In the first of a two part article, Minivan News looks at the challenges facing skilled expatriates coming to work in the Maldives and the current systems in place to prevent both employees and employers from suffering workplace malpractice.
A growing number of expatriate workers in fields ranging from education to project management have told Minivan News they are considering leaving the Maldives, and in some cases have already left the country, amidst difficulties and desperate circumstances linked to “cultural clashes” and discrimination from local employers.
Several foreigners who have worked in the Maldives have spoken to Minivan News of the more negative experiences they have had with local employers, who they allege in cases have been “suffocating”, “scary”, and even deceptive in their treatment of expatriate staff, leading them to leave their posts prematurely and in some instances flee the country.
Statistics
Despite these claims, statistics from government organisations upholding the country’s employment act suggest that the number of official complaints from expatriates regarding their work situation were significantly less than the complaints received by local staff.
The Employment Tribunal told Minivan News that between 2009 and 2010, the proportion of complaints received from expatriates regarding poor or illegal treatment represented less than 10 percent of its total cases.
A tribunal spokesperson, who wished to remain anonymous, said that it had yet to receive a single case of alleged workplace discrimination facing foreign workers, although it accepted the practice undoubtedly occurred and that foreigners required greater recourse should they face illegal treatment in their work.
The Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports, which has the Labour Relations Authority under its remit, said it had not been made aware of significant concerns among expatriates – particularly those from Europe and Asia Pacific – of widespread difficulties or a culture clash experienced working with local employers.
Senior government sources have in recent months outlined concerns about the treatment of huge numbers of unskilled labourers from countries like Bangladesh that are often illegally trafficked into the country, though skilled workers from abroad also appear to have issues with work practice.
While the number of expatriate staff complaints is statistically limited in comparison to the number of concerns received from local employees, foreigners who have sought career development in the Maldives have raised concerns about a pattern of experiences they fear others may face.
One Australian teacher, who spent a year at an international school in the Maldives, found that after years of working across Asia the Maldives was the most “personally challenging”.
The teacher said that while not regretting his experiences in the Maldives, there was very little information on what workers should expect and a seeming lack of interest and acceptance of the foreign experience he had been employed to provide.
“I found work in the Maldives extremely challenging from the point of view of trying to initiate and foster an ‘international education’, with huge limits being put on what could be facilitated in the classroom in terms of curriculum and content – mostly due to ‘culture clashes’,” he said.
“I found many levels, from management, staff and the local community down to students themselves, very unyielding in accommodating ‘international quality teaching and learning’.”
Although working in a very different industry, one UK expatriate – employed for several months as a project coordinator for a high-profile reclamation and construction project before opting to leave the country and her job – said she felt her position was ultimately untenable and that she had put too much faith in the word of her employer before arriving in the Maldives.
“The owner informed me that I should not compare myself to other expatriates from Europe and that expats should work weekends and holidays as they do not have a social life,” she claimed.
“My advice to anyone moving to the Maldives would be to make sure you have a contract that is legally recognised in the country, including the provision of allowances, medical insurance and a job description before you commit. Promises can turn to dust and someone’s word is not necessarily their bond.”
Another employee from the UK, bought to the country to work as a travel journalist and writer after several years working in the Middle East, claimed that she was also unprepared for office life in the Maldives. The employee said her employer led her to feel powerless from treatment she believed amounted to bullying.
“[I] began to feel I was being watched at every step at work. Despite there being one rule for Maldivian staff – keeping whatever hours they pleased, turning up in the afternoon and going to meetings through the day – they brought in a performance management system especially for me, increasing my workload and making me work six days a week,” she said.
Speaking to Minivan News, a representative for the Maldives Employment Tribunal – formed in 2008 to ensure companies were fulfilling their obligations to the country’s labour laws – said that the Maldivian Employment Act was designed to protect both local and foreign workforces equally.
However, the tribunal spokesperson added that the formation of a special union or workers’ associations to protect the interests of foreign employees would no doubt be beneficial to foreign staff, particularly those not fluent in Dhivehi or English.
“If there is a union that can represent foreigners on their behalf, or a workers’ association or something that can represent [foreign workers], then it will be easier to give them access to the tribunal,” the spokesperson said.
According to the tribunal’s figures, in 2009 a mere eight percent of complaints received regarding workplace mistreatment were from expatriate workers, despite these workers constituting a third of the country’s population. In 2010, this figure halved to four percent.
No enforcement
At present, employers in the Maldives are not bound by decisions of the tribunal even if they were found to have breached their contractual or legal obligations, the spokesperson said.
The tribunal is awaiting changes to the Employment Act that will allow edicts to be legally enforced by the country’s Civil Court. A true reflection of of the number of disgruntled foreign employees was likely to follow, the spokesperson said.
“The tribunal itself and the Employment Act is silent on enforcement, so if we issue a verdict and no one enforces it, there is nothing we can do on this,” the spokesperson said.
“Maybe this is why people do not want to go through the hassle of [the tribunal]. If the decision is not implemented, what do they get at the end of the day? We have proposed the Employment Ministry amend the act so that enforcement power could be given to the Civil Court. But these amendments are still going on.”
Local considerations
The tribunal spokesperson said that there was little difference in the standard and type of complaints coming from either local or foreign employees, with few cases concerning discrimination.
