The Emirates Evening Post carried an interview with Indian Minister for Overseas Affairs, Vayalar Ravi, in Friday's edition. I will scan and post it on Sunday. A sidebox to the story. At a luncheon hosted by the Indian Business and Professional Council, a business, Vashu Shroff, asked: "Who are NRIs? Businessmen like us or poor labourers? They have genuine problems, which need to be addressed. We don't have such problems but are complaining. We have money to solve our issues but labourers find it difficult to ear their bread and butter here and also face problems back home." -- Excerpts from the Interview
Ravi said that the introduction of the Smart Card, which was to be introduced by Sept, would have to be extended as the formalities may not be completed by the deadline. Smart CAr wil meke it easier for NRS to enter or exit the country. On the status of the Protector of Emigrants Office, he said the offices have been fully computerized. "All our embassies can access labourer records in a fraction of a second. This has made the office's functioning effective and check malpracties...." He was asked what the government is doing regaridngt the "growing prostitution racked in the Gulf" with reference to singles women coming into the region. His reply: We are working on this issues with various organisations like the National Women's Commission. We suggest that women avoid coming here alone. We won't allow single women below the age of 30 to come here....." He said he has recieved lots of complaints, mostly from Saudi Arabia and Muscat, regarding this issue. He advised Indian labourers not to resort to protest like the one witnessed in Dubai very recently against one company. He said the government would also take up the issue of sponsors/emplouers keeping the labourers' documents with them. I believe the "documents" are passports. Eugene Correia __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _____________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. Goanet mailing list (Goanet@goanet.org)
