WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 22 | 10 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 34.0 C 1.0 C Friday, March 12, 2021 | 28-11-2077 Nepalgunj Jumla Madhav Nepal back to UML, but his coexistence with Oli won’t be easy Oli is the party chair and prime minister but Nepal and his allies vow to fight the former’s unilateral ways in the party and any attempts to sideline his old rival.

TIKA R PRADHAN KATHMANDU, MARCH 11

After Sunday’s Supreme Court decision revived the CPN-UML and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) as different parties, Madhav Kumar Nepal had said he would suffer the most from the verdict. For someone who had led the party for more than 15 years and had been the prime minister of the country, the court decision has become a bitter pill to swallow. POST FILE PHOTO But Nepal had no other option-- Madhav Kumar Nepal even though his supporters within the POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI party are putting up a brave face For Nepal, finding a rightful place A paratrooper prepares to land with the Nepal Army headquarters in the background during a show at Tundikhel in Kathmandu on Thursday and have said they fight against in the party itself is going to be a marking the Army day, which coincides with the Mahashivaratri festival. Oli’s ways. struggle. “After today’s meeting of Oli has not met him and has not Standing Committee members, called any party meetings following we are determined to take any Sunday’s court decision even though [necessary] step in the party to he has been holding talks with Janata counter whatever Oli comes up Samajbadi Party leaders to save the INSIDE Congress to wait for Oli, with that is against us,” said a government. Standing Committee member UML General Secretary Ishwar close to Nepal following a fac- Pokhrel has said they would give a Badi people end tional meeting on Thursday. “It chance for Nepal and Khanal, the sen- protest after 16 days Janata Samajbadi and all depends on how Oli will ior party leaders, to self-criticise. treats us.” >> Continued on page 2 SURKHET: The Badi people residing in four districts of Karnali Province have ended their protest after the pro- vincial government pledged to Maoist Centre moves address their demands concerning their rehabilitation and reintegra- tion. More than 400 people from the marginalised Badi community from before making its own Surkhet, Dailekh, Kalikot and Jajarkot district had been staging a sit-in outside the Chief Minister’s An alternative government with the Nepali Congress at the Office in Birendranagar, the provin- cial capital, for the past 16 days helm only if the Maoist Centre withdraws support to Oli demanding that the government allot land plots and introduce welfare and he fails to strike a deal with Janata Samajbadi Party. schemes for them. They ended their protest on Wednesday following a five-point agreement with the provin- cial government. Dal Rawal, social development minister for Karnali Province, said the provincial govern- ment has agreed, among other things, to coordinate with the federal govern- ment to allot land plots for building homes to the Badi people and provide grants up to Rs 1 million for skills development and income-generating businesses. (Details on Pg 2)

People with comorbidities yet to get vaccinated KATHMANDU: Sixty-one-year-old Sushila Khatiwada, a resident of Bharatpur Metropolitan City- 4,Chitwan, was planning to take the Covid-19 vaccine in the second phase of the immunisation campaign. Khatiwada, who is suffering from multiple comorbidities--high blood POST FILE PHOTO pressure, asthma, diabetes, and thy- Only if KP Sharma Oli fails to retain his position will the Congress try to form the government. roid malfunction, is at high risk of severe illness if she catches Covid-19. ANIL GIRI If the Nepali Congress were to form “We were planning to immunise our KATHMANDU, MARCH 11 the next government, it would need mother during the second phase of the support of both the Maoist Centre the immunisation drive, but we are With 63 seats in the 275-member House with its 53 parliamentarians in the told that priority criteria were of Representatives, the Nepali lower house and the Janata Samajbadi changed,” her son Krishna Prasad, Congress could lead the new govern- Party with its 34 (two suspended). told the Post. “Authorities should pri- ment. But not just yet as there has For the moment, however, Congress oritise people like my mother, who been no headway in that direction. seems to be in no hurry to take a have underlying conditions.” As of The party has, therefore, for the decisive step. Thursday, 3,012 people have died due moment opted for a strategy to “There is ample time to discuss the to coronavirus infections in the coun- watch the moves of Prime Minister government formation,” Congress try. The Health Ministry said that of KP Sharma Oli, Janata Samajbadi General Secretary Purna Bahadur the deceased, over 80 percent were Party and the Communist Party of Khadka told the Post. “And in my opin- found to have comorbidities. However, Nepal (Maoist Centre) on government ion, for two weeks, there will be no officials concerned did not bother to formation. concrete development or agreement.” prioritise the vaccination of people If the Maoist Centre decides not to Nepali Congress leaders are also underlying conditions. (Details on Pg 3) withdraw its support to the prime aware that attempts are on to give minister, who chairs the UML, or if continuity to the incumbent Oli the Janata Samajbadi Party decides to government with the support of Nepal’s tea exports thrive support the CPN-UML government in Maoist Centre or there could be the case of the Maoist Centre with- another prime ministerial candidate despite Covid-19 pandemic drawing the support it had given in from within the UML and the Maoist KAKARBHITTA: Gorkha Tea Estate in February 2018 when Oli became prime Centre. Ilam, Fikkal has been exporting minister, Nepali Congress leading the According to a number of Congress orthodox tea to Germany since 2009. government will be a moot point. leaders, UML leaders Bishnu Poudel, The tea is sold under the brand name But given this uncertainty, Congress Subas Nembang, Shanker Pokhrel, Sundarpani, which means beautiful President Sher Bahadur Deuba has Ghanshyam Bhusal, Yogesh Bhattarai water in Nepali, in 125 German cities. personally deployed his close aides and Maoist Centre’s Barshaman Pun, Even amid the Covid-19-related like Prakash Sharan Mahat, the par- Janardan Sharma are in talks to give restrictions last year, shipments of ty’s joint secretary, Gyanendra continuity to the incumbent Oli gov- orthodox tea increased. According to Bahadur Karki and Ramesh Lekhak to ernment if possible and keep the customs statistics, Nepal dispatched hold talks with Oli, Samajbadi party unity between the two parties intact orthodox tea worth Rs52.7 million to and the Maoist Centre. even though they have separate identi- Germany alone in the first six Deuba himself is also talking infor- ties now. months of the current fiscal year mally with the Janata Samajbadi Leaders of the UML and the Maoist (mid-July 2020 to mid-January 2021). leadership through Sharat Singh Centre confirmed to the Post on condi- In the last fiscal year 2019-20, exports Bhandari, a senior Samajbadi leader, tion of anonymity that such talks are to Germany were valued at Rs46.5 according to two Nepali Congress indeed going on. million. (Details on Pg 5) leaders privy to the developments. >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Badi people end protest after 16 days Madhav Nepal back ... >> Continued from page 1 “Thapa could even be elevated to In communist party parlance this the post of party vice-chairman which Provincial government of Karnali has pledged to address the demands concerning their rehabilitation and reintegration. means they have to admit that they has been vacant since Bidya Devi made a mistake. Bhandari became President,” the KALENDRA SEJUWAL Oli’s press adviser Surya Thapa had Standing Committee member said. SURKHET, MARCH 11 even stronger words. At present, Bamdev Gautam, “I recall the face of criminals who Yubaraj Gyawali, Bhim Rawal and The Badi people residing in four dis- declared that Prime Minister and Asta Laxmi Shakya are the vice- tricts of Karnali Province have ended party chair KP Sharma Oli had been chairs. Gyawali, Rawal and Shakya their protest after the provincial gov- ousted even as a party member four are supporters of Nepal while Gautam ernment pledged to address their times,” Thapa tweeted on Tuesday. has remained neutral. demands concerning their rehabilita- “We cannot forget the immoral moves But whatever Oli does, Nepal’s sup- tion and reintegration. of these people who tried their best to porters say they will not give up with- More than 400 people from the mar- make the government with a two- out a fight. ginalised Badi community from thirds majority a failure.” “We cannot just watch if Oli keeps Surkhet, Dailekh, Kalikot and Jajarkot Questions on how the Nepal-led fac- on adding outsiders to the party com- districts had been camping outside tion of the UML will cope with Oli’s mittees to ensure his majority,” said the Chief Minister’s Office in dominance in the CPN-UML after its Panta. “We will have to form parallel Birendranagar, the provincial capital, three years of struggle against him in committees and continue our activi- for the past 16 days demanding that the now defunct Nepal Communist ties throughout the nation.” the government allot land plots and Party (NCP) are natural. While he The Nepal faction also blame Oli for introduce welfare schemes for them. could rely on the support of Pushpa giving up UML’s ideology when it They ended their protest on Kamal Dahal, the other chair of that merged with Dahal’s Maoist Centre. Wednesday following a five-point party, if push came to shove, the latter “It was Oli who shed both the CPN- agreement with the provincial govern- now leads his own Communist Party UML and the People’s Multi-Party ment. of Nepal (Maoist Centre). Democracy but as a member of Dal Rawal, social development min- Nepal’s fight against Oli’s unilater- his party, our weakness was to accept ister for Karnali Province, said the al moves in fact goes as far back as his secret decision,” said Jagannath provincial government has agreed, July 2014 after Oli was elected party Khatiwada, a Central Committee among other things, to coordinate chair. member close to Nepal. “We will with the federal government to allot POST PHOTO: KALENDRA SEJUWAL That fight by the signs of it will keep our struggle against Oli’s way of land plots for building homes to the More than 400 Badi people had been camping outside Karnali Chief Minister’s Office in Birendranagar. continue. flouting procedures and decisions of Badi people and provide grants up to Following the meeting on Thursday, the committee meetings.” Rs 1 million for skills development home but they did not have the money their own while many of the remain- mentation of the court order had led Nepal and Khanal decided to issue a Before announcing the merger, Oli and income-generating businesses. for their journey. ing 57 percent live on public land. The to a series of protests in Kathmandu. statement, denouncing the recent and Dahal had signed a five-point The agreement was signed by Dr “Some of the people had walked for book also says around 75 percent of More than 500 members of the Badi activities of the Oli faction capturing agreement in the presence of Rajendra Mishra, secretary at the two days to join the protest. We don’t Badi people can barely manage food community from 23 districts staged a party offices and humiliating leaders Bishnu Poudel and Janardan Sharma Ministry of Land Management, and know how to arrange for their travel,” for themselves. demonstration in front of Singha and cadres opposing Oli by his men to lead the government in turn Hikmat Badi, coordinator of the Badi Hikmat said. “We contacted the con- Durbar in Kathmandu. around the country. and adopt People’s Democracy as the Struggle Committee. cerned lawmakers from our districts The protests subsequently paved The leaders said they will strongly party’s ideology instead of the On February 24, the Badi people had to ask for help at the suggestion of the Karnali government the way for the rehabilitation and counter Oli if he tries to increase the ideologies of the UML and the submitted a memorandum of their provincial government, but not a sin- social integration of the Badi people. existing number of leaders in the Maoist Centre. This agreement came demands to the provincial govern- gle lawmaker responded.” has pledged grants Bowing down to the pressure from the party committees violating the party to light only after it was made public ment and federal government through The Badi community is one of the protesters, the government had signed statute and will form parallel commit- by Dahal in 2019, a year after it was the Chief District Office of Surkhet. most deprived and marginalised up to Rs1 million for a 26-point agreement with the agitat- tees to counter them. signed. “The provincial government has groups in Nepal. According to the ing community. On Wednesday, Nepal called an But Oli’s behaviour on treating the exercised its authority and made the National Census conducted in 2011, the Badi people. On January 7, 2009, the government informal meeting of the central com- Nepal led faction will determine how agreement with the Badi community. there are 38,603 Badis living across the decided to rehabilitate the Badi com- mittee members who support him and far the two factions could go together. So the agreement has already come country—less than one percent of munity by providing them land and discussed ways to revolt if Oli contin- “It’s up to Oli’s behaviour. That will into effect,” said Minister Rawal. Nepal’s total population. In 2005, the Supreme Court had income-generating skills. ued to dominate and suppress them. determine how long we could remain Hikmat Badi, coordinator of the As per a book published last year ordered the government to provide The decision has not been wholly “We will put pressure on Oli not to with him,” Khatiwada said. Badi Struggle Committee, said many named Identity and Status of Badi birth registration and citizenship cer- implemented. The Badi people contin- change the organisational structure That bravado was also expressed by people who had come to Birendranagar Community, around 43 percent of tificates to Badi children. ue to live in the margins of society, in of the UML that existed before the a Standing Committee member. for the protest were ready to return Badi people do not possess land of Two years later, delay in the imple- penury, ignored by the state. merger with the Maoist Centre in May “We will cover the distance until it 2018,” said a Central Committee mem- reaches a breaking point countering ber who attended Wednesday’s meet- him,” said a Standing Committee ing. “If Oli tries to fill the committees member close to Nepal on condition of unilaterally we might even take a deci- anonymity. sion to revolt.” But it will not be easy for Nepal to Congress to wait for Oli, Janata Samajbadi and Maoist Nepal was defeated by a small mar- break away from Oli to form his own gin of 44 votes by Oli in the race for party since, by law, he will need 40 party chair in the UML’s ninth gener- percent support of the Parliamentary al convention and he has strong organ- Party, which he lacks, and 40 percent Centre moves before making its own isational bases throughout the coun- support in the party’s Central try and has a majority in most of the Committee which he lacks too. >> Continued from page 1 that is manifest time and again is The second of the party’s two formation of the next government,” district committees but Oli could Further, he will have to forgo the sun The Supreme Court on Sunday another core crisis of our party. We key demands is an amendment to the said the senior Congress leader. change them. election symbol with which he has scrapped the May 2018 merger between still feel there must be some tacit constitution. But even after that, Congress Insiders said it was Oli’s turn to been fighting elections for decades. the two parties as the unified party understanding between Deuba and Oli “Chaudhary was convicted by the leaders, including Deuba, are well dominate Nepal after his victory in Supporters of Oli know this well. had chosen a name—Nepal and that is why Deuba is not opening court so it is not easy for Oli to release aware that forming a government will 2014 and a vindictive Oli started to “They have no option now. They Communist Party (NCP)—that already his cards.” him under any pretext,” a Nepali not be an easy task. take revenge. should either accept what the party belonged to another party registered Then there is the role of the new Congress leader said. “As for the con- “It is my personal view that Deuba Even after the merger with Maoist decides or part ways,” said Krishna with the Election Commission. kingmaker—Janata Samajbadi Party. stitutional amendment, Oli and the is not giving much attention to Centre, Oli did whatever he could to Rai, a Central Committee member “Let the constituents of the Nepal JSP need also the support of the government formation and replacing crush Nepal’s faction. close to Oli. “If they try to form paral- Communist Party—UML and Moist Nepali Congress and the Maoist Oli because in his formal and “He gave a chance to Maoist candi- lel committees, the party will take Centre—go different ways or the rela- Congress leaders are Centre.” informal initiatives, he could have dates where leaders close to Nepal action.” tionship between them be clear,” said Given the legal and political compli- realised that government formation were stronger during the elections of He said they had tried their best to Khadka. “We are also closely watching well aware forming cations to fulfil the demands of the is a Herculean task,” Pradip Poudel, 2017,” said Dilu Panta, a Central push Oli down the cliff so the party the ongoing talks between Oli and the Janata Samajbadi Party, Congress a central working committee member Committee member close to Nepal. chair has no obligation to treat them Samajbadi Party and between the a government will leaders continue to be hopeful. of the party said. “If there was “We have been fighting with him ever right. Maoist Centre and the Samajbadi “Since JSP has emerged as something to share, he would have since he became the party chair and “If they had the numbers necessary Party as well as the dynamics within not be an easy task. kingmaker in new power politics, it called party meetings but there is the fight will continue.” to split the party and their positions the UML.” has created obstacles by putting for- nothing to share at the moment. Clashes between the Nepal faction as lawmakers would not have been Leaders like Madhav Kumar Nepal ward conditions one after another,” Meanwhile, informal consultation within the UML and Oli’s men have affected, they would never come back and Jhala Nath Khanal, who were With just 270 valid votes in the Narayan Khadka, a leader close to will continue but at a decisive already begun. to the party,” Rai said. “So they will opposed to Oli in the Nepal Communist House of Representatives—two law- Deuba said. “For Oli, JSP is a compul- level, Nepali Congress is not moving Earlier this week there was a fight have to stay accepting whatever comes Party and even more so after Oli dis- makers from Congress, two from sion but with us, it could be a comfort- anywhere.” over the nameplates of Lekhraj to their plate.” solved the House of Representatives Samajbadi Party are suspended and able alliance.” Congress leaders feel that it is futile Bhatta and Bhim Rawal in Dhangadhi. Political analysts too agree that on December 20, a move the Supreme one UML lawmaker has died—Oli, But even if Janata Samajbadi lead- for the party to take any steps towards Rawal was in charge of the Nepal and Khanal and their Court later called unconstitutional, with 120 UML lawmakers, can survive ers were to be convinced that siding government formation in the immedi- Sudurpaschim Provincial Committee supporters within the party will are back in the UML fold and have with the support of the Janata with Oli could yield a better political ate future. of CPN-UML but former Maoist come to terms with Oli’s ways and vowed to fight against Oli’s unilateral Samajbadi Party. outcome for them, it is not a given as The Nepali Congress will need both leader Lekhraj Bhatta was they are going to surrender. ways. “JSP leaders are increasingly cozy- such a decision of the party will be the Maoist Centre and the Janata appointed its chief by Oli after the “Their facial expression, words and “Once the scene is clear, our party’s ing up to Oli,” the senior Nepali unanimous. Samajbadi Party to join hands Nepal Communist Party split all other expressions show that role will be evident,” said Khadka. Congress leader said. “Within the JSP too views are divid- with it and if that situation arises, Oli on December 22 following the House they are ready to surrender,” sad “We are at the centre of Nepali Although a task force formed by Oli ed with senior leaders Baburam can pull the rug from under the dissolution move. Rajendra Maharjan, a political politics and so our role will come at and another by the Janata Samajbadi Bhattarai and Upendra Yadav dead set alliance’s feet. Besides Bhatta, the minister of analyst, “like how a soldier losing a the end”. Party are meeting frequently and against going with Oli in the next “Oli may offer the premiership to industry and commerce, Oli wants battle surrenders to the winners.” Nepali Congress leaders are also could strike a deal, Nepali Congress power sharing deal,” the leader Mahantha Thakur to save his bid and to welcome Home Minister Ram Maharjan said, however, that if well aware of party President Deuba’s leaders are, on the other hand, aware said. “In that scenario, JSP is likely to to stop us. They could run a rotational Bahadur Thapa, Energy Minister Top they could revolt against the autocrat- close relationship with Oli. that it will not be easy for Oli to par- split and consequently Oli might face government that might be a safe deal Bahadur Rayamajhi, Water Supply ic ways of Oli, they could earn some “A large section of the party leader- don Samajbadi lawmaker Resham trouble.” between them,” said Narayan Khadka. Minister Mani Thapa—all from the sympathy from party cadres and the ship still has suspicions over Deuba’s Chaudhary who is serving a life sen- Then the Nepali Congress could But he continues to be hopeful. Maoist Centre—in the party’s general public. role,” a senior Congress leader who tence for his role in the 2015 Tikapur move in. “We could jump in anytime if talks Standing Committee, according to a “But that is not their nature. They did not wish to be named told the Post. incident in which nine people were “It is then that our role will come, between Oli and JSP fail,” said UML Standing Committee member just want to save their positions,” said “Deuba’s consistent support to Oli killed in a riot. and this will be a decisive factor in the Khadka. close to Oli. Maharjan.

POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI Devotees stand in queue to offer prayers at Pashupatinath temple on the occasion of Mahashivaratri festival in Kathmandu on Thursday.

C M Y K 03 | FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 NATIONAL People with comorbidities yet to get Covid-19 vaccine Over 80 percent of people who have died due to Covid-19 in Nepal had comorbidities, but the highly vulnerable group is yet to be included in the inoculation campaign. ARJUN POUDEL KATHMANDU, MARCH 11

Sixty-one-year-old Sushila Khatiwada, a resident of Bharatpur Metropolitan City-4,Chitwan, was planning to take the Covid-19 vaccine in the second phase of the immunisation campaign. Khatiwada, who is suffering from multiple comorbidities—high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, and thy- roid malfunction, is at high risk of severe illness if she catches Covid-19. “We were planning to immunise our mother during the second phase of the immunisation drive, but we are told that priority criteria were changed,” her son Krishna Prasad, told the Post. “Authorities should prioritise people like my mother, who have underlying conditions.” As of Thursday, 3,012 people have died due to coronavirus infection in the country. The Ministry of Health and Population said that of the deceased, over 80 percent were found to have comorbidities. POST FILE PHOTO However, officials concerned did Although the government planned to inoculate everyone above 55 years of age in the second not bother to prioritise the vaccina- phase of the campaign, the cut-off age was increased to 65 due to supply constraints. tion of people underlying conditions. “Yes, the majority of the people, have been administering Covid-19 vac- immunisation of those having under- who were hospitalised, became seri- cine to people having comorbidities lying conditions not only helps reduce ously ill or even died after the infec- along with the elderly. India has start- the death rate but also lightens the tion of coronavirus had comorbidi- ed inoculating everyone above 60 and pressure on health facilities, intensive ties,” Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint to those having any of the 20 comor- care units, and ventilators. spokesperson at the Health Ministry, bidities, including diabetes and heart “I don’t think there should be any told the Post. ailments with hospital admission in problems to immunise people who are “Despite knowing this, we could not the past year. getting regular dialysis or have been keep those people on the priority list, Likewise, those having post-cardiac diagnosed with cancer, heart ailments, as we do not have authentic data of transplant, moderate or severe valvu- or diabetes,” Dr Prabhat Adhikari, those people.” lar heart disease, end-stage kidney infectious disease and critical care Of the people who have died due to disease on haemodialysis, a severe expert told the Post. “What we need POST PHOTO: ANISH REGMI coronavirus infection, 72.1 percent respiratory disease with hospitalisa- is willpower on the part of the Children ride a bicycle on the Khasi Bazaar stretch of the Ring Road in Kathmandu on Thursday. were above 55 years old, 18.9 percent tion in the last two years, primary government.” in the 55-64 years group, 26.2 percent immunodeficiency diseases/HIV Officials at the Health Ministry said in the 65-74 group, 19.6 percent in the infection and angina and hyperten- people with underlying conditions 75-84 category, and 7.4 percent were sion/diabetes on treatment, according will be covered when their turn comes. above 85. to livemint.com “We are trying to start immunising The government had earlier “We know that those having under- all those above 55 at the earliest, and Recruiting agencies irked by planned to inoculate everyone above lying conditions are at high risk of then move to those above 40,” Sharma, 55 in the second phase of the vaccina- dying and becoming seriously ill, but chief of the Child Health Section at tion drive, but due to its failure to like other developed countries, we do the Family Welfare Division under the secure sufficient doses, priority crite- not have authentic data on those peo- Department of Health Services, ria were changed in the last hour to ple,” Dr Jhalak Sharma, chief of the added. ‘government intention’ to send immunise only those above 65. Child Health Section at the Family “We believe most of the people hav- Of the total deaths due to Covid-19 Welfare Division under the ing underlying conditions will be in Nepal, 53.2 percent occurred in Department of Health Services, told covered if we could immunise people those above 65. the Post. of these age groups [55 years old and workers to Qatar on its own Most countries, including India, Public health experts say that above].” The agencies say the labour minister’s recent remark that Nepali security guards could be sent to Qatar under a government-to-government deal threatens their business.

CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL Now, the government wants to force us workers, in general, under G2G, it will KATHMANDU, MARCH 11 out of business.” be next to impossible as it involves a Under the G2G modality, govern- huge number of workers. The country Foreign employment recruiting agen- ment agencies from the source and will need institutional arrangements cies are yet again in the mood for destination countries oversee the as well as infrastructure to manage confrontation with the government. overall process of labour migration, such a system.” This time, the disagreement sur- excluding third parties or private The Post’s attempts to contact faced after the government announced recruiting agencies from the process. Minister Chaudhary for details of the plans to send Nepali workers to Qatar This means if the plan is implement- new G2G agreement were unsuccess- under a Government-to-Government ed, Nepali recruiting agencies will be ful as he did not respond to calls and modality. deprived of the opportunity to supply text messages. During a recent event organised by workers to Qatar, one of the top labour However, Bharatmani Pandey, Foreign Employment Board, the new- markets for Nepalis. spokesperson for the ministry, told the ly-appointed Minister for Labour, “Either the government should say Post that discussions at the ministry Employment and Social Security that foreign employment-related busi- on possible recruitment modalities Gaurishankar Chaudhary said the ness is no longer open for the private are normal. government was preparing to send sector and take over the sector,” said “The Labour Ministry discusses Nepali workers, mainly security Shrestha. “Or it should clearly order various options and possibilities when guards, to Qatar under a G2G us to shut down our offices and return looking into agreements or deals with mechanism. the money we deposited as guarantee. various destination countries,” said According to Chaudhary, the gov- We will invest it elsewhere.” Pandey. “Such issues are part of inter- ernment is preparing to send Nepali Nepal currently has labour agree- nal discussions and preparations. But security guards to Qatar in view of ments with nine countries: Qatar, the no decision has been made concerning the 2022 FIFA World Cup the Gulf United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar as of now.” But labour migration experts such as Baniya feel that although such a modality can benefit Nepali migrants, securing such a deal is easier said than done. “Such G2G deals can promote fair, ethical and transparent recruitment practices and workers can reap bene- fits from the employers’ pay model, which holds employers responsible for all expenses,” said Baniya. “However, there is a need for clarity on a few things. For instance, the existing labour deal with Qatar says recruiting agencies will be involved in sending workers to Qatar. Also, Nepal can’t decide on the matter on its own. Even destination countries have to agree. That is unlikely as they tend to shrug off such burden.” According to Baniya, clarity is also needed on how discussions over the REUTERS G2G model, as taken up by the Labour A general view shows the Al Bayt stadium, built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup football Ministry, have progressed so far. championship, in Al Khor, north of Doha, Qatar. “Recruiting agencies complaining is quite obvious as they have been state is hosting. Japan, Israel, Jordan, South Korea, given the licence to do their business,” The statement, however, did not go Malaysia and Mauritius. said Baniya. “But we also need to down well with recruiting agencies G2G agreements have been signed think why such policy departures or that hire and supply Nepali workers to with South Korea, Japan, and Israel. discussions on G2G take place because foreign employers. Nepal Association Nepal and Qatar already have a there have been issues with recruit- of Foreign Employment Agencies bilateral labour agreement, signed in ment practices.” (NAFEA), a grouping of more than 850 2005. Negotiations have been going on Qatar currently hosts over 400,000 Nepali recruiting agencies hiring for many years to review the deal, but Nepalis and continues to be one of the workers on behalf of foreign employ- nothing concrete has happened so far. most popular destinations among ers, was quick to react. It threatened Labour migration expert Jeevan Nepali workers. A Labour Ministry to launch protests if the government Baniya said sending workers, mainly report shows as many as 747 recruit- goes ahead with any such plans. through the G2G modality, could be ing agencies are involved in sending Recruiting agencies worry that they possible as it involves a small number workers to Qatar. will lose their business if the govern- of workers. “Qatar is a major destination coun- ment starts sending workers on its “Looking at the minister’s state- try. The government is already send- own. “Simply saying, the government ment, it seems that he was talking ing workers to Japan and Korea. Now, has taken millions of rupees from about sending Nepali security guards if the government sends workers to recruiting agencies as a guarantee to Qatar through a G2G mechanism. Qatar, then why should agencies amount to run foreign employment Given the smaller number of people invest such a huge amount in their businesses,” Sujit Kumar Shrestha, going for the job, the state machinery businesses?” said Shrestha. general secretary with the associa- can manage them,” said Baniya, who “The government has hardly done tion, told the Post. “The agencies have is an assistant director at Centre for anything for the sector. Even new des- been given operating licences to do the Study of Labour and Mobility of tination countries are explored by business in exchange for the money. Social Science Baha. “But for sending agencies.”

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL We are witnessing an economic contraction

Staying safe on the Web Revised and rebased Schools and universities must raise awareness about statistics provide cyber security and healthy internet use. a more accurate picture of the economy. The information age, while it has eased communication, has also brought with it a host of problems related to cyber secu- rity. Internet users of all ages face risks of committing or CHANDAN SAPKOTA being victims of cyber crime, but young students are in great- er jeopardy as nowadays they have access to mobile phones, the internet and social media. Expectedly, they are more vulnerable to cyber crime. To deal with this, the police in Kapilvastu have begun a pilot project to develop curricula for school-going students to raise awareness about cyber crime and safe internet usage. The objective of the The latest release of national accounts addition, as per the Kapilvastu District Police Office, is to statistics—which generally refers to educate students on what entails criminal and non-criminal data pertaining to the value of econom- activities in cyberspace. ic activities computed using output, The curriculum, launched under the School-Police expenditure and income-based meth- ods—by the Central Bureau of Partnership Programme, has so far covered 80 schools in Statistics (CBS) is a welcome develop- Kapilvastu Municipality and Yashodhara Rural Municipality. ment. The rebased national account The District Police plans to launch the book in all 10 local statistics, at 2010-11 prices, depicts a units of Kapilvastu district; it is, in fact, a laudable initiative more accurate picture of economic worthy of emulation throughout the country. The textbook activities, particularly the size of the also includes awareness materials on a wide range of social economy and sectoral shifts in val- issues, including child marriage, dowry system, sexual mis- ue-added economic activities or struc- conduct, drug abuse and smoking. The inclusion of cyber tural changes. It shows that although the size of the crime and safe usage of social media in the curriculum is a economy increased to about US$35 bil- positive and timely change. Although extensive involvement lion, an upward revision by US$1.5 bil- of the police in curriculum development is not warranted, lion, gross domestic product likely con- SHUTTERSTOCK there is a need to engage legal practitioners, security officials tracted by 1.9 percent in the fiscal year trial classification of all economic account for about 22 percent of GDP. expedited approval of investment laws and cyber experts to build curricula that address the infor- 2019-20. The revised data also reveals activities (rev.4) and the system of Importantly, the latest data captures and policies did not yield much of a mation gap when it comes to cyber crime. that economic performance was weak national accounts 2008, which is the the structural changes in the decade result. The claim of creating a solid Nepal has adopted the use of the internet in various sec- even before the health, economic and latest version of the international sta- between rebasing. Between 2000-01 and foundation for high economic growth tors of national life aggressively in a bid to tap the Web’s livelihood mayhem created by the pan- tistical standard for national accounts 2010-11, the share of agriculture and (about double-digit annual average) demic. The statistical bureau now adopted by the United Nations industry sectors declined, but the ser- and prosperity is losing steam. Political growing penetration. Administrators and politicians needs to release back a series of nation- Statistical Commission. vices sector increased. This unusual instability, bureaucratic hassles, bad like to use the terms ‘smart’ and ‘digital’ for almost every al accounts statistics using the 2010-11 Using the old methodology and 2000- structural change bypassed the indus- governance, and low capital spending government initiative to create an aura of novelty and con- base so that comparative analysis and 01 as the base year, and assuming early try sector, whose share in GDP declined continue to affect private sector invest- temporaneity. With an ever increasing dependence on cyber sectoral changes based on historical resumption of economic activities, the to 14.7 in 2010-11 under the new base, ment and growth momentum. technologies, institutions and individuals are prone to data can be appropriately construed. CBS estimated, in April 2020, that the down from 15.5 percent in the case of The CBS also released quarterly data cyber attacks by criminals, hackers, terrorists and disgrun- GDP could grow by 2.3 percent. The the old base. Last year it was barely 15.4 which shows that the economy con- tled workers. However, the government has done little to Revised and rebased government interpreted this as confir- percent of GDP, almost the same as the tracted by 15.4 percent in the fourth prepare institutions as well as individuals to handle security Rebasing typically includes expanding mation of the effectiveness of counter- wholesale, trade and repair subsector. quarter of 2019-20 (mid-May to mid-Ju- coverage of economic activities, adding cyclical fiscal and monetary measures Meanwhile, the data reveal a higher ly 2020) and by a further 4.6 percent in risks in cyberspace. new or disaggregated sectors or chang- rolled out to address the crisis. consumption level than earlier report- the first quarter of 2020-21 (mid-August A large section of internet users are not aware of the ing the methodology used to measure However, the latest revised data with ed (91 percent of GDP), but lower 2020 to mid-October 2020). This points legal mechanisms that act as checks and balances economic activities so that they better the new 2010-11 base year reveals a investment, exports and imports. to the severe impact of lockdowns on concerning the use of the internet, social media and digital reflect structural changes. For instance, completely contrasting picture: the The latest data release also changes high contact industry and services architecture. A lack of knowledge about such mechanisms the earlier industry sector comprised economy will actually contract by 1.9 the perception about some macroeco- activities. Given that some services means that people may commit crimes inadvertently. Young of four subsectors, but is now expanded percent, thanks to a severe slump in nomic indicators. For instance, as a sector activities continue to remain students, who form a significant section of internet users, to five subsectors by disaggregating industrial and services activities. share of GDP, tax revenue, net domes- affected throughout 2020-21 and the electricity, gas and water into electrici- The agriculture sector is expected to tic borrowing, outstanding public debt, shortage of chemical fertilisers is must be especially trained because they are even more sus- ty, gas, steam and air conditioning sup- grow by 2.2 percent, down from 5.2 per- money supply, exports, imports and affecting agricultural output, there is ceptible to breaking the norms of being in cyberspace. ply; and water supply, sewerage and cent in 2018-19, owing to a delayed mon- remittances, among others, are now less likelihood of a sharp recovery in They must be made aware that the data they produce waste management. This facilitates soon, shortage of chemical fertilisers, lower than previously estimated. These 2020-21 despite commendable progress stay in cyberspace, and might come back to haunt them at a tracking progress separately for the use of substandard seeds and a fall will be further revised when CBS in vaccination. later point in life. It is necessary, therefore, to add lessons on electricity and water supply subsec- armyworm invasion. The lockdowns releases actual figures next year. It is important for the bureau to cyber security as an essential part of the curricula in schools tors—both of which are expected to add also disrupted agricultural labour, har- release back series national accounts and universities. large capacities in the coming years. vest and supplies. Industrial output is Weak foundation data that are consistent with the new As smartphones, digital technology and the internet The services sector has gone through projected to contract by 4.2 percent, The data confirms that the economy base year. Additionally, the statistics the most changes, particularly inclu- down from 7.4 percent growth in 2018- was already performing poorly before bureau needs to release quarterly data become essential aspects of our daily lives, every individual sion or expansion of new economic 19, as mining and quarrying, manufac- the pandemic hit Nepal. Growth for all sectors dating back to at least is a potential cyber criminal or victim consciously or activities. Transport, storage and com- turing, and construction activities reached 9 percent in 2016-17 due to base 2010-11. This is crucial to determine the unwittingly. Starting at the school level, cyber security munications activities are divided into were battered by subdued demand and effect, which refers to the tendency of historical trend and conduct a compar- literacy programmes should also be made part of all kinds two subsectors: transport and storage, lockdowns. Services output is projected achieving an arithmetically high rate ative analysis of sectoral composition of professional training programmes, as cyber crime is on and information and communication. to contract by 3.6 percent, down from of growth when starting from a very and determinants of growth. Let us the rise globally, and Nepal cannot expect to be left Real estate, renting and business activ- 6.8 percent growth in 2018-19, owing to low base, and then started to decline hope that CBS will publicise the full alone. Connecting Nepal to the world through internet tech- ities are divided into three subsectors. the severe impact of lockdowns and steadily. It happened despite propping series data in its next release of prelim- nology is hardly enough; we must build a sturdy infrastruc- These and other changes have increased supplies disruptions on wholesale up consumption and investment inary growth estimates at the end of subsectors within the services sector to and retail trade, transportation and through massive post-earthquake next month. ture and create widespread awareness to deal with the secu- twelve, up from eight earlier. storage and accommodation and food reconstruction efforts and national and rity threats that lurk in cyberspace and spill into the world The new data series is consistent service activities. These are high con- subnational elections. The much-tout- Sapkota is an economist and a senior around us. with the international standard indus- tact services activities, which together ed benefits of a stable government and fellow at Nepal Economic Forum.

