NEWS FROM THE UAE
Excerpts from UAE Dailies

Illegal workers can leave without getting banned

ABU DHABI — JUN 11: Illegal workers can leave the country without getting banned and they can re-enter the country for employment, the under-secretary of the Ministry of Labour (MoL), Hameed bin Demas, yesterday said.

This was decided at a meeting of the joint committee formed by the under-secretaries of the ministries of Labour and Interior.

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Interior in the capital, was attended by the under-secretaries of the MoL and Ministry of Interior (MoI), and directors of naturalisation and residency departments in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. The officials discussed the mechanism to facilitate the formalities of the amnesty scheme announced by the government.

Talking to Khaleej Times, Bin Demas said the three-month amnesty period was a golden chance for both employers and illegal labourers. “The grace period will also help the employers to regularise their status and to close the files that were opened in the MoL for recruiting illegal workers,” he said. The ministries of Labour and Interior also discussed coordination on forming the bylaw to implement the amnesty.

Three categories
The mutual committee has classified the illegal labourers into three categories.

The first category is of workers who stayed in the country without work or were recruited by other firms. “We consider this class of labourers as ‘illegals’. Workers holding expired labour cards have the right to cancel their visas and leave the country without a ban. The MoL will waive off all the fines on the expired labour cards,” bin Demas said. Workers whose cards have not expired have two choices: cancel the labour card and leave the country; or transfer the sponsorship to another employer after paying the transfer fees. However, the illegal workers will have to pay for their air tickets.

The committee has, however, decided to give an exception to the workers who want to transfer their sponsorship. “The MoL will waive off the fees (Dh500 per month) to be paid by the worker for the remaining months of the year if he did not complete the first year with the company. The fine on the expired labour card will also be dropped,” he added. However, the illegal workers can re-enter the country, even during the six months period, after being deported, after paying the fees of sponsorship transfer.

Absconders
The second class of the illegals is that of workers who have run away from their employers. “This category of workers will face life-ban on entering the country. The only one chance they have to re-enter the country, is if their current sponsor gives them the permission letter to work for another company,” explained bin Demas.

However, this class of illegals has the right to cancel its work permits and leave the country or transfer the sponsorship in case the current sponsor agrees to the transfer.

Only 6 months
The third category is of workers who have cases going on in the court. These workers have the right to stay in the country just for six months to follow up their cases. “However, we’ll not allow any worker to stay on without work in the country for more than six months illegally in order to follow a case at court,” said bin Demas.

He added that this class of illegals could entrust the matter to a lawyer or another worker to follow the case.

This category of illegal workers have the right to cancel their visas or to transfer their sponsorship to another sponsor.

The official further added that government would not allow any sponsor to violate the laws and the violating employers would face a Dh100,000 fine in addition to two months in prison.

Employers providing shelter to illegal workers would be slapped a Dh50,000 fine in addition to a month in prison.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Amnesty: DNRD opens special hall for illegals

DUBAI — JUN 11: The Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) yesterday inaugurated an air-conditioned hall at its Follow-up and Investigation Section in Jumeirah. The new hall is designed to accommodate the illegals who either want to regularise their status or leave the UAE under the amnesty.

A senior official of DNRD said they were receiving between 400 and 500 applications from illegals every day. Since the declaration of the amnesty, the DNRD has finalised the applications of 2,000 illegals for amnesty, he said.

Meanwhile, a large majority of the illegals who thronged the DNRD hall yesterday, blamed the unscrupulous recruitment companies for their plight.

Shabib Abdellatif Shabib, a 28-year-old Egyptian national said: “I came to the UAE in January 2007 on a visit visa. I had paid Dh3,200 to a recruitment agency for this. However, I failed to locate the company after landing here. Despite my efforts, I was unable to find any job. When I first came to know of this amnesty I immediately contacted my brother in Saudi Arabia to send me money to book a ticket to go home.”

