Apropos of the news story “Foreign investors waiting for a better deal” (THT, Perspectives, July 5, Page 6), quakes and tsunamis do not discourage long-term foreign investment. Destruction offers plenty of grand opportunities to the

investors through participation in rebuilding activities. This is how they built Germany and Japan into world economic power after WW II. It is also naïve to assume that repatriation can be a great cause for investors’ diffidence in opening their purses, as

Thai Airways must have been repatriating profits for the last 60 years. There may be a host of other reasons for investors’ lack of interest. Has anyone pondered why international restaurant chain KFC shut down its business in Kathmandu even as it opened one in Myanmar last Tuesday? Nepali stakeholders must work with the government agencies to convince foreign businesses to invest heavily in this country for mutual benefit. The government and stakeholders should be ready to stand by as underwriter for investors. As an old proverb says, where there is a will, there is a way. Our assumption that lack of NTB CEO is hampering tourism promotion is incorrect. Long before the birth of NTB, Nepal’s tourism was growing by leaps and bounds because of some individual entrepreneurs.

There is also no need for jumbo familiarization trip involving diplomats and CNN and BBC as suggested by a learned member of tourism fraternity. They probably know more than we do about this country. If we want to see business turn around, our tourism stakeholders should start making offers to consumers and agents that they cannot refuse. This will be the road to redemption for our tourism.

J. Talchabhadell, Bhaktapur

Way out

After the 2006 second People’s Movement, Nepal was declared a secular state from the Hindu state. It is the transition period and many people dislike it. Nepal is predominantly a Hindu majority country where 82 percent of the population are Hindus. Everybody knows that declaring Nepal again a Hindu state would satisfy those who are lobbying for the same. It, however, will generate another cycle of debate in society.

In modern days religion has nothing to do with politics but it holds significance when others try to impose an alien religion in the name of secularism.

Being a Hindu majority country, Nepal is largely a tolerant society and the people of all religions can pursue their faith as per their wishes. It was not necessary to declare the country a secular state as the people had been living peacefully and practicing their religions without any reprisal. The best way to settle this dispute is that the new constitution does not take any formal stand on religion: Whether Nepal is Hindu or a secular state. There are many countries in the world that have not taken any formal stand about any particular religion or faith.

Ruchir Dahal, Kathmandu