Liberty Discussion is a program designed to engage and inform the core members on the ideas of market economy and classical liberal ideas. Discussions are made on the contemporary issues (local or national) through open market perspective. Article is selected and shared within the members to prepare oneself for the program. The program is organized at the venue of Bikalpa – an Alternative on every alternative Saturday (twice a month).
On, Saturday, December 15, 2018, regular participants gathered on the Bikalpa office for the regular formal Liberty Discussion. The discussion was titled in Article “Public enterprises vs private enterprises.”
While having a discussion on Public enterprises or private enterprises the participants shared diverse thoughts and we had healthy debating discussion. Irrespective of their understanding, the participant shared a lot of commonalities. Discussion revolved around public enterprises and how public enterprises has been operating in Nepal. As we know the huge state-owned enterprises were benchmark of any centrally planned economy, after Second World War, Nepal was also not far behind from it. Nepal too had created dozens of state-owned enterprises. But Nepalese public enterprises also failed to meet their objectives and today a lot of enterprises are not being operated.
Participants shared that in case of public enterprises. Nepal government should not give much emphasis on public enterprises. If we need proper policy to figure out to run these enterprises. Since, they are also part of private enterprises because there is taxpayer’s money in it. Some other shared we need a regulatory reform according to the time because they have become breeding ground for corruption for politician and bureaucrats and ended up being a drag on their economy. We also had discussion raising that will privatization the only option or restructuring them can solve the problem. Should government be responsible and accountable towards the tax payer’s money. This let the participants think food for thoughts. It was engaging and fruitful discussion. There were 14 participants.