“We normally get complaints about unpaid wages and unfair dismissal so it’s sort of the same. It’s basically unfair dismissal and unpaid wage that we receive, even from locals. We get very few cases of discrimination,” the spokesperson claimed.
The tribunal had not dealt with cases such as forced labour or discriminatory behavior from employers, she said, “although this does not mean it is not taking place fairly openly.”
“I think it is all happening in the country, even if we do not receive such cases. Anybody who in this society knows it is happening in the country,” the spokesperson added, emphasising that employment laws were nonetheless designed to treat local and foreign workers equally regardless of their nationality.
Foreign workers in their own words
Three expatriate employees who have all moved on from their posts recount their experiences of working in the country. The names of the individuals have been changed to protect their identities.
Michael, 28, Australian teacher
“I found working in the Maldives to be a thoroughly challenging, but rewarding experience. Unlike other regions of the world, which provide you with a plethora of websites, books and other resources to enhance your knowledge of what the country will be like to live and work in, there was little to go on before leaving – apart from the Lonely Planet guide (which is more of a resort guide than a window into the inner workings of the country itself).
So going there I had little idea of what living and working in the Maldives would be like. Early challenges included the ‘norm’ for ex-pat life abroad – finding suitable accommodation, getting acquainted with new work conditions and new colleagues, finding friends and generally finding your feet in a new place. I lived in Hulhumale’, which is a swift ferry ride away from the capital city of Male’ – this provided the quiet I desired, but I was close enough to experience Male’ when I had to or wanted to.
I was employed as an English teacher at an international school, which is my profession in my home country. I found work in the Maldives extremely challenging from the point of view of trying to initiate and foster an “international education”, with huge limits being put on what could be facilitated in the classroom in terms of curriculum and content – mostly due to ‘culture clashes’.
I found many levels, from management, students themselves, staff, down to the local community, very unyielding in accommodating “international quality teaching and learning”. To me this is what an international school should provide – opportunities for students to develop holistically and develop critical thinking skills, with an empathy and understanding for different cultures and lifestyles.
The culture of the Maldives and its unwillingness to broaden its horizons and be open to outside influences made school life extremely challenging, not to mention the management of the school ( European in origin) not being open to “local interests and desires” for a child’s education.
The Maldives can also be quite a ‘suffocating’ place, especially for foreign women – Maldivian males are quite primitive in some of their behaviour and I have both witnessed and heard of gross misconduct and harassment on many levels towards Western women. As a male, the country is without doubt an easier beast to handle, but foreign women definitely have cause for concern when dealing with locals at times.
On the whole, once settling into a vastly different style of ex-pat life that I had been used to, I really enjoyed living and working in the Maldives. It is quite a shock to begin with, with rigid cultural and religious elements, quite foreign to many western day-to-day lives, having to be adhered to.
Outside of work there is plenty to do if you have a thirst for everything outdoors. I wouldn’t trade my year there for anything, I met some wonderful people – both local and international, and would recommend people give the Maldives a go.”
Natalie, 47, British project coordinator
“Recruited by a Sri Lankan businessman in the UK to work as a project coordinator in the Maldives, I was very excited about finding what seemed to be an excellent opportunity for my career development, working on a reclamation and construction project.
Having thoroughly researched the UK company, I accepted the job offer to work for the newly established Maldivian company, set up specifically for the project. With what I understood to be tight project timescales, I relocated within a month having the draft of a skeleton contract in email, trusting the owner of the business that the company and its employees were like a family; we could finalise the details of the contract at a later date.
Once there the owner informed me that I should not compare myself to other expatriates from Europe and that expats should work weekends and holidays as they do not have a social life. My advice to anyone moving to the Maldives would be to make sure you have a contract that is legally recognised in the Maldives, including allowances, medical insurance and a job description before you commit. Promises can turn to dust and someone’s word is not necessarily their bond.
Life in the capital of Male’ for a woman is not an easy one. Despite respecting the culture and religious beliefs, wearing suitable clothing and behaving appropriately, the Maldivian men do touch and grab women inappropriately.
There is a great deal of resentment from some Maldivians towards expats and contractors from Europe and the Americas. Fortunately though, some recognise the potential for change to achieve future growth and prosperity in a greener and more international culture.
My experience is something I do not regret. I had the pleasure of meeting His Excellency the President on more than one occasion and was fortunate to make good friends and business associates. Lessons have been learned: such is life.”
Dana, 30, UK journalist
“I have lived and worked on respected publications in the Middle East, I was used to cultural differences and striking harmony between the two ways of working. I believed I was well prepared for the challenges of working in a society with similar beliefs to the Maldives, but nothing prepared me for the challenges that lay ahead.
I was at first pleasantly surprised with the apartment where I would be living. It was a three-bedroom flat with all mod-cons. Upon arriving, the publisher asked me which room I wanted to take and then proceeded to lock the other rooms, he retained a key for the flat and left.
The next morning, for my first day at work I had a rude awakening. The office boy who had collected my luggage was standing above me saying “madam, madam wake up!” Frightened out of my mind, I screamed at him to get out of my room. It was a strange and scary start to the day.
