| Username |
Post |
| ashu |
Posted
on 10-Jun-02 12:34 AM
Dear all,
Martin Chautari is organizing following discussions this week-
Tuesday Discussion
11 June 2002/ 28 Jestha 2059
Topic: Peace Initiatives and Democratic Possibilities
Speaker: Keshab Sthapit, Mayor, Kathmandu Metropolitan City
Time: 5 pm
Venue: Martin Chautari Premises, Thapathali
Media Discussion (Thursday)
13 June 2002/ 30 Jestha 2059
Topic: Access of Dalit in Community Forest (Documentary)
Time: 3 pm
Venue: Martin Chautari Premises, Thapathali
Discussions take place every TUESDAY and alternative Thursday at Martin Chautari (phone: 256239/240059) in Thapathali (contact if you need direction). Participation is open to all.
Unless otherwise noted, discussions will be held in Nepali. PO Box: 13470 Kathmandu.
Email: chautari@mos.com.np
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 10-Jun-02 01:42 PM
Ashu,
Please tell him that a lot of sajha.com visitors are proud of what he has
accomplished. (It was obvious from different threads in the past!) I know the
mayor has somewhat 'not really bright' past, but he has done some real good
thing lately.
If he shares some vision for future of KTM, well, please try to share that with
us.
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| ashu |
Posted
on 10-Jun-02 11:23 PM
Biswo,
Will sure do.
It will be very interesting to hear what our Marxist-Leninist (or is that Market-Leninist ?) Mayor has to say about democratic possibilities in Nepal.
Those of you in Kathmandu, see you at MC tonight.
Let's have an intense, no-holds-barred but respectful
debate with the Mayor.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| ashu |
Posted
on 10-Jun-02 11:54 PM
I will certainly request the Mayor to visit this site at his foor.saud, and see for himself the future of how people across the world get their news, shape their views, make friends and keep in touch with one another.
Also, I hope he will also give support to my crusade for:
"I can disagree with you, even strongly and vehemently, but you and I do not have to end up as bitter personal enemies and poison our friendships for life
just because of our strong differences of opinion" thinking :-)
Don't know whether the Mayor will actually visit the site, and start sharing
his city-related travails and triumphs here.
But, hey, no harm in making this simple request.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| Rajib Sharma |
Posted
on 11-Jun-02 12:17 AM
Ashu ji,
Mayor of KMC is an expert guy in table talk. this guy also is KHPIS IN GIVING BHASAN also knows how to put THATHAYANK ? He would be easily tackle the MC discussion program. Lets us know what he has main agendas for public field like housing, drinking water, energy and transportation as well as security?
Thnx
Rajib Sharma
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| ashu |
Posted
on 11-Jun-02 01:26 AM
Rajiv-ji,
One great thing about MC discussions is that -- like in an intense
philosophy class with highly articulate and smart fellow students -- a sharp questioner or two from the audience can cut through the verbal sludge, through clever claptrap, through the muddled thinking and through all those glib talks
and just ask simple yet straightforward questions about stuff that really
matters.
In the course of my both formal (then) and informal (now) association with MC,
I have seen quite a few so-called experts reduced to a state of twitchy nervousness (if not to teary eyes) after being asked, by some brash young upstarts, simple yet fundamental questions, practically demolishing the central thesis of the presenters' arguments or theories.
That said, since the Mayor is speaking on "democratic possibilities" (which is a big topic in and of itself), I do not think it'd be appropriate to ask him questions about "housing, drinking water, energy and transportation as well as security" UNLESS the Mayor himself brings those issues up. But as you know, for the purpose of this discussion, he'd too clever to open himself up on those
municipal fronts.
Maybe another discussion with the Mayor at another -- on those city-related topics.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| Rajib Sharma |
Posted
on 12-Jun-02 01:20 AM
Ashu ji
Thank you very much for posting details. We will talk some detail in coming days.
I also thank to the MC TEAM.
Rajib
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| ashu |
Posted
on 12-Jun-02 05:16 AM
For the purpose of information only.
Though I am quoting from memory, my aim is to be faithful to Mayor's thoughts from yesterday's MC discussion, without misinterpreting them in any way and so that you can make judgments about the Mayor yourself.
And so, these are some soundbites -- as delivered by Mr. Keshav Sthapit, Mayor of Kathmandu, a card-carrying member of -- ahem! -- the United Marxist Leninist Party of the Kingdom of Nepal.
Enjoy,
oohi
ashu
********************
On Maoists
"They are terrorists and they are terrorists.
No two ways about that."
**********
On the solution of the Maoist problem.
"I know how to solve this Maoist problem. We must start sending young men and women from our villages as laborers to Malyasia, Israel, Vietnam, Japan and Korea. I have contacts in all those places. There is a huge demand for our laborers in those countries. Who wants to be garib Maoists and garib Maobadi-pidit person in Nepal when they can leave the country to earn real money?
The govt. should look into ways of making labor markets abroad accessible to most Nepalis who want to leave Nepal. The markets in those countries abroad do not even seem to require trained people, for employers there want to train fresh but willing workers at their own expense. Right now, our ministers are earning a lot of money, running their own overseas manpower-supply agencies on the side,
and there is little incentive for them to understand a larger picture."
***************
On Kathmandu:
"I want to make Kathmandu a very costly city to live. This way, more would leave Kathmandu for other less expensive cities and towns. As things stand, Kathmandu pays, in transport sector alone, a tax of 2 arab rupees per year to
the government, but the govt. gives only 6 karod (or 3 per cent) to Kathmandu's transport sector. With money like that, no wonder our streets are in sorry state. Money generated in Kathmandu must be taxed and used for Kathmandu's own purposes. I am asking for more decentralization in terms of what I can do and can't do in Kathmandu, and less interference from the central government -- and my authority remains limited.
