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PM-elect discusses cabinet formation with Koirala

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Prime Minister Madhav-elect Kumar Nepal met Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala to discuss issues related to the composition of the new cabinet including formation of a high-level joint mechanism, distribution of ministerial berths, the common minimum programme and policy and programmes of the new government.

PM Nepal met with NC president Koirala Sunday afternoon at the latter’s residence, Maharajgunj. Nepal is learnt to have offered Koirala to chair the joint-mechanism of parties to run the government. Parties have intensified discussions for distribution of ministries and selection of their leaders to represent in the government after the legislature parliament elected Nepal as the new Prime Minister of Nepal on Saturday.

NC leaders met at the party president’s residence Sunday morning and urged UML to initiate the process of government formation. The party has neither selected a person to lead its team in the government nor finalised the

names of ministers.

Sher Bahadur Deuba faction is supporting Prakash Man Singh while Sushil Koirala faction wants Kul Bahadur Gurung to lead the party’s team in the government. Ram Chandra Poudel is likely to lead the party’s team as his leadership is acceptable to both factions.

Leaders likely to be included in the cabinet are Ram Chandra Poudel, Prakash Man Singh, Bimalendra Nidhi, Kul Bahadur Gurung, Binaya Dhwaj Chand, Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, Dr Shekhar Koirala, Purna Kumar Serma and Nabindra Raj Joshi.

UML standing committee also met this morning and formed a committee headed by party chairman Jhala Nath Khanal to coordinate and hold talks with other parties participating in the government.

The talks committee which includes Shankar Pokhrel, KP Oli, Surendra Pande, Raghuji Pant, Bidhya Bhandari and Ishwor Pokhrel has already started informal consultations with other parties.

Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) have agreed to take one ministry each out of home, water resources and finance ministries, it is learnt.

Although, Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar was seen likely to lead the MJF team in the government till Saturday, the intra-party dispute is mounting with party chairman Upendra Yadav showing interest to lead the party in the new government.

It will take a few more days for the cabinet to get its final shape. The complete cabinet is likely to have more than 30 ministers with assistant and state ministers.

The coalition leader UML is striving to form a cabinet including at least one representative from each of the participating parties before newly elected PM Nepal is sworn in Monday morning.

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Abject poverty leads woman to kill daughters, self

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Abject poverty led a mother to strangle her two daughters to death before killing herself in Bajhang of far-western Nepal last week, reports say.

Jashuli Bista, 26, who was living an impoverished life in Sunkada VDC of the district on Friday, killed her daughters, four-year-old Ramkala and eight-month-old Ramita, before she hanged herself to death.

Far-western police chief DIG Prakash Kunwar said they found no other reason behind the killings other than poverty.

Bista had been raising her daughters all alone as her husband Min Bahadur Bishta had gone to India for work.

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Indian ambassador, UNMIN chief meet new PM

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Indian ambassador Rakesh Sood and United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) chief Karen Ladgren have separately met with newly elected Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at the latter’s residence, Koteshwor Sunday afternoon.

Both the Indian ambassador and the UNMIN chief congratulated Nepal on his election as the new PM of Nepal and extended best wishes for his successful term.

Indian ambassador Sood said the bilateral ties between Nepal and India would be further strengthened during Nepal’s term as PM and assured of continued support from the Indian government for peace and prosperity in Nepal.

UNMIN chief Landgren expressed hope for a logical conclusion to the ongoing peace process during Nepal’s term as PM.

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Bhattarai says his party will continue support for economic reform

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Senior Maoist leader Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai said his party, as the main opposition party, will extend all possible support for economic transformation of the country.

Addressing the first gathering of the National Industries and Trade Organisation (NITO), an association of the Maoist-aligned businessmen in Lalitpur on Sunday, Dr Bhattarai appreciated the support of the private sector during his tenure in the government, adding that 90 percent of the industrialists in the country genuinely want to boost national economy.

He stressed that all industrialists and businessmen must regard Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) as the umbrella

organisation of the private sector.

Dr Bhattarai said the country’s current need is to raise the national economy, for which end of political instability is necessary.

However, he was critical of the new government, terming it as ‘khalasi’ (a driver’s helper) in the driver’s seat, which, he said, will lead the country to disaster and chaos.

He reiterated his party’s stand for cooperation and consensus among political forces for completing task of writing the new constitution on time and bring the peace process to its logical conclusion.

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UML stages protests against attack of Pokharel

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

CPN (UML) staged demonstrations in different parts of the country to protest the recent attack on party general secretary Ishwor Pokharel by Maoist cadres in Ramechhap.

In Kathmandu, UML cadres staged a protest rally at Sundhara and Ratnapark areas, chanting slogans against ‘Maoist highhandedness’ and demanding action against those involved in the attack.

A group of Maoist cadres had pelted stones at the vehicles carrying UML general secretary Pokharel and politburo members Pashupati Chaulagain and Rabindra Shrestha in Ramechhap. The UML leaders escaped unhurt in the attack.

Amid strong reaction from the UML, Unified CPN (Maoist) had suspended Rajan Dahal, deputy district secretary of Young Communist League (YCL), who led the group that attacked Pokharel. The Maoist party expressed worry over the incident, saying the attack was against the party’s policy.

