A few good tips for our country:

Democracy is an evolutionary process that we firmly believe in. At times debate prolongs the process, but it ensures the inclusion of everyone in society. Those days are gone when you simply ruling something and then expect it to happen. What we have to do is reach out to the community, argue the merits of certain policy ideas, accept the challenges that come back at us, and respond in a manner that brings more people on board.
The feedback that gets from the public will be constructive. Sometime, it makes us think of things which will not think of in the initial design. It also helps us refocus on where the money [from the levy] should go. Looking back, if we did it again we would probably bring in a wider cross-section of the population from the beginning.
We have had to compromise, work hard, and lobby. And we had to hold our breath a couple of times as the measure was going through parliament. Change is not easy and usually takes longer than you expect. But you should never be discouraged, as it is worthwhile in the long run.
With democracy there are freedoms, and there will always be those who disagree. People all over the world can be dissatisfied with any system, and if I watch CNN or Sky News, for example, there is much more criticism of their own governments than external ones. Thank God there is a mechanism here for people to put those ideas into practice if they have a majority view, and at the very least express them peacefully.
What we need to focus on is the building of a national identity. We need to move away from the Madeshi, Maoist divide. It was not there in the past and has been exacerbated by the political situation of our neighbours. The age-old power struggle between Maoist and the Madeshi issue is reaching frenzy in Nepal. It’s a situation that is not helping us, but it is something I will continue to fight. We are all Nepalese here; we are all citizens and should not differentiate between Madeshi, Pahadiya, Higher cast, Lower cast, ethnic group and so on. I don’t think we should allow this to dominate our political discourse in Nepal. We should focus on policy, not on religion and origin.
I certainly think that economic reform and growth ensure the success of political reform. I’ve heard people talk about delaying political reform because economic reform is not yet sufficiently in place. It’s a fine balance, but I would say that economic growth is a natural prerequisite for political reform. It makes the latter much easier and more stable. But if you are willing to work hard, then starting with political reform will yield the same results.
The great challenge we will have in the future is defining the role of the state in this region—whether it will remain a welfare state or a state more similar to that of a modern economy. I think this will colour a lot of the public debate, namely how much influence, control, and patronage the state will have versus how much independence, empowerment, and influence the private sector should have. When civil society, the free market, or the capitalist system clashes with the oil state, you will see tensions. A high price of oil exacerbates those tensions.
There is a new generation of leaders here and elsewhere in the region who want to see the prosperity they have enjoyed continue into future generations.