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TAAN reiterates its stance on NMA

Monday - 01st August 2005

Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) has reiterated its demand for controlling financial irregularities and corruption within Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).
TAAN, the umbrella organization of the registered trekking companies, has also demanded that voting rights in NMA be granted to its general members. “As the trekking companies are contributing to generating revenue for NMA by selling peaks, it should be their fundamental right to directly participate in NMA’s election,” TAAN’s President Mr. Deepak Mahat said, while addressing a press conference organized at TAAN building on July 20, 2005.
Mr. Mahat said that depriving TAAN members of voting rights in NMA is against the Principle of Natural Justice. As an associate member of NMA, TAAN has also decided not to take part in NMA's meeting. He blamed NMA for misinterpreting the Tourism Act 2035 B.S. and distributing membership to unauthorized and undeserving persons.
“This is high time that the government take a strong step to bring NMA on a right track,” he said.
He also asked the government to get NMA’s accounts audited by the Auditor General’s Office to check the massive irregularities taking place within the association.
Calling the recently held election of NMA as a ploy to bypass the genuine trekking companies, the association has called on the government to stop NMA from deviating from its original objective of promoting the country’s mountain tourism.
Regarding the renewal of trekking companies, TAAN has urged the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) not to force the existing companies to deposit Rs. 200,000 as bank guarantee. The Travel & Trekking Regulations 2062 has the provisions for the trekking companies established before the enforcement of the Regulation to deposit Rs. 200,000 as bank guarantee within a year.
Considering the difficult present situation of the tourism industry, the association has asked the Tourism Industry Division under MoCTCA to allow the existing trekking companies to deposit the bank guarantee amount in five years instead of one year.
Similarly, the association has drawn the government’s attention towards implementing the provision of the Trekking Registration Certificate (TRC) to ensure safety and security of trekkers and check illegal operations. The High Level Tourism Committee formed to make recommendations for revitalizing the ailing industry had also strongly supported the concept of TRC.
Meanwhile, TAAN has requested the government to withdraw its decision to allow foreigners to make investments in mountaineering, trekking and other adventure sectors. “Since these are our original areas of profession, we must protect them so as to contribute to rural poverty alleviation,” the association said.


Source TAAN