By Shashi P.B.B. Malla

“Lessons From PIA Privatization For Nepal Airlines’Turnaround”, by Anand Acharya.(Republica, July 24).

The writer who is a former GM of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC/ UK & Ireland) itself, is factual and to the point.

We all know that the national carrier is at a crossroads with debts exceeding assets and chronic mismanagement threatening its very existence.

What the Balen government undertakes “will determine whether it survives as a viable carrier or fades into the growing list of failed state-owned airlines.”

Acharya not only states that the national carrier desperately needs a lifeline but also points to the possibilities of sanitation chartered by two airlines in the immediate neighbourhood – Air India ( AI) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Acharya has shown a very viable path to privatisation and the government would do well to heed his advice.

Better still: bring him on board to advise the government and the relevant ministry!

“Beyond handshakes: Nepal needs agenda-led diplomacy” by Gyanendra Ghale.(The Himalayan Times, July 13).

This is an eminently readable piece considering that Ghale has impeccable international diplomatic experience having been a former member of the WHO Governance Team in Geneva.

Ghale writes incisively that the foreign minister’s visits to India and China show why Nepal needs a public follow-up matrix for every major diplomatic engagement.

He emphasizes that:

Nepal needs a professional diplomatic culture.

Protocol alone is not diplomacy. Protocol may protect dignity, but only a structural agenda protects national interest.

Nepal needs agenda-led diplomacy.

Ghale insists that “Nepal needs to engage India with confidence, China with clarity, and both neighbours from the standpoint of national interest.”

Moreover, official/state visits should be based on agreed agendas, commitments should be followed up, and citizens made aware of the results after the delegations returned home.

Ghale’s depth of understanding of the diplomatic process makes him a prime candidate of adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its affiliate the Institute of Foreign Affairs.

Not only that, he would be an ideal candidate as an envoy.

But do government ministers and secretaries read newspapers any more?

Federalism beyond politics. True measure of federalism is its ability to unlock economic opportunities across all provinces and ensure prosperity by Khim Lal Devkota (The Kathmandu Post, July 22).

The write-up makes clear that Devkota is well-read, writes smoothly and has very cogent arguments. It is not clear that he has practical experience working in or advising the administration. Without doubt, he would make a superior candidate.

Devkota writes that “the decision to establish provinces was never merely an economic or administrative one.”

It was fundamentally a political and constitutional response to Nepal’s long struggle for inclusion, representation and regional autonomy.”

The results have been mixed and much remains to be done.

Above all, the development of the various provinces remain lop-sided and the economic potential of many provinces remains untapped.

Federalism is a work in progress.

On the whole, the experiment has been encouraging: “Nepal’s federal transition has coincided with stronger growth, higher capital investment and expanded fiscal capacity.”

“All is not well with the RSP” by Deepak Thapa (The Kathmandu Post, July 24).

Thapa is one of the leading columnists of the Post and writes on a wide range of topical social and political issues.

Thapa is always a pleasure to read as he is very

succinct. He is ideal to keep up with events in the Himalayan Republic.

This time, he lambasts the Balen government.

He writes that the collective inexperience and lack of understanding of the political exigencies required to balance the different interest groups has become apparent.

Consequently, the government has taken one misstep after another.

The rift between the RSP and the government is becoming obvious.

Most sinister, PM Balen Shah is attempting to govern through a small coterie of friends.

The party and the government received a huge mandate, but they seem to be losing their way once in power.

The writer can be reached at: shashimalla125@gmail.com