No visa transfers for Bangladeshis

Kuwait Times front page today...

No visa transfers for Bangladeshis

By A Saleh
Staff Reporter KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior yesterday issued a decision
banning all visa transfers of Bangladeshis residing and working in Kuwait to
other sponsors. The new resolution stipulates that unless a sponsor wishes to
renew the expired residency of a Bangladeshi worker, the latter would have to
leave the country immediately. This decision has been taken in light of the
alarming increase in crimes committed by or involving Bangladeshis recently. The
main aim is to drastically reduce the number of Bangladeshis residing in Kuwait
with a view to decrease the crime rate in the country. The ministry also plans
to swoop down and apprehend not just Bangladeshis, but all those found to be in
violation of residency laws, particularly those who work for companies than
their sponsor's.

Talk about another 'sledgehammer to crack a nut' - an overused phrase in this part of the world. Wouldn't surprise me at all if crime continues to rise, even amongst Bangladeshis, as now they've got even less chance of legally getting away from crooked employers, and will have even more of an incentive to take-up a life of crime.

... and let's continue to ignore the real problems.

Hmmm. Wonder if we'll see an announcement from the Bangladeshi Embassy.

So where's the next bunch of 'guest' workers to come from? Africans from Darfur, Congo or Zimbabwe wouldn't be too popular. Chinese probably have better prospects at home now and don't have the right religion. Hard-working Nepalese are extremely popular, but they're a more finite resource - and they still have the wrong religion. Indonesians - no, too many potential problems with all the Indonesian maids in the country already. I guess the next best source of cheap muslim labour will be the Central Asian states... so don't be surprised if we see an influx of Uzbeks next. Mind you, that still won't solve the crime problem - you'll just see an influx of more sophisticated criminals!*

Or, a radical solution I know - you could try and instil a work ethic in nationals and get them to work for a living... no, not very realistic is it.

*Which reminds me, why haven't we seen newspapers writing about the major ATM fraud going on in Kuwait at the moment - or haven't I been reading the papers closely enough!

Labour Ministry refuses to help Sulaibiya camp 'captives'

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Labour Ministry refuses to help Sulaibiya camp 'captives'

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: A death in the desert. An unscrupulous employer. An unconcerned
Ministry of Labour. All this has translated into untold misery for about 1,300
labourers held captive in a squalid camp in Sulaibiya. A few weeks ago, Kuwait
Times reported that a well-known contracting company was holding the workers
captive in the camp. The men, hailing from Egypt, India and the Philippines,
complained of unhygienic living conditions, meagre food supplies and ill
treatment. They all had come to Kuwait to work at the Burgan oilfields and
though being accommodated in flats in Mahboula on arrival, had been transferred
to the camp against their will. After arriving at the camp, the workers found
such squalid conditions that they immediately complained and asked to be
relocated. According to an employee living in the camp, "There are no telephones
or transportation, we have to drink contaminated water and the stench is
terrible in addition to the place being infested with insects." The problem
wasn't resolved despite continued complaints and the news report. In fact,
matters now have worsened. Yesterday, one of the Indian workers, Bino Stephen,
died at the camp. Now the defiant residents are refusing to release his body to
the guards in retaliation against the appalling living conditions and allege
that Stephen's death was caused by the unhygienic conditions in the camp. "We
want to find a solution to our dreadful situation by having our living
conditions improved or have us repatriated back home," said Mohammed, one of the
workers. Four other inmates have been ill since last week. "We suspect malaria
to be in the air here, and with no doctor around and no one to help us, we are
in real danger," he pleaded. "The stubborn and adamant employer has refused to
employ a doctor, as well as sanitise the camp to improve hygiene, and having no
other option, we decided to complain to the 'Shuoon' (Ministry of Social Affairs
and Labour). But somebody snitched on us and informed the management of our
intentions, and since then we have been held here in captivity," Mohammed
added."The employer also used 'wasta' through a friend who is a police officer
to threaten and dissuade us from going outside, warning action from the police
or Shuoon," another worker named Ashraf said. According to him, the municipality
shut down the camp six months ago, but through connections, the company
succeeded in reopening it for them to stay to save on rents, he said.Kuwait
Times attempted to speak to officials at the Ministry of Social Affairs and
Labour to see what - if anything - was being done to help the residents. An
officer in the complaints section of the ministry, who refused to give his name,
when informed about the recent death in the camp said, "I wouldn't call the
death of one person a disaster, and then complaints have to be registered
personally, so if they can't come, we can't help." When asked if the ministry
intended to send an inspector to check the living conditions at the camp, the
official replied, "I'm sorry we can't send any inspector. We are concerned about
our officials' health, and can't risk letting them fall sick or getting
infected."