Great story by Janaki Gurung ("If we want tourists, scrap visa fees", #113) but are visa fees really a deterrent for tourists coming to Nepal? As a person frequently coming into and leaving Nepal on business, I agree that the "system" at the airport is confusing, frustrating and a bad first, and last, impression of Nepal, but I don't think a $30 visa fee is much of a determinate as to whether tourists will or won't come to Nepal. Keep taking the money, just make it easier-and spend the money more wisely.

B Moore,
Kathmandu

. Janaki Gurung's article on the visa handling by the Nepali authorities present the most realistic as well as pathetic picture. It only proves my point that I have been contemplating since sometime back, that is the Nepalis, at least those at the helm of power and bureaucracy, are either nincompoops and incompetent, or they do not care for the country. Probably both. One reason why there is no improvement is because those who are in a position to bring about the changes, I mean the positive changes, never have to experience what travelling Nepalis and tourists have to face. There is always someone to exempt you at the airport when you have an aafno manchhe at the airport. Customs, security and immigration treat departing Nepalis as a sort of nuisance and are jealous as if they ought not to go earn their living abroad and treat the returning Nepalis with some disdain. I only wish that somebody someday would put in the bribe-laden skull of these airport customs, security and immigration that it is not the tourists who are supporting the economy, it is the remittance of the labour force from Nepal that is keeping the country going.

And the problem begins right at the top leadership. The rot is in the head. We are waiting for superman to come who will bring about the changes in Nepal.

S Nepali,
by email

. After reading Janaki Gurung's article on visa fees, I must share with your readers the rampant existence of corruption at Kathmandu airport. Extorting tourists also happens at the security check where a policeman on duty (on 18 September at noon, if anyone wants to check) demanded a Rs 100 "donation" from me after going through my wallet, which he forced me to open. He treated me like a criminal and turned me into one by refusing to let me go. What I want to know is whether this guy was a policeman or a Maoist. Or is there no difference?

N Srivastav,
New Delhi