In June 2021, the new Government, as the previous government did, brought more views and made remarks on the exploitations of loopholes in the oversight of Nepalese politics and bureaucracy by the key neighbors and superpower influences.
The views covered areas like, but are not limited to, corruption, directionless development programs, donor’s dominance, dysfunctional bureaucracy, and egotism in Nepal.
It is of course arguable what is corrupt and what is not. Questions arise: which cases are corrupt? Which development programs are worthless or directionless? Why bureaucracy is dysfunctional and working as a puppet?
Why someone becomes self-defensive? Why the economy is dwindling? And, why Nepal needs to curtsy before big neighbors and superpowers?
Nonetheless, there is abundant evidence that Nepal’s system of governance and especially the behaviors of the political masters, retired public positions holders, and senior public officials who were compensated from the national exchequer and bureaucrats need a greater and lasting reform in the interest of the country.
It has become common in Nepal, especially for politicians including former ministers, and former high-ranking public positions holders as well as bureaucrats to change their affiliation, alliance and even jobs (consulting) and share insights they have gained (especially those considered inappropriate and unethical for sharing) from their previous positions and affiliation.
Amid, transparency in all walks of life in Nepal is lacking and there are no effective monitoring mechanisms in the current system of governance, without it, one can assume that these – unregulated and insider dealings are likely to happen more often.
In other words, some politicians, former public positions holders, and bureaucrats had served in highly privileged positions, say, in the Ministry of Finance or Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Home Affairs or Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Minister, with access to all kind of information, resources and contacts beyond that others can easily or legitimately acquire and they are expected to preserve that information, but sometimes there is a question on the integrity of the concerned individuals.
For example, during the parliamentary committee’s hearings about unauthorized access of outsiders during the preparation of the budget for the Fiscal Year 2079/80, the public was rightly concerned about whether the information was/could be sold to the lobbyists or private and multinational corporations, corporate-lords and corporate rivals.
There is also a perception that, sometimes, there are competing offers from the corporate world and the highest bidders win irrespective of public interest.
Unregulated and insider dealings in depraved or dodgy ways especially from the private sector and corporates, politicians and bureaucrats are said to be rampant in Nepal.
Applying or following these practices, people get access to privileged information that they use for personal gains, affecting/harming those players who play the game fairly and competitively.
It is believed that this often happens when a retired public position holder in the past, and retired senior bureaucrats in possession of key information moves to so-called well-paid positions or work in offices of donors or donor’s managed international and national nongovernmental organizations or multinational corporation and private sector, that too in family companies.
The information carried by these public officials and bureaucrats is used for the benefit of those companies, and almost inevitably, to the disadvantage of other competitors.
This could not be universal and could not be the e case with all politicians, public position holders and bureaucrats, but it is distinctly noticeable and visible.
Now, a billion-dollar question. Who is going to make or bring transformational changes and make Nepal a dignified country and provide its citizen with an honest, transparent, and well-governed country?
Amid, transparency in all walks of life in Nepal is lacking and there are no effective monitoring mechanisms in the current system of governance, without it, one can assume that these – unregulated and insider dealings are likely to happen more often.
Furthermore, lack of transparency, lack of monitoring and total absence of agency(ies) in charge of governing the movement of individuals between the public and private sectors, and public and donor offices will make matters worse.
The results are: everywhere, and all the time, doors are opened for former politicians, public post holders and bureaucrats to leverage their positions of entrusted powers for private gains.
Interestingly enough, regrettably, it looks, and we get the impression that some politicians, public post holders, and senior bureaucrats have survived with these undesirable practices for many years, sadly the “policy corruptions “ always get overlooked!
In the known history of Nepal, and particularly during the 2oth century and until the recent time of the 21st century, many Nepalese public feels that high-ranking bureaucrats, other public servants occupying public positions, and political masters discredited themselves by perpetuating and protecting the failing system of governance.
Now, a billion-dollar question. Who is going to make or bring transformational changes and make Nepal a dignified country and provide its citizen with an honest, transparent, and well-governed country?
A lasting reform is needed, rather urgent, and should receive the first priority!
We need to live in HOPE and let us hope that this will be the AGENDA of the next Government after the November election!
(Mr. Ghimire is former Secretary of the Government of Nepal)
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