Friday, May 15, 2015

Nepal Government Responds To Criticism (2)


Scale The Good Work
Nepal Government Responds To Criticism

सबैले ‘माइबाप’ हुन खोजे, सरकार प्रतिरक्षात्मक भयो : मुख्यसचिव एनजीओ र नेताको आलोचना, कर्मचारीको बचाऊ
मुख्यसचिव पौडेले जिल्ला तहमा राजनीतिक नेतृत्व अन्योलमा रहेको बताए । उनले भने-‘राजनीतिक रुपमा जिल्ला तहका मान्छेहरुले मेरो निर्वाचन क्षेत्र, मेरो भोटरको क्षेत्रमा मैले धेरै राहत लिएर जानुपर्छ भनेर तानातान गरेपछि कर्मचारी साथीहरुले सबैभन्दा बढी डिस्ट्रेस फिल गरेका छन् ।’ ...... सुरुमा आफूहरुले एकद्वार प्रणाली भन्दा सरकारमाथि सबैतिरबाट आक्रमण भएको र अहिले फेरि संयोजन भएन भनेर आलोचना भएको उनको गुनासो थियो । ....... पौडेलले भने-एकद्वार प्रणालीबाट लैजानुपर्‍यो भन्नासाथ सिभिल सोसाइटी, मिडिया, अन्तराष्ट्रिय समुदायबाट यति धेरै सरकारप्रति आक्रमक भएर आयो कि त्यसको प्रतिरक्षा गर्दागर्दै आफ्नो काम गर्ने धेरै ठूलो श्रोत र साधन त्यतातिर डाइभर्ट भयो ।’ ...... सबैले आफू हिरो हुन खोजेको भन्दै उनले इगो त्याग गर्न सुझाव समेत दिएका छन् । सरकारले ४ अर्ब निकासा गरिसकेको र ४ अर्ब बाँकी रहेको भन्दै मुख्यसचिव पौडेलले भने-‘कुनै पनि संस्थाले अहिले ८ अर्ब रुपैयाँ लिएर त राहत बाँड्न जाँदैन । अनि अरुले गरेको काम भनेको त सानो सानो टुक्रा मात्र हो । तर, प्रचार त्यसैको भइरहेको छ ।’ ....... सरकारले १३०० पटक हेलिकोप्टर उडाएको र १७ हजार मान्छेलाई उपचार गरेको भन्दै उनले भने-‘कुनै एनजीओको बँुताको विषय हो र ? त्यही सघाउन आउनुभन्दा सबैलाई आफैं माइबाप हुनु पर्ने, सबैले आफूले गरेको कामको प्रचार हुनुपर्ने, सबै जान्ने हुनुपर्ने । सबै विज्ञ हुनु पर्ने । यो प्रवृत्तिलाई त्यागेनौं भने भोलि अर्को विपत आउँछ ।’..... मुख्य सचिव पौडेलले सरकारी संयन्त्रमा रहेकाहरुबाट पनि कमजोरी भएको स्वीकार गरे । ‘भित्रै पनि साथीहरुलाई यो कसको अधिकार हो ? कानूनमा के लेखेको छ ? यो मैले गर्ने कि तैले गर्ने । मैले जस लिने भन्ने कल्चर हामीभित्र पनि आयो’ उनले भने-‘हामी पनि यही समाजका हौं ।’

The Earthquake: Facing The Facts


  • In terms of loss of life and sheer destruction and damage to property this has been the biggest devastation the country has faced for as long as it has existed. The magnitude of the tragedy is enormous. 
  • Nepal was a poor country. It is now even more poor. And that will not immediately change. 
  • Nepal was a poorly governed country. The quality of governance will suffer further in the immediate future. 
  • Nepal has had a corrupt government. The corrupt elements are in no mood for a timeout. If anything, they will attempt to go on a hyper drive. 
  • The law and order situation was weak before the earthquake hit. Many criminal elements are intent on fishing in these muddy waters. 
  • By some estimates, the loss is in the $5-$10 billion range in a country whose GDP is $20 billion. There is no power out there that feels the need to compensate for that damage, dollar for dollar. The reality is Nepal just lost a decade of growth. It went backwards. 
  • The pledged donations from outside are in the $100 million range. Less than that. Expect 80% of it to be spent by those governments to hire their own people and buy relief goods in their own countries. Only 20% of it will go "native." Half of that 20% might be lost to local corruption. 
  • Elected governments at the local level might have helped, but only to an extent. And the politicians have still not moved past their chicken-egg situation on federalism. The blame game is still there. It is best to take some time off from the federalism debate, for at least until after monsoon.