for many of them, who were initially indoctrinated, rather foolhardily, to establish a proletarian dictatorship before they would be asked to put their guns down. They were not ready to believe the claim that whatever the party could achieve politically from the 10-year &#39;revolution&#39; was optimum for now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In this context, the Dahal-Bhattarai duo deserves a real acclaim for not only making this ideological change possible, and that too relatively smoothly, but also for accepting the fact that there is no polity beyond political co-existence with other forces and a rule-based competition with them in polls.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It was not in a very distant past that the whole party rallied behind a highly mystified dogma of Prachandapath. But over the last seven years, when Prachanda himself has been at the centre of national politics, Prachanda-path emained a neverexplained political term and now it is completely out of the party&#39;s official literature. This is indicative of the urgency felt by Prachanda to come out of the violent legacy of the insurgency era. In addition to this, to the surprise of many, he has started to publicly criticize summary execution of his opponents by former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and cautiously negate Maoism for being &#39;not replicable in our different context.&#39; (It is a great irony though, for both Dahal and Bhattarai deliberately wore special hair-do to look like Stalin as early as a couple of years ago and the party&#39;s official banner still carries Stalin&#39;s portrait).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dahal&#39;s meticulously crafted paper makes every effort possible to sound credible to both- his cadres by using lexicons akin to communist glossary and to the world by practically accepting the ground realities. &#39;Nepal no longer is a semi-feudal and semicolonial state, but rather a new comprador bourgeoisie capitalist one,&#39; &nbsp;reads his main policy paper suggesting that another armed rebellion under any pretext would be unjustifiable under these realities. His assessment that &#39;Nepal is also under the influence of a neo-colonialism of globalization is not much different from the standpoint taken by the underdeveloped world in the world arena, albeit with a bit different diplomatic decorum. He has repeatedly tried to reassure that the party would no longer indulge in a killing spree in the name of physically eliminating the class-enemy, as it has changed plank from the abolition of social classes to capitalistic growth leading to socialism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This transformation is essentially not much different from the &#39;people&#39;s &nbsp;multi-party democracy&#39; (jantako &nbsp;bahudaliya janabad) propounded by late general secretary of the CPN-UML, Madan Bhandari, some 23 years ago. Dahal&#39;s detractors have even gone to the extent of calling him &lsquo;nothing but a mere shadow of the UML&rsquo;. Regardless of anything, this a was much-needed change in the Maoist fold for Nepal to &nbsp;resolve its political impasse peacefully and it was duly heeded by the Maoists, which is a welcome development.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dahal&#39;s policy paper, finally adopted as the 7th Congress Resolution with some ritual modifications, at times is unexpectedly mild and flexible. As reason for this, Dahal has tried to vindicate that all inflexibility, irrationality, dogmatism and impractical policy rigidities had gone with the party&#39;s break-away Mohan Baidya faction and what now remains in the UCPN (M) is a political organization with modern, 21st century outlook and vision.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Grip Not Loosened</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Despite all odds, Dahal has emerged quintessentially an unchallenged leader from this Congress as well. It appears that as long as Dahal and Bhattarai can work together, a third person is &nbsp;unlikely to claim the topmost position in the party, for the foreseeable future. At least, this looks like a smooth sail at the centre. But the situation at the</div>
<div>
	grassroots is much different as reported by the respective local representatives of the Congress. They complained that the party had failed to assign political responsibility to the entire rank and file in the organizational structure. Former cadres who returned home dejected are hardly under party discipline and a large &#39;garbage lot&#39; of socially discarded people who were used during the armed rebellion are proving a nuisance to entire party. These factors can erode Dahal&#39;s grip on the party in the long run. When the party actually goes to the polls sooner or later, Dahal is likely to face a steeply uphill task of differentiating his party with the one like the CPN-UML and establishing the rationale of killing so many thousands of people at the cost of the country&#39;s great opportunity for development and growth, ultimately, just to become another UML. But for now he is the helmsman, which in turn is an opportunity to keep his grip intact with tactical moves like the present one.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Confession Drama</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Dahal has confessed that his resignation from the prime ministerial position over the tussle with the then Chief of Nepal Army, Rookmangud Katwal, was a na&iuml;ve and unnecessary emotionalism. Though not explicitly expressed, his remorse was apparently for the anti-Indian tirade he belched out while leaving the post; perhaps in hope of placating the power blocs in the southern neighbour that he believes have gone against him since. In a bid to be seen as a &nbsp;mature political force, he has omitted all traditionally used vocabularies such as &#39;Indian &nbsp;expansionism, American and Russian imperialism, Chinese revisionism&#39; etc from the official party literature. &#39;The differences now should be dealt &nbsp;through mature diplomacy,&#39; he argued to pacify the cadres. But, that is what exactly should be done, &nbsp;practically.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Economy First&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The party&#39;s new policy paper has put the economic agenda in the forefront of its &#39;vision&#39;, so to speak. Its policy paper on harnessing the country&rsquo;s water resource by mobilizing the local and domestic resources and setting up a production and development brigade are testimony to this. But, these propositions lack maturity and need a gross &nbsp;overhaul that suits to the ground realities of the country.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Developing hydropower projects on a commercial scale with only local resources is a sweet but impossible dream. It is not like a cooperative farming where labour-intensive production can be adopted. Capital, technology and market - all three have to be explored and traded across the national borders.