Minutes of the Guthi meeting held on Sunday, 4 April 1999         

Guthi Australia, Inc.
14 Bunda Place
Glenmore Park
NSW 2745
Phone/Fax: (02) 4733-2939
E-mail: Guthi_Australia@hotmail.com
URL: www.catmando.com/npo/guthi/

Executive Members
Surendra Shrestha
Sulekha Shrestha
Umesh Sinnya 

Guthi Pucha
Bijaya Ram BAIDYA
Sarita BAIDYA

Kabin JOSHI
Shama JOSHI

Beena MANANDHAR
Kiran MANANDHAR

Beauty MOOL
Prasanna MOOL 

Pukar PRADHAN
Suchita PRADHAN

Hima RAJBHANDARY
Rajendra RAJBHANDARY

Kalpana SAYAMI
Puran SAYAMI

Christine SHAKYA
Padam SHAKYA

Bijay SHRESTHA
Neena SHRESTHA

Kabindra SHRESTHA

Leader SHRESTHA
Mona SHRESTHA

Ava SHRESTHA
Narendra SHRESTHA

Rajendra SHRESTHA
Tripti SHRESTHA 

Binita SHRESTHA
Shree-Chandra SHRESTHA

Sulekha SHRESTHA
Surendra SHRESTHA

Bijuma SHRESTHA
Tara SHRESTHA

Pradeep SINNYA
Suchitra SINNYA 

Lynda SINNYA
Umesh SINNYA

Venue: 		8 Citroen Place, INGLEBURN              

Pasa pucha in attendance                                         Apologies
Narendra & Ava Shrestha (hosts)                      Bijaya & Sarita Baidya
Prasanna Mool                                                 Kabindra Shrestha
Puran Sayami                                                  Leader & Mona Shrestha
Shree Chandra Shrestha (new member)            Pukar & Suchita Pradhan
Surendra & Sulekha Shrestha                           Rajendra & Hima Rajbhandary
Tara & Bijuma Shrestha
Umesh & Lynda Sinnya
Guests
Ballabh & Shanta Acharya              

STARTED: 12:55pm              

Welcome to the guests (Ballabh and Shanta). Moved by Tara. Seconded by
Narendra.
Welcome to the new member, Shree Chandra. Shree Chandra Shrestha
arrived in Sydney at the end of January. He has a basic degree in Civil
Engineering and has MEng. degree in Construction Mangement from AIT,
Bangkok. Coming from Dallu, Kathmandu, Shree Chandra presently resides
in Kingswood with his wife, Mrs. Binita Shrestha and son, Saurya Chandra
Shrestha. They are expecting a new arrival during the first week of April.
Best wishes!              

The meeting started with a lookback on what has been achieved by Guthi
since its inception over two years ago. Two of the present members have
raised the issue of viability and desirability of the organisation. Their
concerns were conveyed by Narendra, as neither were in attendance. All
members present agreed to the value of Guthi, although not that active at
this moment, and unanimously voted to continue it. It was further agreed
that there needed to be a change in the Executive Committee, to relieve
Narendra and Ava from the responsibilities they have been shouldering from
the beginning, over two years ago. It was further proposed that this change
in Executive Committee needs to take place every year, on a rotating basis.
Surendra declared his intention to take on the management responsibilities
for this year. All present agreed for Surendra and Sulekha to replace
Narendra and Ava for 1999. Umesh agreed to continue as the treasurer.              

Budget: Umesh informed Guthi of the current balance - $535. The members who 
want to pull out of Guthi are to be refunded their joining fee, if they desire so. If not,
 the amount will remain in Guthi account – as their contributions.               

[Action: Umesh to contact members who have indicated their desire to pull out to
find out whether they want their joining fees refunded. If yes,Umesh to forward
 cheques to them latest by the end of the month].              

Prasanna Mool offered $5 towards fine for late arrival in the previous meeting. 
[Lession!: Don’ t be late to the meetings].              

Minutes of the Guthi meeting held on Sunday, 4 April 1999 contd.’

Other Items of Interest/Issues Raised and Discussed
It was proposed that Guthi contribute to a worthy cause in Nepal – community service (we are NOT aiming for an extravagant contribution). Examples include establishment of a small scholarship,purchase and donation of a chalk-board, etc. [Action: Tara to prepare a feasibility statement andcirculate to members – in about 4-6 weeks].

To start a Guthi newsletter, extension to the minutes Narendra has been circulating so far.
[Action: Surendra to prepare layout and circulate the first issue to pasa pucha for feedback – in about 4-6
weeks. All Guthi members to forward, preferably an electronic copy, possible newsletter items to Surendra].

The newsletter, discussed in the previous item, is to be posted on the web page. There is value in posting Guthi newsletter on the web page; and it is a FREE service provided by Catmando.com. It was agreed that it is only logical for the web provider to use some space on the web page for advertisement.
[Action: Narendra to coordinate].

Two regular activities per calendar year will be organised. It was proposed that mha-pooja and sithi-nakha be these two activities as these are spaced reasonably apart. As time has already elapsed for sithi-nakha, only mha-pooja will be organised this year.
[Action: Mha-Pooja Organising Committee to coordinate. The organising committee will be formed at a later date; preferably during the next Guthiya meeting].

It was proposed that there be an investigation on permanent gathering venue, like a community centre.
[Action: Pukar to find out the details and inform the Executive by the end of the month].

To organise pot-luck gatherings during family members’ short term visits + new immigrants (prospective Guthi members) arriving in Sydney.
[Action: All Guthi members to inform the Executive committee of arrival of family members visiting them + whenever new prospective Guthi members arrive in Sydney].

Vote of thanks to Narendra and Ava for their contributions over the past two years. Moved by Tara.Seconded by Surendra.

Thanks to the hosts (Narendra and Ava) for their hospitality plus delicious snacks and lunch. Thanks also to Bijuma, Sulekha, Shanta and Lynda for sweets and snacks.

CLOSED: 2pm