Dual Citizenship a necessity for NRN’s, crucial issue for 9th General Convention

Reporters Club: The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) is all geared to conduct its9th general convention in the capital. Non Residential Nepalese (NRN) from all over the world has come to take part in the convention. Many have also announced their candidature for various posts that are up for elections. The main point of discussion of this year of the NRN’s has been issuing dual citizenship that will enable them to have rights in their home country.

Som Sapkota, Mahesh Kumar Shrestha and Sudan Thapa who have announced their candidacy for the post of Treasurer have similar opinions regarding access to dual citizenship. Speaking at a special press interaction program on Wednesday in light of the 9th general convention presided by Senior Journalist and President of the Club Rishi Dhamala, Som Sapkota candidate for the post of Treasurer stated that”he will run the organization with more visibility and transparency”. Sapkota has also assured that the Self-Employed Welfare Fund will be used favorably in order to resolve the problems of NRN’S, and that it was after interviewing many of them that he has  declared his candidacy for the post based on the advice and suggestions he received from the interviews conducted.

(Som Sapkota) 

Sapkota was also in favor of a strong united organization rather favoring any particular panel. If the situation demanded that he chose a particular panel then he is close to Kul Acharya who is running for the post of Vice-President. He also said that he has over 13 years of experience in the field of finance, and his experience will be beneficial for the organization.

Sapkota is also in favor of increasing the Foreign Employment Welfare Fund from the existing 20 million to 50 million Nepalese rupees (NRs). He also stated that it was time to audit previous work and take a role of leadership and accountability toward the organization.

Speaking at the same program another candidate for the post of Treasurer Mahesh Kumar Shrestha stated that “with experience and serving in various committees and the experience that he received he announced his candidature for the position. I have served in the organization for a long time, and he was also part of the Government formed ‘ investment committee’. I have a concrete plan to consolidate funds, and make our union stronger for the coming years”.

(Mahesh Kumar Shrestha)

Shrestha also spoke of his experience in the field of remittance stating that “I have worked in this field for a long time, over 8 trillion NRs is received by Nepal through remittance. He also wants more transparency in the functioning of the treasury along with listing yearly financial goals and a planned manner. He also is in favor of creating a more disciplined environment along with strengthening the organization for the coming years without being influenced by external political factors.

Sudan Thapa the final candidate for the post of the Treasurer stated that he “will work towards making the organization financially stronger as well as transparent in its functioning. He said that “Nepal needs foreign investment, and since he has been serving in the committee since 2008, he said that the Employment Welfare Fund is absolutely essential”.

(Sudan Thapa)

He had observed while serving as the Vice President for the Japan chapter that he was unable to do anything about helping those Nepalese in dire need. He, therefore, made a commitment in order to create something that would be utilized for the welfare of Nepalese workers and that no one should ever have to go through such an intricate situation filled with hardships and difficulties. This was one of the fundamental reasons for building the fund. Thapa also said he will pay close attention to the youth and their development which will be oriented toward vocation and career, he also hoped that unity would prevail and everyone will be taken into consideration.

Finally speaking at the program was the candidate for the position of Secretary Abhiman Singh Basnet who said that “Nepal is a wonderful destination for tourism. We have to make sure that we are able to provide the right logistics and infrastructure for tourism to be successful. He also said there was a danger of the NRNA building being governmentalized.

(Abhiman Singh Basnet)

“We have to bring all these matters which are of grave concern, and we must have the ability to discuss all such contentious issues that are plaguing the organization”. Basnet also was in favor of dual citizenship for NRN’s all over the globe, to this regard he stated that ” we have to pay almost three times the price for coming back to our own country, this needs to be addressed and hence we also should get the rights as citizens of the country”. Speaking at the program he also was confident that he will win the post as Secretary with a comfortable margin with a large support of the NRN’s.