Nepali workersf safety top agenda: Bhatta

BY PRABHAKAR GHIMIRE

KATHMANDU, Sept 3 - Prompted by a growing sense of insecurity among Nepali workers in different overseas labor destinations, newly appointed Minister for Labor and Transport Management Lekh Raj Bhatta said ensuring the safety and greater welfare of Nepali workers would be his key priority.Talking to ...

Bhatta said it was necessary to sign labor pacts with other recipient countries also to make them responsible for the safety of Nepali workers. Nepal has already inked labor deal with four countries- the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Korea and Bahrain.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the role being played by Nepali missions abroad in dealing with labor issues, Bhatta said, gI will seek ways with consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to activate the mission staff to safeguard the rights of Nepalis abroad.

He added, gI will speed up the ongoing process of appointing labor attachés in countries where there is a large number of Nepali workers.

Amid a rising number of complaints against manpower agencies by afflicted jobseekers, he said the ministry would conduct a thorough study of registered manpower agencies to examine charges of their swindling Nepali job aspirants with promises of providing them overseas employment.

gIt is urgent to conduct a study on the business of manpower agencies before taking steps to regulate the foreign employment sector,h Bhatta added.

Referring to deteriorating labor relations and investment climate in the industrial sector due to trade unions pressing their demands by closing down industries, Bhatta vowed to resolve the problem by initiating talks with both employers and workers.

gI believe in resolving problems through dialogue to seek an amicable solution as the culture of closing down industries to make a point is detrimental to industrial growth,h said Bhatta who is also a leader of the CPN-Maoist.

Describing foreign employment as a temporary solution to unemployment at home, he emphasized the need to start an industrial revolution in the country to make overseas jobs unnecessary.

He opposed the idea of business leaders to end the syndicate system in the transport sector, and said that all kinds of syndicates should be eliminated to ensure proper competitive practices. gI am for ending syndicates in all sectors, not only in transportation,h he added.

He said that negotiating at the top level without consulting district-level entrepreneurs would not help to stop illegal practices in transportation.

gWe have to incorporate the views of lower-level transporters for effective enforcement of the law against syndicates,h he said.