Need to streamline labour recruiting system

Aug 25, 2010

As Bhutanese construction sector experiences an unprecedented boom across the country, they feel the need to strengthen the policy when it comes to labour recruitment. Though guidelines for recruiting foreign workers have been circulated, people expressed doubts on the implementation.

To further discuss this, contractors and foreign workers recruitment agents met in Thimphu yesterday. Both parties agreed the need to streamline the labour recruiting system.

Some of the contractors pointed out that they have to bear the thick end of the deal. In cases where laborers abscond from the workplace, the contractors say, they have to bear all the cost besides losing the security deposit.

They said that with datelines to be met, the current system of recruiting the laborers through the agents is a problem.

On the other hand, the foreign workers recruitment agencies said that this could be solved if the contractor could lease out the advance money directly to them and not through a third person.

The meeting also discussed issues in obtaining skilled labours. Contractors said they do not get the specified labour sometimes. To this the agents said they can work on an agreement whereby the contractors could surrender the incapable workers within a month’s time.

The Labour and Human Resources Secretary, Dasho Dr. Sonam Tenzin, said both the parties would have to work together to achieve their goals. “Most labour agents recruit incompetent employees adding to the problem,” he said adding that the ministry would revoke the license of those agencies that do not adhere to the guidelines.

This is the third such meeting to be held so far.