PRESIDENT’S OFFICE TAKING NO CHANCES Kathmandu, 27 May: The Office of the President is taking no chances. “We have begun making arrangements for the ceremony [to promulgate constitution]. We have planned to invite all the constituent assembly members, political leaders had of constitutional bodies and members of the diplomatic community,” Republica quoted Rajendra Dahal, press advisor of he president as saying. nnnn BAIDYA’S SUGGESTION TO SAVE PARLIAMENT Kathmandu, 27 May: With uncertainty looming over the new constitution as of late Saturday evening, the Mohan Baidya faction of the Maoist party has floated a proposal to amend Article 82 of the Interim Constitution so as to at least save parliament even if the Constituent Assembly (CA) is Dissolved, Kiran Chapagain.Kiran Pun write in Republica. . . Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya and leader Dev Gurung floated the proposal during their meeting with Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala on Saturday, according to a NC leader privy to the meeting. [break} The leader said that the constitutional provision can be amended in such a way that the dissolved CA will continue to function as a legislature-parliament to complete the unfinished work of constitution making and also own whatever work has been completed so far by the CA. The existing provisions only provide that the work of the Constituent Assembly ends from the day of commencement of the costitution passed by the CA, and until the election of the legislature as set forth in the new constitution the business and proceedings of parliament shall be as set forth in the said new constitution. The parliament floated by the Baidya faction will be different from a transformed one that has been discussed among parties, according to the NC leader. The transformed parliament could come into existence only if a draft of the constitution was promulgated, he said. Gurung even confirmed that amendment of Article 82 has been discussed. "At some meeting, the amendment of Article 82 has surfaced," Gurung said when asked about their proposal. The NC leader told Republica that the existing bill registered at the Constituent Assembly to amend Article 64 -- which relates to extending the term of the CA-- can be used to amend Article 82. For that purpose an amendment to the bill to amend Article 64 is required to be registered at parliament. "If all the parties agree on this alternative, the amendment of Article 82 as proposed by the Baidya faction is technically possible," said a source at the CA familiar with procedural matters. No-confidence move against PM Meanwhile, the NC, CPN-UML and the Mohan Baidya faction have also started a move to register a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai at parliament. Leaders said the parties may register the motion at parliament with the signatures of a majority of parliament members prior to the dissolution of the CA in case consensus eludes parties on the contentious issues of constitution making. "Though such a move will not bear fruit following dissolution of the CA, it will create political and moral pressure on the prime minister to step down in the aftermath of CA dissolution. We will submit the signatures to the president before the CA is dissolved," said another NC leader, seeking anonymity. According to NC leaders, their party on Saturday collected the signatures of its lawmakers for the purpose. Nnnn ________________________________________ FOUR SCENARIOS LIKELY TO DEVELOP AFTER CA DISSOLUTION Kathmandu, 27 May: As things stand, four scenarios are likely to develop, The Himalayan Times writes. The political leadership engaged in marathon talks to sort out statute issues wrapped their talks in the evening – somewhat nervous about the developing scenario, angry and pointing fingers at each other, and perhaps, frustrated that their myopic vision would cost the country a lot. By the time they wrapped up negotiations they seemed to have given up the bid to evolve consensus on issues related to federalism, including number, demarcations and the names of provinces to be carved out. According to Senior Advocate Harihar Dahal, one of the framers of the Interim Constitution, the President and the Vice President will remain until promulgation of a new Constitution but the Bhattarai-led government’s legitimacy will be challenged in case the CA is dissolved. He argued that even if the constitution is promulgated in haste without letting the public and the representatives debate the constitutional issues, the question of ownership of the statute might arise. Advocate Hari Krishna Karki said executive powers will be shifted to the President if the CA is dissolved. The President will then have to call all the political parties to form consensus government. Raman Kumar Shrestha said If they cannot promulgate the Constitution, the CA and the House will be dissolved automatically and all constitutional bodies including the office of the President might be in question. However, in case of deadlock, political parties may agree on common grounds to keep alive the Legislature-Parliament even if the Constituent Assembly is dissolved, which means at least a draft constitution will have to be issued before the May 27 deadline collapses on Sunday mid-night. In this case the CA, which will completely transform itself into a full-fledged parliament — albeit an interim one — will be expected to give lawmakers the privilege that the CA gave them: right to cross the floor when it comes to voting on crucial constitutional issues. In the event that political parties fail to agree on keeping the CA alive in the capacity of interim parliament, both President and the Prime Minister will function as caretaker heads of state and government, respectively. This situation could be rather unfortunate because both would most likely exploit the vacuum to gain control of power. The no-trust motion, which NC and UML are mulling, could be used to undermine the incumbent government’s legitimacy as national consensus government. But, this is a scenario least likely to develop as political parties are still engaged negotiations to find a resolution. Nnnn NEPAL INVESTMENT BOARD ADOPTS 14 NATIONAL PROJECTS Kathmandu, 27 May: The board meeting of Nepal Investment Board today [Saturday] decided to take the authority of 14 national projects by passing the board’s regulation, The Himalayan Times reports . The 12-member board works under the supervision of the Prime Minister and is mandated to look over big projects and coordinate with financial matters. “Our meeting today decided to move ahead with 14 national priority projects. We are looking forward to more projects in the future,” said Radhesh Pant, chief executive officer of the board. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister and various sectoral ministers along with four board members from the private sector. West Seti Hydropower project, Upper Marsyangdi, Tamakoshi 3, Arun 3, Tarai Fast Track project, Tribhuvan International Airport Upgradation project, Nijgadh Airport, Kathmandu Metro Railway, North-South Corridor, Kathmandu Waste Management, Chemical Fertiliser Manufacture, Nepal Infrastructure Bank and some five star hotels in various parts of the country- are the projects taken by the board. “Board is a facilitating agency and the regulation passed today will help to work in close coordination with the concerned ministries,” added Pant. The Board, currently located in Singha Durbar, decided to move to its new office today. It was established last year through an Act to facilitate big projects and oversee financial matters. Nnnn SPRING CLIMBING SEASON ENDS ON EVEREST SCALED BY 150 CLIMBERS Kathmandu, 27 May: A near-record number of climbers reached the summit of Everest as the season ended today without a repeat of last week’s deadly accidents, which had raised fears of overcrowding on the world’s highest peak, AFP reports. Around 150 people reached the top of the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) mountain at the end of the spring weather window — a week after four deaths led to calls for better safety measures to end ‘traffic jams’ near the summit. “A handful of climbers returned from camp four after being unable to move up. But the weather was good over the past two days and many took advantage. About 150 made it to the top today,” said tourism ministry official Tilak Pandey. “There’re still a few Sherpas and other climbers who will try to reach the top for a couple of days. But the official season has ended and the climbers are now returning to the base camp.” A 48-hour stretch of good weather saw more than 250 climbers reach the summit, despite warnings of potentially deadly bottlenecks in the ‘death zone’ above 8,000 metres. Among those who achieved the feat was Wasfia Nazreen (29), who is climbing the highest peak on each of the continents to celebrate 40 years of Bangladeshi independence. “We got our independence but we women are still fighting for freedom,” she was quoted as saying from the summit on the expedition’s Facebook page. “This is to the women of Bangladesh, who (risk) their lives every day for freedom, peace and equality.” Four climbers from Germany, South Korea, China and Canada died while descending from the crowded summit area last weekend, which saw 150 people reach the summit before a severe windstorm set in. Experts say the sheer numbers of climbers exacerbates the already substantial dangers of tackling Everest, which has now claimed more than 220 lives — half of those in the past 20 years. The record number of ascents in one day is 169 on May 23, 2010, according to German statistician Eberhard Jurgalski, who compiles data for the 8000ers.com website and has been chronicling Everest activity since 1981. Nnnn LENDERS TO TRANSPORT SECTOR WORRIED Kathmandu, 27 May: Country´s transportation sector that has absorbed billions of rupee in investments, a major chunk of which has come from banks and financial institutions, is in tatters as banda forced them to remain out of service for almost a month, Ritesh Tripathy writes from Birgunj in Republica. . Vehicles, both passenger and goods carriers operating from Birgunj have remained largely confined to garages. And a large number of others that operated services during general strikes have been vandalized or damaged. Though the government has provided special security escorts to tankers ferrying petroleum products and Indian goods carriers transporting imported goods, some 490 buses that operate from Birgunj has remained completely paralyzed, said transport entrepreneurs. Likwise, nearly half of 800 trucks and goods carriers that operate from this largest import point have remained stranded in their respective garages. Birgunj has remained shut for 18 of last 19 days. And during the banda organized by various parties more than 30 vehicles have been vandalized and set ablaze,” said Raj Kumar Gupta, Birgunj office chief of Narayani Transport Entrepreneurs Association (NTEA). “Today transportation industry is perhaps the meekest victim of the political instability and lack of statesmanship,” he told Republica. “Entrepreneurs that were operating with huge bank finances are having a nightmare, and drivers and helpers that work on trip-basis too have been affected,” he added. Of the total vehicles operating under NTEA´s banner, 150 vehicles were operating from Birgunj. Of that, 98 percent of vehicles have been financed by Banks and Financial Institutions (BFIs). “Their incomes have dropped to nil, whereas many of the operators have already started getting calls for the banks for payment of principal and interest,” stated Gupta. Likewise, Pramod Raut Kurmi, president of Narayani Transporters Association (NTA) said of the 265 buses affiliated with it, 255 buses have been financed by BFIs. “As each vehicles cost between Rs 3.5 million to Rs 6 million, our members have loans of around Rs 1 billion to repay. Unfortunately, back-to-back banda for almost three weeks have completely put them off the roads, making the promoters anxious,” Raut stated. Entrepreneurs said they need to service interest at the rate of 18 percent per annum for the loans they have taken. Kurmi, whose four buses were operating on routes like Kakarbhitta, Baglung, Dang-Tulsipur and Surkhet, are presently lying idle in the garage. “I owe Omni Finance around Rs 7 million in loans,” said Kurmi. Apart from interest, he also needs to pay Rs 300 each day to his 12 member staff. Similar is the plight of goods carrier companies based in Birgunj. Usman Hawari who operates cargo transportation service with 10 trucks said he has loans of Rs 16 million to settle. “For that, I need to pay Rs 60,000, including interest amount worth Rs 26,000 to the finance company every month,” he said. Unfortunately, all his trucks locked in garage have not fetched him even a single rupees for the past 21 days.. Present political stalemate has also started making bankers wary. Basu Timilsina, chief executive of Omni Finance that has financed 2,200 vehicles in Birgunj said his company has stopped receiving installments.“The borrowers have started defaulting their payment schedules. Leave aside the principal amount, they are informing us that they are not in a position to pay interest,” he stated. The closure of the transportation services have affected general public and industries alike. “Industries have stopped receiving raw materials and are also not able to dispatch their products to the market,” said Ashok Vaidya, vice president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry. While number of tourists entering Nepal via Raxaul, India, has dropped to zero, vegetables and fruits trade too have sharply plummeted. nnnn ________________________________________