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is not difficult to understand that Dahal needed some mechanism to adjust the party&rsquo;s erstwhile armed members. So, he proposed a production and development brigade. It sounds like a good idea from the supply side, but as a responsible political party, UCPN (M) needs to adequately consider the demand side of it as well. What to produce? How and where to produce? Where to sell it? And, will his cadres be willing to be in another labour camp of a sort for this purpose? These are a few example- questions to argue that the UCPN (M) needs further clarifications in these propositions to remain in the political forefront in future Nepal. Nevertheless, the party has made a good beginning by the cardinal policy change through its recently concluded 7th Congress.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite a good and encouraging beginning to transform his party into a contemporaneous force, Dahal has left many crucial unanswered questions which still cast doubts over his intentions. He has mentioned Nepali Congress as the &#39;prime enemy&#39; but has failed to enumerate the reasons. There is no mention of what the party would do to the land and property forcefully occupied by its cadres during the insurgency period. How will the party view the private property rights, civil &nbsp;rights and individual as well as press freedom? Until these questions are answered satisfactorily, the proposed transformations from the margins will not yield the benefits as aspired by Dahal and his party. But again, transformation is a continuous process and momentum is more important than the event.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/polt.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 168px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" /></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-07',
			'modified' => '2013-11-07',
			'keywords' => 'new business age visiting business people news & articles, visiting business people news & articles from new business age nepal, visiting business people headlines from nepal,  current and latest visiting business people news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali visiting business people econ',
			'description' => 'The UCPN (M) truly wants to remain in the mainstream of Nepali Politics. It, therefore, has ventured into a dramatic change in policy paradigm through its Seventh National Congress. The seventh Congress was a hundred and eighty degree shift in the party's policy stand, from its Sixth Congress twenty-one years ago. The previous one had adopted the policy of raising arms against the state and the recent one has formally proposed to relinquish them altogether -- a changed face of revolution, as the party has baptized it.',
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			'id' => '2083',
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			'title' => 'Presidential Weight-loss',
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			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Achyut Wagle</strong></div>
<p>
	&nbsp;President Dr Ram Baran Yadav&rsquo;s call to the political parties of Nepal to form an all-inclusive consensus government has not materialized even after the eighth deadline elapsed, as of penning down these lines. It was not surprising that an ever-elusive consensus in the present day Nepali politics was not arrested even this time around, though to humiliation of a presidential decree. But what is most engrossing question here is not why it did not materialize, but why did President Yadav at the first place choose to issue such calls to the parties to forge a consensus, the impossibility of which was absolutely foregone? Even if such a consensus evolved over time by any chance, the presidential dignity and credibility that had remained largely intact over these turbulent years of political transition will have been irreparably tarnished by then. During these two months, since his office began to issue seemingly never-ending series of deadlines to parties, but all in vain, his action has been seen as unwise by the people.<br />
	<br />
	Not only that, at one instance, President Yadav also gave a na&iuml;ve public speech which was construed as throwing political weight behind Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, the rarest thing expected from him. &lsquo;Creating a consensus for a new government around the incumbent one would add jewel to the crown,&rsquo; he was quoted by the media as saying in a public function in Pokhara during the first week of December. Though it later turned out that the President was quoted out of context (the message the President was trying to convey was something like &ldquo;I would not mind if the consensus is formed for Dr. Bhattarai to continue as the Prime Minister and other parties joining that government), the damage was already done. The president could have avoided making any such statement altogether. The two acts by President Yadav-- calling to parties for consensus to form an electoral government and, at the same time implicitly favouring incumbent Prime Minister Bhattarai to head that new government -- are in apparent contrast. A very strong fraction of Kathmandu&rsquo;s political high-circle attributes this Presidential blunder to the prowess of senior Indian National Congress Leader Dr Karan Singh, who called on Yadav in the first week of December in the pretext of inviting the latter in an academic function of Banaras Hindu University. In essence, this act of calling for consensus for new government on the one hand and supporting the incumbent prime minister on the other defeats the very purpose of presidential call for a new government.</p>
<p>
	Then, the most crucial questions here are: what prompted him to do so? And, who ultimately has benefitted politically from this entire episode. As for the prompters, there are three theories on the float. First, the president in fact knew that no such consensus was tangible even in farthest horizon, yet wanted to call for it. Because, the failure of the political parties to act upon his call would pave the way for his &lsquo;more assertive role&rsquo; in the present day Nepali politics. But that seems flatly implausible, as he has not done enough scratching whether he can actually assume the position of an executive president, even if he wished so. The second theory is that he was sincerely concerned about the prolonged constitutional vacuum and wanted to build a moral pressure on the political parties to work out a tenable solution to it. Even that was the case, he should have gauged on what would happen ultimately if his call did not yield any result. And, more importantly, there are no constitutional way outs available to push the present government out of power and form a new government. Without such constitutional backing, the president was naturally ill-equipped to adventure into such never-ending game of calling for consensus. His guts and practicalities, both, are not permitting him to randomly pick a figure of his like as the next prime minister. And, for the third, there is a section of political analysts who take his recent call as the success of a game plan by the UCPN (Maoist) and the Indian establishment which are making every possible effort to retain Dr Bhattarai as the prime minister as long as possible.<br />