Any newsroom is supposed to be buzzing with reporters going in and out the office and colleagues coming in and out. Instead the publisher wanted it to be like a factory, rehashing press releases. He even had the general manager prepare us job descriptions, though it was clear that he hadn’t the first clue about journalism and was contending with staff with more than five decades of media experience between them.
Increasingly I also began to feel I was being watched at every step at work. Despite there being one rule for Maldivian staff, keeping whatever hours they pleased, turning up in the afternoon and going to meetings through the day, they brought in a performance management system for me, increasing my workload and making me work six days a week.
The office itself was dangerous and there were no health and safety regulations. The unlit entrance to the office had live cables swinging above the off the stairs and water on the bathroom floor. A campaign to bring it up to safe standards fell on deaf ears.
The general manager took me aside and tried to blacken the names of my colleagues, telling me they were not acting professionally in his eyes, but that he liked them and would give them more chances to improve.
Why was he telling me this I thought? I didn’t want to get involved, being such a newbie. Then he tried insinuate if I played by the rules I would do well. I didn’t like his tone or his allusions. It was as if he was trying to see what side I was on and divide and conquer. Baffled, I said that my colleagues had showed me nothing but kindness and respect and I didn’t want to be part of anything he was insinuating. I felt really uncomfortable with all of this.
I told my colleagues about his strange behaviour and bribes. They said they were not surprised. At various times he had tried the tactic with them all.
This alarmed me. Understandably at this point I was scared because I did not know what I had got in to. I only took the job because I thought this was an opportunity to further develop myself after my Middle East experience. I didn’t have the resources to move on.
Strangely, there was another power struggle going on between the publisher and the GM, who used to turn up late in the afternoon. Overall their attitude was arrogant and disdainful towards us and they showed no recognition for how hard the staff had been working to make their product
a success. Morale was so low in the office and all the energy and enthusiasm I had brought with me was being sapped. I felt I had served a lifetime, though barely a week had gone by.
There was a clocking in machine and we were required to clock in between 9am and 5pm and soon our interviews were being classed as time out by the publisher and his minion. I couldn’t believe their method of thinking!
We had contacts begging us to go out and visit them, yet we were ‘trapped inside the office.’ We tried everything to convince the publisher in the value of letting us out of the office. Yet he turned it into a punishment, banning press trips from the second week.
The day after Halloween, I received a phone call from my colleague who said she had just been fired. I was running late into the office from a meeting, so I couldn’t quite process it, she said that she had not been given any reason for the dismissal. My editor and the other reporter were in the office when I arrived and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. It was such an awful morning. My macabre mood suited the topic of my writings that day a feature about ghouls and jinnis of the Maldives for a Halloween special.
We met outside for lunch and one of the reporters revealed that he was tendering his resignation on principle. The editor said he was looking for other jobs abroad but he would need to stay in this job for as long as possible. I felt for them and for the nightmare struggle they must have had so far. I felt suicidal after a few weeks, how about these poor souls?
I began to feel increasingly fearful as I did not want lose my job and have to go home. Not after all the struggle to get here. All those hours spent working in three menial jobs back to back, and taking on limited freelance contracts over the summer just to manage the airfare to the Maldives. I had no option, I was trapped, without enough money to go forward or back.
A few days later all hell broke loose. First the reporter who had tendered his resignation was called in and told that he was going to be dismissed that day, even though he was owed 30 days notice.
Then the editor was called in – luckily he had also just written his notice and handed it in before he could have the satisfaction of dismissing him. Two bully security guards were called in to almost forcibly remove them. I was so upset and shocked by the whole events which were unfolding. It was all going too fast – I couldn’t compute.
My state of mind was in tatters at this point imagining the worst, wrestling with my conscience, my pride and my dignity. My home was part of the work package so could not leave the company and try to find another job.
I didn’t have a choice. At this stage still hadn’t even been paid. I was also running out of cash and there was no one to help back home.
So I stayed… but at this point I still hadn’t even received my visa, and was required to leave the country and go to Sri Lanka. Still with no money, I asked the publisher to pay my expenses, but he said he would only pay for the airfare. I asked for an allowance to spend but he refused. Instead he turned out his moth-eaten wallet with £5 GBP and 15 rupees he said I could exchange.
In the meantime my colleagues had an awful time of it having to shift from place to place, but with the help of friends they got by and began setting up their own plans for the future. I tried to support them where I could.
Then I was called into the office and the publisher said he had been told that someone was else living in the flat and there were people visiting me. So what? I felt violated and angry as he had just admitted he been watching my flat. He said that he needed to give permission for anyone to stay. Another control mechanism.
The wheels were already in motion for my own removal. My visa was still in the process of being arranged and they had my passport. Less than 10 days later my fears were realised. I was called into the office and told that they would no longer continue with my employment and when I asked about my passport I was told I had to go to the immigration building to collect it.
I called one of my friends who had contact with immigration and I was told to come down to the office, they had my passport and tickets for me to fly out with Qatar within two days. I filed a case
with the employment tribunal and got my passport back.
The employment tribunal was a long and arduous process and in the end they ruled against me, as I hadn’t worked there long enough so I could not receive any compensation for the trauma of the last few months. Despite a ruling by the court to issue a one way ticket to the country of my choosing, I still have to receive that ticket from the employer. Along the way he pulled all sorts of nasty tricks including putting holds on empty tickets so that he would look good in court, and gazumping me when I went to buy a ticket at the same travel agent.
