Kathmandu, December 16, 2008

The 14 committees of the Constituent Assembly today formally started the process to draft the new constitution. The committees, holding their first meetings in their respective offices in Singha Durbar, set their 15-day programme according to which, they will elect their chairpersons, identify their working areas and prepare work schedule and procedure regulations. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal after he took the oath of secrecy at the Constitutional Committee, said, “Foundation for writing the new constitution has been laid and the committees started their business today. It shows that the process of writing new constitution has been started.” CA chairman Subas Nembang said all committees started their business today and all the political parties representing the CA have agreed to move ahead with the business of drafting the constitution, forging consensus, as per the CA work schedule. Nembang said though the CA could not elect chairpersons for the 14 committees as per the schedule it had not obstructed the committees’ business. The chairpersons had to be elected by yesterday as per the schedule. The Constitutional Committee members took the oath of office and secrecy from Chairman Nembang today. Nemwang said, “The CC, which has the representation of all the 25 parties, will play a major tole in drafting the constitution. That’s why the members of the CC had to take the oath of secrecy. Swearing in the members of drafting committee is a tradition even in other countries.”

Remittance pinch to global meltdown blues

Kathmandu, December 16, 2008

The cascading effect of global recession is finally going to hit the local home and hearth. Remittance - one of the major pile-drivers of the economy - is feeling the pinch, thanks to the drastic cut and freeze in recruitment of migrant Nepali workers in Qatar and Malaysia. While, the Gulf nation is the most favoured destination for Nepali workforce, the Southeast Asian country comes a close second. The figures tell a stark tale. Of the total foreign workforce in Malaysia, Nepalis comprise a resounding 25 per cent. Altogether, there are 2.1 million foreign workers in Malaysia, of which 0.4 million are Nepalis. The overwhelming growth will be stunted, albeit temporarily, since Malaysia has imposed a freeze on recruitment for migrant workers to weather the meltdown blues. Also, the Malaysian authorities have taken the step to tide over the domestic unemployment crisis, according the official news agency Bernama that has quoted a senior official. Datuk Ismail Abdul Rahim, director-general, labour department, Malaysia, told the news agency that the cut was a Human Resource Ministry’s decision to give fillip to local employment. Of the total global remittance, Saudi Arabia tops the list, followed by Qatar and Malaysia.