PREJUDICE

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It has not been long since I went home at Dashain from Kathmndu. Sitting next to me on Buddha Air to flying to Biratnagar was a Danish middle-aged lady, probably on her second visit to Nepal. After we introduced ourselves, we had talks as to different aspects of development in the country. On talking, I was keen on finding her remuneration, for she was working in a Biratnagar based regional rehabilitation shelter which was set up to shelter victims of child abuse, girl- trafficking, etc. I gathered courage and dared to ask her how much pay she was getting each month to satisfy my curiosity.
I asked the question to her with intention of drawing differences of payment between two staff that are from different nations. First she seemed to be a bit reluctant, later she responded to me that she was contracted to be paid 480.000 per annum. I was really speechless. The salary she was getting is beyond the expectation of Nepali workers on average. I wondered why Nepalese discriminate Nepali fellows and lay emphasis on foreigners who are unlikely to be more efficient, expert and skillful at work. For instance, hundreds of thousands of Nepalese are working legally and illegally around the globe, are they getting as equal salary as natives of the countries where Nepalese work get? Are Nepalese praised, respected?
Perhaps not as Nepalese workers have been falling victims to low salary. Despite our competencies, skills, experiences, we have been being exploited. I urge our government to embark on the salary policy, according to which salary is to be determined on the basis of performance, skill, qualification, expertise but not nationality, caste, colour and so on.
Prejudices and partialities result in sluggishness and carelessness. Educational institutions are mushrooming in Kathmandu valley in the name of quality and practical education. Such institutions are hiring western nationals who come to our country to spend long holidays so as to draw attention of parents and lure them. These institutions are profit-oriented not service-oriented. The trustees of the so called institutions hire them and offer a plenty of facilities and handsome salaries.
These must have been a concrete indication for the expatriates. Glamorous publicity has to be monitored and forbidden. Local staffs need to be highly prioritized at any level and sector in a country like Nepal where unemployment rate is going up. Moreover, government must launch different trainee programs in order to enhance the professional competencies, marketability in the public, private and non-government sectors. This effort will definitely help Nepalese improve their efficiencies. Aside from these, this nurtures desires and talents of Nepalese to be completely independent and self-employed. Tendency like this obviously leads our country to the road to success. Outside the country, we are not respected, valued. But in our motherland, we can expect of it.
Till there is domination of foreigner over us, we feel inferior to foreigners. We have chance to sink in despair and lose spirit. We tend to thrive our nation ourselves, national idea can take place for the development in provided that we are offered job opportunities by national as well as international organizations.
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The Editor