	<br />
	This argument appears relatively convincing. The only impediment to PM Bhattarai and the Maoists to continue in power was none other than the president himself. President Yadav&rsquo;s public image is way above that of Prime Minister Bhattarai and the person who can announce the removal of Bhattarai from his post is, of course, the president only. At least, they saw it that way. Since there is not any constitutional clarity on the further course to change the government, the Maoists feared that if president acted in this line, he might get a popular support. But, if the president&rsquo;s image got obliqued by some machinations, his moral authority would dwindle sharply, as it did by his current faux pas. Hence, there were advices from largely unassuming quarters to thrust him into this vicious game of calling for a new CONSENSUS government. This has provided room for the UCPN-Maoist&rsquo;s to consolidate its campaign against the President alleging him as harbouring dream of becoming the executive head of the country. When the credibility of the president substantially erodes further, it will only be easier for the UCPN-Maoist and Prime Minister Bhattarai to consolidate the grip on state powers.<br />
	<br />
	Not only vindicated by the circumstances but also in essence, the president&rsquo;s this call for consensus was a premature and novice adventure to say the least. His implicit intention of calling for consensus government seems to hold the elections for a new constituent assembly (CA). But, he did not realise the fact that without a lot of ground work and a thorough review of the past failures, holding a new elections is impossible and likely to be futile like in the past even if they were held. The last CA was too big to deliver a constitution and the CA members both elected by people and handpicked by the party leadership across the board were apparently under qualified for the job of writing the law of the land. This was proved by their four-year tenure that ended without delivering a new constitution. Therefore, before thinking of another election, there must be a single national voice on the very size of the CA, the mechanisms of assigning constituencies and eligibility for candidacy to CA membership. Further, the constitutional bodies like the Election Commission have expressed their concern over the absence of required legal framework to conduct the polls of any objective.<br />
	<br />
	There is another question that must be answered by the top hats of the parties to be represented in the CA. In the last CA, members of the House were hardly given opportunity to debate and contribute in originating and finalising the proposed provisions of the new constitution. They were virtually herded in as per the wish and whim of their respective party leaders. Only a handful of top leaders participated in whatever deliberations that took place and the rest of the CA members just blindly followed them. If that were to be the case, why do we need an extensive new CA through very expensive elections? If everything is to be decided by ten or twelve people, then it is appropriate to form a commission of these very people with some technocrats in it to write the new constitution. Then a new legislature elected after promulgating this constitution may ratify it. The scope of amendment is and should always be there. The fact of the matter is that, whatever may be written in the new constitution, no matter whether it is written by a commission or a CA, that is going to spark controversy of this or that form, for reasons that people have now more sectarian and irrational expectations which are impossible to be addressed by any balanced, democratic and forward-looking document called constitution.<br />
	<br />
	These are some of the issues, the institution like Presidential Office of the country should have considered before jumping into &lsquo;deadline business&rsquo;. At present, there seems no viability of such a government that can accommodate every force of the country. Then, an all inclusive roundtable under the president&rsquo;s sponsorship could be an alternative, which can help chart a future course of the nation.<br />
	<br />
	Even if the elections were to be held, it is now proper to hold them to select a form of the constitution itself, not the members of CA. This means, every contesting political party should first draft a full version of the constituent of their liking and go for the ratification by the people for the vote. This indeed will reduce a lot of complications. People will know at the first hand what is in different verson of the constitution presented by the parties. It will invite a meaningful debate and provide room for input. This will also help for faster face of political polarization between, the Left, Right and the Centre forces. More importantly, this will mainifest the intentions of eacdh party before people could vote for any of them and, above all, will give a good homework for political leaders to talk and act sense with acceptable degree of coherence in preparing a feasible draft. In view of sharp divisions along ethnic and communal lines, this proposition contributes to diffuse the tensions before the adoption of the constitution. Various facets potential federal set-up will get space to be debated in public. Then the ultimate promulgation would be lot easier than in any other deemed process.<br />
	<br />
	Instead of indulging into self-degrading course of action like issuing deadlines for the parties, the president should now focus on rescuing the country from the current mess. For this, he does not necessarily need to go beyond available constitutional jurisdiction. For instance, he can hold a comprehensive round-table in the form of consultative meet. There could be several other ways and means available. But, he will in a position to make a difference, if and only if, he maintained a dignity that suits to the first president of a new republic nation-state. His recent move was undoubtedly far below that mark.</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-07',
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			'keywords' => 'new business age political news & articles, political news & articles from new business age nepal, political headlines from nepal,  current and latest political news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali political economic news and events,  ongoing  political news of nepal',
			'description' => 'President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s call to the political parties of Nepal to form an all-inclusive consensus government has not materialized even after the eighth deadline elapsed, as of penning down these lines. It was not surprising that an ever-elusive consensus in the present day Nepali politics was not arrested even this time around',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2082',
			'article_category_id' => '167',
