HARASSMENT OF EXPATRIATE WORKERS IN KUWAIT.
During these days lot of news is appearing in the local English Dailies in Kuwait about the harassment of poor Cleaning workers in Kuwait, how they are ill treated by not paying their meagre salaries by the big Kuwaiti companies. It is nothing but missery they are facing in Kuwait. In response to this, I wrote the following to Kuwait Times which was published in its edition dated 24.07.08. I am reproducing it here in Goa Kranti so that people especially our Goans should know what it is to work in Kuwait especially for lower grade workers.
Since time immemorial or at least since the time of the existence of modern Kuwait, expatriate workers have always been exploited with nobody caring to take their side. The exploitation of Cleaning staff, maids and other workers has totally disgraced the image of Kuwait. There is no way for rectification of this disgrace though since my coming to Kuwait 3 decades ago I have been always listening to the news items appearing in the local press that there is going to be a change in the Kuwait Labour Law for the benefit of workers especially expatriates. I am now convinced during the autumn of my tenure in Kuwait that there will never be a change in the current Labour Law which was formulated half a century back according to the prevailing conditions at that time. The same Labour Law has now become outdated and it does not fit the developed and advanced social conditions of the workers, especially of the expatriates. It looks to me at times as if the current Labour Law of Kuwait is anti - expatriates.
One thing is certain, there is nobody in Kuwait who is sincerely thinking good of expatriates, all are full of empty talk, wanting only to fool the world. The economy of this country is based on expatriate labour force but unfortunately there is no berth in the Ministry for a Minister for Expatriates to protect their interests.
I still remember 18 years back when Iraq invaded Kuwait, some Iraqis were talking of the maltreatment of maids and other expatriates by the Kuwaitis and by using this subject Iraqis in the early stages of invasion were gaining sympathy for them.
I cannot understand how some Kuwaitis can become so cruel towards fellow human beings when they follow the religion of equality and compassion! It is against their religious tenets to exploit the poor expatriate workers who are toiling very hard in Kuwait in terribly harsh climatic conditions and under far too cruel severity. These cleaners who are maltreated by their companies are the backbone of the Kuwait’s economic system.
If they stop working, they could paralyse the whole of Kuwait's sanitation system. Cleanliness is the most important facet of any country’s health. Kuwait will stink and will face all types of diseases if these poorly paid cleaners are denied their remuneration. Cleaners, maids and domestic servants are the main backbone of Kuwait’s economic system and we came to realise their importance during the invasion of Kuwait. When domestic workforce started leaving Kuwait for their countries of origin, most of the Kuwaitis faced worst of the hardship in their homes because even to prepare a cup of tea they had to rely on domestic help. Because of the accumulation of garbage that ensued from expatriate workers returning home at that time, many places in the country also stank.
Let Kuwait and Kuwaitis not treat the low paid cleaners and domestic servants with disdain, contempt and neglect. They deserve better working conditions and better salaries and not just KD 18/- per month which is like the daily pocket money of an average school/college going Kuwaiti student. Maltreating them in any form especially by denying them of their due salaries is a sin against God. And those who pray five times a day and still commit such crimes against the innocent and poor children of God deserve highest devine punishment which will surely come sprinting or slowly. The maltreatment for cleaning staff and domestic servants has already spoiled the reputation of Kuwait in the foreign countries and its impact is so high that there is no easy way out to retrieve it, even if damage control exercise is conducted since so many people in this country are sadistic towards the expatriates labour force. They must know "TO PAY TO THE LABOURER HIS WAGES BEFORE HIS SWEAT DRIES UP".
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
