Khaleej Times

ABU DHABI, Oct 30: The economic progress that the UAE is witnessing requires expatriate workers, the Minister of Economy Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi has said.

She also said that solving the problem of illegal workers was very vital, and after the grace period offered by the UAE government’s amnesty expired, stiff punishment was in store for the illegal workers.

The minister made these remarks as part of the campaign “No To Illegal Workers” launched by the Ministry of Interior.

“The UAE is a law-abiding country, and always deals with individuals within the purview of the law, and not through rigid provisions,” Shaikha Lubna said.

She added that the international humanitarian organisations had praised the UAE for treating the problem of illegal workers humanely and for offering them a chance to return to their countries or to get their status legalised.

She said it wasn’t unusual for the UAE to become a centre of attraction for many people who wish to come and work here due to the economic progress, peace and order it enjoys.

UAE: Indian Worker Falls to Death in Factory
Khaleej Times

AL AIN, Oct 30: Saleem Abdulazeez, a 40-year-old Indian worker, died while on duty at a cement factory here in Al Ain city on Friday.

An eyewitness said Abdulazeez sustained head and neck injuries after falling from a height in the factory. An official from the Al Ain Police Emergency and Safety Unit (AAPESU) said there was no confirmed report yet on the cause of the worker’s death, and added that Al Ain Police were still investigating the accident, which was reported at around 2.30pm.

Saleem, a father of four children, three boys and a girl, had been working in the cement factory for 16 years, a company source said.

Meanwhile, the eyewitness said the police rushed to the spot after hearing of the accident and found Saleem lying on the ground. “Saleem was fixing water leakage in a tunnel inside the factory when the accident occurred,” the eyewitness added.

In another incident, three cars smashed into each other in Al Yaher Area near Al Ain at around 3pm yesterday. Nobody was seriously injured in the accident.

A 35-year-old UAE national who was driving a Toyota Camry hit two cars - a car of Emirates Transportation Company that was being driven by a 50-year-old Pakistani driver, and another saloon car of a 25-year-old Emirati national.

“The driver of the first car lost control and crashed into the other two cars,” said an AAPESU source. The Toyota Camry was completely damaged, and its driver was shifted to the hospital for medical check-up.