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| Kathmandu, Monday March 10, 2003 Falgun 26, 2059. |
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NBL files cases against
ex-senior staff
Post Report
KATHMANDU, March 9: J Craig McAllister, Chief
Executive Officer (CEO), of Nepal Bank Limited (NBL) said that the bank has filed cases
against its former senior staff who misused their power and were responsible for the
downfall of the bank.
"Cases against the people that effected
the bank’s downfall was filed on January 28 at the Commission for the Investigation
of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and the Commission has been requested to commencing criminal
investigation against them," he said.
McAllister said this at a programme organised
on the occasion of the sixth Joint Regional Convention of the Head Office and Kathmandu
Banking Office of Nepal Bank Employees Association (NBEA) today.
He also added that the management has
undertaken a number of activities to recover the financial position of the bank and to
develop it as a leading bank in the country. "However, employees are not aware of
these details owing to the confidentiality which the management needs to maintain,"
he said.
He also noted that the management aims at
working together with the employees rather than challenging their trade union rights.
He was referring to the central bank’s
stance of not allowing the involvement of the manager level employees in the trade union
activities, to which the employees protested arguing that it was against the convention of
International Labour Organisation.
"However, if the central bank bars the
participation of officers in the trade unions the management will have to abide by the
regulation strongly," he added.
Stating that the bank has a good system, a
number of good employees and potential to be the leader in the banking industry, he urged
the employees to carry out their duty and bear responsibility sincerely.
"The financial position of the bank
which has been incurring losses for years cannot be reversed overnight. Overturn is a
gradual process and the bank’s employees should be realist and use their common sense
prior to criticising the management," he noted.
Speaking on the occasion, office bearers of
the NBEA urged the bank’s management to issue a white paper to do away with
widespread confusion regarding job security of its employees.
"Rumours on slashing down number of
employees, closure of branches and deduction of facilities are widespread. The management
should make its perception on these issues clear to create a conducive working
environment," they said.
Dhruba Man Pradhan, central President of the
NBEA, said that the association would make no compromises on trade union rights,
employees’ security and the development of the bank.
He also urged the management not to compel
employees to announce retirement. "There are some 1,200 employees serving the bank
for 25 years at the lower and higher level. If they are to be laid off, the service
delivery would be hit hard," he claimed.
At the same time, he added that the NBEA was
ready to negotiate on vacancies and other technical matters if the management feels that
staff downsizing is really necessary. Pradhan also requested for the involvement of the
trade union in the loan recovery programmes.
"Increased employees’ participation
will certainly expedite the recovery programmes and the management should not undermine
this fact," Pradhan stressed.
He also said that the latest lending policy
implemented by the management is feared to drive away the aspirant borrowers. "If the
bank remains adamant on such points how will it earn profit?" he questioned.
Kirtilaba Ananda Joshi of the NBEA requested the
management to deal the issue of employees’ transfer from the cost cutting approach.
"If an employee seeks to be transferred in the area of his family and home it is not
a crime. This in turn might help the management reduce the cost," he said.
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