Overall, I felt an overwhelming feeling of freedom. I want to help people from making the same mistakes as me.”
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if you cant respect our culture and abide our rules, you are more than welcome to leave our country.
this is a very generalized article. there are some expatriate workers who have tried to take advantage of local employers; and tried to challenge them at court to take unfair advantages... Maldivians also should try to protect themselves against those taking advantage of local local and disrespect local traditions. its how all countries deal with similar issues..look at UK's immigration laws and the histories behind it....Maldives was not a colony so does not have any guilt or burden when dealing with foreigners so they tend to behave as naturally to them as it comes.. if you do not give them the regard they deserve, you may also not meet with the expectations you bring with you.
@ aa 99% of Maldivians don't even respect the culture or abide by the rules, let us send them all away! When in the Maldives it's a case of 'do as I say, not do as I do'.
Most Maldivians are lazy, egoistic, and dumb!!
yeah, maldivians are dumb, unyielding and racist, lets bring in the mighty white people to teach these savages.....the agenda is very clear, this government may have bowed over to their white masters, but we all know what this whole minivan agenda is...even a 6 year old can
aa: I was told that Maldivians are very proud people. After having lived here for 2 years, met some lovely people, some medieval barbaric yobbos, the question remains, PROUD OF WHAT?
It depends on the companies these people worked. There are both good and bad ones and this is just the tip of the iceberg. The whole labour relations is something new in Maldives and the Majlis and the Government has not been able to pass any decent laws regarding labour laws.
Once they can get that sorted out, then the Tribunal would be able to work better.
We also need to improve our work ethics a lot better and we must admit that there are lots of problems with the way we work.
Bullying definitely goes on, particularly towards women. Hire and fire threats, discrediting staff in front of others, blame culture, ex-staff meeting to plot 'revenge', intimate relationships between staff and management, not paying staff and contractors. Unprofessional behaviour will continue until those responsible are exposed and held accountable. Thank you Minivan for helping to bring this out into the open.
"lets bring in the mighty white people to teach these savages….." Why shouldn't we try to build a society that teaches us to develop and learn new skills?
We all want better education in schools, better healthcare for citizens, a better society, and so forth. There is nothing wrong with learning from the successes and failures of other countries. We need people with expertise to train us and help us in this way. Most of the 'mighty white people' I've met are either volunteers, or paid by NGOs or private companies to do work that locals don't know how to. If it makes Maldives a better place to live then let's develop with their help
What a bunch of bollocks!!! I only went so far as to read some of the comments from Michael, 28, Australian teacher who claim that “international education”, with huge limits being put on what could be facilitated in the classroom in terms of curriculum and content – mostly due to ‘culture clashes’". Oh pleeeeeeze! As a Maldivian living and working in Australia with children attending school here in Australia, I see both sides of the coins. Australia education system is more rigid, narrow-minded and not open to integration of other cultures and believes. While there are Christian, Catholic, Protestant, etc schools, there is an ongoing battle with the Council to establish a Muslim school. Let's not even begin with the torture and discrimination the owners of this land, the aborigines suffers everyday of their life! But hey, the Aussie mate spirit only comes into play when it deals with their own. Others are outsiders. They are racists and bigots, and so is the writer of this article. If you don't like Maldives GO AWAY!!!!
a lot of expatriates in Maldives; especially Europeans and those working for International NGOs like the US are here only because they like the exotic name of the Maldives and the luxury tourism associated with it. while they complain of the poor quality of life in Male and in the country, they like the sun and the booze at HIH... and try and inch their way into the resorts.... no harm in a little pleasure; but when everything else become secondary its really a problem.. a lot of the workers in International NGOs are working abroad only because they don't like their countries with freezing temperatures throughout the year.. this is why Maldives is such a popular destination with volunteers also...
Maldivians don't have a concept of racism. its something introduced and subscribed to by Europeans to understand their own behaviors towards peoples of other races and cultures...
Maldives is a strange place. The majority are shrewd, stupid, arrogant, depressed, angry, jealous and above all hypocrites.
I wonder if there ever will be a country as such. The unique island harbors only a few well adjusted citizens.
Primary drug is heroine.
Pedophiles are out in the loose.
Murder is often committed by children below 15
So what does all this tell about the adults?
I don't know about you, but I'm just here to drink beer and flirt with the local women. I might try my hand at a bit of Christian missionary work too: I'm not a Christian at all - don't care for all that God rubbish - I'll do it just to cause trouble and generally annoy people.
Having read this article, I am somehow not surprised, given the admiration for Saudi Arabian values which is shown by some Maldivians. Qualified and experienced expats can make a valuable contribution to the development of your nation..it is sad that this is not appreciated.
Re: Maldivians are proud of what?
Good question.
Being a Maldivian i just have two reasons. The beautiful white beaches and the crystal clear water.
I didn't actually read all the hate comments in this article. We Maldivians are raised fed that foreigners ( all white people ) are evil. You should notice those little comments the elders make to their children. It starts innocent and goes into deep rooted jealousy and hatred.
Everything Maldives is - is because of Foreign Tourism. Everything from the clothes we wear, food we eat to the medicine that extends our lives is Foreign.
