The manpower agencies closed for two weeks are to reopen from Sunday after an agreement was reached between the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs’ Association. The Association was in agitation after the government decided free visa and tickets to the Nepal workers seeking employment including Malaysia and the Gulf countries. As per the agreement, a taskforce comprising the Ministry representatives and manpower agencies will be formed under the convenorship of Officiating Secretary at the Ministry Surya Prasad Shrestha to prepare a report on the matter. The taskforce will submit a report within two month and till then the government decision for free air ticket, and visa will remain in force, said manpower agency representative Padam Raj Poudel who was present in the meeting. The decision can be revised after the submission of the report. As per the agreement, the representatives of the taskforce will head to migrant workers’ destination countries and carry out research. The manpower companies have called for putting on hold the decision of cost-free issue and spoke against unnecessary raids in their offices. They had put forth a 33-point demand that included shutting down the visa process for Malaysia through VLN Nepal and stopping the implementing of the biometric system for health check up. The Ministry on Friday had warned of taking legal action against the manpower companies if they did not resume services in the next three days, which compelled the manpower companies to join the negotiation table. RSS
