Nurse strike affects hospitals

Kathmandu, 2 Sept: A rare nation-wide strike Wednesday by nurses
demanding additional perks, pay and end to politicization disrupted services at hospitals.
Nurses staged a sit-in front of the health ministry for the second day Wednesday to push six demands.
Nurses clashed with police in the capital Tuesday as several were arrested and later released.
Nnnn

Parliamentary sub-committee to probe police scam

Kathmandu, 2 Sept: A parliamentary sub-committed headed by Pradip Geywali [CPN-UML] was formed to probe a multi-million rupee scam in Nepal Police over the purchase of eight personnel carriers for the force with the UN in Sudan.
The UN has refused to refund nearly Rs 200 million to the police welfare fund which financed the purchase.
The purchase was made during the regime of Girija Prasad Koirala in whose government Krishna Prasad Shitaula was home minister.
Police is under the home ministry.
The committee must report its finding in one month.
Nnnn

Indian bhattas will be appointed at Pashupati: Minister Rijal

Kathmandu, 2 Sept: Minister Dr Minendra Rijal said categorically Wednesday two Indian bhattas selected by a committee will be appointed even amid Maoist protests.
Maoists are demanding appointment of Nepali bhattas abandoning tradition.
The Pashupati Area Development Trust and culture minister has recommended the appointments of Girish Bhatta and Raghamendra Bhatta from the state of Karnataka to the cabinet.
Maoists failed to install two Nepalis when Prachanda was prime minister.
The basis issue is transparency in the management of donations to the holiest Hindu shrine in Nepal and not the appointment of Indian priests.
Nnnn

Sub-committee to recommend constitution draft

Kathmandu, 2 Sept: The main Nilambar Acharya constitution assembly constitution drafting committee Tuesday formed a 19-member sub-committee to draft a concept and draft of a proposed constitution.
The sub-committee includes representatives of major parties, including Maoists.
Major political players differ even on fundamentals to be included in the constitution.
Maoists are for a revolutionary communist state they call a people’s federal republic.
The committee said the sub-committee work won’t infringe the responsibilities of 10 other subject committees.
Acharya was elected Friday.
Fears have been expressed the constitution to replace an interim basic law may not be completed within themed-May 2010 deadline creating a political crisis.
Ironically, the same parties and often the same persons who helped the 1990 constitution thrown into the dustbin are drafting the proposed constitution.
The drafters claimed it was the best constitution in the world.
World capitals and even parties at home wrongly claim the then King drafted the constitution and not representatives of the people.
Who then were the representatives in the drafting commission who wrote the 1990 constitution?
Nnnn

Integration of Maoist combatants again rescheduled

Kathmandu, 2 Sept: The proposed integration of 19,000 Maoist combatants has again been rescheduled.
A committee headed by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Tuesday proposed integration in the next six months.
The committee includes Maoist representatives.
Integration is behind schedule.
Maoists seek integration by Nepal Army; other parties oppose mass integration.
nnnn
MEDIA GOOGLE

“Since the seventh amendment will not be retroactive, the supreme court ruling will still hold. Jha will have to retake the oath in Nepali even after the constitutional amendment.”

(Law Minister Prem Bahadur Singh, The Kathmandu Post, 2 Sept.)

‘The provisions [for appointment, nomination punishment of judges and judicial review by parliament], are entirely against the principle of modern state, constitutionalism, independent judiciary, principles of check and balance and separation of power.”

(Nepal Bar Association statement in Republica, 2 Sept.)

‘Even the third prediction [by Prachanda] the government will fall in three months failed. Prachanda is restless having forced out of office.”

(PM Nepal, Annapurna Post, 2 Sept.)
nnnn