What do you expect from a least developed country? A country that cant afford cucumbers to pleasure themselves.
Some of the comments are in some ways more enlightening than the articles. There seems to be an immediate leap to defend the place and 'this is the Maldives and if you don't like it here don't stay' attitude. Whilst understandable to a degree this does not address any issue that the article may be raising. As a UK citizen if I said this in our increasingly policed work places I would be accused of overt racism and quite possibly lose my job. We have had to adapt to a mult-cultural world and this has not been easy for many and neither would many agree that this has been a good thing, as it has diluted rather than enhanced a local culture. One thinks that to survive the Maldives will have to adapt too.
While I sympathize with the expats who've been wronged, especially those who were sexually harassed - I have little sympathy for many borderline racists who come and expect nothing but sycophantic obedience from the natives. In many poor countries they get just that.....
Many expats are not culturally sensitive, I have personally met people who have ridiculed the way we eat (fingers), scoffed at the spicy food which "kills taste", refusing to pay $2 for coffee in an "undeveloped" country....
I will not paint all foreigners with the above brush and I hope readers will not paint Maldives with the narrow-minded brush described in the article.
Most expats from rich countries live relatively privileged lives in Maldives.
People from poor countries suffer a lot more discrimination in rich countries, immigration officers treat people from South Asia like cattle while Europeans breeze through. I suppose I should be thankful that upon seeing the passport the frown change to a smile, "oh I thought you were Indian, these Indians are troublesome"
i agree totally with what peasant above has written. while bangladeshi labourer have a really bad deal in many cases (both due to their employers in maldives and their agents in bangladheshi), professional expatriates lead quite a well priviledged life, with additional benefits which maldivians do not get like food allowance and apartment rent and utilities bills paid. there are indians, bangladeshis, sri lankans and phillipinos employed at the company i work in, and we treat the professional staff and the office clerk the same, no maldivian gets housing allowance......sometimes europeans expect themselves to be above asians, and some of the things the articles mentions can be construed as racist
Most expatriates work in the Maldives because they earn tax free dollars. IF the Maldives was such a barbaric nation as the writer wants to portray, I wonder why he lives and works in the Maldives EARNING money which we should have earned scott free. A quick look at the Government employees of President Office also indicates that there are British people earning tax free dollars. Make hay while sunshines seems to be the policy of these expats.
PAUL MICHAEL MASON ENGLAND RAEESUL JUMHOORIYYAAGE ENERGY ADVISOR; PAUL RICHARD ROBERTS ENGLAND CONSULTANT ON INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION; SARAH ANTOINETTE MAHIR FRANCE BRUSSELS GAI HUNNA DHIVEHI RAAJJEYGE EMBASSY GE COUNSELOR; MARK T. LYNAS ENGLAND ADVISOR ON CLIMATE CHANGE
These are just some of the expats who are soooooo suffering in the Maldives.
its difficult to see this article as a balanced objective piece of writing.. the author is known to have been fired by a local publisher together with another group working for the same employer. the reason was they were working also doing side jobs without the knowledge of the employer and against the employment contract. even today Maldives is less racist than any European country. and Maldives also does not have the baggage of a violent and embarrassing racist, imperialist past..
Thank goodness someone has finally addressed this issue. The main point the critics of this article are missing is that these 'skilled expat workers' are invited to the Maldives by Maldivians to work in specific jobs where there is a skills shortage. In order to do this, private companies, Immigration and the Labour Ministry all have to agree that these people's contributions are needed by the Maldives for the benefit of the country. It isn't easy to simply pick up a visa.
Their employers are both legally and morally bound to treat them in a professional manner, otherwise as this article highlights, there are systems in place such as the Tribunal and courts where the issue can be investigated by a higher authority. If *some* the employers fail live up to their most basic obligations, then yes, of course the skilled expats will leave for another company or another country where they can be treated in a professional manner. Then who do you get to do a specific job that no-one in the Maldives is trained or qualified to do?
All expats, skilled and unskilled; Australian, Russian, Chinese, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Indian, Canadian, British - whatever, should all be treated with respect as human beings. The majority didn't travel all the way to the Maldives to ruin their own careers, they came to work hard, and the of them majority do.
what a great article - very well written and to the point. myself I have worked in many countries around the world and sadly this is the most racist bigoted hypocritical pedophiliac goat shagging country I've been in. Yes most of us expats do enjoy the tax free benefits - but hey face the facts, this country would be simple nothing, it would have problems finding its own backside in the dark with both hands if it wasn't for all the foreign workers that come here. Its only because the population are so lazy and largely stupid that the tourist machine has no choice but to bring in overseas workers. Just ask yourself why you proud Maldivians - yes ask why do they need to bring in all these expats?? Because you lot aren't up to the task in hand!!
I feel the author has spiced up the artiacle by exegerating the issue. I know a few expat workers from Sri Lanka and India who have lived and worked in Maldives for several years. It is also common that Bangladeshi workers keep returning to work here once the initial contract expires. However, it is a fact that some Asian expat workers are treated quite badly by their employers and delayed or non-payment of salaries is very common. However, workers from developed countries, European in particular, enjoy a very priviledged life compared to locals even in resorts Managed by Europeans. Perhaps European and Australians expecting to work in Maldives need to understand that Maldives is a developing country, it was never a colony so the locals are not in awe of Europeans and are generall quite reserved but friendly.