			'title' => 'Double Drama, Fresh Conflict',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Achyut Wagle</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Although the countdown to November 19, the scheduled date for the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, reduces from months to days, uncertainty on the polls continue to hover. A drama of double acts, on-stage and off-stage, orchestrated simultaneously by forces striving to hold the polls and forces trying to foil it, respectively, takes upon the country.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The on-stage drama looks normal - as though nothing is amiss and things are all set to sail smoothly until the polls and even beyond. The four-party pro-poll alliance of the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and Madhesi Front now swells to a six-party one after the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum of Upendra Yadav and the Federal Socialist Party led by Ashok Rai joined the group upon agreeing to participate in the polls. The leaders and working committees of these parties are flexing their muscles to select candidates for the first-past-the-post system for two hundred and forty constituencies. The elites in all these parties are busy drafting their respective manifestoes. Aspirants of party tickets for candidacy, from all parties alike, have gathered in Kathmandu to cajole their leaders. The party offices are crowded, traffic jams in the capital have increased not only due to an increased number of vehicles and people but also due to increased violation of traffic rules by those who are not used to following them in districts outside of Kathmandu.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are fringe parties like the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and RPP-Nepal that are not in the alliance but have opted to join the election bandwagon. The pro-royalist RPP-Nepal hopes to perform better if polls were to take place in view of the people&rsquo;s growing disenchantment towards the major political parties. The ambitious ones who failed to woo the party they belong to pick them as candidates are defecting and joining other parties. Professionals and celebrities are taking membership of parties of their choice, hoping to be new leaders.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Election Commission says it has completed all preparations. The election offices in all two hundred and forty constituencies have been opened, logistics and personnel supplied and ballot papers are ready to be printed. Security agencies are recruiting additional forces. Everything on this side of the screen appears destined to have a happy ending.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But the off-stage rehearsal of the other act determined to foil this election at any cost does not signal anything as good. An alliance of supposedly thirty-three parties, led by CPN-Maoist, Mohan Baidya group, has made all possible preparations to create impediments at every possible stage of this election and the scale of their preparation in no way looks dismal.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	They have printed thousands of red T-shirts with the slogan &lsquo;Lets boycott the so- called CA polls&rsquo; printed across. The party has reorganized its youth wing and informal sources claim that they have been instructed to service their concealed old guns that were put to rest after the peace deal seven years ago. If anybody has cared to notice the walls across the country, they have been made colourful with boycott slogans. The leaders of the Baidya group have publicly declared that they will resort to kidnapping candidates from the day of nomination, which was rescheduled from September 25th to October 2nd. The processions organized by this group already look scary. Cadres carry flags and placards on iron rods, with obvious objectives. The back rows are armed with clubs, bamboo sticks, hammers and some even with catapults.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The No-option Trap</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Violence seems imminent, and it might easily exacerbate to make it impossible to hold the polls for two main reasons. First, the Baidya group with its alliance partners has a nation-wide presence. Second, they are left in a no option trap as the logistics to bring the opposing alliance onboard the election process appears impossible, at least so to manage it for November 19th.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The pro-poll alliance is, though, pretending to be engaged in dialogue with Baidya and his group. In essence, the very rationale of such a dialogue no longer holds. It is not only that the poll-opposing parties have not registered in the Election Commission - their rank and files have not enrolled in the voter list either. Thus they cannot file for candidacy even if dialogues bore any positive result. While addressing the demand of Rai&rsquo;s party, the four-party alliance agreed to increase the total number of CA seats from 586 to 601, leaving no further option of placating Baidya and group through addition of CA seats.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	For all practical reasons, Baidya and his alliance are left to a no-option trap than opposing the proposed elections. It must be acknowledged that this group had shown unprecedented flexibility in the all-party meeting called by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav mid-September. The only major condition it had put forth to participate in the polls was that the Chairman of the Interim Election Government Khil Raj Regmi resign from the post of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal. This demand was indeed in compliance to the principle of the separation of power among the organs of the state under any acceptable form of democratic governance. It was surprising that the so-called democratic parties also failed to agree on this very reasonable demand by the opposition. It appeared as if the six-party alliance was determined not to bring Baidya into the election fold. Often reported clandestine machinations to throw Baidya at the bay, do appear to be holding some water.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Peculiar Movements</strong></span></div>
<div>
	There are unnatural political movements that contribute to gradually worsen the situation. It is no longer a secret that Baidya&rsquo;s participation in the polls would not affect anyone substantially but the UCPN (Maoist). Therefore, sidelining of Baidya is seen as the outcome of the successful hoodwinking of UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal. Regmi&rsquo;s stiffening of position on the resignation issue and wee hour meetings between the duo, even when Dahal was not the convener of the six-party alliance, are viewed as part of such machinations.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Forces at Play</strong></span></div>
<div>
