It's hard even for die-hard democrats to see a silver lining in the way the current interim executive is conducting itself.The country has been steered back on to the path of freedom and peace, but it looks like governance and development are not on the agenda. Not even during the worst days of dictatorship have we seen such a paralysis in decision-making. Never have we had such a severe fuel shortage. Although it is due to past mismanagement, not much has been done to avert a 14-hour power cut each week this winter. At the start of what could be a record tourist season, no one can get seats in and out of Kathmandu because the national airline is in a shambles.

We may be free, but only to complain about how much more miserable things are. And all we seem to be interested in are the trappings of democracy, not in actually using it to get results.

Case in point is the Parliamentary Special Hearing Committee which is unnecessarily adding more delays to important appointments by staging a constitutional charade. Chief Justice designate Kedar Prasad Giri was "interrogated" by the committee, and a similar fate awaits all the judges of the Supreme Court, ambassadors and heads of constitutional organs.

These hearings hinge on the assumption that lawmakers are best suited to prevent the elevation of unworthy characters to positions of authority and responsibility. But let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.

Everyone knows the ambassadorial candidates are political appointees who did not emerge from a talent search among career diplomats but from a process of wheeling-dealing. Some of these names are ill-suited for their new posts, but why are nominated members of a transitional parliament going through the whole rigmarole all over again after the parent parties of the honourable members have already done so? Perhaps the best we could get was what we have got. Let's not make an unseemly fuss over it all.

Reportedly, leftwing members of the legislative parliament have been most vocal in quizzing Giri and other nominees and holding forth as if they were as pure as virgin snow.

For all their democratic pretensions, let us not forget that the UML was a direct participant in King Gyanendra's dictatorial experiments. The Maoists have yet to prove their commitment to pluralism and democracy. The kangresis all have skeletons in their closets.

Almost everybody at the top of Nepal's professional pyramid has reached there by making some unprofessional compromises with past regimes. There is no way to invent squeaky clean personalities that match the high expectations of our peerless parliamentarians. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.