Share your story

worry’ or ‘everything will be fine’. Understand the importance of call- Despite knowing about the However, it has become increasing- ing out the way mental illness has ly important for us to understand that been portrayed in movies and the dangers of poor mental this is not how psychological distress media, and hold the entertainment works; having one’s feelings constant- industry guilty for portraying the health, why is it so difficult ly dismissed leads to a lack of a safe mentally ill as dangerous. Learn to place for them to share their thoughts incorporate conversations about men- to talk about it? and conclusively compels them to tal health into your daily life, talk to utterly stop talking about their your classmates and colleagues and problems at all. This constant scepti- help the people around you under- ANISHA KARNA cism from family and friends is what stand the importance of such discus- stops people from speaking out. These sions, no matter how uncomfortable it feelings then become interspersed may feel. It is important we think of with feelings of shame, guilt, hatred mental health as a continuum of and fear. In addition, people also sorts, and acknowledge that we all become afraid to share their emotion- have our ups and downs in life. Make al pain with others, knowing that sure your family members, friends they, too, will become overwhelmed and people around you don’t feel The phrase mental illness is still used and burdened. alone. Most importantly, share your in a derogatory manner in our society. To the general population, it has story. Do not be afraid of the percep- We constantly refuse to give mental become a duty as there is an urgent tion of others, rather understand that health the priority it deserves. There need to understand and break the stig- by sharing your experiences of your are few programmes being imple- ma present against mental health. struggles and how you overcame mented to develop a positive attitude Suicide rates are increasing at a dra- them, your words will be words of towards breaking the stigma against matic rate, and more and more adoles- comfort to someone who is suffering mental illness. As a result, the subject cents are having to rely on the aid of in the same way. remains taboo to even talk about. The medication. According to a study con- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of ducted by the World Health The time is now Mental Disorders groups mental Organisation in 2019, an estimated 264 With the pandemic completely chang- illness under about 20 subheadings, million people globally are affected by ing the way we live, there have been and rather than being binary or exclu- depression, 45 million people are sudden big shifts in routines, lifestyles sive, it is to be thought of as a spec- affected by bipolar disorder, and 20 and support systems that have been an trum that we all live on. At one end is million people are affected by schizo- enormous challenge to battle for not mental health, where we are thriving, phrenia and other psychoses. What only those who already experience satisfied and at ease. In the middle seems even more shocking than these mental health concerns, but for every- area are people seen to be coping, sur- staggering numbers is that in low- and one else. The last few months have viving or struggling. And at the other middle-income countries, between 76 been etched by loss and grieving; los- far end, sits a range of mental illness- and 85 percent of the people with men- ing jobs, life goals, plans, and most es. Most of us move back and forth on tal disorders receive no treatment for lamentably, loved ones. As most of us this spectrum. their disorder. feel distraught at the loss of life as we Despite knowing about the conse- All of us can contribute to breaking know it, perhaps there isn’t a better quences and dangers of poor mental the stigma one conversation at time than now to learn to take health, knowing about the pain a time. We can begin by talking about good care of ourselves and those felt when watching a family member resources, including online tools, hot- around us emotionally. suffer, why is it so difficult for lines and support groups that are free The journey to achieving a world us to talk about mental health? of charge. Family members need to where everyone receives regular Why, in a society that is expanding accompany each other on trips to the mental health checkups, and and developing in every way possible, physician so that they too can under- where there will be no stigma against is it still deemed irrational to seek stand what has been affecting mental illness is an extremely long help? There are definitely more con- SHUTTERSTOCK the sufferers. It is important to dis- and tedious one, but we are now in the versations surrounding mental health still face stigma and find themselves Don’t say ‘don’t worry’ ly allow for vulnerable conversations.’ cuss strategies that will help build middle of an ongoing mental illness and more empathy, but a lot of us don’t alone and isolated, unable to express According to Indian psychotherapist Peers tend to become quick to mental strength; this can be done crisis, and it is becoming more and know how to reach out and truly be their feelings to even close friends and and counsellor Rhea Gandhi, judge and dismiss attempts to reach by practising mental strength more imperative we do something there for people who have certain family. In addition to these emotions, ‘People are unable to generally talk out by perceiving those suffering exercises to deal with negative emo- about it. mental health concerns or psychologi- this sense of isolation has only about it because the feelings are so as being ‘weak’ or ‘dramatic’. A tions. Share strategies that have cal vulnerabilities. And, as a result, increased with the ongoing coronavi- overwhelming, there is a lot of stigma, quick and simple reply that we helped you or your family with others Karna is an MBBS student at Chitwan those with mental health concerns rus pandemic. and friendship groups don’t necessari- all are guilty of advising is ‘don’t in your community. Medical College.

C M Y K 05 | FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 MONEY

FOREX Apple starts iPhone US Dollar 116.96 Nepal’s tea exports thrive despite pandemic Euro 139.95 12 assembly in India Pound Sterling 163.30 Shipments to Germany alone were worth Rs52.7 million in the first half of the fiscal year, officials say. REUTERS NEW DELHI, MARCH 11 Japanese Yen 10.79 PARBAT PORTEL Chinese Yuan 18.03 KAKARBHITTA, MARCH 11 Apple Inc has started the assembly of iPhone 12 in India, the US tech giant Qatari Riyal 32.12 Gorkha Tea Estate in Ilam, Fikkal has said, as the company ramps up manu- Australian Dollar 90.94 been exporting orthodox tea to facturing operations in the world’s Germany since 2009. The tea is sold second-biggest smartphone market. Malaysian Ringit 28.47 under the brand name Sundarpani, “We are proud to be starting produc- which means beautiful water in tion of iPhone 12 in India for our local Saudi Arab Riyal 31.18 Nepali, in 125 German cities. customers,” Apple said in a statement Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank Even amid the Covid-19-related on Thursday, without naming the sup- restrictions last year, shipments of plier making the smartphone. orthodox tea increased. The Indian unit of Apple’s PRICE PER TOLA According to customs statistics, Taiwanese contract manufacturer BULLION Nepal dispatched orthodox tea worth Foxconn will assemble the device in Rs52.7 million to Germany alone in its plant in southern Tamil Nadu Fine Gold Rs 86,800 the first six months of the current fis- state, two sources familiar with the cal year (mid-July 2020 to mid-Janu- matter said. Silver Rs 1,285 ary 2021). Foxconn did not immediately In the last fiscal year 2019-20, respond to a request for comment, but SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA exports to Germany were valued at has previously said it does not com- Rs46.5 million. ment on client-specific work. “There is huge demand for ortho- GASOLINE WATCH dox tea in Europe and the United States, but we have not been able to Apple is also fulfil the requirement or meet their quality expectations,” said Uday planning to bring Chapagain, executive director of Gorkha Tea Estate. the assembly of its Nepal grows two types of tea: Camellia assamica for crush, tear and iPad tablet to India. curl (CTC) tea which grows at lower POST FILE PHOTO altitudes and in the hot and humid In recent years, Nepali orthodox tea has been gaining popularity in the international market mainly due to its quality, aroma and taste. plains of Nepal, primarily in Jhapa Apple has been shifting some areas district. This tea accounts for almost Himalayan Tea Producers Cooperative Province 1 accounts for almost 95 Sankhuwasabha, Kabhre, Ramechhap, of production from China to other 95 percent of domestic consumption that was established with the objective percent of the tea produced in the Dolakha and other districts, according markets as it navigates the trade war owing to its lower cost of production. of introducing Nepali tea to Europe country. Commercial tea production is to the Ministry of Agriculture and between Washington and Beijing. A Camellia sinensis or orthodox tea is and the US. being expanded to 13 districts besides Livestock Development. person familiar with the matter said grown at altitudes of 3,000 to 7,000 feet. Nature Himalayan Tea, another tea the five districts in the eastern region. The government has also launched in November Foxconn is moving some There are four eastern hill districts company owned by Chapagain, export- According to the Mechi Customs a novel project, Sustainable Export iPad and MacBook assembly to that are known for producing quality ed tea worth around Rs30 million in Office, Kakarbhitta, tea worth Rs2.58 Promotion Project of Nepali Tea, to Vietnam from China at its request. orthodox tea--Ilam, Panchthar, the first seven months of the current billion passed through the eastern promote Nepal’s tea in the interna- Cupertino, California- Dhankuta and Tehrathum. fiscal year. “Europeans are health-con- border point during the period tional market and improve its quality headquartered Apple has bet big on Ideally, orthodox tea is produced scious and are interested in scientifi- mid-July to mid-January of the cur- by using a system that tracks the prod- India since it begin iPhone assembly from the top two leaves and a bud from cally certified and healthy tea,” he rent fiscal year. uct along the entire supply chain. in the country in 2017 via another each branch. ‘Orthodox’ refers to a said. In recent years, Nepali orthodox Dhruba Raj Bishwokarma, chief The innovative scheme follows the Taiwanese supplier, Wistron. traditional production process where tea has been gaining popularity in the customs officer at the Mechi Customs implementation of the trademark Foxconn, Wistron and a third sup- the plucked tea leaf is partially dried international market mainly due to its Office, said that most of this tea was Nepal Tea Quality from the Himalayas plier Pegatron have together commit- (‘withered’), rolled and then ferment- quality, aroma and taste. destined for India. Only a small quan- last September. ted roughly $900 million over five ed to give a light colour, unique aroma Gorkha and Nature Himalayan of tity is exported to the European, Nepal’s orthodox tea got its own years to make iPhones in India, lever- and fruity flavour. It usually attracts a Ilam, Gurase and Jun Tea Estate of American and Japanese markets. trademark on September 22 last year, aging New Delhi’s $6.7 billion plan to higher price than CTC tea in view of Dhankuta, Kanchenjunga Tea Estate He said that out of the total exports 157 years after the country started boost smartphone exports. BIZLINE its quality, demand in the market and of Panchthar and Himalayan valued at Rs2.58 billion, Rs90 million growing it. The trademark is expected Apple is also planning to bring the higher cost of production Shangrila of Ilam are exporting ortho- worth of tea went to countries other to help Nepal brand and market its assembly of its iPad tablet to India, Apart from the shipments to dox tea to the US, Germany, France, than India in the first seven months of tea, which has been facing an identity Reuters reported last month. Unilever Nepal launches Germany, orthodox tea worth Rs10.8 Canada, Finland and Czech Republic, the current fiscal year. crisis for over a century, in the inter- “Nice to see our efforts to make ‘#UNMUTE, End the Silence on million was exported to Japan last among other countries. According to the Tea and Coffee national market. India a big hub of mobile and compo- year, according to Chapagain. Gorkha Tea Estate alone exported Development Board, Nepal produces According to a government report, nents manufacturing is attracting Domestic Violence’ campaign “We started exporting orthodox tea about 41 tonnes of tea worth 500,000 more than 25,000 tonnes of tea annual- Nepali teas are often exported to India global attention,” India’s technology to Finland last year,” he said. “About euros to the European market last ly. Of the total production, CTC tea where they are blended with minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweet- 60 percent of the orthodox tea pro- year. Himalayan Shangrila of Ilam makes up 19,000 tonnes. Darjeeling tea as the two are very sim- ed following news of iPhone 12 pro- duced in Nepal is exported to Europe shipped tea worth Rs26.8 million to Commercial tea production is ilar in terms of quality. “This used to duction in India. and Japan,” said Chapagain, who is the Russian market this year, said being expanded to Lalitpur, Lamjung, be done on a large scale before, and is “This will create jobs in large also the founding president of the Chapagain. Nuwakot, Kaski, Bhojpur, still being done to some extent.” numbers.”