	There is a very strong intelligentsia in Kathmandu which believes that the dialogue with Baidya, which at one point of time appeared heading to a resolution, got suddenly aborted after Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh visited Nepal in the second week of September. Her insistence on holding the polls in the November &lsquo;at any cost&rsquo; is in effect tantamount to leaving the poll-opposing groups out of the fray.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following Singh&rsquo;s visit, Chinese information minister Cai Moinzhu came to Nepal in the third week of the same month, who unlike Singh reportedly chose to meet Baidya, which interestingly was not covered by the media.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The public speeches of ambassadors like that of Germany and the United States have also created some political ripples as they &lsquo;campaigned&rsquo; for the scheduled elections. Media reports claiming that international election observers have started to land in Nepal suggests that the outside world is more interested in elections here than the Nepali people themselves.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Degrading to a soft-state</strong></span></div>
<div>
	President Yadav recently gave assent to an ordinance that enables the government to mobilize the Nepal Army for the scheduled polls. Yadav, in fact, is bowing down to sign everything that the six-party mechanism wants him to do, invoking the single constitutional provision of &lsquo;removing the difficulties&rsquo;. He, for example, first agreed to a 491-member CA, then to 586 and finally, again to 601.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He is doing all these things without making sure that the elections would actually take place and his signing of these documents do facilitate the process of political reconciliation and peace building.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	These developments have created a situation that any constitutional, institutional and legal changes can be effected in Nepal at any point of time, at will. There is no stability factor and there is no defined position of the State. This is a very dangerous soft state syndrome. The editor of a prominent news magazine tweeted last week, &lsquo;if anything can come as removing difficulties, why can&rsquo;t one new constitution too come from the same window, putting all fuss to an end?&rsquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>New Round of Conflict</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The country is all set to enter a fresh round of conflict, for now as a clash between pro and anti-poll forces, if the government chooses to crush the ones determined to oppose these polls. The fact is: the opposition forces are determined to stop this election and they are not a very fringe force that could be quelled with regular security operation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Even if these polls are held by using all possible instruments, the CA elected thus is unlikely to deliver a constitution that is acceptable even to those now opposing the polls. The conflict might even aggravate at this point. &nbsp;As such, the promulgation of a constitution would be next to impossible. The only way to peace again is to bring all political forces to the electoral process, which for now means, unquestionably, deferral of the election date to a new one acceptable to all - both to create political space for the dissenting parties and make it logistically possible for them to participate in the electoral process.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(The writer is former editor of Aarthik Abhiyan National Daily.)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'Although the countdown to November 19, the scheduled date for the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, reduces from months to days, uncertainty on the polls continue to hover. A drama of double acts, on-stage and off-stage, orchestrated simultaneously by forces striving to hold the polls and forces trying to foil it, respectively, takes upon the country.',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2081',
			'article_category_id' => '173',
			'title' => 'The Multiplex Effect',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fcube Multiplex" src="/userfiles/images/fcube%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 181px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Bhawani Timalsina</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities. &nbsp;The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city. &nbsp;However, the trend of digitization was initiated by the QFX centre after acquiring Jai Nepal cinema hall in 2000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Experts opine that multiplexes lure the audience mainly through technologies that make films more visually appealing. &nbsp;Alongside movie watching, multiplexes offer other attractive facilities such as complimentary pop-corns, game-zones, separate lounges and a good ambience. Multiplexes offer quality experience to the audience. Multiplex are provided with operators more opportunities to grow as conventional cinema halls lack enough resources to maintain quality, operators say.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Film makers in Nepal say that the multiplex cinema halls here have been playing a key role in uplifting the Nepali film industry. New film-makers have been thrilled with the response they have received from the audience in multiplex movie halls. Film producer and director Nischal Basnet says, &ldquo;The trend is positive for Nepali film-makers as the multiplexes have attracted audiences that previously neglected Nepali films. These are audiences that regard ambience and facility as important aspects of the movie-watching experience.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Infrastructure Officer of the Film Development Board Nepal, Harihar Rekhoula, agrees that the multiplexes have helped in promoting Nepali films. Rekhoula agrees that the multiplexes have given a new avenue to promote Nepali films and opines that audiences should encourage Nepali films by watching them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Chairman of Quest Entertainment Pvt Ltd Nakim Uddin is pleased with the response the multiplex halls have received recently. &ldquo;We have been receiving a positive response from the audiences ever since the inception of Jai Nepal cinema hall,&rdquo; he claims.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Rakesh Shrestha, Managing Operator of Big Movies sees investment in the movie exhibition business (multiplex) has huge potential. &ldquo;New players are emerging in the business and the market has been expanding,&rdquo; he says. Shrestha is optimistic and confident that the future of the film exhibition business will remain bright as positive responses from movie-goers have prompted new investors as well. &nbsp;&ldquo;Growing competition helps expand the market,&rdquo; he adds.