LETTERS (Spotlight Weekly)

Valid Points

The points raised in the cover story "At Whose Service?" (SPOTLIGHT, January 18) were very genuine. The Nepalese civil service is lacking on many fronts. Inefficiency and, in many cases, utter chaos mark the bureaucracy. Despite many attempts to reform the system, it is still mired in manifold problems. With such weak government machinery, the country naturally stands to lose in many areas of development. A master plan with vision has to be drawn up and enforced vigorously to transform our bureaucracy into a functional and successful service.

Ramesh Basnet
Kalimati

Flawed Selection

Human resource is the most important asset of any country. Unfortunately, the Nepalese bureaucracy has failed to draw skilled people ("At Whose Service?" SPOTLIGHT, January 18). Unlike other countries, highly educated Nepalis do not consider the civil service attractive enough. Most of the country's high-skilled people prefer to work in the private sector. This is because the bureaucracy is yet to provide financial and other benefits at par with the private sector. Unless this situation is improved, the civil service will continue to draw mediocre people.

Bikas Khatri
Sinamangal

Radical Reforms Required

Simple and peripheral reforms would no longer improve the situation of the Nepalese bureaucracy ("At Whose Service?" SPOTLIGHT, January 18). Reforms at all levels running deep into the institution are the need of the hour. Apart from administrative and technical reforms, behavioral and cultural overhaul is also necessary to bring purposeful changes in the system. In fact, such reforms are long overdue. The experience of the last five decades has shown that rag-tag attempts to reform the bureaucracy, instead of achieving the desired objectives, have further destabilized it.

Sunil Shakya
Managalbazar

Missed Issues

Though your cover story on the bureaucracy was good ("At Whose Service?" SPOTLIGHT, January 18), it missed some vital issues affecting the service. The issue of fake certificate holders in the bureaucracy is big news these days. Why did your cover story miss this point altogether? The bureaucracy is eroding because it is packed with below-average people with fake academic certificates. The media must raise these issues more actively and help bring such unscrupulous people to task.

Arjun Mainali
Minbhawan

Strange Timing

It is strange that Pakistani diplomats are caught on the wrong side of the law every time there is some important event going on in Nepal ("Costly Drama", SPOTLIGHT, January 11). Just before the 11th SAARC summit began, a Pakistani embassy staffer was caught with fake Indian currency. While the authorities have the responsibility to arrest those breaching the law of the land, the timing and sequence of events leading up to such incidents in Nepal are indeed intriguing.

Khem Raj Thapa
Sanepa

Red Unity

Though belatedly, the UML and ML seem to have realized the need for unity ("No Red Faces", SPOTLIGHT, January 11). As aptly stated in the article, there was no legitimate reason for their split and there is no legitimate reason now for their reunification. They just split on the personal whims of some comrades. Let us hope that over the last few years, the comrades have realized their mistake and would not resort to such whimsical moves in the future.

Dinesh Gautam
Godavari