Five candidates registered their nominations as presidential candidates of the Non-Resident Nepali Association on Saturday. Most of them have a common agenda of registration of the organization as well as its institutionalization, focusing on collective investment in the mother country. 

 

The candidates gave mixed reactions whether there will be consensus for the post of the president like in the past. Contestants Shesh Ghale and Hitman Gurung said they won´t compromise for consensus. 

 

Both of them argued that they won´t withdraw their candidacy as they carry the support of a large number of members and don´t like to show disrespect for supporters. However, the other three candidates hinted at the possibility of consensus by tonight. 

 

Sesh Ghale (Australia) 

 

Ghale, an Australian billion of Nepali origin, underlined the need of reviewing the past 10 years and devising plans for the coming decade. He said he has a vision of taking the NRNA above politics so that the organization would be a social organization like Rotary International Club. He has priorities of strengthening the NRN movement and registration of the organization as well as institutionalizing the diaspora community body. Instituting a welfare fund at the initiation of NRNA for providing compensation to the physically handicapped and to the families of those killed during foreign employment in the Middle East are some other agendas for the election. 

 

Likewise, Ghale has the agenda of making efforts for the continuation of the Nepali citizenships of the Nepali diaspora for bringing their knowledge and capital back to the home country. 

 

Tenzi Sherpa (South Korea) 

 

Sherpa, who is currently the general secretary of NRNA, claimed himself a suitable candidate as he has experience in the organization and can drive the body effectively. He also has set the priorities of registration of the organization, increasing the social welfare programs and diversification of collective NRN investment in different sectors including agriculture and infrastructure, after hydropower projects. He also wanted to address the security concerns of women in foreign employment as well as guaranteeing their social welfare funds and insurance. 

 

Rameshwar Shah (UAE) 

 

Shah, who is also vice-president of NRNA, is another candidate for president. He also has the agendas of registration of the organization and institutionalize. Likewise, he also has the priorities of initiating proper management of foreign employment and making it more decent, continuation of Nepali citizenship for people living abroad and focusing on bringing in the collective NRN investment into the country. Shah is managing director of NRN Investment Limited, instituted for the collective investment of NRN funds. 

 

Hitman Gurung (UK) 

 

Gurung, who has worked for the welfare of ex-Gurkhas, has put forward the agenda of social welfare as priority, as well as making the NRNA self-dependent and financially sustainable and running it in a systematic way. He claimed himself to be a suitable candidate for president as he has lots of experience working in the social welfare sector. He also stressed the need of giving the opportunity to those who are intellectually sound and have the talent and time for playing an active role in the organization, which otherwise cannot afford to pay a monthly levy. He has other agendas of addressing the problems of foreign employment and bringing in collective investment and uniting Nepalis living abroad worldwide. 

 

Ram Pratap Thapa (Germany)

 

Thapa said he would focus on the tasks left announced by the organization in the past. He said he wants to cover Nepalis abroad as far as possible with NRNA membership and play a role in bringing collective NRN investment in the country. He expressed concern over the very limited number of Nepalis abroad who are in the NRNA and says all Nepalis living abroad should get recognition in the NRNA. There are only 100,000 members in the NRNA out of a total of three million living in foreign lands.

 

Published on: 20 October 2013 | Republica