Learn
from Maoists
By Madan Lamsal
Who says that the Maoists are trying to destroy the business?
They, in fact, are promoting it, but differently - importing and making
arms and ammunitions , exporting Yarsagumba, running retail shops at different
locations to sell FMCG products, and so on. See their recent support to
the tourism industry. Two of their peace talks with the government were
held at two relatively new resorts at Godavari and Royal Bardiya National
Park. Though they did not take even a cup of tea there, the publicity
these resorts got because of the Maoists being there is worth more than
what can be achieved after spending millions of rupees. Therefore, I would
suggest other resort owners to do two things. One, find out methods to
make the peace talks to go still a few months longer. Second, try to bring
Maoists and the government representatives to their resorts for talks.
And the tourism entrepreneurs don’t need to bother about learning
these tricks. They have already proved that they can make the talks inconclusive
as they have done so in case of their talks with the hotel employees.
They also know very well how to drag clients to their properties. If you
don’t believe me go and stand a while by the side of the exit from
the arrival lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport.
FNCCI’s New Role
President incumbent of FNCCI, soon after being elected,
announced that FNCCI is ready to mediate between the government and Maoists
in peace talks. Some people laughed at it and said: "while human
right groups, NGOs and INGOs have failed, how can FNCCI chief succeed
in the effort?" But I am with the president. I even suggest him that
his prime concern should be the peace talks, nothing else, like that of
our premier. He should go to the jungle to convince the Maoist leaders.
That will help him in a number of ways. One, he will be saved from the
blames like his predecessors had to face that the presidents are not working
and are more interested in visiting foreign countries. Second, FNCCI also
will be saved from the allegation that it is too much centralized.
Seminar Competition
I don’t agree to the allegations that Nepali private
sector are only crisis managers, - i.e., they work only when there is
a crisis. If you don’t agree with me, consider this example. Putting
aside the problems created because of Maoists insurgency in the country,
the seriousmost concern today is Nepal-India Trade Treaty. Our private
sector is very much aware about it. Therefore, they organized almost one
dozen workshops, seminars and talk shows on that subject. As our business
community knows the value of time, these seminars are organized only few
weeks before the treaty is going to expire. It is because they were more
busy in other things for last five years. These seminars were organized
by top-notch organizations like FNCCI, NCI, NICCI, NFTA and would be CNI
and the like. But they were so meticulous to bring out the views from
as widest spectrum of the society that not a single resource person was
repeated in these seminars, barring one former Secretary of Ministry of
Commerce. Though nobody bothered to put the reports of all these seminars
in one volume to show that Nepal has one voice, they had a very strong
reason. Our businessmen know very well that unionism is negative.
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