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dr Pradeep Bhattarai, President of Film Critics Society Nepal (FCSN), mentioned in his presentation &lsquo;Setting the Scene: Nepal and Film Market&rsquo; at the Workshop on Copyright for Film Professionals held in Kathmandu in December 2012, that investment in the film exhibition business has increased with the introduction of multiplexes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the Film Development Board, there are 215 film theatres and 43 high vision halls in Nepal. Out of them, 90 percent are following the digital format whereas the rest are under process. &ldquo;Audiences are now ready to pay overpriced tickets, though it was quite difficult to convince them in the beginning,&rdquo; says Roshan Adiga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of QFX Cinemas. Adiga also mentions that online booking and online purchasing are additional facilities of multiplexes that encourage ticket-buying. Tickets at multiplexes are priced from Rs 175 to Rs 400, and occupancy in general is 70-80 percent when a good movie is on, according to Shrestha, who speaks for Big Cinemas alone. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have the ability to screen a single film in several auditoria via interlinked equipment in a single projection room. &nbsp;Due to this, multiplex operators accommodate a broad choice of films to attract large audiences. Given the range of price in tickets and variety of choice in films, multiplexes have also become a recreation centre for people of all classes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Malls and Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have always been an integral part of shopping malls worldwide. In the context of Nepal, renowned multiplexes such as QFX, F-Cube and Big cinemas are located in famous shopping malls &ndash; the QFX Central in Civil mall, Big Cinemas in City Centre and F-Cube in KL tower. Adiga says that malls and multiplexes are integral as both have to depend upon each other for footfalls. The increasing number of shopping malls in Kathmandu has boosted the number of multiplexes. Co-location of malls and multiplexes are beneficial as multiplexes help increase sales, say operators at malls. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Increasing Investment Volume in Film Exhibition&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The movie-watching experience has changed with the multiplex boom. Trends indicate change in the financial aspect of the entertainment sector. The massive success of multiplexes has attracted huge amounts of investment in the exhibition business. Multiplex operators are optimistic that the multiplex business will reach heights with increasing competitors and expansion plans in the days to come. &nbsp;The rise of the multiplex has pressurized single stand cinema halls to improve quality and facility. Multiplex owners have also lured good revenue from food vendors and advertisements as most of them have been tying up with various brands.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Average cost of the multi-screen cinema</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Quest Entertainment invested Rs 30 million in Jai Nepal and Rs 45 million in Kumari Cinema hall. According to multiplex operators, the cost of multiplex business would be Rs 50 million in average. However, cost also depend upon the quality of technology and other factors affecting investment. According to Shrestha, the cost can range from Rs 70 million to Rs 90 million given different technologies and business capacity.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Upcoming Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The QFX Centre is planning to roll out a 3-auditoria multiplex in Lalitpur in the near future. The company informs that the project will be completed within a year. &nbsp;Some old single stand theaters are also set to build multi-screen cinema halls. Some of Kathmandu&rsquo;s oldest cinema halls like Bishwojyoti and Ranjana halls have already begun the venture. Big Movies has also been planning to come up with other projects in the days to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Multiplex in KTM" src="/userfiles/images/fcube1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 133px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
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			'description' => 'The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities.  The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city.',
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			'id' => '2080',
			'article_category_id' => '165',
			'title' => 'Global Business Trends October 2013',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Switzerland Leads in Global Energy Ranking</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 188px;" />Switzerland and a handful of countries in Europe led the way in a global ranking of energy efficiency, access to resources and environmental sustainability. China ranked 78th and the United States was 15th, according to the report by the World Energy Council, a London-based group that promotes sustainable power. Canada came in sixth and France was 10th, while the worst showing of all 129 countries was made by Zimbabwe.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Countries were also given letter grades for their performance in three categories: how well they manage their energy supply, how accessible and affordable energy is across the population, and how much of their power is derived from low-carbon renewables. Only five countries received all A&#39;s -- Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Britain and Spain. Benin and Zimbabwe received all D&#39;s. India, Lebanon, Yemen and Nicaragua also fared poorly with C&#39;s and D&#39;s.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	China got an A for energy security but D&#39;s for the environment and affordability and equitable access to power. The United States was a top scorer in security and supply but earned a C in environmental friendliness. The report was based on interviews with more than 50 government officials, development banks and international experts from more than 25 countries, the WEC said. Policymakers interviewed for the report urged more proactive energy policies, and called on the energy industry to help developed countries makes strides toward sustainable energy. The report was released three weeks ahead of talks at the World Energy Congress, to be held in Daegu, Korea.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Asia to have Most Millionaires: Survey</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 188px;" />Asia will have the world&rsquo;s largest number of millionaires as early as next year despite the expected tapering of the US Federal Reserve&rsquo;s stimulus programme, according to a report published on September 25th. With strong growth and high saving rates, the wealth of the region&rsquo;s millionaires will grow by an annual average 9.8 percent and reach nearly $16 trillion in 2015, according to the wealth management unit of Royal Bank of Canada.