KATHMANDU: Unilever Nepal Limited, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, 2021, pledges to not only create a safer community at work, but try to be the one of the Australia unveils $928 million tourism support package voices of change for Nepal. Through its campaign #UNMUTE, End the Silence on Domestic Violence, it is planes into hibernation while thou- on foreign tourists, including Alice committed to speak up against vio- sands of people across the industry Springs and Kangaroo Island, and will lence and to support not only its became reliant on a federal govern- be available from April 1 until the end employees but their families with the ment wage subsidy programme, which of July. education, awareness, and resources expires this month. Shares of travel-related stocks led around safety, reads the press release The support package includes A$200 gains on the Australian sharemarket, issued by the company. It aims to million for Qantas Airways Ltd with travel agents Flight Centre reach women across its ecosystem and Virgin Australia from April to Ltd up more than 10 percent and and educate them on their rights as October to help maintaining moth- Webjet Ltd up more than 3 percent to well as provide access to resources balled aircraft, bringing planes out of trade near one-year intraday highs. like a toll-free helpline, providing storage and wages for international Qantas was up 2 percent in early after- counselling and access to NGO servic- flying staff. noon trading. es, access to ‘safe leave’ and flexible “This programme allows those peo- However, not all industry groups working conditions for the survivors. ple to stay connected with Qantas so were happy with the support package, we don’t lose them ... because when which also includes cheap 10-year

the borders open up, we need the capa- loans for small tourism companies, AB InBev introduces its global bility to start as many flights as possi- many of which are struggling under brand Budweiser in Nepal ble,” Qantas Chief Executive Alan mounting debt. Joyce said. “This narrowly targeted package KATHMANDU: Anheuser- Qantas hopes to resume some is disenfranchising for many Busch InBev (AB international flights by the end of hard-working operators in the tour- InBev), the world’s October, when Australia expects ism industry whose plight is being leading brewer, today to complete its national Covid-19 ignored,” said John Hart, executive announced the launch REUTERS immunisation drive. Morrison said it chair of the tourism division of the of its global brand A file photo of a mostly empty domestic terminal at Sydney Airport. was “too early” to confirm a projected Australian Chamber of Commerce Budweiser in Nepal, date for the international border and Industry. fortifying the brewer’s REUTERS “That means more jobs and invest- breaks exacerbated the downturn. to reopen. “The package also fails to acknowl- presence in South Asia. CANBERRA, MARCH 11 ment for the tourism and aviation The country’s two major airlines, The 50 percent subsidies on some edge that up until the Covid-19 pan- Following the huge suc- sectors as Australia heads towards Qantas Airways Ltd and Virgin 800,000 plane tickets will be focused on demic, the tourism industry was cess of the brand in The Australian government unveiled winning our fight against Covid-19 Australia, slashed flights and put destinations that usually rely heavily poised for enormous growth.” over 150 countries, the a A$1.2 billion ($928 million) tourism and the restrictions that have hurt so popular American-style support package on Thursday, many businesses.” lager is now available aimed at boosting local travel while Tourism is a major growth driver for beer connoisseurs international routes remain closed for the Australian economy, generat- in Nepal. With this because of the coronavirus pandemic. ing A$60.8 billion in gross domestic launch, AB InBev aims to expand its The basket of airline ticket subsi- product (GDP) in 2018/19 and employ- product line-up to cater to evolving dies for travellers, cheap loans to ing around 5 percent of the country’s consumer preferences and redefine small tour companies and financial workforce. the beer segment in the country. The aid for the country’s two largest air- The sector was hard hit when world’s leading brewer forayed into lines is designed to keep the critical Australia closed its international Nepal last year with the introduction sector ticking over until foreign tour- borders—with a few exceptions for of Foster’s beer, in an exclusive part- ists return. returning nationals and some nership with Raj Brewery Pvt Ltd “This package will take more tour- others—a year ago to prevent the from the Jawalakhel Group of ists to our hotels and cafes, taking spread of Covid-19. A series of Industries, reads the press statement tours and exploring our backyard,” internal state and territory border from the company. Morrison told reporters in Sydney. closures sparked by Covid-19 out- Chinese premier rejects idea that 2021 GDP growth target is too ‘low’

REUTERS targets from year to year would only urban jobs, Li said he hoped that goal BEIJING, MARCH 11 “disturb” market expectations. could be exceeded even though pres- “Walking quickly for a moment sure on employment remains signifi- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on does not mean one is walking steadi- cant.“In generating jobs, we have to let Thursday defended the government’s ly,” Li said. “It is only with a steady the market play a critical role, which target for more than 6 percent eco- pace that we will be firm in our is protecting jobs by supporting mar- nomic growth this year, saying steps.”Li warned against any “sharp ket entities,” he said. it is “not low”, and policies would not turn” in policy making, and said that Financing channels to small and be dramatically loosened to chase there would be no drop in efforts to medium-sized enterprises should be higher growth. secure people’s livelihoods. kept open even as banks remain vigi- The target was well below analysts “We did not ease policies last year, lant over debt risks. expectations, as their consensus fore- nor do so-called quantitative easing, “We will guide financial institu- cast is for growth of more than 8 per- and there is also no need for a ‘sharp tions to reasonably give up profits cent this year. turn’ this year,” Li told reporters after while stabilising leverage ratios, Li said the focus this year is on con- the close of the annual meeting of to make it easier for firms to raise solidating China’s economic recovery, parliament. On the government’s 2021 capital amid declining financing and setting hugely different growth target to create more than 11 million costs,” Li said.

