Following the controversy over use of foreign employment welfare fund, the study visit of the team of lawmakers led by Prabhu Sah to three countries has become uncertain.

State Minister for Labour and Employment Tek Bahadur Gurung, however, said the study visit of lawmakers led by Chairman of International Relations and Labour Committee of the Parliament Prabhu Sah would not be stalled because it is essential to study the plight of Nepali migrant workers employed abroad.

According to Sah the study visit was planned with the initiative of Ministry of Labour and Employment after migrant workers complained of serious problems, including discrimination and deaths. State Minister Gurung had proposed a study visit for lawmakers to different countries where Nepali migrant workers are facing serious problems.

“Nepali migrant workers have been facing serious problems in different gulf countries and Malaysia which needs to be addressed soon,” Sah said, adding that the Ministry of Labour and Employment requested the parliamentary committee to send a high-level team of lawmakers to study the problems and prepare a report that could be helpful in solve their problems.

Sah said the Committee today decided not to join the study visit using the hard-earned money of Nepali migrant workers and to downsize the team if the ministry wished the committee to study the woes faced by migrant workers in foreign land. However, the ministry has not yet confirmed about the source of the fund for the study visit.

In separate meetings, Sah, along with lawmakers of his committee, today informed Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang and State Minister Gurung that they would not embark on any foreign trip using the migrant workers’ welfare fund. He, however, said Speaker Nembang was positive about the urgency of the study visit.

One of the members of the Sah’s team UML lawmaker Som Prasad Pande said state minister Gurung has told them that he would request the Malaysian government to support the study visit of lawmakers. Pande said the Foreign Ministry has already managed meetings of the lawmakers with the Malaysian home minister, foreign minister and labour Minister through the Nepali embassy in Malaysia.

Lawmaker Pande said the visit could also be postponed if the ministry fails to manage the fund.

Yesterday, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) directed the Ministry of Labour and Employment to take appropriate steps to properly utilise the welfare fund and fine officials misusing the welfare fund for visits abroad, purchase and renovation of vehicles, and so on. Further the Commission has also written to the ministry to provide names and details of officials involved in such irregularities and the expenses borne by the ministry for such activities within seven days.

The 11-member team, including six lawmakers, was to leave on Sunday. After media reported about the use of migrant worker’s welfare fund for the trip, Speaker Nembang had instructed the secretariat to stop the junket as it was not appropriate to use workers’ welfare fund.

Published on: 13 March 2015 | The Himalayan Times