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite concerns of devaluing asset prices due to capital outflows triggered by Fed tapering, Asia is set to lead the world in the number of millionaires and their total wealth, the bank said in a report prepared with consulting firm Capgemini. &ldquo;The region&rsquo;s high net worth population and wealth has increased by 31 percent and 27 percent respectively since 2007, far outpacing growth in the rest of the world of 14 percent and nine percent,&rdquo; George Lewis, group head of RBC Wealth Management, said in a statement.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The number of millionaires in Asia surged by 9.4 percent year-on-year to 3.68 million in 2012, still trailing North America&rsquo;s 3.73 million. Millionaires in the report are defined as individuals with investable assets of $1 million or more, excluding residence, collectibles and others.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Asia&rsquo;s continual population growth, and economic growth expected to continue outperforming the rest of the world, would help it take the lead as early as next year, according to Eric Lascelles, chief economist of RBC Global Asset Management. He said the Fed&rsquo;s tapering plan could create &ldquo;hiccups&rdquo; but would not affect the trajectory of growth in the region. &nbsp;The bank said Japan saw the slowest growth in its millionaire population last year among Asian economies, with only a 4.4 percent increase in 2012 compared to the previous year. Hong Kong topped its Asian peers in the growth of both millionaire numbers and their investable assets in 2012.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>China&#39;s Smartphone Shipments to Exceed 450 mn&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 207px;" />The world&#39;s biggest smartphone market China will likely see shipments of more than 450 million devices in 2014, at least a quarter more than this year, research firm IDC said. IDC said the increase will be driven by the government&#39;s issuance of 4G licences and expectations that China Mobile Ltd , the world&#39;s biggest wireless operator, would carry iPhones by then.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	China, a market dominated by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Lenovo Group Ltd, is expected to ship 120 million 4G-enabledsmartphones to meet consumer demand for Internet connectivity. Smartphone shipments are expected to reach 360 million this year, IDC said.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the second quarter, Samsung and Lenovo maintained their lead in China with market shares of 18.5 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively, while China Wireless Technologies Ltd&#39;s Coolpad moved up a notch from the previous quarter to rank number 3. Apple Inc&#39;s iPhones saw market share and ranking fall to 5 percent and number 6 in the second quarter, from 9 per cent and number 5 a quarter ago, IDC analysts said. The US technology giant&#39;s market share usually slips a quarter or two before its next product launch.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&quot;Affected by the sluggish sales of iPhone 5, Apple&#39;s market share has declined dramatically, but its performance is expected to remarkably improve with the launch of the new iPhone,&quot; James Yan, an IDC analyst, said in a statement. Apple unveiled two new smartphone models, the iPhone 5S and a less expensive 5C, in China just hours after their US launch. Apple sold 9 million new iPhones during the first three days in stores after China joined the list of launch countries for the first time, though it declined to give a breakdown for the Chinese market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Blackberry in $4.7bn Takeover Deal&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 155px;" />Struggling smartphone maker Blackberry has agreed in principle to be bought by a consortium led by Fairfax Financial for $4.7bn (&pound;3bn). Blackberry said in statement that Fairfax, its largest shareholder with about 10% of the stock, had offered $9 a share in cash to buy the company. But Blackberry said it would continue to explore other options while negotiations with Fairfax continued.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Two weeks ago, Blackberry announced 4,500 jobs cuts in a bid to stem losses. The Canadian company said it expected to make a loss of up to $1bn after poor sales of its new handsets. In August, Blackberry said it was evaluating a possible sale. On Monday, 23rd September, the company announced that it had &quot;signed a letter of intent agreement under which a consortium to be led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited has offered to acquire the company subject to due diligence&quot;.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The statement continued: &quot;Diligence is expected to be complete by November 4, 2013. The parties&#39; intention is to negotiate and execute a definitive transaction agreement by such date.&quot; However, Blackberry said it was not in exclusive talks with Fairfax and would continue to &quot;actively solicit, receive, evaluate and potentially enter into negotiations&quot; with other potential buyers. Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa, Fairfax&#39;s chairman and chief executive, said: &quot;We believe this transaction will open an exciting new private chapter for Blackberry, its customers, carriers and employees.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Blackberry&#39;s financial problems came to a head this year following disappointing sales of its new Z10 model smartphone. Released in January - after many delays - the phone has failed to enthuse consumers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Scandals Cost JPMorgan $1 Billion in Fines</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gbl4%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 275px; height: 156px;" />It&#39;s $1 billion in payouts that JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co most likely wants to forget. In agreements with regulators totaling $1 billion and made public on September 19, the biggest bank of US settled four civil investigations into its &quot;London Whale&quot; trading scandal and two more into the wrongful billing of credit-card customers. The deals, which involve five authorities from the United States and one from the UK, are a milestone in the company&#39;s push to clean up its legal affairs but leave JPMorgan exposed to additional costs and embarrassment.