| Username |
Post |
| ashu |
Posted
on 31-May-01 12:17 AM
A few year ago, Dr. Neil Cohen, then an economist based at
the USAID (Kathmandu), used to bring out, what he called,
ECO-News.
ECO-News -- photocopied and stapled monthly analyses on A4-size sheets -- were about Nepal-specific macro-economic events. And Neil's analyses were lucid, informative and well-circulated in Kathmandu's circle of policy-makers.
To his credit, Neil was careful to say that what he wrote were his own views, written for his own understanding of the Nepali
economy, and did not necessarily represent the views of the
US Government. Still, Neil did his bit to help make Nepali
economy more open, more liberal and more governed by the market
forces.
Anyway, soon after Neil left Kathmandu (he now works for USAID
in South Africa) in the mid-1990s, the ECO-News ceased publication, and the USAID even scrapped its Resident
Economist position.
Last month, I met Neil for coffee in Kathmandu, and broached
open the subject of possibly re-starting an Eco-News-like publication -- run and managed by young Nepali economists, preferably educated in the US -- that allows, in clear, simple English and in a mere four-page format every month,
intelligent laypersons understand what's what re: the Nepali economy. In doing so, these young Nepali economists also build
up a good knowledge base, a collegial culture based on what
they best while investing on their own future as policy-makers.
The idea came to me after spending two months reading and re-reading a number of professional and/or donor-subsidized publications in Kathmandu that try to analyse business/economy/finance news and views either in English and Nepali language.
After studying these publications, I concluded that:
a) the language they use is too technical (and often
misleadingly so!) and wordy for intelligent laypersons to understand what's what about the Nepali economy.
b) their analyses are generally weak;
c) their analyses are long on descriptions, and short on
insights.
d) their tone is often preachy.
e) they seem OPEN to suggestions, but are actually resistant to
change.
And so, surely, there is no scarcity of young Nepali economists, either in the US or in Nepal, who-- without being full-time
journalists --can bring out a lucidly-written, well-crafte
four-page newsletter on Nepali economy every month.
Again, coming up with an idea like this is the easy part. The
hardest part is recruiting and retaining a first-rate team of young Nepali economists who are passionate about using
their West-sharpened analytic abilities to help make
sense of the Nepali economy.
I'm thinking of starting such a newsletter sometime in the
Late Fall (in November) or so. Meantime, let the Nepali
economists unite to bring out something like us, even when
we will and should have different ideas and opinions.
oohi
"goray prasad"
ashu
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| Gandhi |
Posted
on 31-May-01 09:49 AM
Ashuji,
Very brilliant idea. Interesting and useful mission. I will be willing to help in your mission, time permitting, in whatever way I can.
Gandhi
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| Kali Prasad |
Posted
on 31-May-01 11:16 AM
I think it is a really great idea to start some sort of a small newsletter and distribute it to Nepalese people (mainly to Enterpreneurs) living in home. I applaud what Ashu (BTW,I like your new name "Goray Prasad")is trying to do. A simple economic analysis can convey lot of meanings, that a fancy econometric technique may not be able to do always.
The newsletter may not even necessarily be periodic although it may be helpful to make people aware of what is going on around them that can directly impact their profits and societal welfare. The newsletter could take a news flash form with pros and cons on each of the step that government is trying to implement. Be unbiased and tell what is good and what is bad. Do we have a good policy that passes cost benefit analysis and is sustainable in a long run. Do good science, that is what necessary for our country now.
Living in the US for several years, I have lost the connection of what is going on at each and every aspects of life in Nepal although I do understand the macro problem well. It is poverty and the lack of a favorable environment for a business to foster, dummy. I keep on saying myself repeatedly. My experience in rejuvenating the living standards of poor black people in the US tells me that may be we should find some thing viable for local area, not some sort of fancy thing completely new and inviable to the society. We need to suggest kind of things that every local person can actively participate and proudly do for their living for a long term. We need awareness. We need small scale feasibility study for each of the village and try to develop a village as a specialized area of production. The feasibility study I am talking here is not some thing that some one does with donor's money to enrich him/herself. We need simple analysis that can show the market potential of the goods that the villagers are producing. See if a market for those kind of things exist. Market is an important thing. I have evidence of so many successful producers folding themselves as they could not find a market for the products they produced.
A basic step may be some thing like a visitor's bureau at each city telling what is important there. I was quite astonished (negatively!) to find that even place like Pokhara which is the most visited city lacks that kind of information agency. We should be able to inform visitors on what is where info. This would help to disseminate information about small things to people visiting the town. After all, our economy is now a tourist dependent economy.
Agriculture is our most important economy. Subsistence agriculture cannot do any thing to uplift the living standard of poor people. We should be more marketable. How about organic farming? There seems like a good market for those things in US and Europe. Why not advertise our products such as "organically produced with the snow melting water from Himalayas.". I do not know, but just use a catchy phrase.
