Apropos of the news story “News media spending a lot of time covering politics” (THT, October 15, Page 3), Ms. Deborah Potter spoke my mind. Our media is indeed wasting too much time over politics.

At a college function sometime ago I admitted that I rarely watched NTV in the past as it started and ended with ‘Shree man gambhir...’ Not only that as a student I avoided invitations at the Nepal embassy as the ambassador would inevitably speak about the king as Lord Vishnu which my conscience never allowed me to sit through such nonsense. Things are no better these days. I haven’t watched any Nepali TV channels for months as I have no interest in knowing about the politicians and their activities including laying inaugural bricks for private hotels or their inspection tour of the dusty roads.

In order to serve and inform the public better, our media must rise above politics. Our media can also garner international respect by covering more news and views about our unique cultures.

A Nepali that is worth his weight in gold for news would be Nepal born international fashion designer Prabal Gurung and many other young men and women working in as varied a field as conservation, development, education etc. As for politics, it should be given prominence only when there is a ground breaking development such as a far-right Austrian young man of 31 on the verge of taking over his country, or one of our former prime ministers being taken to a nuclear test site during his not so clandestine trip to North Korea.

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu

Poverty

I get to hear from all politicians and political parties across the nation; that our youth is shying away from democratic and parliamentary form of politics due to their low participation in all forms of electoral process whether local, regional or national. They indicate their low numbers in turning out in the voting booths and casting their votes. However, do our politicians care to know why our youths are moving away in an increasingly alarming number over the decades from participating in election for casting valuable votes? Do they even have the moral strength to know about the truth?

The answer is very simple, Canadian political parties and politicians have nothing to put forward for our educated youth other than some false promises every election.

Our honorable modern day politicians and parliamentarians are only interested in getting selfies with celebrities, overseas state visitors, journalists, top bureaucrats and business people and occasionally ordinary citizens; while our economy is steadily going down. Our educated youth are coming out of educational institutions with huge debts and lack of any suitable job opportunities.

Poverty is rising across the nation and yet we want them to line up smiling outside voting booths to cast their votes when the nation and the rulers are failing to give them anything credible to look forward in life?

Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada