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| LETTERS |
Economic
Concerns The road ahead for newly appointed Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat is
indeed rough, to say the least ("Walking On A Tight Rope" SPOTLIGHT, March 2-8).
The basic economic indicators are not good enough and it would be an uphill task for the
minister to maintain a growth rate above 6 percent. Instead, the decision to set up an
armed police force will eat away a large part of the country's scarce resources. Times are
really bad for Nepal in terms of economic prospects. An experienced person like Dr. Mahat
will have to employ all his knowledge and experience to overcome the troubles. Kiran Shrestha Acharya
Escapes The appointment of Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat as finance minister in place of
Mahesh Acharya suggests that the latter was terrified of the dreadful economic situation
of the country ("Walking On A Tight Rope" SPOTLIGHT, March 2-8). Having
presented the budget, Acharya was likely to receive the bulk of criticism for failing to
deliver. That might be why he decided to abandon Bag Durbar. Binaya Dhoj Joshi Salary
Vs Efficiency Mahesh Acharya raised the salaries of civil servants substantially in last
yearís budget hoping that would result in greater efficiency ("Walking On A Tight
Rope" SPOTLIGHT, March 2-8). Now the time has come to evaluate how much that decision
achieved its goal. Otherwise, government employees might continue with their tradition of
asking for a raise but not doing their job well. A carrot-and-stick approach must be
followed to ensure bureaucratic efficiency. Ramesh Satyal Broken
Promises Nine months after Mahesh Acharya presented the budget, the Nepalese people
are forced to reflect on the heap of broken promises ("Walking On A Tight Rope"
SPOTLIGHT March 2-8). Where does the promise of imposing fiscal discipline lay? How much
development work has been done in Maoist-affected areas? Whatís happening with the
much-touted civil service reforms? These are but a few questions that demand urgent
answers. Sabin Thapa Detach
Politics The over-politicization of educational institutions has led to the
deterioration in the quality of education in the country ("At The Crossroads"
SPOTLIGHT, February 23-March 1). The recent student union elections in campuses across the
country was a glaring example of how politics is driving away academic spirit. The
campaign in the student election was very much like that witnessed in general elections,
with apparently huge money spent on posters, pamphlets and so on. I wonder where the money
comes from. Is there no authority that can investigate these matters? The situation is
getting worse. The best solution could be doing away with this whole concept of elections
in campuses. This is irrelevant in a democratic country. Rabindra Karki End
The Stalemate The differences between hotel employees and owners are taking a big toll in
the countryís tourism sector ("Time To Mend Fences" SPOTLIGHT, February
23-March 1). The hotel employeesí demand for compulsory tips from tourists is absurd.
Tips should be voluntary and should not be made compulsory under the guise of service
charge or any other name. If the current stalemate is not ended quickly, it will bleed the
countryís economy. Shyam Bahadur KC Opposition
Leadership Unfortunately for Nepal, not only the ruling party but also the opposition is
found wanting of a capable leadership ("Leadership Style" SPOTLIGHT, February
23-March 1). In the absence of clear and strong leader, the opposition parties are
stubbornly pushing their one-point agenda of blocking the parliament until the prime
minister resigns. This demand is ridiculous in view of the existing constitutional and
legal provisions. Instead of bringing in a no-trust motion against the prime minister or
introducing the debate in parliament on the prime ministerís alleged involvement in the
controversial Lauda Air deal, the opposition parties are acting strangely. Navin Kumar Chalise Wrong
Priorities Your cover story "At The Crossroads" (SPOTLIGHT, Feb 23-March
1) is probably one of the most realistic portrayal of the progress made and problems faced
by Nepal's education sector over the last five decades. However, the story was completely
silent about the significance of technical education in Nepal. My main concern is with the growing population, unemployment and
poverty in the nation. A developing country like ours lacks technician and researchers to
harness its potentials. To overcome this gap, children need to be technically educated
from the very initial stages of the learning phase. A recent World Bank report provides an interesting data: only 6 percent
of the education budget is invested technical education. If this trend continues, the
number of academically educated persons will rise in no time. But where are they going to
find jobs? On the other hand, do we keep on hiring technicians from abroad ? I
would like to thank your team for bringing out such an interesting article. Keep it up. Iswar Pokharel |
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