Deadline saga

The schedule of the Constituent Assembly has been amended for the sixth time, after the delay in the constitution drafting process. According to the earlier schedule, September 6 was the last day to complete discussions on all the concept papers. However, the five thematic committees failed to submit their concept papers and preliminary reports on time citing differences of opinion. Even then, there is optimism being floated around that the deadline for promulgating the new constitution will be met as scheduled on May 28, 2010. If the present developments are any indications, only sincere efforts by all the political parties based on consensus can be the vehicle. The normal business of the House has been stalled by the Maoists repeatedly for over a month who demand the move of the President in the Army Chief episode be discussed in the House. And, the crucial repercussions are on the constitution drafting, with the leaders of the political parties becoming more acrimonious, and it is difficult to imagine them coming together in the present situation. But, there are those who say that few believed that the elections of the Constituent Assembly would ever take place. The sceptics were proved wrong and the elections were eventually held and its meeting ushered in the federal, democratic, republican Nepal.

The revised schedule for the proceedings of the House targets to complete the discussions of all the thematic committees’ concept papers by November 15, and to come up with the first draft of the new constitution by mid-December that would be given the finishing touches and then presented to the public for discussions at the end of December. The feedback would then be discussed by the House by February 27. A week had been set aside for this discussion. Following this the draft of the constitution would be revised and then tabled as a Bill in the House within two weeks between March 7 and 16. This is a very tight schedule. That this will not be easy can be gleaned from the difficulties that the thematic committees encountered in reaching some of the decisions. As a matter of fact, they had to opt for the voting procedure, and there was general discontentment.

Under the circumstances, the political parties should immediately embark on the task of facilitating the constitution writing process so that the deadline is not missed. The Nepalese people have made immense sacrifices and to deny them their rights at this stage would be unforgivable. The leaders of the major political parties are reposed with even more responsibility to see to it that the aspirations of the people are met. The consequences of not being able to have a new constitution on time could spell disaster for the country. The schedule of the constitution drafting process cannot accommodate any further delay. The amendment to the schedule now leaves little time for writing the constitution. With the inter-party tussles seeing no sign of relenting, and the House business stalled by the Maoists, the general people are bewildered at the idea of the new constitution being promulgated on the date that stands fixed at May 28, 2010.

H1N1 curse

There’s something in the name itself that gets people fidgeting in their seat. If at one time Avian Flu had the authorities cull the selected members

of the feathered ones, now the threat is greater with the pandemic that is for real in swine flu. Common cold was something that turned up at specified times in the year and left battering the victims who remained alive and kicking. But, this swine flu variety is leading to sleepless nights for people everywhere, with the global death toll standing at almost 3,000. Well, the mutation part of the virus is what does the devastating trick. Unlike the bird flu that got transmitted from the birds to humans in almost all the cases, the one from the swine crosses onto the humans, then it’s the linear movement of the virus that has catastrophic consequences. So, eliminating the swines cannot be the answer.

The good news is that the vaccine against swine

flu will be here before winter arrives. But, till that time precaution is the only way to safety, and it is easier said than done. Yet, as in the case with every fresh outbreak of any disease, the race is inevitably against time. And, back home our lethargic ways are too well-known.