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The bank still faces criminal probes into the trading scandal, its conduct during an energy trading investigation, sales of mortgage securities in the United States and possible bribery in China. Investigators are also looking into its role in setting benchmark interest rates known as LIBOR. The settlements include $920 million of penalties for JPMorgan&#39;s London Whale trading scandal, which Chief Executive Jamie Dimon at first dismissed as a &quot;tempest in a teapot&quot; and ultimately resulted in $6.2 billion in losses. The deals included an admission of wrongdoing, which has been rare in past settlements made by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A second set of settlements includes $80 million of payments for billing of credit-card customers for identity-theft protection services that they did not receive. The deals, made with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, come after the company issued $309 million of refunds to customers. The Comptroller of the Currency also on Thursday ordered JPMorgan to improve its consumer debt-collection practices. That order did not include financial penalties and involved allegations made public more than two years ago. The London Whale deals, reached with the UK&#39;s Financial Conduct Authority and the U.S. Federal Reserve, SEC and Comptroller of the Currency, resolve the biggest civil probes into the trading debacle. The deals include citations against JPMorgan for poor risk controls and failure to inform regulators about deficiencies in risk management identified by bank management. The scandal took on the London Whale nickname that hedge funds had given to Bruno Iksil, a trader at JPMorgan&#39;s Chief Investment Office in London, for the enormous size of the positions he took for the company.</div>',
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			'description' => 'Switzerland and a handful of countries in Europe led the way in a global ranking of energy efficiency, access to resources and environmental sustainability. China ranked 78th and the United States was 15th, according to the report by the World Energy Council, a London-based group that promotes sustainable power.',
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			'id' => '2079',
			'article_category_id' => '163',
			'title' => 'Tech Talk October 2013',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Samsung Launches UHD TV &nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 99px;" />HIM Electronics, authorized distributor of Samsung in Nepal, launched a new series of Ultra High Definition (UHD) Televisions and refrigerators in the Nepali market. The latest model of Samsung TV is available in 65 and 55 inches with more than 8 million pixels which helps bring out intricate and detailed pictures. UHD TV series offers a revolutionary voice command recognition system and intuitive motion sensing. In order to enable the basic functions such as changing channels or the volume, one has to say &lsquo;HI TV&rsquo; or wave a hand. In addition, users can also use videos, photos and other available apps in the TV to share content through social media like Facebook and Twitter. The price of the 65 inch and 55 inch UHD TV is Rs 800,000 and Rs 750,000, respectively.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, the BEE 5 star rating Samsung Refrigerator 3050 series provides facility to store food with a minimum consumption of electricity as it uses LED lights and the digital Inverter Compressor. The refrigerator also has a decade-long warranty facility. The cost of a refrigerator varies from Rs 33.000 to Rs 45, 000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Apple Unveils Two New iphone Models</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 113px;" />Apple&rsquo;s latest iPhones will come in a bevy of colours and two distinct designs, one made of plastic and the other that aims to be &ldquo;the gold standard of smartphones&rdquo; and reads your fingerprint. Apple unveiled the latest iPhone models during an event at its Cupertino, California, headquarters. The iPhone 5C will be available in five colours &ndash; green, blue, yellow, pink and white. CEO Tim Cook calls it &ldquo;more fun and colourful&rdquo; than any other iPhone. The 5C has a 4-inch Retina display and is powered by Apple&rsquo;s A6 chip. It also has an 8 megapixel camera, live photo filters and a rear cover that lights up. The second phone, the 5S, is &ldquo;the most forward-looking phone we have ever created,&rdquo; said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple. It will come in silver, gold and &ldquo;space gray&rdquo; and run a new chip, the A7 that is up to twice as fast as the A6.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Canvas Lite A92 in Market</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 89px;" />Micromax has launched Canvas Lite A92 in the market. The phone is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor and runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. For imaging, the phone has a 5 Megapixel primary camera and a 0.3 Megapixel secondary camera. A92 sports a 5.0&quot; capacitive full touch screen, 32 GB expandable memory and comes with a 2000 mAh battery. &nbsp;Other features of the phone include gravity sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS support.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Colors Launches Xfactor Shine 1&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 99px; height: 200px;" />Colors mobile has introduced new Xfactor Shine 1 in the market. According to a press release from the company, the handset is loaded with the best of the features, comes with a faster processor and beautiful sleek design and Android version 4.0.3. The phone is powered by a 1.2 GHz Dual Core Processor and has 4 GB ROM and 512 MB of RAM. Other features include 4.5 inch screen, WAP/GPRS/EDGE support, dual SIM standby and expandable memory up to 32 GB.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>New Ultraviolet LED for Portable Devices Developed</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt4%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 113px;" />Researchers have developed a new ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diode that could lead to more portable and low-cost devices. The patent-pending LED creates a more precise wavelength of UV light than today&#39;s commercially available UV LEDs, and runs at much lower voltages and is more compact than other experimental methods for creating precise wavelength UV light. Ohio State University engineers created LEDs out of semiconductor nanowires which were doped with the rare earth element gadolinium.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Twitter files for IPO</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/tt5%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px; height: 99px;" />Twitter has filed for an initial public offering of stock, though the details of its business will remain a secret for now. The company sent its filing confidentially to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Twitter has been rumored to be going public for the past few years. After Facebook&#39;s IPO in May 2012, it was widely believed that Twitter would be the next major technology company to offer its stock to public investors.</div>',
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			'description' => 'HIM Electronics, authorized distributor of Samsung in Nepal, launched a new series of Ultra High Definition (UHD) Televisions and refrigerators in the Nepali market. The latest model of Samsung TV is available in 65 and 55 inches with more than 8 million pixels which helps bring out intricate and detailed pictures.',
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