NRN Q&A Series #1 (Posted in Facebook, 7 March 2019)
Question 1. Why should I pay $20 to become member of NRNA NZ? What do I get in return from being member and paying $20 for membership?
$20 is the standard application fee for two years’ membership. Major part of this fee goes to NRNA ICC (global body of NRNA) in accordance with the global constitution of NRNA section 9.2. Part of your membership fee (which is not that much after paying the ICC levy) is used for general business of NRNA NZ.
All of us residing outside Nepal are non-resident Nepali in the sense that we live outside Nepal. So regardless of whether you take membership of NRNA NZ or not, you are already a non-resident Nepali in the eyes of the general public in Nepal or the Nepali community in New Zealand. We cannot get away with any wrong doing of NRNA by saying that we are not a fee paying member of NRNA NZ. Similarly, any good deed of NRNA NZ will be seen as that of the entire non-resident Nepali in New Zealand. We are all in this together.
When we take membership of NRNA NZ, we are a member not only of the national network of NRNA NZ but also a member of the global NRNA family. There are many useful initiatives and information flow within NRNA NZ and global NRNA, should you wish to actively seek to access those. We could work with the national network of NRNA NZ on matters that matters to us; there is probably more to do in that space. Through our membership, we could ask NRNA NZ elected members to deliver tangible outcomes that is of interest to us.
You can check what the global NRNA has done in “Our Work” section of NRNA website https://www.nrna.org/. One of the achievements of the global NRNA is “NRN Identity Card”. Basically, the “NRN Identity Card” allows you to live and work freely in Nepal even if you have adopted a foreign passport. Back in 2008, NRNA negotiated and made the provisions of “NRN Identity Card” with Nepal Government. After lobby from NRNA NZ, Nepal Government implemented “NRN Identity Card” by promulgating an Act of Parliament. You can find details, including application form, and relevant Act and Rules at the Nepal Embassy Canberra webpage https://au.nepalembassy.gov.np/nrn-id/. NRNA continues to lobby for implementation of dual citizenship. The question we need to ask ourselves is, maybe, do we want to support NRNA’s such initiatives or not, initiatives that benefit us all regardless of whether we are its member or not?
Once you become a fee-paying member you get to have your say by voting to choose your representatives for the NCC or Executive Committee (ex com) of the NRNA NZ. You will receive regular communication about the activities and decisions of the NRNA NZ ex com. You will be able to contact the NRNA NZ ex com about your general queries, and about any matters related to NRNA NZ or NRNA in general.
NRNA NZ is a platform where we can interact freely, and put forward your voice, opinion and ideas related to wider Nepali society in New Zealand and Nepal. There are rooms for improvement within NRNA NZ and the global NRNA movement. We need continual support from members of NRNA and the wider Nepali diaspora to improve practices and processes, both in NZ and globally. For that we have to get in first by becoming a member.
Disclaimer:
We are doing this in good faith and without any prejudice. For an “official” response to your queries from the executive committee of the NRNA NZ (also known as NCC), please forward your query directly by email at nrnanz17219@gmail.com or by calling any of the elected members directly.
You might get different answers to the questions depending on who is answering them. This is our version of the answer.
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NRN Q&A Series #2 (Posted in Facebook, 7 March 2019)
Question 2: Why is membership renewal and voting always close? Many people think we’re paying $20 to vote. (Thank you सारदा गुरुङ for asking this very important question)
Renewal of membership or registration prior to voting is a standard practice in an election process - either community organisations (such as NRNA NZ), businesses organisations (such as chamber of commerce or business associations) or general elections (local level and central level). You might recall that we have to register with Electoral Commission (elections.org.nz) to be eligible to vote in the local and general elections of New Zealand. Same applies to the general election in Nepal; we need to register with Nirwachan Aayog. Registration or renewal occurs prior to the polling date to identify and (re)confirm persons eligible to vote. Registration / renewal usually concludes closer to the polling date. Imagine a situation where you don’t have a voter list; how do you conduct an election process?
$20 is membership (we can say registration) fee for 2 years of NRNA NZ - Details about this fee has been discussed in “NRN Q&A Series #1” (See my Facebook post of March 6 at 11:27 AM ). At the end of the day, it is up to each of us individually, to decide whether we think it is worth investing $20 for 2 years membership of NRNA NZ or not.