@Aharen: Bless you Brother, really, I hope one day you can go into an Australian Aboriginal community and experience the profound power of their Law and their 'Mabarn,' it is released through a sorrow so deep that it may shock you, but because you have an open and kind heart, you would understand it. I am really touched that you understand this Brother.
I myself love, miss and ache for the Maldives with a sorrow that leaves me listless every day. Despite the fact that I had bad experiences in Maldives, I also had the experience of a lot of supreme bliss, mostly, through prayer in the very old Mosques.
Every culture in the world has its beautiful, egalitarian and compassionate element, and every culture has it’s tyrannical, hierarchy promoting element.
There is a beautiful sense of the Mercy of the Divine which permeates, saturates the whole Maldives, and its source is the love of the martyr’s, which, as part of Allah’s Rahmatullah, permeates the atmosphere of the whole capital.
The Dhivehin and their culture were Created by Allah for a beautiful reason, as a gift for all humanity, this culture must be fought for.
Most Maldivians have not even tapped into it.
Also, dear fellow foreigners??? such a strange thing to say??? Go and get deeply entranced by the overwhelming power of the rhthyms of Bodu Beru in circumcision parties of big families, dance, dance go crazy, THAT is a mystical rush like NONE! Dance ALL NIGHT until you are whipped up into the most stirring frienzy you ever experienced!
Also, go to the old Mosques, sit quietly in them, read the stories about Maldivian martyr's, and open your heart to their pain, to their power, it is entrance into the Divine. Then, the ocean, the nation, will come alive for you, it will become ecstatic with electric energy, you will be one with the intense pulse of Male', it is crazy, dangerous, painful, heart breaking, stressful at times, yet it is spiritual and beautiful.
I spent hours yielding my aching heart to the Divine in Prayer, hungering deeply for Heavenly Mercy there in the very old Mosques in Male.’ Being with the memory of your martyr’s, inspired by their self sacrificial, courageous love, I bathed in the Rahim, the Grace of Allah, in the Sakinah. My experience was mystical, I describe it as Sufi. Though Sufism does not exist anymore in the specific sense, the spirit of it is in the folk Islam of the Maldives. Perhaps my use of the word Sufism is extremely loose.
No culture is incompatible with democracy, that is orientalist nonsense. Every culture has it’s elements which are liberal and democratic, and every culture has its elements which are un-democratic and illiberal, that includes western culture. The idea is, is to strengthen the elements in your own culture which are liberal and democratic if you want democracy to succeed.
My love for Maldives is so deep it hurts me to talk about it, it is a blissful aching, a sweet yet painful sorrow that scolds my heart and soul every day.
To these Westreners, open your heart to the sense of Allah in the old Mosques, you will find that there is a 'whole lotta love going in the middle of HELL!'
True, yes, but, look carefully and you will find more Maldivian people being abused by either by resorts owned by european companies or their Maldivain cronies.
Maldives is now a show run by Europeans and Indians.
seems like david johns just wants us to worship his sorry white arse, hehehe
this a poorly researched and completely racist article, but we all know what minivan's agenda is....
from just googling foreign labour issues in Australia:
2 issues, firstly, australia needs foreign labour, secondlyly, australia has an issue of ill treatment of foreign labour. its highly likely that the scale of both these issues will probably be much bigger than in a small country like Maldives. unlike some the white supremasist commenting here, i am not inclined to believe that australians are lazy and barbaric
"Paul Howes, a firebrand union leader and an influential figure in ruling Labor party circles, recently blew the whistle on what he says was one attempt in the oil industry to bring in Filipino workers on "slave-labor pay".
"We have told the government that we cannot stand by and allow what is essentially the trafficking of cheap labor from Asia into the remote northwest of Western Australia," says Howes, head of the Australian Workers Union (AWU).
Gina Reinhart, australias richest person says "australia needs guest workers" and apparently sent an email to Reuters saying
"Australia not only needed highly skilled migrant workers -- such as French geologist Lucile -- but also required unskilled, short-term guest workers for the costly, labor-intensive construction phase of development.
most expats professionals working in maldives are very professional and enjoying interacting at a professional and social level with their local counterparts. its jsut people who want to bring back colonialsim that are finding it difficult to deal with the maldivian attitude of not bowing down to every tom dic and harry in servitude
"Foreign labourers employed in the meat and poultry industry face physical and racist abuse by British staff, an investigation has found.
Many workers reported being pushed, kicked or having things thrown at them by line managers, said investigators from the Equality and Human Rights Commission."
Some of the worst abuses were committed against pregnant women who were also forced to continue to undertake work that posed risks to their health, including heavy lifting and extended periods of standing.
The inquiry uncovered frequent breaches of the law and licensing standards in meat processing factories - some of which supply the UK’s biggest supermarkets - and the agencies that supply workers to them. It also highlighted conditions which flout minimum ethical trading standards and basic human rights.
