| Username |
Post |
| Gandhi |
Posted
on 06-Sep-01 10:08 AM
Please read the following news copied from Nepalnew.com:
>Parliamentary delegation leaves for Africa
>An 11 member parliamentary delegation headed by Speaker of the House of >Representatives Taranath Ranabhatt left for the African state of Burkinafaso >Thursday to participate in the 106th Inter Parliamentary Union conference >beginning Sunday.
>The Speaker and Parliament Secretary General Dr. Ishwor Prasad Upadhaya will >later fly to New York to attend a parliamentarians' forum for children from >September 19. The Speaker went abroad as parliament was meeting for its >annual budget session.
The question is:
What is the national priority for our Speaker of the House of Representatives and the MPs? Few months ago, there was a similar team gone for Korea (?) when the house was still running.
Currently the parliament is meeting for budget session. There are many issues which are still not resolved including the blocking of session by opposition parties, pending bills and others.
Though there is provision for Deputy speaker in our house of representatives and the house should run without any problem. However, is it the conference of parliamentarians that needs to be attended by every speaker? The importance of
MPs and Speaker in a running session is so important that constitution does't allow a MP to be arrested even when charged with wrong doing (see Chataut). And they are free to go anywhere in any conference and meetings spending money from our national treasury.
Gandhi
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| sparsha |
Posted
on 06-Sep-01 11:52 AM
I agree with Gandhi's point. Besides why is it necessary for them (so called MPs) to goto these meetings? They're not gonna learn anything there. Even if they do learn something constructive, how are they gonna implement what they did learn? Our parliament is nothing but a hall for a Tamasa or Natak to decieve people.
They will just spend nation's hard earned money and probably do some shoppings or may visit friends and family.
There should be a strict policy to regulate such useless trips( a mere Tamasa).
sparsha
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| GP |
Posted
on 06-Sep-01 07:41 PM
Hey!
They did not go to attend the conference, but, to enjoy the allowance
and gift for the close relatives. Its what conference means for them.
If they were sincere to their word, they could have sent deputies
not themselves in this crucial period. ITs a chance theyhave once in
a blue moon. If you think they are for country, then, you are wrong.
GP
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| new yorker |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 12:28 PM
Priority? Why blame some of these politicos for looking for kicks of the perverse kind. Isn't the country turing on his head?
The best, and rational, minds in Nepal are technicians, working hospitals, building bridges, and growing fruits and vegetables on the slopes of the Mahabharat Parwat. One of them - Babaram Bhattarai - had decided to kill people.
If our politicians had any scrupules, they wouldn't be there anyway. Dance wiith lions and tigers during the African safari and take your minds off grave national issues. Our great leaders, you deserve it.
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| new yorker |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 12:44 PM
Oops...Pls read "turning on its head"
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| sally |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 01:32 PM
Believe it or not, I'm actually a big fan of Burkina Faso, for no good reason other than the name of the capital city--it's fun to say "Ouagadougou"--and I love the fact that it's a country virtually no one has heard of. I'd personally like to go there someday. But then, I admit I'm a bit strange.
However, if it's any consolation to folks who aren't too keen on those guys jetting off to Africa, I have a friend who lived in Burkina for 2 years ... and she's laughing her head off at the idea of those 11 Pajero-loving parliamentarians stuck in Burkina. Maybe they saw the letter "B" and thought they were going to Bangkok. Well, they'll soon find out otherwise!!!
When my friend got off the plane, it was so flat, dry, and dusty she felt she had landed on the moon. The culture is interesting, of course, but as for safaris--sorry, guys, but to get a safari, our intrepid gang of junketeering travelers would have to make a long, long journey away from Burkina to east Africa (like Kenya) or maybe southern Africa (Botswana). Burkina itself a desertified land on the edge of the Sahara where about 1/3 of the population is afflicted with river blindness. Other health issues: guinea worm, polio, malaria, and, increasingly, AIDS from truck drivers who use Burkina (not a big destination in itself) as a passageway from the coast to Niger and Mali.
From what I understand, the only urban areas in Burkina are basically like Indian border town--"real armpits," according to this friend, although the villages are interesting if you happen to be anthropologically inclined (which the parliamentarians surely aren't).
