The solution….?

1 Feb, 2009  Annoyances, Gov

responsibility

I just had to comment on something which is a perfect example of how sometimes the government has good intentions, but the solution isn’t really thought out.

This was a response as to the issue of fake companies issuing visas to labourers, where the company doesn’t exist.

“Al Rais who is a prominent member of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI), made his comments in Qatar daily The Peninsula.

Al Rais explained how the bogus companies sell off work visas to manpower agencies abroad and then when the foreign workers arrive they are left stranded.

“I have been urging the authorities concerned for long to classify private companies into three categories: A, B and C, (signaling their treatment of foreign staff) to help end the problem of abandoned and absconding workers,” said Al Rais, who employs more than 3,000 foreign workers himself.

Grade ‘A’ companies should be the ones operating for 20 years or more with a track record of treating their workers well.

Firms existing for less than 20 years and more than 10 with no worker-related problems, should be put in category ‘B’.

New or even old companies with known problems related to workers should be classified as ‘C’ and they should not be given work visas at all, explained Al Rais. ”

I understand why the authorities don’t accept this, it doesn’t make sense! So let’s say I, a hard working and honest Qatari, started a business. Since my company is brand new, I’d be classified as C and wouldn’t be able to hire staff and receive work visas. What this means is that only established companies can hire staff and new ones will cease to exist. Unless I’m expected to run the company alone for 10 years first!

*sighs* Hopefully they’ll rethink things and suggest something a bit more intelligent. How about actually doing inspections on companies once or twice a year? I know it’ll take a bit more effort from the authorities side but that’s why the government is there, to make the people’s lives better :)

Freedom of Expression

    Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which the Qatari Government is a signatory of states: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any medias and regardless of any frontiers.

    The Emiri Decision Number 86 of the year 2007 on the establishment of the Doha Free Information Centre marked yet another step towards establishing a State of rights and freedom of speech. The decision stipulated that the Centre be a non-profit organization, headquartered in Doha City, and have the authority to establish other affiliated centres inside and outside Qatar. It is worth mentioning that His Highness the Emir issued a decision in 1998 annulling the ministry of information, giving birth to a new era of freedom of speech where censorship was removed from local media.