Xie Nanfang, 32, a Chinese national, is also a victim of a fraudulent recruitment company. “I came here a year ago hoping to find a job in the construction sector. As I was unable to find the job I aspired for, I started working temporarily in houses as a technician. As I don’t have money and I don’t speak English well, I was unable to help myself.”

Sinan, 26, from Turkey, said he too was fooled by a recruitment company back home. “I came to the UAE nine months ago hoping to find job as an accountant. When my visa expired I extended it for one month. After that, I simply ran out of money.”

Talking about the amnesty, Brig. Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, director of DNRD, said the department was providing all possible services and facilities to the illegals to help them leave the country. “The exemption of fines is comprehensive and everybody is entitled to benefit from the amnesty,” he noted.

Brig. Al Marri, who toured the hall along with the Indian Consul General Venu Rajamony, said, “the illegal who gets a job opportunity is entitled to regularise his status in due course.”

The DNRD director added that the absconders too could regularise their status with the approval of their sponsors. “if the illegal has a passport and a ticket, he will be subject to inquiry for security clearance and shall be given an outpass within a few minutes. He should leave the UAE within one week. In case there is no passport, the illegal should approach his country’s consulate to be issued an outpass. The air ticket should be paid by the sponsor. I assure that no ban will be imposed on people in breach of the residency and visit rules.” 

KHALEEJ TIMES

Danger that lurks from above

DUBAI — JUN 11: A dilapidated three-storey building located in the textile market on Juma Masjid Road in Bur Dubai is causing safety concerns among people. With chunks of concrete falling off time and again, the building has become a serious threat to those who move along the particular area.

Last week, one Lal Chatwani, a middle-aged man working as an attendant in a textile shop near the building, reportedly sustained multiple fractures after a concrete chunk fell on his foot. He is reported to be undergoing treatment at Rashid Hospital.

The shopkeepers of the vicinity said they had already talked to the landlord on the matter. “Everyday, hundreds of people move around the building which is located in a narrow lane. There have been at least three instances earlier when concrete material fell on people. Though this is the first serious mishap, there is always a danger. Something needs to be done urgently,” said Rakesh Singh, who owns a shop in the area.

The shopkeepers said they had repeatedly requested the landlord to renovate the building. “It seems he (landlord) does not want to repair it. The building houses textile shops and offices. The landlord wants the building to be demolished so that he constructs a new building and has tenants with higher rents,” a shopkeeper alleged.

None of the tenants of the building agreed to comment on the matter.

However, talking to Khaleej Times, Mohammed Al Bagali, the landlord, clarified he had approached the Dubai Municipality (DM) on the issue. “I agree that the building is very old. But then I have tried time and again to renovate the building. In fact, at present, I have put up some wooden planks with support in some areas. But then the building is beyond any repairs now. It needs to be demolished. And I have discussed this with the DM officials,” he pointed out.

Bagali alleged that the process had been delayed by the civic body. “Two inspections have been carried out by the Municipality. Now, they have said there will be another inspection of the building. I would have repaired the building if there were even a slightest chance for the repairs to work. I have also talked to the police about this and explained my point of view,” he said.

When contacted, DM officials said the permission for demolishing a building could only be given after intensive inspections. “We have to inspect the building more than once in order to ensure that it cannot be repaired and needs to be demolished. And the cost of demolition has to be borne by the landlord,” said an official of the civic body.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Car catches fire, driver unhurt

ABU DHABI — JUN 11: A car parked in the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre parking here caught fire on Saturday evening. The car driver escaped unhurt, a Civil Defence official said.

The Civil Defence official added: “The car owner is a Jordanian. Within minutes of getting the information, our rescue team reached the spot and put out the fire in seconds. The vehicle was taken to the police station.”

The cause of the fire is not known yet. However, it is being speculated that the engine heat had caused the fire.

Suhail Ahmad, an eyewitness present on the spot, said: “As soon as the driver started the car, he saw smoke coming out from inside the engine. He immediately jumped out of the car. Within minutes, the whole car was ablaze.”