So Ashu, you are trying to do lot of good things. An Energetic and thoughtful person like you is necessary for the upliftment of our poor society. On the otherhand, I am just harping here rather than doing some thing. May be I will start something in Nepal pretty soon. Time will tell.
Cheers,
Kali Prasad
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| ashu |
Posted
on 31-May-01 02:23 PM
Thank you Gandhi and Kali for your words of
encouragement. I take heart from the fact that
because there are so many problems in Nepal,
there are also many opportunities to do interesting
work here, if one remains motivated.
Kali wrote:
>A simple economic
>analysis can convey lot of meanings, that a
>fancy econometric technique may not be able
>to do always.
Agreed.
The newsletter's emphasis, as I see it, will be
on analysing (with pros and con clearly laid out)
a public policy/economic event in a simple four-page
format every month. Thanks to PageMaker and other
software tools, jazzing up the four pages with
substance and style should not be a problem.
The writing-style would, of course, pay homage to
Princeton economist Paul Krugman in terms of
sharpness of analyses, clarity of thought and
wit to keep readers engaged. :-)
And I agree with you that the poor must not be
forgotten when talking about Nepali economic issues.
That is why, the policies could be argued/discussed
from the perspectives of the poor without, of course,
sentimentalizing/trivializing/patronizing their
concerns.
I also agree with you that, all things being equal,
a market mechanism goes a long way toward helping
the poor in Nepal.
>Be unbiased and tell what is good
>and what is bad.
Well, it will have a bias in the sense
that it will certainly not push for
communism/Marxism and socialism, though
it will definitely take a nonjudgmental
path to examine those strands of thoughts
as they pertain to or influence Nepali
contexts.
That said, the newsletter will also not
be an unapologetic pamphlet for unfettered
capitalism in Nepal a la 'Reason' magazine
in the US.
The unstated mission of the newsletter would be:
Good economics leads to sound policies which,
in turn, lead to collective betterment.
>My experience in rejuvenating
>the living standards of poor black people in
>the US tells me that may be we should find
>some thing viable for local area, not some
>sort of fancy thing completely new and
>inviable to the society.
You should write more about this here. This
sounds very interesting.
>So Ashu, you are trying to do lot of good
>things. An Energetic and thoughtful person
>like you is necessary for the upliftment of
>our poor society.
Thank you.
But, quite honestly, I've learnt not to take
myself so seriously to be saying "oh, I am doing
these things for the upliftment of the poor"
or something like that.
I find such thinking quite embarassing, really.
Frankly, the truth is, I do the things I do because
I ENJOY doing them. After all, one of the great
things I learnt in the US was: NEVER EVER feel
bored with nothing to do.
>On the otherhand, I am
>just harping here rather than doing some
>thing. May be I will start something in
>Nepal pretty soon. Time will tell.
No, don't feel guilty at all. Carry on with what
you are doing, and just do the best job you can on
that. Meantime, good talks NOW are what that lead to
effective practical results later. So, keep
'harping on'.
BTW, I am curious: Where do you go to school?
Your writing style is similar to someone I
know in Cambridge, Mass.
oohi
ashu
|
| sally |
Posted
on 31-May-01 03:43 PM
Good idea. As a non-economist, I think layman's language is very important. Also, if such a thing were available by listserv, like the World Bank development newsletter, it would be useful for people in Nepal-related fields who would like a grasp of economic issues but don't primarily focus on those things.
However, it seems to me that a lot of policy makers and powers-that-be in Nepal right now (parliamentarians, high officials) don't speak enough English to really read such a newsletter, and they're often the ones who make (or fail to make) decisions.
Obviously an English newsletter could reach expats, donors, and academics, and could be very useful. But when you get around to doing it, Ashu, maybe it would be a good idea to consider a Nepali translation so it could have the greatest impact.
|
| Kali Prasad |
Posted
on 31-May-01 04:47 PM
Ashu: I finished schooling few years ago(Thank God!!). I am enjoying the work and the real world challenges. I never worked in Nepal but heard lot from my friends about how it is like to work in Nepal, especially in remote parts. FYI, what they have told and what I have experienced here, are not much different. So no matter where you are if you are working for non privilege group of people, you are facing the same kind of challenges. Hopefully, my work experience with poor communities in the US can be easily transferred to Nepal.
My suggestions to any one working in Nepal is stay positive and keep on doing what you love to do with a good intention. I am very sure it will bring a positive impact to the society and perhaps help to uplift the living standards of people in the target area.
And to quote a good friend of mine who now works as an economist for the FAO, Rome "you stumble to impediment and resistence for development every where no matter whether you are in Nepal or New York city."
Cheers,
Kali Prasad
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