Foreign workers are partners in development: MoI official
Originally published in Gulf Times on May 29, 2011
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) will never detain an absconding foreign worker if he or she submits voluntarily to its Search and Follow-up Department (SFD) and such workers can be sent home within 48 hours, officials yesterday said.
During a tour of the Deportation Centre (also referred to as Detention Centre) run by the SFD, officials said the only time someone is charged is when the authorities have to go after the employee and nab him or her.
“Those submitting voluntarily are registered and checked for security or other violations. If they are cleared, they can depart within 48 hours,” Search and Follow-up Department director Col Nasser al-Sayed said.
The SFD applies Law No 4 of 2009 that regulates the entry, residence and sponsorship of expatriates.
“At the Deportation Centre, we also have a Residence Affairs Prosecution and a Residence Affairs Court for delivering swift verdicts,” Col al-Sayed said.
Additionally, the department also boasts of a group of legal specialists at a ‘technical office’ that studies complaints and disputes arising between the sponsor and the sponsored.
While pointing out that the number of people being brought to the centre is declining, officials said embassies had played an important part.
“Expatriates who come to our country are our partners in development and protecting their rights is our duty … the fact certain embassies had appointed a representative to deal with SFD is appreciable,” Col al-Sayed said.
“We are ready to co-operate with all embassies in all matters related to their nationals in a way that benefits these people,” he added.
Officials said soon all the police stations in the country (Capital, Rayyan, North) will be equipped to register employer’s complaints about their staff so that “they don’t have to come to the main centre”.
MoI legal department head Brig Hamad al-Mohannadi said Law 12 of 2009 also allows for employees to switch employers.
“The MoI permits transfer of sponsorship of those employees proved to have been subject to abuse by their sponsors,” he said, adding that the ‘victimised’ party can approach the MoI’s Human Rights Office and initiate the process.
“Deportees are also not forced to go to their own country. They can go to any country they have a valid visa for,” the officials added.
Photocaption: SFD director Col Nasser al-Sayed
As Published