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | 06 WORLD

BRIEFING United States, Myanmar junta accuses Suu Kyi of taking China officials William defends UK royal family against racism claims to meet over LONDON: Prince William on Thursday bribes as eight killed in anti-coup protests defended Britain’s royal family against accusations of racism made Rights group Amnesty International accuses the military of adopting battle tactics against demonstrators. intense divides by his brother Prince Harry and sis- ter-in-law Meghan, saying the royals REUTERS ASSOCIATED PRESS are “very much not a racist family.” YANGON, MARCH 11 WASHINGTON, MARCH 11 In comments made during a visit to an east London school, William Myanmar’s military government Senior United States and Chinese offi- became the first royal to directly accused deposed leader Aung San Suu cials will meet next week in their first address the explosive interview Kyi on Thursday of accepting illegal face-to-face talks since President Joe broadcast Sunday in the US that his payments, while eight people were Biden took office to confront growing brother and the Duchess of Sussex killed when security forces opened strains in the relationship between gave to Oprah Winfrey. Buckingham fire on protests against the coup, wit- the world’s two largest economies. Palace sought to respond to Harry nesses said. The White House and State and Meghan’s allegations of racism Rights group Amnesty International Department said Wednesday that and mistreatment in a 61-word state- accused the military of adopting bat- Secretary of State Antony Blinken ment, but it has failed to quell the tle tactics against demonstrators. and national security adviser Jake controversy. William, second in line Six people were killed in the central Sullivan will see China’s top foreign to the throne after his father Prince town of Myaing when forces fired on a policy officials, State Councilor Wang Charles, says he hadn’t yet spoken to protest, a man who took part in the Yi and the foreign affairs chief of the Harry in the aftermath of the inter- demonstration and helped carry bod- Chinese Communist Party, Yang view, “but I will do.’’ ies to hospital told Reuters by tele- Jiechi, on March 18 in Anchorage, phone. A health worker there con- Alaska. firmed all six deaths. In his first appearance before Step up trials of alleged Syrian “We protested peacefully,” the Congress since being confirmed as war criminals, rights chief says 31-year-old man said. “I couldn’t America’s top diplomat, Blinken told believe they did it.” lawmakers Wednesday it would be an GENEVA: The United Nations human One person was killed in the North opportunity to discuss intense disa- rights chief on Thursday urged coun- Dagon district of the biggest city of greements over trade and human tries to step up trials in their national Yangon, witnesses said. Photographs rights in Tibet, Hong Kong and the courts against suspected war crimi- posted on Facebook showed a man western Xinjiang region, as well as nals in Syria as the conflict marks its prone on the street, bleeding from a the coronavirus pandemic. 10th anniversary. Attempts to refer head wound. One death was reported Cooperation on North Korea and its atrocities in Syria to the in Mandalay. nuclear weapons program are also International Criminal Court (ICC) in Before Thursday’s deaths, an advo- likely to top the agenda. the Hague for prosecution have failed, cacy group, the Assistance Association In his testimony, Blinken also Michelle Bachelet said. Only one per- for Political Prisoners, had said more touched on the administration’s posi- son has been convicted in a foreign than 60 protesters were killed and tions toward Iran, Cuba, Ethiopia, court for crimes against humanity or about 2,000 people detained by securi- Russia and Venezuela. war crimes in a conflict that has cost ty forces since the February 1 coup AP/RSS But he gave no hints about any hundreds of thousands of lives, many against Suu Kyi’s elected government. Anti-coup protesters retreat from the frontlines after policemen fire sound-bombs and rubber bullets in Yangon, Myanmar on Thursday. potential policy changes. In each case, of them civilians. Amnesty International accused the he pledged to work with lawmakers on army of using lethal force against is acting with utmost restraint in han- by saying that a November China, India, Russia and Vietnam. their concerns, and his staid demea- Pakistan to block TikTok protesters and said many killings it dling what it describes as demonstra- election, overwhelmingly won by UN Secretary-General Antonio nor stood in sharp contrast to the had documented amounted to extra-ju- tions by “riotous protesters” whom it Suu Kyi’s National League for Guterres said he hoped the Security often confrontational tone that his ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will block a pop- dicial executions. accuses of attacking police and harm- Democracy, was marred by fraud—an Council statement would push the mil- predecessor, Mike Pompeo, adopted in ular social media app TikTok after a “These are not the actions of over- ing national security and stability. assertion rejected by the electoral itary to realise it “is absolutely essen- similar settings. court order, a spokesman for the whelmed, individual officers making Zaw Min Tun also said that Suu Kyi commission. tial” that all prisoners are released Blinken excoriated Ethiopia for a country’s telecoms regulator said on poor decisions,” said Joanne Mariner, had accepted illegal payments worth Zaw Min Tun also reiterated that and the results of the November elec- crackdown on dissent in the Tigray Thursday. “The court has asked PTA the group’s director of crisis response. $600,000 as well as gold while in gov- the military would only be in charge tion are respected. region, demanding that the country’s to block access to TikTok,” Pakistan “These are unrepentant command- ernment, according to a complaint by for a certain period before holding an In Myanmar, state media said the prime minister “step up” to protect Telecom Authority (PTA) spokesman ers already implicated in crimes Phyo Mien Thein, a former chief min- election. “We are on the road to junta had removed Arakan Army Ethiopian citizens from violence and Khurram Mehran told Reuters, add- against humanity, deploying ister of Yangon. authentic democracy,” he said. (AA) insurgents from its list of terror- abuse. He reiterated pledges from ing the authority would comply with their troops and murderous methods “He strongly said that,” the spokes- The junta has previously promised ist groups because the faction had Biden and others that the administra- the order. A high court in the north- in the open.” man said. “We have verified those a new election within a year, but has stopped attacks in order to help estab- tion will not re-enter the 2015 Iran western city of Peshawar said it was Junta spokesman Brigadier General facts several times. Now the anti-cor- not set a date. lish peace across the country. nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew ordering the ban after a private com- Zaw Min Tun told a news conference ruption committee is continuing the The UN Security Council on The move comes as the army strug- from, unless the Iranians return to plainant said the social media app the security forces were disciplined investigation.” Wednesday condemned violence gles to restrain daily protests against compliance with the accord first. was spreading indecent content, said and used force only when necessary. He said President Win Myint and against protesters and urged the army the coup. The meeting with the Chinese in Jehanzeb Mehsud, a lawyer who rep- The unrest was not a situation that several cabinet ministers had also to show restraint. The AA, which is fighting for great- Alaska will come just days after resented the PTA. TikTok’s represent- should be of concern to the interna- engaged in corruption and that the But language that would have er autonomy in the western state of Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd ative in Pakistan said he had heard tional community and the West was president had pressured the election denounced the military takeover as a Rakhine, had become one of the most Austin see their Japanese and South about the court order and the compa- making assumptions that were incor- commission not to act on the mili- coup or threatened possible further formidable forces in challenging an Korean counterparts in Tokyo and ny would issue further comment in rect, he added. tary’s reports of irregularities. action was removed from the British- army that has been fighting various Seoul to reaffirm US treaty alliances due course. (AGENCIES) The military has previously said it The army has justified taking power drafted text, due to opposition by ethnic wars for seven decades. with those nations. China confirms overhaul of Hong Kong politics, squeezing democratic opposition

REUTERS munity and the general public to take Lam said. BEIJING, MARCH 11 ownership of the work to amend the The changes virtually eliminate law and offer suggestions, so that a any possibility of the opposition China’s parliament approved on strong positive energy can be gathered affecting the outcome of elections in Thursday a draft decision to change under the banner of patriotism and the former British colony, whose Hong Kong’s electoral system, further love for Hong Kong.” return to Chinese rule in 1997 came reducing democratic representation with a promise of a high degree of in the city’s institutions and introduc- autonomy. ing a mechanism to vet politicians’ Officials in Beijing The blanket requirement for “patri- loyalty to Beijing. otism” raises the risk that politicians The measures are part of Beijing’s are responding to will start competing over who is more efforts to consolidate its grip over the loyal to Beijing, rather than who has global financial hub following the the 2019 protests the better ideas for how the city should imposition of a national security law be governed, analysts say. in June, which critics see as a tool to in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Secretary for Mainland crush dissent. and Constitutional Affairs Erick Beijing is responding to pro-democ- Tsang has defined patriotism as racy protests in Hong Kong in 2019, The legislators gathered in the “holistic love” for China, including which it saw as a threat to China’s Great Hall of the People burst into the leadership of the Chinese national security. Since then, most sustained applause when the 2,895 to 0 Communist Party. high-profile democratic politicians vote tally, with one abstention, was British foreign secretary Dominic and activists have been sent to jail or projected onto screens. Raab said on Thursday that proposed are in self-exile. In a separate statement, Hong Kong changes to Hong Kong’s electoral sys- “The central authorities have good leader Carrie Lam pledged her tem would further undermine inter- intentions,” the Liaison Office, “staunch support” and expressed “sin- national trust in China. Beijing’s representative body in Hong cere gratitude.” “This is the latest step by Beijing to AP/RSS Kong, said in a statement. The restructuring is aimed at get- hollow out the space for democratic Hindu devotees crowd to enter a temple to offer prayers during Shivaratri festival in Jammu, India on Thursday, “We expect all sectors of the com- ting the city “back on the right track,” debate in Hong Kong,” Raab said. Vaccine brings hope, but battle drags on year after pandemic declared

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE On the economic front, the US vaccines—research and development since receiving the jab. THE HAGUE, MARCH 11 Congress passed one of its biggest that would take place at an unprece- The European Union’s medical reg- stimulus efforts ever—a $1.9 trillion dented, breakneck pace. ulator was set to meet Thursday to The world on Thursday marked one package that President Joe Biden said Today, several shots are being rolled discuss authorisation for the J&J vac- year since the coronavirus threat was would give struggling American fami- out, including those developed in the cine, which has already been approved declared a pandemic, with vaccina- lies a “fighting chance”. United States, Germany, China, Russia by Canada and the United States. tions offering hope but much of Since first emerging in China at the and India. It would be the fourth vaccine to get humanity still enduring highly end of 2019, the coronavirus has killed More than 300 million vaccine doses the nod from the Amsterdam-based restricted lives and no clear path back more than 2.6 million people and have been administered in 140 coun- European Medicines Agency for use to normality. forced unprecedented curbs on move- tries, according to an AFP count. in the bloc after the Pfizer/BioNTech, The enormity of the continuing ment that eviscerated economies. The global vaccine rollout has also Moderna and AstraZeneca/Oxford global challenge was reflected in a The World Health Organization offi- exposed power and wealth divides. jabs received green lights. stark warning by the International cially declared Covid-19 a pandemic Rich nations have surged ahead The EU has come under fire for its Council of Nurses that an exodus is on March 11 last year as infection with their mass vaccination pro- slow vaccine rollout—which it has looming of healthcare workers trau- numbers were beginning to explode grams, while billions in poorer blamed on supply and production matised by the pandemic. across Asia and Europe. nations are still waiting to receive issues. “They reach a point where About 4,600 deaths had been official- shots. On Thursday, the EU said it would they’ve given everything they can,” ly recorded around the world at the Hope for a worldwide push has been extend until the end of June a scheme ICN chief executive Howard Catton time. boosted by the launch of deliveries to monitor exports of vaccines from told reporters. But with the United States only just under the WHO-backed Covax scheme, the bloc. While restrictions are easing in starting to feel the direct impacts of which aims to ensure equitable access The US vaccination effort has many parts of the world, hotspots per- the pandemic, then-president Donald to Covid-19 vaccines. gained momentum in recent weeks, sist such as Brazil, which on Trump played down the threat. The success of the AstraZeneca/ with Biden vowing to have enough Wednesday reported a record 2,286 “The virus will not have a chance AP/RSS Oxford and Johnson & Johnson shots doses in place within months for the deaths in a single day as more conta- against us,” Trump told the nation. This February 10, 2021 photo shows Peter Ben Embarek of a World Health Organization team is further cause for optimism as they entire American population. gious new variants fuel a surge there. Under his chaotic leadership, the speaking to journalists, at the end of their mission to probe origins of the pandemic in Wuhan. are easier to transport and store than His administration has driven “It took a long time for the politi- United States would become the hard- the ones from Pfizer/BioNTech and through the massive economic stimu- cians to act... We are paying for it, the est-hit nation: the American death toll Global aviation came to a standstill Krencker, the head of a hospital net- Moderna, which require storage at lus package, which Biden is expected poor people,” said Adilson Menezes, today stands at more than 528,000. and governments imposed deeply work in eastern France told AFP on ultra-cold temperatures. to sign into law on Friday. 40, outside a hospital in Brazil’s big- The only defences to the contagious unpopular restrictions, forcing bil- March 11 last year, as patient and But AstraZeneca hit a snag on Biden was set to deliver a prime- gest city Sao Paulo, where all non-es- virus one year ago appeared to be lions of fearful people into some form death numbers began to surge. Thursday as Denmark temporarily time address on Thursday in which he sential businesses are closed to help face masks and stopping people from of lockdown. At the same time, governments and suspended its use as a precaution after will offer an optimistic vision for his fight the virus. interacting. “We are on a war footing,” Corinne scientists launched the race to create some patients developed blood clots nation, and by extension the world.