"I was in Tokyo, and learnt that Tokyo became Tokyo only after being a costly city. Fees for parking in Kathmandu will be further hiked. Each household must pay for garbage disposal. I am thinking of giving Raani Pokhari to the private sector so that it can develop it as a tasteful yet commercially vibrant section. I have 1000s of plan like that -- plans for bringing private sector in. I want to re-make Ason Tole, and restore it to its ancient, walkable glory. I want to build a cricket stadium where Himal Cement Factory used to be in Chovar. I have plans to bring more money-spending Indian tourists to Kathmandu. We have to make Kathmandu rich. Being rich and having better access to better facilities go together."
"I believe in private enterprises. But the Nepali private sector is filled not with corporate types but with opportunistic dalals and extorting middlemen. We need more capable, educated people to run the private sector in Nepal."
************
On Nepal's communist movement
Nepali communist leaders do not tolerate dissent. They do not want to hear about new ideas. They want to quote old doctrines all the time. Communist are also fearful of talented, outspoken younger karya-kartas lest they lose power to such yongsters. We Nepali communists have to change, and adapt to the changes going on in the wider world."
*****************
On present-day politics
"Nepali Congress is not a democratic party. Not being democratic has been their biggest failure. Sher Bdr's camp now wants me to join their new party. They are impressed with the way I have run this city so far. But I am hesitant. I'd rather swim in a pond I know well than jump into another which I do not know well. Congress is going to split into two -- they have to. I have given Sher Bdr. some ideas about how he should conduct the elctions to win. UML must not think that
we are easily going to win in November. Things are not as easy as they look."
*********
On his hero
"Bam Dev Gautam is the bravest Nepali politician I have ever known. He has guts to take big decisions and stick to them -- regardless of the consequences."
*****************************
On his dream and on himself
" I dream of taking Kathmandu to greater heights -- to make it one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the world. My critics accuse me of not paying too much attention to details, but they don't see my overall vision, see what I am capable of. I have traveled to 65 districts in Nepal and know what hardship is, know what dukha is, and know what Nepal needs. We need to be richer. People have asked me to become the Prime Minister someday. I may be that too. But
for now, I ask you to elect me, when the time comes, for the second term as Mayor."
*****************
Posted in a spirit of public service -- Ok, OK, knowing that Mayor himself has promised to visiting this site. :-)
S A K I Y O
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| Parakhi |
Posted
on 12-Jun-02 02:27 PM
Thank you Ashuji for posting some details of Mayor's views on different topics. Certainly, he is among the few positive thinking, hard working politicians.
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 12-Jun-02 06:33 PM
Despite my praise for the mayor for doing a lot of things for KTM, and for speaking
out in public his views, I consider some of his opinions unagreeable and shallow.
I don't think the talk about sending Nepali boys to be cheap labourers worthy of
imlementing. First, that labour market in itself is a problem, because of the cheating
of innocent people . Because of involvement of high ranking officers in such scams
(reportedly, crown princess'sister is also involved in one of such businesses), they
have helped to engender more grievances against authority than provide comfort
to the poor ones. Second, he underestimates the possibility of green dollars/dinars
falling into the hands of predatory rebels who roam the country sides unhindered.
And third, is that right solution? Sending our corrupt MPs, leaders to labour camps
in Malaysia could be a better idea, instead.
He is free to choose Bam Dev as the best leader, but having seen Mr Gautam
stooping too low to send his son to scholarship scheme to China, and having heard
enough about Mr Gautam and his nexus with dregs of society, I fail to understand
how Gautam can be put forward as an ideal leader.
Mr Sthapit, however, unmistakeably provides us a clue about what his aspiration is.
He cites Tokyo as his role model city. Well, Tokyo has a party-less nationalist
Shintaro Ishihara whose rabid xenophobic (esp anti-China and anti-US) remarks
often makes him controversial abroad but popular at home. I hope Mr Sthapit
wouldn't emulate Ishihara in his job.An inclusive liberal Kathmandu is a better
dream to achieve.
Anyway, I am proud of what Mr Sthapit has done by far.
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| GP |
Posted
on 12-Jun-02 10:05 PM
TokyoGoverner Ishihara, seems to be a very possible candidate for next PM in Japan.
He use "Baka" at least once a minute, i.e. Baka = foolish.
Peoples are afraid of him, but, companies around Tokyo especially Banks are now
have great trouble with him. Mr. Sthapit who regularly visits Japan (I heard)
is inspired by Tokyo. One thing Tokyo did after 1923 Great Kanto E.Q. was
that they made Yamanote sen, by acquiring land from peoples paying enough
compensations, and I suggest Mr. Sthapit to make Nepali Yamanote
sen i.e. let private sector make train lines either side of ring road (two way)
and use the 50m wide road to reach upto Maiti Ghar via Tinkune. I am sure
it will increase the efficiency of transportation system in KTM. Make it pass
through Pulchowk to Saat Dobato, similarly, bring one more line upto
NayaBazar. KTM needs mass transport system and train around ring road will be
be a major break through. Well, we can not make subway yet, because of the
land acquisition problem and the subway is still expensive with respect to total
cost of surface land. Well, being myself a geotechnical engineer, will be happy
if tunneling project start in Nepal. One thing Mr. Sthapit should do is, he should
not hire foreign contractors to make those roads and transport systems if the
cost has to be borned by KTMuties. We have enough enigneers, and he needs
only cross checks to avoid corruption, and if paid good salary, I am sure we
Nepali engineers can make it. Only thing we need good salary to avoid corruption.
GP
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