Re: 'Bipalis' (Artha Beed, #145) and other articles about the salaries received by Nepalis abroad. I am pained by the humiliation, exploitation and frustrations of our fellow citizens. It is all the result of a poor education system and lack of information that exposes them to the misery. The bargaining should not begin with what workers earn in Nepal, but with the value of their work. To blame, are those who have access to this information- those who have the ability to organise better working conditions, and yet still don't do anything. University professors who teach international law, labour laws, market economy and human resources development should feel ashamed for not doing anything. Their job is not just restricted to the classroom and should include research, education and reform. Labour importing countries have minimum wage laws, many will enforce them, and in the case of Korea, companies pay even more than what the Nepali agencies demanded! Labour agents play a key role in the absence of government concern. They want to pay a reasonable amount, make reasonable profit and continue their business. The Nepali media has an important role to play in collecting and disseminating information which is lacking.

Hari Pokharel,
Taiwan