Embassies see huge jump in complaints as summer peaks

The jump in complaints coincides with the advent of the summer and this trend has been witnessed in the past few years as well.

It is learnt from some of the Asian embassies in Doha that many workers are seeking their help to lodge complaints over poor facilities at their workplace as well as
accommodation.

“Every year, we receive more complaints from our workers during the summer months and this year, too, the trend seems to be more or less the same. The rise in the number of complaints these days is mainly due to the increase in the population of our nationals in the country,” said a diplomat at one of the Asian missions.

Though he did not disclose the actual figures of those seeking the embassy’s intervention, the diplomat acknowledged that there has been a rise in the number of aggrieved workers this summer as well.

He said besides workers, his mission also receives complaints from housemaids, mainly pertaining to working hours in their employers’ homes. “There could be even more complaints during the one-month period starting from the end of June. Usually, housemaids complain about extended working hours during this time of the year,” said the diplomat.

His counterpart in another embassy echoed similar feelings on the issue of labour complaints.

More than a year ago, officials at the Search and Follow Up Department’s Deportation Centre reported that in the three months starting from June, the centre usually receives more inmates than in the other months.

There have been many cases of workers absconding from their sponsors during the summer due to “unsatisfactory” work conditions. While some of them eke out a living by doing jobs on their own until they are held by the department concerned, many others seek the intervention of the authorities so that they could be sent to the
Deportation Centre.

“While many workers approach the centre with a ticket to travel home, others initially find shelter and then seek the assistance of individuals or forums to secure air tickets,” said an activist of an Indian expatriate group that donates tickets at regular intervals.

There are times when not all absconding workers could be admitted to the Deportation Centre, mainly due to the
prevailing rush there.

Meanwhile, most of the runaway cases are being reported at a time when the Ministry of Interior has intensified its combing operations in areas where such people are believed to be residing in.