Illegal labour force must be tackled

WE HAVE time and again highlighted the problem of businesses and companies indulging in illegal trading of labour visas. We had also written about how some of these companies obtain visas for additional labour despite the fact that their quota of labourers had been long filled. Labourers entering the country on such visas land up working for people other than their principal sponsors, or add to the disorganised floating labour market.

By (Catch of the day)

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Published: Fri 24 Jun 2005, 11:47 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 8:09 PM

We had recently, June 4 to be precise, exposed how a grocery shop with a requirement of five workers managed to get visas for over 50 labourers. These incidents obviously go on to reveal the loop-holes existing in the current system of issuing visas.

The end result is that the floating labourers make up a big chunk, posing great danger to the society. And a classic example of how such unchecked labour can lead to trouble is the recent Ajman case, where an expat labourer murdered his colleague for just Dh5000. And in what brutal manner!

The accused labourer lured his colleague to a building under construction with the promise that he would introduce him to a person who could arrange a visa for the latter’s relative for Dh5000. After a long wait, the victim fell asleep on the roof. Seizing the opportunity, the culprit smashed his colleague’s head and made away with the Dh5000 he had brought along.

The fact is that arranging for a clandestine meeting on the roof-top of a building under construction itself is illegal. The incident also goes on to show how such buildings are easily accessible for illegal transactions. The murder also highlights the desperation among labourers who are willing to kill their own colleagues for some money.

The solution to such problems lies in the government plugging loop-holes in the system. The Police, Labour Ministry and all other departments concerned should come together and chalk out fool-proof policies which will prevent reccurence of such incidents. Strict measures and policies are the need of the hour.


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