A TASKFORCE on Foreign Employment Management and Improvement has suggested installation of close circuit televisions (CCTVs) at the Department of Foreign Employment to curb irregularities.

 The taskforce in its report submitted to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Tuesday made 30 recommendations to control irregularities at the department. The taskforce was formed by the government amid complaints of irregularities at the department.

 

Upon receiving the recommendations, PM Bhattarai—who is also looking after the Labour Ministry— directed authorities concerned to implement the suggestions at the earliest. Immediately after the PM’s direction, the department started putting the form for obtaining individual work permit on its website from Wednesday. Among the suggestions of the taskforce are establishing five banking counters, carrying out cross checks at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) and making available various forms on the department’s websites. “Our study has revealed mismanagement at the department and TIA,” said Ganesh Gurung, coordinator of the taskforce.

 

He added that the suggestions can be implemented without any amendment to existing laws related to foreign employment. Gurung said the sector would see many changes if the government starts implementing the suggestions made for making the department more transparent and systematic. He added that they would present a detailed report suggesting medium- and longterm solutions after two weeks to the government for making the foreign employment sector well managed. Earlier, the National Vigilance Centre had also suggested the government to install CCTV cameras at the department in a bid to curb anomalies and improve the internal management system. Its report released a month ago had showed there were rampant irregularities at the department with the involvement of brokers, mainly while obtaining individual work permits.

 

The trend of leaving the country for foreign employment through individual work permit has increased significantly in the last three months due to the new provision that says returnees having expired work contract should compulsorily obtained re-entry permit. “We have already stopped providing re-entry permit to the second person dealing on behalf of the candidate,” said Kashi Raj Dahal, director at the department and a member of the taskforce. Following the NVC report, the government had formed a ninemember high-level taskforce in coordination of Ganesh Gurung, foreign employment expert and former member of the National Planning Commotion to conduct a study and come up with suggestions for making the foreign employment sector more disciplined, reliable and secured. The team includes officials from the department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, TIA, Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Immigration, among others.