Govt. blamed for increasing number of foreigners

20 December 2007
Report: Soodh

The cause for the increased number of foreign workers in the country is due to the irresponsibility of the government officials working in the concerned government department informs a person with 15 years of experience in the labor sector. The person who wishes to remain anonymous told Miadhu that increasing number of foreign labor in Maldives is due to the irresponsibility of government officials and the due to the fact that bringing in foreign labor is considered as a lucrative business which has paved the way for a lot of corruption.

He revealed that while there are some 100 agencies operating in the labor market, the Labor Ministry do not conduct regular checks on the agencies. He further said that friends and relatives of government officials working in the labor section of the Labor Ministry are given quotas of 80 to 100. The anonymous person told Miadhu that those workers brought under these quotas are normally released to Male’ without any guidance. According to the anonymous source, these workers are then seen in large groups at Male’ crossroads or in front of tea shops.

Speaking on the issue of many missing notices carried in local daily newspapers, he said the reason why these workers are missing from work are because the workers are released to find their own work once they are found not suitable for the work were initially brought for. He noted in many instances these workers once released never return.

“After 15 days of notice, the agencies are given replacement quotas, but those missing foreign workers still remain in the country” said the anonymous source involved in carrying out small government project.

In an interview granted to Miadhu in late October this year, Ibrahim Shafiu Controller of Department of Immigration and Emigration, said that foreign labor is viewed as a business venture, conducted in collaboration with foreigners, to engage in a shared business.

“Many Maldivian going abroad for medical reasons or for various other reasons meet these foreigners and arrange to conduct the foreigner’s business in Maldives on profit sharing basis; that foreigner comes to Maldives with US $ 3000.00 and that amount is sufficient for him to open saloons and tailor shops; the fact of the matter is, the foreigner is brought in a business arrangement, to conduct his business in Maldives in a profit sharing manner” said Shafiu.

Shafiu noted that very few foreigners violate the regulations governing the employment in Maldives but that foreigner brought in to Maldives in these joint business ventures are the ones that violate the regulations.

“Parties who bring in the foreigners bring them for 6 to 8 months period and when the work is completed these parties then lease out the foreigners, last year we arrested 300 people on information that they were working illegally however only 12 were proved to be working illegally; there are many foreigners in hiding but these are mostly cases where their salary has not been paid.” detailed Shafiu.

Statistics maintained by Employment Ministry indicate that expatriate population in Maldives has reached 67,942. Statistics indicate that 26,394 expatriates work in the construction industry and of the 26,394 expatriates 26,333 are from counties in Asia. Statistics indicate expatriates working in the construction industry are mostly Bangladeshi workers.

Employment Ministry reveals that up to the end of last November 62,351 male expatriates and 5,591 female expatriates were working in Maldives.