33 ‘sites’ shut down for violation of labour laws
Labour inspectors conducted 4,335 and 5,083 visits in May and June respectively and closed down 33 “sites” for violations of laws in Qatar, it was announced yesterday.
Listing the steps taken by the government to improve working conditions for expatriates in the country, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said the number of safety inspectors has been raised from 200 to 243 and new facilities for housing up to 150,000 foreign workers are being readied at the Industrial City and Barwa City.
“Companies specialising in property management and leasing will run the two cities,” a statement issued by the ministry said.
Welcoming the recent progress on labour law reforms, HE the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Abdullah Saleh Mubarak al-Khulaifi called for continued co-operation with the home countries of expatriate workers to ensure the safety and fair treatment of those working in Qatar.
“Our ambitions for change are not just restricted to within our own borders. That is why we are also stepping up our efforts to work with expatriate workers’ home countries to ensure there are fair standards in place before workers even arrive.
“The decision of the Nepali embassy in Qatar to ban 55 Nepali recruitment companies found to have been exploiting migrant workers, shows how important effective action from all parties can be.”
Read more on Gulf Times | Photo by M. RISHAN SHAREEF
