NEWS FROM THE UAE
SOURCE : THE NATIONAL
Indian minister promises action on rogue agents
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research attends a reception in honour of Dr Shashi Tharoor, the Indian minister of state for external affairs, right. Charles Crowell for The National
UAE - JUNE 24: The Indian minister of state for external affairs promised yesterday to punish unscrupulous recruitment agents who lured his countrymen to the UAE on false salary promises.
Speaking in Dubai on his first visit to the country since his party’s victory in last month’s elections, Shashi Tharoor also invited Indians who had lost their jobs in the UAE to return and seize the opportunities available in their home country.
He met several ministers before having lunch with Sheikha Lubna al Qasimi, the Minister for Foreign Trade, and later meeting Indian businessmen. “We are extremely concerned that innocent ordinary working men and women are being duped by unscrupulous agents,” he said, adding that it was difficult to stop all bad practices because of the volume of demand from the UAE for Indian labourers.
While the ministry was setting “fairly clear standards” for labour contractors, there were still “unregulated agents, functioning outside the net of the regulatory authorities who have been fleecing innocent citizens”.
He insisted steps had been taken by his government, including amendments in the law to increase the punishment for such agents. “The government cannot solve every problem but we are trying to crack down on this,” he said.
Although he admitted he had “no influence over working conditions outside of India”, he said the two countries had enjoyed a “good dialogue over the issue of labour standards with the UAE over the past few years”.
“Right now we find the circumstances satisfactory,” he said.
His words were echoed by the Indian consul general in Dubai, Venu Rajamony, who said: “The government is moving forward to amend the immigration act to increase punishment on illegal agents.
“It has already started cancelling the registration of agents found guilty and people have also been prosecuted in criminal cases.”
He said India was also running a public information campaign, and added that the countries had recently signed a memorandum of understanding on labour issues.
When questioned about his government’s position on UAE-based Indians who had lost their jobs due to the global financial crisis, Mr Tharoor said: “I hope that Indians abroad are alright. For those who are not able to stay here [in the UAE] due to various reasons, we invite them to come back.
“India will not lose interest in them. For every Indian there are opportunities in tomorrow’s India. They should come back and seize these.
“The government is aware of the valuable contribution and potential problems they face, and we will not be indifferent to them.”
While he had proposed a special relief package for Gulf returnees, none had yet bee announced.
Mr Tharoor’s visit, the first by an Indian minister since the United Progressive Alliance swept to power last month, was an unofficial stopover on his way to a meeting of foreign ministers in the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation summit, which began on Saturday in Yemen.
He described the countries’ bilateral relations as promising, with both nations looking at further economic, security and cultural co-operation in the future.
Dubai tenants stand firm over eviction
DUBAI - JUNE 24: Dubai Municipality is expected to meet today with representatives of more than 250 families who are refusing to move out of an old residential complex in Karama after receiving eviction notices from the owners.
Tenants of the Zabeel building, which has been housing Indian, Pakistani and Arab expatriates, were given eviction notices in May. The owners said the building was in “bad condition” and needed immediate renovation. The tenants were given until December 31 to find another place to live.
Mohammed Shalabi, a consultant with Dubai International Real Estate, a government-managed development firm, yesterday said the municipality had ordered the renovation.
“We received several notices from the Dubai Municipality asking us to initiate renovation. They said that concrete from the front elevation was falling, causing risks to residents as well as pedestrians. This is why we decided to do complete renovation of the building.”
He said the residents were refusing to move out because most had lived there for a long time, meaning the rents were much lower than in newer buildings of similar size. The building has 252 flats and more than 35 commercial units that include shops, offices, showrooms and others. It is nearly 30 years old.
Some residents said they had been living in the building for decades.
“It is not possible for us to find homes for such rents anywhere in Dubai,” one said. “There are so many families living here and if evicted all will have nowhere to go.”
The annual rent for a three bedroom apartment in the building was just over Dh35,000 (US$9,530), residents said. The families insisted that the management could go ahead with the construction even if they stayed in the building.
“It is impossible to renovate with people staying,” Mr Shalabi countered. “Water and electricity has to be cut off, floor tiles would be removed and all this cannot be done with people living there.”
To resolve the deadlock, the municipality has summoned all tenants and shop owners to a meeting. Representatives from the company will also be present. “We will accept whatever decision is taken by the Municipality,” Mr Shalabi said.
Some tenants suggested that the renovation was only an excuse to get the tenants to leave so that owners could then charge higher rents to new tenants.