Protect tourists

En route to World Peace Pagoda overlooking the Phewa Lake, we were robbed of cash and personal property by three men at Raniban. After escaping, we managed to call up the local police station after about 10 minutes.

Upon reaching Baidam an hour later, we were able to give a full account of the robbery at the Baidam police station. One of the officers told us the police would have been able to help if only they had been informed early. When we told them that we had, indeed, managed to call up police within the first 10 minutes of the robbery, an officer replied that the police

personnel had been busy with “other stuff” at the time.

On reaching Lakeside, we learned that this kind of incident takes place “occasionally”. If it was so, why did not anyone bother to inform us before we left for the peace monument? In a country that depends largely upon tourism, the government should do all it can to safeguard the life and property of tourists. We would like to see a signboard put up at the entrance to Raniban that would warn the tourists in advance.

Susanna Schommertz, Peter Thomaschewsky, Berlin

Hearing

The parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (HSC) has been entrusted with the responsibility of checking the backgrounds and suitability of the nominees for the posts of chief and commissioner of the constitutional bodies. HSC also relies on the people’s feedback. This beginning could contribute to good governance. However, in order to make the process

effective, people should be encouraged to send in their reactions, by lodging appeals to them through both the print and the electronic media. Just a small appeal in a government daily is not enough. Moreover, the duration of three days for lodging complaints is too short and it should be sufficiently extended. The senders should be asked to provide concrete proof and their identity. But, their identity and whereabouts should not be disclosed.

Ramesh B Shrestha, Lalitpur

Irresponsible

Though doctors advise against smoking, some of them indulge in the habit, even during duty hours. If the doctors themselves cannot provide examples, how can they expect their patients to follow their advice? This tendency among some doctors will also weaken the

anti-tobacco campaigns.

Ramesh Adhikari, Kalanki

Not enough

Apropos of the news brief “Official arrested” (THT, Nov. 4), the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has finally done something worthwhile by nabbing a government official red-handed while taking a bribe of Rs. 5,000. Nepalis would like to see the CIAA take firm action against those who have amassed millions of the taxpayers’ money and are still walking free.

Neeraj Roy, via e-mail

Misleading

In reference to the news report “Miss Hong Kong donates cash, logistics to destitute”, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Purnima Gurung is not a Miss Hong Kong per se, but Miss Nepal Hong Kong 2005. There is a vast difference between the two pageants.

Asheem Sharma, via e-mail