By Conor Sharkey

STRABANE'S one and only Indian restaurant could be forced to close as a result of 'nonsensical' government legislation.

The legislation, says the government, is aimed at stabilising the number of immigrants entering the UK.

The Masala Restaurant, owned by local businessman Sanjeev Gurham, currently employs four Indian chefs.

Under new legislation however, the four men may have to sit a comprehensive English exam if they are to have their work permits renewed in the future.

The legislation has been described as "a nonsense" by Mr Gurham, who has vowed to take his case to the steps of Stormont if necessary.

He explained: "This is to do with a new points based system being introduced by the Home Office for skilled immigrants.

"Under the new law, all Asian workers will have to pass an English exam if they want to work or have their work permits renewed in the UK.

"The question I would be asking is, why do they need a Band Seven level of English if they are chefs?

"All my staff have good conversational English skills, but the Government are telling them they need skills which much of the indigenous population here don't even have. It's a complete nonsense," Mr Gurham said.

It is likely that legislation will become a reality within weeks. But this timeframe is nowhere near long enough for the Masala staff to prepare for their International English Testing System Exam (IELTS), Mr Gurham said.

And the businessman said that if his chefs are forced out of work, it isn't just the Asian community that will suffer.

"At present, 2.6m people eat Indian food in Britain every week and the industry employs tens of thousands of people.

"Here in Strabane we employ local people and use local suppliers and it is all generating revenue for the Government.

"So these guys are creating employment as opposed to taking jobs and are filling a void in a very popular market.

"The Masala is a small company but we have plans to expand and open other restaurants and take aways across the North West. All our plans will be jeopardised if these exams are introduced without concessions," he said.

Looking to his next move, Mr Gurham said he plans to speak with local MP Pat Doherty with a view to having the issue raised in Stormont following the summer recess.

Backing Mr Gurham's lobbying campaign is the Strabane Ethnic Minority Association.

Spokesperson Bobby Rao said: "This change in the law is putting a lot of pressure on these people, many of whom have been here for a long period and who have made a life for themselves here.

"To raise the bar at this stage isn't fair. If it was a Level Five exam they had to sit, then it wouldn't be so bad, but Level Seven is very tough.

"At the moment we are offering English classes, which many of the local Asian community could otherwise not afford, to try and bring them up to standard.

"And we will continue to work with Mr Gurham and back his campaign at Stormont to try and resolve this," Mr Rao said.