The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, Honourable Jean-François Chaumière held talks with the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Her Excellency Dipu Moni Nawaz. Minister Nawaz is at the head of a delegation of seven members from different departments of the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including His Excellency A.K.M. Samsuddin, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Mauritius (based in Nairobi, Kenya). The meeting was held today, Monday 21st December 2009 at the headquarters of the MOLIRE in Port Louis, in presence of high officials of the ministry, including the Director of Labour Mr. Jayen Neerunjun.
Minister Chaumière and Minister Nawaz discussed the problem of passports of Bangladeshi workers coming to Mauritius, and the actions taken by the Government of Mauritius to address the issue. Minister Chaumière and Minister Nawaz agreed on the need for closer collaboration between the Passport and Immigration Offices of both countries. Minister Chaumière stressed on his determination to fight unscrupulous recruiting agents, who have been exploiting Bangladeshi workers coming to Mauritius. Minister Nawaz for her part announced that her government is the setting up a government body to handle the recruitment process, therefore eliminating the problem of recruiting agents. Minister Nawaz added that there are “excellent bilateral relations between Mauritius and Bangladesh and we won’t let 130 law-violators spoil these excellent relations.” Minister Chaumière informed H.E Minister Nawaz that the Government has taken decision to allow Male Bangladeshi workers to work in Mauritius until the expiry of their contract. Minister Nawaz that the status quo be preserved and suggested no further recruitment be allowed until the proper mechanism for so doing be installed.
Minister Chaumière and Minister Nawaz both recognized the importance of the economic contribution of Bangladeshi workers to the economies of both countries. Minister Chaumière recalled that expatriate workers in Mauritius have the same rights as local workers, and informed Minister Nawaz of new regulations coming into force in January concerning the accommodation of foreign workers. He spoke of the Ministry’s endeavour for their welfare, as in the Migrant Day event which took place at the Waterpark in Belle Mare on Sunday 20 December. Minister Nawaz expressed the wish to visit the accommodation of expatriate workers, a request to which Minister Chaumière immediately acceded to. Hence Minister Nawaz and her delegation will be visiting expatriate workers at the Compagnie Mauricienne de Textile in La Tour Koenig at 16 h 30 today, ahead of her departure from Mauritius tonight.
At the end of their meeting, Minister Chaumière and Minister Nawaz also discussed the other sources of competency that Mauritius can tap in Bangladesh, namely in the fields of engineering, architecture, agriculture and IT.
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