So what--other than the undoubted low cost of hotel rooms and the fact that they may have mistakenly and ignorantly believed that Ouagadougou would be like Nairobi or Johannesburg--do these fellows see as an attraction in Burkina? Given the heat, the main activity is apparently drinking, and (supposedly) "even the good Muslims drink all the time." So maybe they're going for the local booze.
The good news: at least the money is going into the pocket of another one of the world's poorest countries. Great job, Burkina!!! Next time maybe Nepal should invite some Burkinabe parliamentarians to KTM ... or maybe to Nepalgunj, where they might feel more at home.
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| Gandhi |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 03:19 PM
Dear all:
It is good to know that you thought the same way I was thinking while reading the news article. For many people, not only MPs, any meeting, conferences and seminars are a matter of sight seeing and touring than a forum to discuss the genuine problem and contribute by sharing experiences.
Lets see some senario:
1. A distinguished university professor didnot participate in the keynote address of an international meeting because he was busy with the admission process for his undergraduate son in a community college next to the city.
2. The executive chairman of a reputed company did not participate in the discussion on "new strategies for competitive market promotion". He was seen touring around the organizing city with his wife. Unlike himself paid from the donor's money or company's hard earned profit, he had paid for his wife's ticket for that sole purpose. (May be he could have included his wife as a women member in the official delegation team).
3. The Division Head did not show up in the staff tranining session. He had won a good gamble last night with his staff and had offered hefty drinking. He has headache and not feeling good. He is having a rest in his hotel room. The traning is organized in another city although all the staff had to be picked up from the office.
4. An old newspaper line read: The 29 member olympic team for (..country..) headed to (..organizing city/country..) to participate in (--th) olympics today. Minister of (..unrelated ministry..) bid a goodbye to the team at the airport. There are 11 players in the team who would participate in 9 events during the competition. The team is leaded by the minister of (..concerned ministry..).
Comment: 11 players to participate in 9 events. May be it is for keeping the cost of participation low. The same player can compete in more than one events like 100m, 200m or 400m. How about 18 member official team for 11 member players? Who are they and what will they help to win the medals? Ultimately the country returned with no medals at hand.
These are some anamolies which is hard to digest.
Gandhi
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| upperwestside |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 04:22 PM
I like this one.
But why just bash Nepal's big boys, though.
The practice of skipping the so called internatonal conferences is so rampant all over the world that vacant chairs are common sights. It's a routine.
The Prime Minister's welcome address gets a standing ovation from "the distingushied delegates from 29 countries" (never mind seven of them don't even know what the conference is all about - "Worm infections & Chilld Health From Pediatrician's Perspective.")
You later find out that three of the talkingheads (Kuires who made some very, very impressive noise during the conference), and only people to attend all the working sessions religiously. The globe-trotting "WHO experts" would receive TA & DA according to UN's compensation policy for the executives.
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| upperwestside |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 04:27 PM
Please make correction as you read the last para.
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| Ganesh Man |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 05:25 PM
there's plenty of destinations between nepal and burkina faso. even if that place doesn't live upto expectations, places like singapore, bangkok, dubai, sun city will. besides many might be traveling for the first time. plane ma chadne experience is another factor. besides bidesh gayeko shaan hai arkai hunchha. free ma jaana paye kun chhai nepali ghumna na jaaos? free ma ta new road ko tour lage pani sabai jaan chhan, ki kaso? desh can go to hell and so can the sansad. kaag karaudai jaan chha, pina sukdai garchaa. bachunjel sabai le moj garne dharana nepali MP ko chaa.
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 05:59 PM
Burkina Faso?
Nothing against the country. But my first impression after reading the posting was
:"hey,going to Burkina Faso? You dude will surely learn now that all these foreign
junkets are not going to be pleasant."
I once had a good friend in China whose dad was working in foreign ministry. She
told me a story famous in the foreign ministry of China: the beaurocrats there
love to go to other countries as a resident diplomat. But they usually don't go to
a lot of African countries. Reason: one of her father's dad came back from Malawi
(or Niger?) with some incurable venereal disease.(HIV rate in some of those
countries is as high as 20%, if only our 'sura' and 'sundari' loving MPs know that!)
I won't be surprised if some of smarters those who are in delegation opt to stay in
Egypt while other ignorants attend the seminar.
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 07-Sep-01 06:00 PM
correction:
one of her dad's friends, in stead of one of her father's dads..
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