On Thursday, general secretary Pokharel lodged a complaint at the National Human Rights Commission demanding action against those involved in the attack.

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New PM inspects Dhobighat church; govt forms probe panel on church blast

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Newly elected Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has said the government will investigate the church attack and bring those involved in the incident to book.

Nepal, who reached the Assumption Church in Dhobighat Sunday morning, condemned the attack at the religious institution and expressed sadness over the human casualties.

He reached the church for inspection after attending his party CPN (UML)’s standing committee meeting for an hour this morning, which discussed the expansion of the cabinet.

He also inspected the blast site and victims who are undergoing treatment at the local hospitals.

The blast on Saturday killed two people and injured around a dozen. Four of those undergoing treatment are in critical condition.

Meanwhile, the home ministry has formed a three-member task force headed by senior police officer Kuber Singh Rana to probe the church blast. The task force includes police officer Singha Bahadur Bam and Arjun KC, assistant Director of National Investigation Department.

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Garbage piling up in Kathmandu streets as Sisdol locals continue blockade

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

There were bigger garbage piles on Sunday on the sidewalks of Kathmandu than the previous day, as the locals of Sisdol, Nuwakot district where a landfill site is located, continued to prevent the containers of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (MKC) from dumping the waste there.

Rotting heaps of waste, present at several places in the stretches of main streets, are creating an eyesore while posing serious risk of outbreak of diseases.

Meanwhile, negotiation between the Sisdol Struggle Commission and KMC officials held today ended inconclusively. KMC officials said the talks failed as the KMC could not agree on the demands put forth by the committee, which include employment opportunity to one member of each family in the locality and development projects.

Collection of garbage stopped form Thursday after the Sisdol locals started protests, blocking the road connecting the landfill site.

The metro city generates more than 400 tonnes of waste everyday.

Sisdol locals had frequently obstructed garbage disposal in the past, presenting the same demands.

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BNCC organises discussion on investment opportunities in Nepal

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

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Nepal Financial Forum on Banking, Investment and Remittance in Nepal was organised at the Nepali Embassy in London on Wednesday.

In the programme organised by the Britain Nepal Chamber of Commerce (BNCC), issues related to Nepal’s emerging banking system, importance of remittance to Nepal and its role in national economy, among others, were discussed.

Raja Ram Giri, director Samsara Nepal Financial Services UK (Associate Partner Kumari Bank, Nepal), made his presentation on the role being played by remittance in Nepal.

According to Nepal Rastra Bank, Nepal receives remittance worth Rs 120 billion every year from Nepalis living and working around the world, out of which around 82 million pound came from UK alone. Giri, however, estimated that the actual figure could be as high as �180 million pound every year.

Chairman of the BNCC, Anthony Wieler, said despite recent political instability, Nepal presented unrivalled opportunities for foreign investors especially in the areas of hydropower, horticulture, tourism , garments and many other infrastructure projects. He also called upon British investors to come forward to invest in Nepal with which Britain has nearly two-centuries-old relations.

Charge d’ Affairs at the Nepali embassy in London, Jhabindra P Aryal, welcomed the delegates and said that Nepal presented one of the best investment regimes for foreign investors. He said despite changes in the governments, successive Nepali administrations were committed to facilitate foreign investors in whatever way possible. He also called upon British investors and businessmen to contact the embassy if they needed any information or support.

Peter Fowler of the Cairn Energy, a leading British company, spoke about the petroleum exploration work his company was engaged in India and potential sites in Nepal. Richard Dewdney, deputy director for South Asia at the Department for International Development (DFID) said British government was working on to promote bilateral trade relations and support British businessmen who wanted to invest abroad including Nepal.

Representatives from around 50 leading British companies, Nepali businesses and organisations took part in the Forum.

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NAC receives five bids for new aircrafts

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Five bidders are contesting to supply two jet aircrafts to the state owned Nepal Airlines Corporation NAC. The deadline for bidding ended Thursday.

Though the NAC had call bids from manufacturers only, other companies have also filed their bids. The bidders include Airbus, Boeing, Ilyushin Finance Corporation of Russia, Commercial Aircraft Sales Leasing and Consulting Company of the US and Kathmandu-based Aero Express Aviation.

The bids will be opened today for evaluation by 14-member committee led by Deputy Managing Director of NAC Ganesh Thakur. NAC is likely to finalise the purchase within the next two weeks.

NAC plans to buy two narrow body aircraft or one each narrow body (150 seats) and wide body (240-310 seats) aircraft. Smaller one costs around US$ 60 million while bigger one costs between US$ 125 and 150 million.

For the purchase, the NAC has already received commitments for Rs. 10 billion (about US $ 133 million) loan from Employees Provident Fund. Government has stood guarantee for the loan.

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Two alleged kidnappers killed in police action

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Two alleged kidnappers were killed in an encounter with the police in Dhanusha district Sunday morning.

Reports quoting police said the shootout took place at Dudhmati Bridge along the Janakpur-Kugha road when a police team tried to rescue one Ram Dubar Sah kidnapped by the gang.

One person killed in the encounter have been identified as Udgar Mandal while another is yet to be identified.

Police also recovered two pistols and bullets from the gang.

Cases of abduction have significantly grown in Terai districts. Over half a dozen alleged kidnappers were lynched by villagers in different parts of Terai in the past few weeks.

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