The report said: “Physical and verbal abuse were not uncommon, with a fifth of workers interviewed reporting being pushed, kicked or having things thrown at them by line managers; over a third of workers interviewed said they had experienced, or witnessed verbal abuse, often on a daily basis.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/food-industry-probe-reveals-abuse-of-foreign-workers-1920597.html
the situation with bangladheshi workers in maldives is not something i am proud of and more needs to be done to hold the perpetrators accountable, however this article is extremely biased and trying to portray maldivians some sort of deviant barbaric society, and therefore just appears to be racist towards maldivians by a bunch of white people. this pisses me off. my point is far worse atrocities at much bigger scale occur elsewhere in the world, this is a world wide problem and one which will not be addressed by this kind of attitude. the three expats, should have lodged a complaint with the authorities. one should always work with a contract, anywhere in the world, not just in the maldives
we have a large number of expats not because maldivians are lazy unwilling to work but rather because this importing of expat workers was mismanaged for greed by these employment agencies.
Some comments from the article -
"Maldivian males are quite primitive in some of their behavior"
Not all, but this is definitely true for most. I have my own experience where a group of local teachers have worked against me in cheap and primitive ways because of jealousy and personal resentments.
"expats should work weekends and holidays as they do not have a social life"
Please talk to the teachers who work in schools to find out more about this. There are management members who even say that if you are being paid, you have to work whenever we ask you so.
"It was as if he was trying to see what side I was on and divide and conquer...... there was another power struggle going on between the publisher and the GM"
Politics was very evident in my working place. There has always been power struggles between Principals and Deputy principals and even among teachers. I have fallen victim for such a power struggle and has been bullied and ridiculed and had to resign and move out in the end.
"Overall their attitude was arrogant and disdainful towards us and they showed no recognition for how hard the staff had been working to make their product
a success"
Very true... once they started going against me, every good thing has been forgotten, everything that I have done to the school vanished and cheap gossips began to spread in the community and some primitive tricks were employed to make me feel low. I left regretting that I have worked in a place without realizing the true color of some of those colleges for so long.
There are some wonderful people in Maldives, no question about that. I still cherish memories of some of the very good friends there. But most of the males are very narrow minded and jealous. Specifically the crime they said that I have committed was going out for coffee with a local lady teacher regularly. They were not willing to recognize the fact that we two were working on an Island development project which was helping the community. It was not a nice feeling to get targeted and humiliated.
In the school where I worked, there used to be a board saying "Bullying is not allowed in school". But from some of the members of the school, especially some local teachers, bullying was exactly what I got!
@bricklayer - boy you just can't jump straight into the racism quick enough - already assuming I'm white or more to the point a different colour to you!! Focus hard on sorting this messed up country out and you may not need to have say 1/3rd of the people living here from overseas. Of course we all know the Maldivian man isn't really interested in a days work (unlike the girls & women who work very hard), you're either poncing around on your little mopeds - street cred nil boys, or at the hair salon having a perm, or maybe finding some children to fiddle with, or girls to gang rape, or better still that stable of sexual pleasure here a goat. So you can't blame the resort owners (who are often 50/50 Maldives & Overseas companies) avoiding your employment beyond what is 'legally' required and bringing in us expats. I feel most sorry of course for those that doe actually work hard, as that leaves their wives and daughters open to the charms of Bangladeshi workers. Never mind - seahouse here I come and a few spliffs and some Redbull. Boy what a messed up place!! LMFAO!!
I am living in Thailand...here foreigners specially the white kind are treated as gods..while the people of the dark skin including the south Asians are treated as shit....
I so happy that in Maldivies they don't look for the color of the skin and treat white foreigners and Bangladeshis the same....The authors want them to be worshiped like in Thailand.
lets face it, the actual work in the country is done by foreigners. maldivians are what they are and they know it.
they just happened to be lucky to have those beautiful islands with the nice beaches, for the rest you can draw your own picture the moment you meet an average maldivian.
they dont realize, that the TOP foreign managers dont come here anymore, coz they hate the maldives because of their people.
if their policies dont improve, they will be so sorry...
did you notice?
the foreign companies are already sick of the maldives.
silly regulations are implemented brainlessly in a flash.
politicians are stupid as bread.
new tax system, will drive the last foreigners away and they will end up working solely with the maldivians.
dont invest in the maldives there are better places " like sri lanka", where the money will be worth investing in their people and will be appreciated.
I have lived as ex pat (a white one!) in many different countries. Let me tell you one thing I have learnt; there are always two types of expat.
1st type of expat: (who tend to be the majority) Don't have local friends or partners, only hang out with other expats (usually at bar drinking beer) and always bitch about the locals as 'stupid, lazy, good-for-nothings'. They generally dislike the country and pine for home. And yes, they are often racist, sorry to say.
2nd type of expat: Alas, these are smaller in number. You will recognise them for having a mix of local and expat friends, they will eat local food, learn the language and tend to have positive things to say about the country.
Funny thing is, I have noticed expats behaving like this regardless of the country, from Europe, to Middle East, to South Asia and South East Asia.
Having said all that, probably is a good idea to have a foreign workers union to protect people if they get abused... especially the Bangladeshis who are often treated worst than, well, goats!
I've been an expat for over a decade in different countries across the Middle East and Far East.
What these people describe is common to expat life in ALL countries. There are bad employers, bullying, illegal work practices and racist behaviour no matter where you go or which company you work for.
The examples mentioned can also be found in expat life everywhere, including foreigners working in the UK or Australia.
