Private sector urges for end to strikes

KATHMANDU, April 8:

The private sector Tuesday urged the 30-party opposition alliance led by UCPN Maoist to roll back its strikes saying bandas affect economic activity in the country. Late on Tuesday, the alliance, which had called for bandas from Tuesday through Wednesday and Thursday, announced that it would withdraw its strikes scheduled for the remaining two days.

A group led by Pashupati Murarka, the acting president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), visited the leader of the 30-party alliance and the chairman of UCPN Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal at his residence and requested him to withdraw the strikes. The private sector walked to Dahal’s residence in Lazimpat to make the plea to stop the bandas. Talking to Republica after the meeting, Murarka expressed hope for a rollback. “Dahal has told us that there will be some decisions made by a meeting of the alliance leaders in the evening,” Murarka said.

The representatives of the private sector also comprised officials of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) and the Independent Power Producers Association.

Rs 1.8 BILLION LOSS A DAY: NRB STUDY

A study on the impact of general strikes conducted by Nepal Rastra Bank(NRB), the central bank, says that one day of a nationwide strike causes a loss of about Rs 1.8 billion, most of which is borne by the service and industry sectors.

The study, based on data and strike incidents in period from 2008 to 2013, also revealed that such recurring bandas had a total output loss of Rs 27 billion on average per year.

‘INVESTORS’ CONFIDENCE will be HIT’

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Nepalese Industry (CNI) also urged concerned parties to expedite the process of promulgation of the constitution and end the political instability, and to shun any strikes.

CNI said it feared strikes and protests may reappear and damage the country’s economy again. Issuing a statement, CNI drew the attention of the opposition alliance to the damage saying that its protests would dampen investors’ confidence. Investors face a sense of insecurity and uncertainty, CNI said. Further, it said the strikes -- coming on the backdrop of a lack of an investment environment and with jobless youths heading abroad as menial labor -- can by no means address the country’s problems.

Likewise, the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) has also urged for the withdrawal of bandas, saying its impact on the tourism industry was huge and directly or indirectly affected the livelihood of over 4.5 million people.

HAN said that similar strikes and political uncertainty in the past had resulted in a slowdown in the inflow of tourists in the recent months.

Source: Republica