MP Baldry volunteers for Nepal visit (From thisisoxfordshire)

MP Baldry volunteers for Nepal visit

3:31pm Wednesday 29th July 2009 in News By Sam Mcgregor

Banbury MP Tony Baldry is heading to Nepal over the summer for volunteer work.

Mr Baldry went to the region last year as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Voluntary Service Overseas organisation.

He along with other MPs were called political volunteers or Polvols and worked on a new constitution for the country, which is wedged between India and China.

And in August he plans to return to the country to spend a fortnight continuing the work.

Mr Baldry said Nepal was a fragile state and one of the poorest in Asia, but strategically important to UK interests.

He said: “For years we have been greatly indebted to those Nepalese who have joined the Brigade of Gurkhas.

“However, Nepal has serious political problems, and the political situation is worse now than when I was last in Kathmandu last year.

“Maoists have been disrupting proceedings in parliament, blockading parliament and Nepal now has the 19th Government since 1990, with a Prime Minister who leads a 22 party coalition. However, coalition members cannot agree on the allocation of cabinet seats.

“The overall picture is gloomy.

“Not only are the political parties in Nepal wary of each other, but there are serious divisions within their own membership.

“However, work on the new constitution is still going ahead.”

He plans to put to pass on his experience of many years in Parliament, and as a former Government minister, to colleagues in Nepal.