C M Y K 07 | FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | 08 SPORTS | MEDLEY Liverpool, PSG into APF edge Mayor’s XI to set up Police title clash quarter-finals Sharad Vesawkar-led side defeat Sandeep Lamichane’s team by seven wickets to finish second in the table and book a final battle with toppers Police. REUTERS BUDAPEST, MARCH 11 SPORTS BUREAU KATHMANDU, MARCH 11 MAYOR’S CUP STANDINGS Second-half goals from Mohamed Teams P W L Pts NRR Salah and Sadio Mane eased Liverpool Unbeaten half-centuries from skipper into the quarter-finals of the Police 4 3 1 6 1.206 Sharad Vesawkar and Sundeep Jora Champions League with a 2-0 sec- gave Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) APF 4 3 1 6 0.044 ond-leg win over RB Leipzig on Club a seven-wicket victory over Bagmati 4 2 2 4 -0.314 Wednesday, to complete a comfortable Kathmandu Mayor’s XI as they Army 4 1 3 2 -0.22 4-0 aggregate victory. reached the final of the Kathmandu Mayor’s XI 4 1 3 2 -0.704 Liverpool broke through in the 70th Mayor’s Cup one-day cricket tourna- minute when Jota fed Salah, who cut ment at the Mulpani cricket ground Jitendra Mukhiya off Sompal Kami in across the top of the penalty area on Thursday. 42.4 overs. before drilling into the bottom corner. The duo shared an unbeaten part- Lower middle order batsman Four minutes later, Mane made it 2-0 nership of 121 runs for APF to set up Nandan Yadav played a quickfire on the night when he met a Divock Saturday’s title clash against arch-ri- unbeaten 42 off 25 deliveries. He hit Origi cross from the right with a first- vals and table toppers Nepal Police five fences and a six. Ishan Mukhiya time finish, steering the ball home Club. Inviting Mayor’s XI to bat first, (26) and Prithu Baskota (12) were the with the outside of his foot. APF bowled them out for 177 runs in other batsmen to touch double digit Paris St Germain buried the ghosts 48.5 overs before surpassing the target figures. of their embarrassing 2017 exit as in 44.1 overs at the loss of three Army’s Sompal Kami grabbed the they drew 1-1 at home with Barcelona wickets. highest five wickets. He gave 65 runs on Wednesday to complete a 5-2 aggre- At the TU cricket ground, a century in his 10-over spell. gate victory. from former national skipper Paras In the run chase, Army skipper Four years after Barca claimed a Khadka gave Bagmati Province a Binod Bhandari also scored an memorable 6-1 win to overturn a 4-0 10-run victory over Tribhuvan Army equal 119 runs as Khadka as the first-leg deficit in the last 16, PSG Club. However, the win was not suffi- POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI departmental team were bowled out lacked inspiration but their 4-1 advan- cient for the national team captain Bagmati Province finished third despite Paras Khadka ton and a wicket propelled them to a 10-run win over Tribhuvan Army Club on Thursday. for 256 runs in 47.1 overs. He faced 114 tage from the first game in Spain was Gyanendra Malla-led Bagmati to deliveries before he was stumped by sufficient this time. secure a place in the final. APF skipper Vesawkar played a after they lost openers Khadka Bohara in double digits. Aakash Thapa off Ariyo Poudel in 45.6 Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring The outcome assured APF a second patient knock of an unbeaten 61 runs for 13 runs and Anil Kharel for four APF bowlers Airee and Kamal overs. He hit eight fences and six with a penalty against the run of play place finish with equal six points as from 118 deliveries while Jora hit 62 runs. Rajalai, who hit five boundaries Bohara pocketed three wickets each. sixes. before Lionel Messi levelled with a table toppers Nepal Police Club. The runs off 79. Vesawkar hit five bounda- in his 83-ball knock, combined to play Airee gave away 25 runs in his 10 bowl- Army opener Lokesh Bam contrib- superb long-range goal, but the two sides are separated only by net ries and a six while Jora cracked nine a 65-run third wicket stand with ing overs with three maiden overs uted 46 runs while Karan KC scored 24 Argentine had a spot-kick saved run rates. Bagmati finished third with fences. Opener Shankar Rana scored Harishankar Shah before he was while Bohara conceded 41 runs in his runs. Rohit Paudel, who scored 15 by Keylor Navas on the stroke of four points winning two matches 31 off 49 while Bhuvan Karki contrib- bowled by Kamal Airee. 8.5 over spell. runs, was the other Army batsman to halftime. while Army and Mayor’s XI came uted 11 runs. Shah contributed 36 runs in his At the TU grounds, former national reach double figures. Barca’s exit ensured it will be the fourth and fifth with two points each Mayor’s XI bowlers Anuj Chunara, 57-ball knock that included two bound- captain Khadka smashed 119 runs for Bagmati’s Ariyo Poudel was the first time since 2005 that neither Messi after the completion of league rounds. Anil Kharel and Sandeep Lamichhane aries and sixes apiece. Mayor XI cap- Bagmati as they scored 266 runs with pick of bowling claiming five wickets nor Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the Only the sides finishing on top two bagged a wicket each. tain Lamichhane and Bikram Bhusal, two balls to spare against Army. He hit in 8.5 overs. He gave away 46 Champions League quarter-finals positions are eligible to compete in Earlier, Sandeep Rajali contributed who scored 11 runs and 20 runs respec- 11 boundaries and two sixes in his 133- runs. Ramnaresh Giri pocketed two after Juventus were also knocked out the final. the highest 48 runs for Mayor’s XI tively, were the other players to score ball knock before he was caught by wickets. in the last 16, on Tuesday. Champions Satdobato Youth Club sign off B-Division League with victory

SPORTS BUREAU But Madhyapur midfielder Ronish KATHMANDU, MARCH 11 B-DIVISION LEAGUE STANDINGS Dheke Rajbhak cancelled the lead in the 37th after a howler from Champions Satdobato Youth Club said Team P W D L GF GA GD PT Jhamsikhel goalkeeper Sagar Susling. adieu to B-Division League with a 1-0 Satdobato 11 9 1 1 17 6 11 28 Rajbhak sent a long ball into the win over Ranipokhari Corner Team Khumaltar 11 8 2 1 27 11 16 25 Jhamsikhel box looking for action but (RCT) as the country’s second tier Bansbari* 11 7 3 1 21 15 6 21 Madhyapur forwards chose not to tor- league concluded on Thursday. Boys Union 11 5 4 2 18 13 5 17 ture the goalie realising they were in Satdobato had already secured a offside position. It looked like a rou- Madhyapur 11 5 5 1 14 18 -4 16 promotion to ‘A’ Division League on tine save for Susling except he let the Saturday with two matches remaining Shree Bhagwati 11 4 4 3 12 13 -1 15 ball slip underneath his foot while before Madhyapur Youth Association Nayabasti* 11 5 5 1 19 20 -1 15 trying to block it. put a surprise break to their unbeaten Shree Kumari 11 4 5 2 18 17 1 14 Dhiraj Shrestha gave Madhyapur streak in the league. But Maldina RCT 11 3 4 4 14 14 0 13 the winner in the injury time of the Angthupo scored the decider after the Tusal 11 2 6 3 12 16 -4 9 second half converting a pass from break to give the champions a happy Jhamsikhel 11 1 7 3 9 27 -18 6 Kiran Thada. The seventh league loss ending on the final day at the ANFA Pulchowk 11 1 8 2 12 23 -11 5 left Jhamsikhel second from bottom, Complex. only a point above Pulchowk Sports *One point has been deducted for finishing at The champions, who amassed 28 bottom positions in the last season’s league PHOTO COURTESY: ANFA Club who were relegated to the ‘C’ points from 11 matches with nine which had no relegation. B-Division League champions Satdobato defeated Ranipokhari Corner Team 1-0 in their final match at the ANFA Complex on Thursday. Division on Wednesday following a 2-1 wins, a draw and a defeat, received a loss to Nayabasti Yuva Club. cash prize of Rs1.5 million. Satdobato’s eight wins, two draws and a loss. Shrestha and forward Sabin KC were won the Fair Play Award. Bansbari’s Youth Club and climb up to fifth. The league had resumed on midfielder Dinesh Rai was adjudged Khumaltar had surrendered the title named the best goalkeeper and the Shiva Gurung was pronounced the Manish Khadka put Jhamsikhel in February 23 after a hiatus of almost a the best midfielder and coach Sanoj to Satdobato after succumbing to a best forward respectively. best defender. RCT, who managed only front in the sixth minute, pouncing on year. The country’s football governing Shrestha was declared the best coach shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of strug- Around the Himalaya Bansbari three wins, ended at ninth in the table. a weak clearance by Madhyapur body, All Nepal Football Association of the tournament. glers Shree Bhagwati a week ago. The Club took home Rs800,000 while Earlier on Thursday, Madhyapur defender Ranjit Chaudhary Tharu had decided to suspend the league Khumaltar fell three points short second-placed Khumaltar bagged Rs1 fourth-placed Diving Boys Union Youth Association came from a goal before smashing into the right-bottom midway on March 18 last year due to and finished behind Satdobato after million. Their goalkeeper Anjal pocketed Rs500,000. Boys Union also down to beat strugglers Jhamsikhel corner. the Covid-19 pandemic. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** As an Aries, surrender isn’t a concept that comes The universe is pressing you to define the terms of Don’t be surprised if you feel like you’re floating You’ve got romance on the brain, Capricorn. Let easily to you. Yet, this time of year, you’re repeatedly how you love, Cancer. Friday’s skies are deeply sweet away today, Libra. Your ruling planet, lover Venus, yourself drift into the dream today, as the cosmos are being asked to embrace it. Friday’s skies highlight and romantic, as the Pisces moon merges with heart- finds herself wrapped up in a mystifying cuddle working to soften your approach to relationships. this ongoing narrative, as the dreamy Pisces moon felt Venus and blissed-out Neptune. puddle with the dreamy Pisces moon and reali- merges with lover Venus. ty-bending Neptune today.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** Don’t be alarmed if you can’t locate yourself under As a Leo, you’re the natural romantic of the zodiac. You don’t want to miss out on the opportunities sit- Your core values in love are beginning to shift and Friday’s skies, Taurus. Your ruling planet, harmo- You know the ins and outs of courtship like the back ting on your doorstep today, Scorpio. The ethereal change, Aquarius. That story is under the spotlight ny-seeking Venus, finds herself wrapped up in a of your hand, yet the more foreign element of love is Pisces moon links arms with romantic Venus and today, as the emotionally rich Pisces moon merges magical union with the deep-feeling Pisces moon and the art of raw, deep, interpersonal commitment. dream-maker Neptune today, making for a blissed with value-defining Venus and dream-maker Neptune dream-maker Neptune. out gathering of energies.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** Friday’s skies are luxuriously lazy and fantasy prone, Friday’s cosmic landscape is similar to steeping in a Friday’s skies are soothing and gentle, Sagittarius. Powerful forces of attraction are at play under Gemini. The sleepy Pisces moon finds herself wedged warm bubble bath, Virgo. The ethereal Pisces moon The deep-feeling Pisces moon merges with Friday’s skies, Pisces. You seem to hold a spell over into the dazzling union of lover Venus and reali- finds herself wedged between lover Venus and reali- bond-building Venus and dreamy Neptune, creating those who catch a glance of you, as the moon joins ty-melting Neptune. ty-dissolving Neptune, making it a most romantic, a sweet atmosphere to indulge in on the home and the cuddle puddle of magnetic Venus and reali- fantasy-prone day. family front. ty-bending Neptune in your sign. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K 09 | FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE How this college is opening the gates to better hospitality education Making sure that students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds have equal access to quality hospitality education, Kathmandu University and GATE College roll out a one-of-a-kind apprenticeship degree in Nepal.