KHALEEJ TIMES

Speeding motorists’ vehicles on web

ABU DHABI — JUN 11: The Abu Dhabi Police have launched a new service on its web site. Speeding motorists spotted by radar can now find their motor vehicles displayed on the web site on inquiring about traffic violations.

Brigadier Ahmed Nassir Al Rayessi, Director -General of the Central Operations at the Abu Dhabi Police Headquarters, explained that the Traffic Offences Payment Service currently introduced at  www.adpolice.gov.ae  will ,offer information about traffic violations.

The web site users can log on to get all the required information related to their cars such as the number plate and its colour, category of vehicle, and the traffic code. A photo of the erring motor vehicle detected by radar for speeding will  also be displayed along with its number plate.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Fish prices to remain high for next few days

ABU DHABI — JUN 11: Fish prices, that escalated in the aftermath of cyclone ‘Gonu’, are likely to remain entrenched at the same level for the next few days, Abdulla Khalfan bin Arhama Al Muhairy, general manager of Abu Dhabi Fishermen Cooperative Society has predicted.

Al Muhairy told Khaleej Times that the fish prices had gone up by 30 to 50 per cent in capital’s fish market following Gonu, as fishermen were not able to venture into the seas due to the cyclone. As a result, fish had to be purchased from other markets at higher prices to fulfil the Abu Dhabi requirements, he added.

However, Al Muhairy said the prices would return back to the normal level as more and more fishermen return back from the sea. Al Muhairy noted: “As the fishermen have now resumed to the sea, they will back after two or three days. Till then, the fish prices are likely to remain on the higher side.”

The demand for fish, on the other hand, has not dropped.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Rising prices fail to deter gold demand

ABU DHABI — JUN 11: Despite the recent hike in prices, gold sales has gone up in the emirate. In the last few months, gold prices have been fluctuating between Dh73 and Dh77 per gm compared to Dh68.50 per gramme in February.

According to market observers, gold prices registered a hike after the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) this year.

However, this spurt in prices has done nothing to curb the sales, which have been, in fact, going northward. “The increasing prices of gold jewellery are not affecting our sales because we have our regular customers,” said, Sujay Josh, a sales executive at Joyalukkas in Abu Dhabi.

On why the sales had been unperturbed by the hike in gold prices, K.P. Baiju, manager of the Gold Jewellery Group in Dubai said: “Customers have come to terms with the fact that the gold price is on the rise. However, the price-sensitive buyers buy more when there is stability/minor variation and tend to stay away from buying when there is a major price fluctuation. The price fluctuations, however, do not impact branded jewellery as much.”

Samiullah, a gold sales executive in Abu Dhabi reaffirmed: “Despite the increased prices of gold we continue to make good business here.”

As to the factors behind the spurt in prices after the DSF, Baiju said this was based entirely on the demand-supply factor, and did not have anything to do with the festivities.

Some retailers in Dubai Gold Souq said the troubled situation in the Gulf region had led to increase in gold prices. “Gold prices depend on the fluctuation of the dollar. If the dollar appreciates, the gold prices go down. When the dollar  weakens, the gold prices firm up,” said a retailer.

When asked if he foresaw the prices making a retreat in the coming weeks, Baiju said the trend was, in fact, upwards. “However, it’s not possible to predict it,” he said.

In Abu Dhabi, the gold jewellery shoppers mostly hail from the subcontinent, aside from the nationals. According to market observers, the gold market in the emirate has relatively fewer customers from European and Western countries.

Mohammed Fazil, a sales executive at the Damas outlet on Hamdan Street in Abu Dhabi, said: “Normally we receive customers from countries like India and Pakistan. Customers from European countries prefer to buy diamonds.”

The demand for gold is expected to be higher by June-end as this is the season when tourists from European and western countries come to the UAE on holidays. A large number of Indians also prefer to make shopping trips to the UAE in this period as the examinations for the children finish by now.

Besides, many UAE residents like to buy gold before going on their annual leave to their home countries in Europe and the subcontinent. So, gold retailers expect some further increase in sales.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Photographer to walk again thanks to Ruler’s kindness
 
 
ABU DHABI - JUN 11: A young photographer who lost his right arm and lower leg will soon be able to walk thanks to the benevolence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum,Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. 

Sheikh Mohammed has offered to cover the entire cost of medical expenses to give Abu Dhabi-based Shamsu Puthanmarachalil, 25, artificial limbs after Emirates Today carried the story last week on the ill-fated photographer who was disabled following an accident two months ago.

A spokesperson from the Zabeel Palace said Sheikh Mohammed was moved by the story and has offered financial assistance to purchase him artificial limbs.

“The entire expenses will be covered by the palace, and Shamsu can seek the best treatment available,” said the spokesperson.  Shamsu, hailing from South Indian state of Kerala, was working for the Abu Dhabi Education Council when he lost his limbs in an accident on March 7.

He was travelling in a minibus that ran into a trailer at Shahama, Abu Dhabi.

Doctors had to amputate his arm and his leg from above the knee. He also lay in coma for more than a month.

However, the young man was determined to live, and said he will eke out a living by doing graphic design with his left hands. But he was worried about finances as he is the sole bread winner for his family.

Reacting to the good news, Shamsu said he has no words to thank Sheikh Mohammed.

“When God closes one door, he opens another.

“I am short of words to express my gratitude. I am sure Allah will shower his blessings on all who came forward to help me,” said an elated Shamsu from the Sheikh Khalifa Hospital, where is currently undergoing medical treatment.

“I am waiting to take that first step with my own legs. It will be a new life for me when I can actually walk on my own,” he added.

Shamsu's brother, Riyas who is visiting him from India, said they will soon make arrangements to fly back to Kerala and fix the artificial limbs there.

“Doctors advised us to get it done back home because otherwise we would have to come to Dubai every time for check up. It would not be practical. Also we have family and friends for support if we do it in Kerala,” said Riyas.

 
 
EMIRATES TODAY

Dubai - Mobile Blackmail

Dubai - Jun 11: A thief who discovered a compromising photograph of woman stored on a mobile phone he had stolen tried to blackmail the owner by threatening to post the x-rated image all over the internet. The 32-year-old female phone owner, who had a picture of herself naked stored on her mobile, was forced to report the incident to police after the thief contacted her saying he would publish the photograph for everyone to see.

According to case records heard at the Court of First Instance in Dubai yesterday, the 32-year-old woman had lost her phone in a five-star hotel in Bur Dubai earlier this year. After ten days she then received an email with the photograph of her naked attached. On replying to the email she then received a series of further emails threatening that the picture would be posted online for millions to view unless she consented to an affair with the sender of the email, or sent another woman along to meet him instead.

The alleged victim told the court: “I lost my phone and tried to call it, but it was always switched off. He then threatened me through email saying he would put the photograph on the internet. “He kept threatening me and calling me bad names, so I went to the police and made my complaint,” the Indian woman said.

Following investigations, police raided the home of a 29-year-old labourer in the Muraqabat area of Dubai. There they found a large A4 copy of the photograph near to his computer. He confessed to sending the emails, but in court yesterday denied the charge of making threats against the woman.

The trial was adjourned until later this month. In March, a similar case occurred in Dubai when two men attempted to blackmail their employer by threatening to download intimate video footage of him and his girlfriend on the internet. The Nepalese men attempted to extort dhs100,000 from their manager after stealing the memory card from his personal camera. The two men said they would ruin his life by downloading the videos to a potential audience of millions in the UAE and across the world by playing the film over the internet. They were convicted and sentenced to six months in prison each and deportation.

SEVEN DAYS

Ras Al Khaimah - A grave punishment

Ras Al Khaimah - Jun 11: Two men have been convicted of kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old boy in a graveyard. The court in Ras Al Khaimah sentenced the two UAE nationals to three years in prison each and allowed the victim to bring a case before the Civil Court for compensation.

The court was told that the teenager was standing outside his home when the men dragged him into their car and drove him to the graveyard in the emirate. There they stripped him naked and repeatedly raped him.

SEVEN DAYS