Chance to be a hero

As regards THT’s Oct. 26 report “Republican front, a strict no-no: PM”, I cannot understand why the PM and his NC cohorts continue to oppose a republican front when it’s clear that most Nepalis want it.

Why does Koirala want to be the pariah of all political parties and most Nepalis at large? This is the time he needs to stand up for the Nepalis and not side with regressive forces. This interregnum has given Koirala a chance to prove his democratic credentials.

Instead, he seems to be doing all he can to alienate the very people he led during the Jana Andolan II. Wasn’t a republican set-up the demand of most of the people who took to the streets risking their lives? Why backtrack now when we are on the threshold of a historic change in the country?

If Koirala plays his cards right in keeping with the aspirations of the common Nepalis, he will be remembered as a revolutionary and visionary leader. Otherwise, he’ll go down as an incompetent leader.

Rebecca Shrestha, via e-mail

Take action

Apropos of the report “NT sales agents duping prepaid mobile phone users” (THT, Oct. 24), Lok Raj Sharma, the director of the mobile service directorate of Nepal Telecom, has been quoted as saying: “Retailers levying extra charges against the company’s official rate will not be given cards in the future.” But as there is a shortage of NT recharge cards of Rs. 200 denomination, almost every shopkeeper with NT mobile service is selling them at an inflated rate. Many of these cards are near their expiry date.

If NT is really serious, it can easily obtain the details of the sellers of SIM cards who overcharged. Private booths are also flouting the landline telephone rules. Though NT had offered Dashain and Tihar discounts on STD calls, private booths were charging the old rates. When will NT take action?

Praveen, via e-mail

Waste not

All that Nepalis want is peace. Peace is not possible without protests, as the outcome of Jana Andolan II shows. Similarly, peace talks without a final settlement will be a waste of time and effort.

No doubt, restructuring of the state takes time and patience. But we have little time to waste. The government should settle all issues with the Maoists at the earliest and focus on solving the pressing problems of the economy in order to provide jobs and generate income.

Megha, via e-mail

A lesson

A 24-year jail term awarded on Monday to the former CEO of Enron Corp., Jeffrey Skilling, for mismanagement should serve as a lesson for those concerned in Nepal. Capitalism does not mean that those who indulge in illegal or unethical practices either in business or government are spared.

In the airline sector, we have witnessed many private airlines sprout up and disappear in no time in Nepal. Though most of these airlines were officially shown to be making losses, eventually going out of business, some of the promoters became rich at the expense of the ordinary shareholders.

Isn’t there any law under which these cheats or the top managers of these fly-by-night airlines can be punished?

Bhai Kaji, Kathmandu