TSERING NGODUP LAMA education required to enter the industry,” KATHMANDU said Lakai. But for many students, Lakai believes, n the morning of February even today money is the barrier stopping 7, as 21-year-old Sunil Ray, them from getting the right training and who works as a domestic education to enter the hospitality industry. worker for a family in Making sure that students from disad- Kathmandu, took a seat vantaged socio-economic backgrounds inside Global Academy of have equal access to quality hospitality OTourism and Hospitality Education education, says Lakai, is the guiding prin- (GATE) College’s auditorium hall, he ciple behind coming up with the KU-GATE scanned the faces of 23 other students like BPH programme. him who had gathered there. “When I approached KU to collaborate The students had come to participate in for the programme, they agreed to come the orientation programme of Bachelors onboard because they felt the need of the in Professional Hospitality (BPH), an programme in the country, and after two industry-focused apprenticeship degree years of rigorous work, it gives me great provided in collaboration between GATE joy for that dream to come to fruition,” College and Kathmandu University (KU) said Lakai. that allows students to learn while they According to Lakai, the first three earn and vice versa. months of the BPH degree will be theory “Unlike other bachelor’s hospitality classes aimed to train the students to programmes, the KU-GATE BPH pro- become ready to enter the hospitality gramme focuses heavily on apprentice- industry. ship, which begins from the fourth month “After the first three months, the stu- of the course, and the best part of the dents will start apprenticing in the hospi- course is that students also get paid,” said tality industry where they will learn as Ray, a native of Sarlahi. they work and get paid as well. In between, For Ray, this provision of being able to students will also attend classes conduct- earn while studying was extremely impor- ed by KU,” said Lakai. “That Hotel Soaltee tant. Oberoi vocational course changed the Financially unable to send him to course of my life 20 years ago, and I hope school, Ray’s parents sent him to that our BPH course will do the same for Kathmandu to work under the condition our students.” that his employers send him to school in Another defining moment for Lakai the city. He was only 12 years old. After came in 1998 when he got a partial scholar- working as domestic help for nearly a dec- ship to study at Swiss School of Tourism ade, last year Ray passed Grade 12 in hotel and Hospitality in Switzerland. management from a government school in “In Switzerland, I was introduced to Kathmandu. world class education and hospitality, and “I have always loved cooking, cleaning when I left the country after finishing my and taking care of people, and that’s the studies, I started harbouring this dream reason why I decided to study hotel man- PHOTO COURTESY: GATE COLLEGE which was to introduce Swiss quality of agement,” said Ray. Students at the orientation programme of the KU-GATE BPH degree in GATE College, Kathmandu. (Below) Khem Lakai, GATE College’s founder and CEO. education in Nepal. In 2008, I achieved But Ray says he was aware that if he that when GATE College started offering a were to become a professional in the hos- entered the city. Like Ray, Lakai enrolled Swiss hospitality degree at GATE College pitality industry he will have to have a in a government-run school in Kathmandu. in 2008,” said Lakai. “By becoming a part degree and experience. In January 2021, GATE While studying in high school, Lakai of the EHL network of schools from “Of course I wanted to attend a good started working at a restaurant. January 2021 onwards is a testament to hospitality school and learn all there is to became a part of the “The job allowed me to pay my bills, and our commitment to always work to bring learn about this field but I have always most importantly, it introduced me to the the best of Swiss hospitality education been aware that good hospitality schools network of Ecole hospitality industry,” said Lakai. “Back into the country.” are expensive and that I won’t be able to then, there was no such thing as a hospi- Lakai hopes the EHL collaboration will afford to study,” said Ray. “Then one day, a hôtelière de Lausanne, tality degree so after passing grade 12, I also help him make the case for something friend of mine told me about the KU-GATE enrolled in a Saraswati Multiple Campus, he has always strongly believed in— BPH course and I immediately came to based in Switzerland. a government-run college to pursue a Nepal’s potential to become a hub for GATE College, got all the details, and degree in commerce.” international hospitality students. Even applied.” It was during that time that Lakai got before this year, GATE, says Lakai, has But GATE wasn’t always a college that and reputation of the college’s Bachelors selected for a year and a half food and had a few international students mostly students from Ray’s economic background in International Hospitality Management beverage training programme by the then from other Asian countries. could afford to attend. (BIHM). Hotel Soaltee Oberoi (currently Soaltee “We have a temperate climate, beautiful In 2008, when GATE College started On the one hand, GATE College becom- Crowne Plaza Kathmandu). landscape, and people who are naturally offering a Swiss-accredited bachelor’s ing a part of the EHL network of school “The hotel provided the course to select- warm and hospitable, and now with our degree in hotel management, it became makes the institution more exclusive than ed students for free. Had it not been free, I link with EHL, one of world’s top hospital- the first in the country to offer a Swiss it has ever been. On the other hand, the wouldn’t have applied in the first place ity institutions, we hope this will convince degree. The college is one of the leading KU-GATE BPH programme is making the we had already earned a reputation for because I didn’t have money,” said Lakai. more international students to come to hospitality schools in the country but that institution more accessible to the masses. our Swiss hospitality degree,” said Lakai. “I ended up topping the course and then I Nepal to study with us,” said Lakai. quality and the Swiss degree isn’t what While for many, the diverging paths the “One of the board members even asked was offered a job at the hotel with a For more than 10 years now, GATE everyone could afford. college has taken might seem odd, but for whether providing the BPH degree would monthly salary of Rs 3,200.” College, says Lakai, has served as a plat- In January 2021, GATE College became Khem Lakai, GATE College’s founder and mean creating a competition to our Swiss- This experience was the foundation form for me to bring to fruition his deeply a part of the network of Switzerland- CEO, the paths are exactly what he has accredited bachelor’s degree in hotel man- upon which Lakai built his hospitality held beliefs regarding quality education based Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), always envisioned for his institution. agement.” career. and its accessibility. one of world’s top hospitality manage- “When I informed the college’s board Born and brought up in Sailung in “Thanks to the hotel free-of-cost voca- “The journey hasn’t been easy but it has ment schools, certified schools. The EHL members of the plan to start BPH, some Dolakha, Lakai came to Kathmandu when tional course, money didn’t act as a barri- been rewarding,” said Lakai. “And that is connection further raises the standard questioned the need of doing so because he was 12 years old, the same age Ray er for me to get the proper training and what it all matters to me.” Long sidelined at the Grammys, women in rock claim their due For the first time ever, the Best Rock Performance category—a field that’s existed since 2012—is comprised entirely of solo women or female-led acts.

MAGGY DONALDSON along with one group of male and NEW YORK female singers. And the rap world, long he Grammys’ rock cat- stereotyped as a boys’ club, also egories normally ooze has seen a bevy of female stars testosterone, but this make waves. year, women-led acts Cardi B won Best Rap Album in have seized the mic. 2019, and Megan Thee Stallio It is a significant who McDonnell said “is taking a Tshift that comes just a few years lot of the oxygen out of the after Neil Portnow, the former room for the guys”—is poised to CEO of the Recording Academy, post a banner night on Sunday, was roundly derided for saying with four nominations including women should “step up” to achieve for the coveted Best New fair representation in the music Artist prize. industry, in which they’ve long Still, just days before the gala, been sidelined. which will be mostly virtual due For the first time ever, the Best to the pandemic, a new study from Rock Performance category—a USC’s Annenberg Inclusion field that’s existed since 2012—is Initiative showed the stark num- comprised entirely of solo women bers for women in music have not or female-led acts: Fiona Apple, budged all that much since it Phoebe Bridgers, sister group released a similar study three Haim, Brittany Howard, Grace years ago—which had prompted Potter, and the Adrianne Lenker- vows of reform. fronted band Big Thief. Female artists accounted for Lenker, Apple, Howard and approximately one-fifth of the top Bridgers are all also up for Best Billboard hits in 2020—down Rock Song, and the three slightly from 2019’s 22.5 percent. latter acts received nominations The study also examined the for Best Alternative Album. Potter Grammy nominations between scored another nod for Best Rock AFP/RSS 2013 and 2021, finding that out of Album. In this file photo, Fiona Apple performs at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, in New York City. 1,359 nominees, just 13.4 percent Women molded rock’s evolu- were women—though the ratio of tion—blues pioneer Big Mama in which rock gets defined as has appeared to take baby steps female nominees jumped signifi- Thornton, for example, was the white men with guitars.” towards change. cantly from 2020 to 2021 to slightly first to record Hound Dog, the Yet women have always been The Recording Academy has long been “The Grammys have clearly over one-fifth. seminal hit now strongly associat- influential in rock: Patti Smith, accused of supporting white, male acts been called out on the carpet” after This month, the Academy ed with Elvis Presley. Kim Gordon, Stevie Nicks and decades of being “woefully out of announced it was conducting a But in the mid-twentieth centu- Debbie Harry are just a few key at the expense of everyone else. touch,” McDonnell told AFP. university-partnered study to ana- ry, the fledgling genre’s image household names that have led the And it’s not just in rock: 2021’s lyse women’s representation in “pretty quickly got taken over by w a y. women nominees also dominated the music industry, with data men,” said Evelyn McDonnell, a While Bridgers and the Haim For much of Grammys history, Since then, in the Best Rock the categories for country music, a intended to improve accountabili- scholar focused on pop culture, sisters are relative newcomers on the rock prizes were separated by Performance category, only one genre that has been roiled in con- ty and facilitate reforms. music and gender. the scene, Apple—whose 2020 gender, with the Academy in woman has taken home a trophy: troversy in recent years for its For McDonnell, the legions of “You really saw that division: record Fetch The Bolt Cutters some odd years merging the Howard, who won as the front- white, macho bent. women in the rock and country what the lads with the guitars did was hailed by the music fields—citing a lack of female acts woman of the band Alabama A concerted feminist movement fields are long overdue—and per- was rock, and what girls in the authority Pitchfork as “an to nominate. Starting with the Shakes in 2016. within country has forced that haps a sign of real change. bouffants did was Motown or pop,” unyielding masterpiece”—first 2012 ceremony, the Academy The Recording Academy has tide to start turning—and at this “I hope these are shifts in con- the Loyola Marymount University found success in the late 1990s, stripped gender distinction long been accused of supporting year’s Grammys, Academy voters sciousness—not just affirmative professor told AFP. with Potter breaking out a few altogether, in rock along with pop, white, male acts at the expense of nominated four solo female acts in action-like glitches,” she said. “There’s this whole sexist way years later. R&B and country. everyone else—and in recent years the Best Country Album category — Agence France-Presse

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | 10 (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053

Published and Printed by Kantipur Publications Pvt. Ltd., Central Business Park, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal, P. B. No. 8559, Phone: 5135000, Fax: 977-1-5135057, e-mail: [email protected], Regd. No. 32/049/050, Chairman & Managing Director: Kailash Sirohiya, Director: Swastika Sirohiya, Editor: Sanjeev Satgainya