UPDATED: Indian Labourers Have Pay Doubled
The Indian “slaves” (as described by Don Mitchell CBE, QC of Corruption Free Anguilla blog) have had their wages doubled. “Doubled” says a lot.
Read about it at the Houston Chronicle here.
Original Story…
Indians, Chinese, Sri Lankins – The New Caribbean Slave Labour
Anguilla obviously has the same problem as Barbados – the government allows outside labour to be shipped in to work for far less wages and under conditions that citizens would not put up with.
The whole “outside labour” scam only works if the government allows companies to get away with it.
But sooner or later, the slaves rebel…
Excerpt From Corruption-Free Anguilla Blog…
We have a developing humanitarian crisis in Anguilla that needs to be told. It involves the rebellion by the Indian slave labour that our government has permitted the KOR Group and Viceroy Resorts to import into Anguilla.
It was at 3:00 pm yesterday Tuesday 26 June that the police stopped the Indian workers at South Hill. They had been walking into the Valley to complain to the Labour Commissioner. Iwandai and Heartbeat Radio broadcast live for some hours from the scene. Eventually, the Commissioner of Police relented. He permitted their Anguillian sympathisers to drive the Asians to the Labour Commissioner’s office in The Valley.
There were then at least fifty of them. The Labour Commissioner met with a few of their representative. There, they told their tale of the unbearable conditions which they were treated to at Barnes Bay. Wages of US$180.00 per month. Meat for dinner just once per week. Work-related injuries that remained untreated. Eleven-hour days, six days per week, in the blazing sun. Eight men bunking in a container in the container village to which they were confined.
Anguillians were affected by their plight. Many of them had lost their better paying jobs when these Asians had been brought in to replace them at Viceroy. That did not stop them congregating in an unmistakable demonstration of support outside the Labour Commissioner’s offices.
… read the entire article at Corruption Free Anguilla blog (link here)
11 Comments
July 8, 2007 at 10:30 am
Barbados got slaves right now. Not only chinese but us poor Bajans who got no say in anything. Us jes told to work, don’t talk back, and put up wid it while the big Massahs fattening up on our backs.
July 8, 2007 at 3:15 pm
A quick check would reveal that this problem exsist throughout the Caribbean
July 8, 2007 at 3:16 pm
What about all those illegal Chinese construction workers? Why has this disappeared from Nation News?
Why won’t the government tell us about the Chinese workers? Have permits been issued? How much do they make an hour? Are they allowed to roam the island or are they kept in “camps” like the Indians on Anguilla?
What is the story Owen Arthur?
July 8, 2007 at 8:44 pm
“What about all those illegal Chinese construction workers? Why has this disappeared from Nation News?
Why won’t the government tell us about the Chinese workers? Have permits been issued? How much do they make an hour? Are they allowed to roam the island or are they kept in “camps” like the Indians on Anguilla?
What is the story Owen Arthur?”
———————–
Hi Red Lake Lassie,
The story is that there is no story. Now run along and be a nice little consumer (wink, wink).
With OSA pushing for and establishing links with the Chinese, it is doubtful that we’ll be seeing anything done about the work permit issue, let alone more info on the subject.
Bim is in bed with the Chinese and I doubt OSA, The Nation or any other entity who has something to lose, will risk debating or exposing anything that might bring those relations to a grinding halt.
But then again, what do I know?
Yours,
The Bystander.
July 8, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Bim is in bed with everybody!
Whoever pays the whore the money she wants,
they get the goods.
July 8, 2007 at 10:11 pm
You know, the foreign workers who comes into the caribbean for PAY that is less that the established pay rates in those specific Islands/ countrys are doing so mostly to improve their lots. What they may earn here in Barbados, for examlpe, is FAR more that that they will earn in their own country… so the excess income will be remitted back to their families while their lifestyle is no worse than many are already accustomed to. Bajans have been doing this in Canada, Ney York and London for generations. Now I am NOT saying this is entirely right, but the theory is ..
..if there is a higher demand for workers to carry out our needs than there are available of our LOCAL Labour then we invite our Caribbean neighbours to fill the vacant positions, however if there are No Caribbean Citizens willing or able or available to do the job, then we have to source Labour from Extra Regional sources.
BUT…. To Pay them a pittence (low wages) IS WRONG. This country has MINIMUM WAGE LAWS and NO worker …Local, Regional or Extra regional should be PAID less than the Minimun as set out by our LAWS….. The employer paying less than the minimum ….. should be FINED.
This Theory is already known to all, thugh some people need reminding often,
July 8, 2007 at 10:47 pm
The rumour is these workers are prisoners, or persons who have offended the state.
As are the Chinese fishermen who occasionally put into Bim for re-supply.
These rumours will continue to fly until The Reverent Atherley confirms to his citizens these workers’ true status:
1) Have the jobs been advertised, and there are no local workers available, locally or regionally?
2) Have the Chinese skilled workers presented documented proof of their superior technical qualifications?
3) Have all 100 (600,1000, whatever the figure) produced Police Certificates of good character from their government?
4) Have they all produced a satisfactory Medical Form?
5) Have these Chinese workers paid the $200 application fee, and will the $1200 fee be payable upon successful application?
These are the questions reverend, Barbados requires you to provide truthful answers.
July 9, 2007 at 11:14 am
My question is: How can the authorities come down on anyone coming here to work if they turn a blind eye to what is happening at Freshwater Bay? How can they demand work permit fees, application forms, limited permit duration – how can they demand any of it unless they declare that it’s only okay for some employers, but not all?
July 9, 2007 at 11:59 am
Peltdown Man
you put your finger on the problem
there are rules for some and not for others
there can be no integrity in the rule of law when you can ignore the rules or buy your way out of.
July 9, 2007 at 12:03 pm
[...] Chinese Workers In Barbados Being Treated Well? Are They Healthy, Happy? Jump to Comments The recent story by Corruption Free Anguilla blog on the plight of Indian migrant workers on that island made me think about the Chinese labourers [...]
July 9, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Having failed to report in the last two weeks to the Barbadian people the Immigration Dept’s response, when a simple phone call to Mr Greaves would give an satisfactory answer, there are only two conclusions;-
1) You are not in charge of your brief, and as such, incompetent.
2) You have chosen to be deliberately obstructive, and not worthy of the public’s trust.
Speak truthfully, reverend, which is it?