By Babbler

Message from Donald Trump

Immediately after American President Donald Trump assumed office, he suspended grants to foreign countries at least for three months now. Trump has already disassociated with the WHO and the grouping to reduce the climate change impact, among others. He plans to stop financial support for NATO. These are Trump’s plans for making America great again.

This is the indication that the developed countries are not interested in providing grants to the underdeveloped countries. Trump’s strong message is for the Nepali Congress leaders who are saying that Nepal should not accept any kind of loans except from grants. Thinking about nation-building from foreign grants is an outdated model now.

Thinking about running the country and developing infrastructures with grants is impossible. If we want to build the nation, we must manage funds; other countries don’t come here to build our nation. Of course, through impressive diplomatic efforts, we may try for soft loans but no grants. The strategy for self-reliance is important in the present era. Let our political leadership think about it!

Independent and impartial court?

Some court verdicts are very controversial in the country. The recent court decision prohibiting the use of the national park areas for the construction of hydropower projects is objectionable. Surely, the forest areas should be preserved but we should not discard the significance of the infrastructural projects. In the name of deforestation, the nation should not stop the construction of the proposed Nijgadh International Airport, which is a game-changer project. Accordingly, to meet the electricity demand, we should not stop construction of the hydropower projects in the conservation areas also if the location is economically viable.

We should not forget that those developed countries always want to keep poor countries permanently poor as they can exploit us if we are poor. They manipulate political leaders, civil servicemen and other agencies including the court. When such suspicious verdicts come from the court, doubts exist about the manipulation of the court by foreigners.   

Nothing is for free in loktantra

We pay taxes to the government and local authorities. Additionally, we have to pay commissions even when we are paying taxes. The tax net has been widened to increase the government revenue for the operation of the federal structure and pay salaries to the politically elected leaders.

Moreover, the political leaders need money to run their parties. Therefore, in every appointment, the candidates should pay a hefty amount of money to the political leaders. Accordingly, while providing a license to run another stock exchange, there was a deal worth five billion rupees, according to the Drishti vernacular weekly, the one-time mouthpiece of Oli.

The Weekly has reported that the previous alliance government led by Pushpakamal Dahal collapsed when Dahal avoided Oli’s proposal to assign the executive chairman of the Nepal Stock Exchange Board.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

At least for three months, support for many people has stopped (from US President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend grant support in other countries).

Gajendra Budhathoki

Where do we (foreign-funded activists) remain if funds are stopped?

Uttam B

Is the country moving in the right direction politically? A majority of respondents, 68%, said the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Ukaalo Online News

If VAT is introduced at the province level, those political workers enjoying financial facilities could feel more comfortable. They could create additional posts and manipulate the taxpayers’ money.

Sushil Neupane

Obstructing development projects, agitating under different names, and agitating again if there is no development. What's happening in Nepal?

Parshuram Kafle

"What will happen if foreign aid stops?" Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet, Kirtinidhi Bishta called me and asked.

I said, "No matter, the country was running without foreign aid earlier too. Reconstruction took place without assistance after the 1990 BS earthquake. But it is difficult to get rid of the old habit”.

Madhu Raman Acharya

Translated and compiled by Sushma Shrestha