While it's good of minivan to raise this subject for once, this doesn't say that much about life in the Maldives, only about how we as a human race still have a long way to go.
Good, bad and ugly situations of expats vs employees and the other way about, I have witnessed. Fully agree with peasant and dhonbe!
It would take a lot for any society, community or culture to fully embrace an expatriate, leave aside Maldives.
Any expatriate who cannot agree or accept facts of life, is free to express opinion however true or false they maybe!
Hey! there is no chance expatriate workers to complain my dear....the top officials where complaints to be lodged are the guys who are making this haraam money of the innocents
dhombe and regularexpect, thank god there are some people who can have a proper discussion about the real issues and for pointing out that these exist everywhere.
Dave jones, fact, the article only interviewed three white people, majority of professional expats are indians and sri lankans in this country, and more recently philippinos, so its already biased, secondly the racist tone of your statements, it is more likely that you are white than any other race to speak so demeaningly about an entire country.
i am more concerned about the way the entire worl, including maldives treats people from poor countries such as bangladhesh....then some few rich foreigners who cant appreciate the culture of the guest country and expect maldivians to dote on their every word. if u cant respect the people of the country you work in you will get the same disrespect you dish out, better for you to seek employment where you are comfortable in.
and i have studied, travelled and worked with people of different backgrounds and different cultures, no where except in a white dominated country have i been spit upon and called a paki simply because i happened to have dark hair and dark eyes. but i dont necessarily paint everyone in that country as racist and backward.
lets hope that the mechanisms that ensure that the bangladheshis are treated fairly is established soon
@Ben , all the old mosques are built on the foundations of temples, ...... That's how rahmatul Allah made us so unique
Neil Merrett has written the artiacle on an important topic. However, the artiacle is poorly researched, in my view. As a journalist its is important to bring all sides of the story. The author has left out the views of the co-workers and Employer's on the attitude and performance of expactriat workers.
In response to Natalie, 47, British project coordinator...
I think the Maldivian community is more than welcoming towards the European and American nationals who visit the Maldives. They touch you inappropriately ONLY when you invite them to, with your inappropriate behavior, dress code. I am a journalist living in Maldives, and I am from the Netherlands. I have been living in Maldives for more than three years now, and my experience has been heavenly.
Hello Natalie,
In a Muslim country, the more flesh you show, the less creditability you have-remember that! This applies in both the professional/office environment and in the casual friends’ environment. Think of this - you set up a meeting with your lawyer to discuss a very important issue, and he comes to the meeting in Bermuda shorts and a tank top. Not professional, right? The immediate danger of dressing indecently or in a provocative fashion is that you have less credibility in the eyes of your peers and you also invite people to touch you inappropriately, regardless of the country you are in and regardless of your nationality! You may be British, Australian, American or African but the treatment will be the same if you wear clothes that accentuate your figure and leaves nothing to the imagination. Secondly, however, you have reinforced the notion that sex is a commodity in Maldives, something that can be "bought and sold" for the right price. Men are visual creatures, they are stimulated with their eyes, and when you initiate a sexual response in a man, you are opening the door to a dangerous situation. The moment we begin to treat sex as a mere commodity is the moment that commodity is abused and stolen. As a woman you should save the "sexy" outfits for private times with your husband, boyfriend, one night stands or whatever, not to be worn and feasted upon by other men in public to titillate, and then scream rape when it happens. You will never gain any respect in the workplace or in public if you dress like "sex kittens" or playthings. You are treated how you dress and carry yourself; it's as simple as that. Look in the mirror and make the appropriate changes to your wardrobe. You ARE in a Muslim country, so respect its culture and values. If you can’t do this, don’t bother coming into our country and trash our religion, our culture, and our business ethics. Stay in your country and find work there!
My comment is directed to Natalie. What do you mean by saying Maldivians touch you inappropriately? I am sure you must have worn skimpy clothes for them to have such a reaction. I have heard of innumerable British children being raped every day, and how you people subject poor Asians residing in your country into mental distress by spitting on them and also how you people throw things into their houses just to insult them! this is something that NEVER happens in Maldives and other Asian countries, as we respect other cultures unlike you British people who think just because you are born British and have white skin you can treat Asians and colored people like shit. I suggest you stay in your own country instead of coming to Maldives and Asia and pollute it with your filthy ways!
Natalie, you sound like a total bitch. How can you bite the hand that feeds you? Get lost to your country instead of spoiling our country's name!
@ Aminath Nuha: My statement is that Maldivian men and women are sex maniacs and it is true!
Think of your own experiences as regards this issue. I truly believe that you had miserable experiences too!
oh this gets better - you so have to laugh in pity at Aminath & Husen. No doubt sex pests like many of your fellow countrymen. We've touched on the kiddy fiddling and goat fetish already so let's pick a new area - any afternoon nip up to Azur at Traders Hotel and see the disgusting lecherous locals who have come to stare over the BA cabin crew! Myself as a pilot find most disturbing and you have the cheek to preach crap about how people are dressed! Double standards and hypocrisy, go to any bar in Sri Lanka and find your fellow countrymen pouring alcohol down their necks and picking up prostitutes!! Boy its comical!! Neil - top-draw work and surely an article with more comments than ever!!!
@ Aminath Nuha you are a poor delusional girl.