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1 TRANSLATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND ... - APFA News

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does not extend to the workers in the private sector. The reason for not being<br />

able to get national workers is because the wages in the private sector is as per<br />

the earlier un-revised rate.<br />

The Punakha and Trashigang Chimis expressed concern at the implication of the<br />

Government’s inability to reduce and contain the expatriate workforce. These<br />

days one sees only one or two Bhutanese amongst the crowds of people<br />

gathered in front of the cinema hall and the shops in Thimphu. According to the<br />

Home Minister, the implementation of the revised wage rate for the national<br />

workforce is limited to Government activities and the private sector could<br />

choose to pay wages similar to it or lower. However, activities in the private<br />

sector originate from Government offices and initiatives, and therefore, it would<br />

be appropriate and useful if the national workforce wage rate were made<br />

uniform for both the public and private sectors.<br />

The Foreign Minister, also Chairman of the National Employment Board (NEB)<br />

stressed that it is important to know how the expatriates first arrived in the<br />

country. When planned development programmes were launched in the country<br />

and the Government initiated the construction of roads, His Majesty the Late<br />

King resolved that national works be done by Bhutanese. Accordingly, during<br />

the construction of the Phuentsholing-Thimphu highway the system of sum-<br />

dhom, dru-dhom and chunyi-kangdhom were practiced to mobilize the required<br />

manpower within the country. However, most farming communities faced great<br />

difficulties in mobilizing the required manpower. So His Majesty the Late King<br />

started the process of recruiting expatriate labourers in consideration of the<br />

difficulties and constraints faced by the people.<br />

The Minister pointed out that at that time, the nation was just emerging from a<br />

state of isolation and lacked manpower in almost all areas of development and<br />

there were no other options but to recruit expatriate workers. However, as<br />

pointed out by the Home Minister the size of the expatriate workforce<br />

170

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