By Pratibedan Baidhya

A committee formed to investigate into alleged irregularities at the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has said that most of the charges leveled against chief executive officer of the NTB, Tek Bahadur Dangi, by the Democratic Tourism Society (DTS) and some of the former employees were baseless.

CEO of NTB Tek Bahadur Dangi (File Photo)

CEO of NTB Tek Bahadur Dangi (File Photo)
According to a copy of the report obtained by Nepalnews, NTB used to send its weekly report to the royal palace as per the direction of the palace during the direct rule of the King.

The report – prepared by a three-member committee headed by Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Shanker Koirala—said that it did not find proof that the NTB had invited a staunch-royalist and president of World Hindu Federation (WHF), Bharat Keshar Simha, as a special guest during the brand-launching ceremony of the NTB.

Likewise, the report further said the NTB did not provide money to various ceremonies organized by the World Hindu Federation as claimed by the DTS headed by Dipak Mahat. “NTB had sent its staff and promotion materials during some programmes of the WHF which seem justified from the point of view of promoting religious tourism,” the probe committee said.

The report, however, said NTB made unnecessary expenses by footing the bill to prepare 5,000 badges containing the images of King Gyanendra and Queen Komal. In his written response submitted to the committee, Dangi said that the Board had agreed to pay money for the badges since royalties were part of various promotional programmes being launched by the NTB.

DTS had alleged that Dangi supported the erstwhile regime by prohibiting the NTB employees from contributing in the fund set up for the treatment of victims of the people’s movement 2006. Dangi, however, said he had advised the employees to do so on individual basis rather than in an institutional way, which could pose risks to their employment.

The report further said that the decision of the Board, not to extend the contract of two employees of NTB, who had served there for quite a long time was not justifiable. Dangi, however, clarified that employees were hired under contract as long as there was a need and that their job was terminated when their services were no more required.

In its report, the probe committee said amendment in the provisions related to the facilities of the employees without proper discussion and proper homework was undemocratic. It has suggested that that the NTB immediately amend its statute as per the suggestion of the employees of the NTB and as per the recommendation of the committee.

The report further added that the postponement of the proposed American road show due to the last hour cancellation of the royal trip to New York had caused losses to the NTB. Out of 60,000 USD allocated for the promotional campaign, the US-based agent deducted USD 5,050 marking it as bank commission and expenses incurred during preparation and returned rest of the amount to the NTB.

The report, however, said the decision to organize the America Road Show had been taken by the executive committee and sub-committees of the NTB with the consent of the private sector.

The Democratic Tourism Society and junior employees of NTB had locked up the office of the NTB for nine days demanding the resignation of its CEO Tek Bahadur Dangi, accusing him of supporting the royal regime, among
others.

Dangi has refuted those allegations.

Talking to Nepalnews, a leading tourism entrepreneur and general secretary of Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO), Ashok Pokhrel, said that the act of Democratic Tourism Society to lock up the NTB was quite irresponsible and gave bad image to the country’s tourism industry.

“The lockout in the NTB, which has been providing services to tourists even during very difficult situation, is unjustified and resulted into the cancellation of tourism promotion campaign in India, among others,” he added.

When contacted by Nepalnews, chairman of DTS, Dipak Mahat, said his organization stood by its demands. “We didn’t have high expectation from the probe committee, which was bureaucratic in its nature,” added Mahat.
He did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, delay on part of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to take decision on the basis of the report submitted by the probe committee has puzzled many. At a time when the NTB needs to gear itself up to capitalize on the newly started peace process and tremendous goodwill that the country has garnered in the aftermath of the people’s movement, lack of dynamic leadership at the Nepal Tourism Board has not only hampered its day-to-day operations, it has also adversely affected its long-term strategic planning and execution.