Bowing to the persistent pressure from Nepali migrant workers, the Regional Gate Company of Kuwait, which recently came under heavy criticism in the face of 60 laborers´ no work protest, has agreed to legalize them within a couple of weeks.

According to Pushpa Bhattarai, the second secretary at the Nepali Embassy in Kuwait, 84 Nepali workers -- who did not stop working even after 60 Nepali workers revolted against the company -- have already got their visit visas converted into work visas. 

However, Bhattarai says, they are still not considered as legal workers. "They should have work residence visas to be eligible for obtaining medical cards and driving licenses," Bhattarai said. "Conversion of visit visas into work visas alone does not help them if they face legal hassles."

In a recent meeting held with the embassy officials, the company executives agreed to help all its Nepali workers immediately obtain driving licenses and medical cards. "For this matter, Nepali workers need police clearance certificates through the embassy," Bhattarai said, adding, "Therefore, we have started providing such certificates to them. On Tuesday, at least 15 workers obtained such certificates."

The company had hired altogether 160 Nepali workers through an illegal channel. A Kuwait-based Nepali agent, Ram Chandra Subedi, had taken all of them to Kuwait as heavy vehicle drivers on visit visas. They were promised that they would get work visas upon reaching Kuwait. However, they did not get work permits even months after entering Kuwait. It was only after 60 Nepali workers refused to work without legal status that the company helped remaining workers convert their visit visas into work visas.

Of the total workers hired by the company, 76 have already returned. While 60 workers returned after being sacked by the company, others had to return upon failing medical tests in Kuwait. The company has already been blacklisted by Nepal´s Ministry of Labor for using illegal channel to import Nepali workers.

Similarly, in a verbal agreement with the embassy, the company has said that it will provide money for last rites of two Nepali workers recently killed in a road accident. "We have claimed 1,000 Kuwaiti dinar for each dead worker," Bhattarai said. "However, we have not received the money until now. The company has also said that the deceased workers will be compensated by the insurance company."

Published on: 21 April 2011 | Republica