Stop maids running away from sponsors – Saudi tells Lanka
Labor Minister Mufrej Al-Haqabani, left, meets Sri Lankan Ambassador Mohamed Hussein Mohamed in Riyadh on Wednesday.
The Saudi Labor Minister Mufrej Al-Haqabani has asked the Sri Lankan government to stop maids running away from their Saudi sponsors soon after their arrival in the Kingdom.
Al-Haqbani told Sri Lankan Ambassador Mohamed Hussein Mohamed that several maids have run away after spending barely three months in the country. This was costing each affected Saudi sponsor SR25,000, he said.
The minister said that while this was only a small fraction of the Sri Lankan maids in the Kingdom, the situation had to be nipped in the bud. There are about 400,000 Lankan housemaids in the Kingdom.
The minister also complained that some maids were arriving pregnant in the Kingdom with false medical reports. In addition, he asked the Sri Lankan government to reduce the recruitment costs for housemaids.
Responding to the minister’s concerns, the Sri Lankan envoy said that the Association of Licensed Foreign Agencies has already decided to reduce the recruitment charges to SR12,000, which would be discussed at the next bilateral meeting in Colombo after Ramadan.
Mohamed said that maids obtain medical certificates six months ahead of their travel dates and become pregnant during the waiting period in Sri Lanka. He promised that arrangements would be made to deal with this situation.
To prevent maids from running away, he said that the Sri Lankan government has organized an intensive orientation program for those seeking work in Saudi Arabia. “This will put a stop to this problem because it prepares housemaids mentally to work in the Saudi environment, which is alien to them.”
According to a pact between the Kingdom and Sri Lanka, the parties have agreed to review the labor agreement once every six months. The next meeting would be in Colombo in July, he said.
The accord, which protects employers and employees, allows workers to keep possession of their passports, and have salaries paid into their bank accounts. “Under the pact, domestic workers can be assured of a safer, more decent and problem-free working environment,” Mohamed said.
The labor agreement covers 12 categories of domestic workers including housemaids, drivers, cleaners, and waiters employed by individuals. It also stipulates that contracts should be in a language understood by the worker.
Ahmed Al-Fehaid, undersecretary for international affairs, was also present during the discussions, Arab News reports.
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Beggars cannot be choosy. ‘ Hingan nanta koyida unubath ?’ goes the Sinhala saying. So stop complaining and decide either you sell yourself and sacrifice dignity for a few dinars OR save your dignity and stay at home ( may be starving).
Moda kamata beheth Naa MOda nisa marandath Baa. That is you AUJ. Do not make such stupid comments as you have done without knowing the plight of the women who to go to work as domestic servants. Do you think any one in their right mind will leave their children and go to the middle east if they are not desperate. Si it’s best if stupid people like you keep your stupid thoughts to your selves.
Dear Mr. S.Fernando,
I do not know from where you got the notion , ‘,Moda kamata beheth naa. Moda nisa marandath baa.’
As far as I know ‘ moda kamata beheth thibey’. It can be cured by parental advice, good tutorial efforts and even by a bit primary psychiatry . That is why schools and other educational institutions are established. As for your saying ‘ moda nisa marandath baa ‘. you mean to say ‘ moda nathnam maranda ehakiy’ It is best to leave alone such people with criminal tendencies to themselves.
As for the meaning of my comments , you have missed the point. I have mentioned about the hunger and the struggle to exist over here and if you want to eke out a better living you can seek such employment without complaining. You have to remember that you will be ruled under sharia law and that there will be no room for anybody’s intervention .