Decision to be or not to be a member of any organisation (including NRNA NZ) is a personal decision, and either decision is OK. We have to respect an individual’s right to make a decision in this matter, just like with any other personal choices we make for ourselves.
Just like with life, our decisions have implications. In case of membership of organisations (like NRNA NZ), if we are a member, we are in. In contrary, if we are not a member, we are out. If we are in, we get to have our say. If we are out, we loose our voice and ability to have our say in matters related to that particular organisation.
Do we want to continue to ignore or remain silent about the status quo in the NRNA NZ? Or do we want to have our say in driving the change?
Choice is ours.
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Disclaimer:
We are doing this in good faith and without any prejudice. For an “official” response to your queries from the executive committee of the NRNA NZ (also known as NCC), please forward your query directly by email at nrnanz17219@gmail.com or by calling any of the elected members directly.
You might get different answers to the questions depending on who is answering them. This is our version of the answer.
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NRN Q&A Series #3 (Posted in Facebook, 26 March 2019)
IMPORTANT announcement:
NRNA NZ has done many good work since its inception in 2005.
There is always room for improvement.
To drive NRNA NZ differently, we need change in the leadership team. To change the leadership team, general members need to choose new leaders. General members have an opportunity to choose new team in the upcoming NRNA NZ Election 2019. To be able to choose new team and to have your say, you need to renew your NRNA NZ membership by 31 March 2019. Fill in the forms today and sent it ASAP to nrnanz17219@gmail.com with applicable fee. Form is included with this post.
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Question 3: What has NRNA and NRNA NZ done so far? What should NRNA NZ do in the future?
What should NRNA NZ do in the future?
There is opportunity for leaders of NRNA NZ to achieve the following outcomes:
a) reach out and connect with all Nepali diaspora living in New Zealand regardless of either they are or not members of NRNA NZ;
b) deliver an effective and targeted students and “newly arrived” support programme;
c) facilitate sports clubs to achieve new heights in their sporting goals;
d) identify and address issues and opportunities of our community living in regions as well as in the major cities; and
e) cooperate, not compete, with the geographically based entities to deliver outcomes that really matters.
My personal view is that NRNA NZ’s future activities will depend on the following two behaviours of the elected members of the new ex com (NCC):
a) the willingness and intention to deliver outcomes; and
b) degree of accountability towards the general members.
General members will have the role of proactively asking to deliver. General members can also seek accountability from the elected members towards their election agendas, and ask to be informed about the latest developments in the global NRNA movement.
What has NRNA and NRNA NZ done so far?
Activities of NRNA NZ are regularly circulated to general members via googlegroups such as nrnanewzealandmembers@googlegroups.com. If any members are not in that googlegroups distribution list, you should ask to be added by contacting the General Secretary. Alternately, see NRNA NZ facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NRNA.NZ/
For an example of the potential of NRNA NZ, please refer to the website and facebook page of the NCC of Australia
https://www.nrn.org.au/
https://www.facebook.com/NRNAAustralia/
For an example of the potential of NRNA NZ, please refer to the website and facebook page of the NCC of Australia
https://www.nrn.org.au/
https://www.facebook.com/NRNAAustralia/
At global level, from 2008, NRNA negotiated and made the provisions of “NRN Identity Card” with Nepal Government. Nepal Government has implemented this by promulgating an Act of Parliament. You can find details, including form, and relevant Act and Rules at the Nepal Embassy Canberra webpage https://au.nepalembassy.gov.np/nrn-id/. Basically, the NRN Identity Card allows you to live and work freely in Nepal even if you have foreign passport.
NRN is actively lobbying and negotiating for dual citizenship. In my personal view, this will be implemented by Nepal Government sooner or later. It is only matter of time. As far as I am aware, this has already been included in Nepal’s constitution. Processes regarding Act of Parliament and associated rules are currently ongoing.
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Disclaimer:
We are doing this in good faith and without any prejudice. For an “official” response to your queries from the executive committee of the NRNA NZ (also known as NCC), please forward your query directly by email at nrnanz17219@gmail.com or by calling any of the elected members directly. You might get different answers to the questions depending on who is answering them. This is our version of the answer.
