Emerald_Eyes

A friend in the UK told me about this Panorama programme, Slumdogs and Millionaires. It highlights the shocking conditions the construction workers in Dubai are forced to live in - apparently the footage of the labour camps is particularly disgusting with raw sewage flowing everywhere. You can't view the programme on BBC's iplayer but you can read the corresponding article here. It just shows how important charities like Helping Hands really are...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/fr...00/7986756.stm

Blue Cat

is this the one that was on a few months back or a new one?

Emerald_Eyes

It was shown in April and again a couple of weeks ago.

Norm_uk

Isn't it amazing that there are charities to help people who are legally and gainfully employed?

Just goes to show how far behind they really are here.

N.

co durham boy

well thats the truth and it is shocking,it shocks me everyday to see it and iv worked in the construction industry for 24yrs and 10 of that in the middle east.
some companies have come on leaps and bounds over the past 10yrs but im afraid the majority treat their people badly.they are not 20 but 40 yrs behind.
it actually shouldnt need a charity thats the shocking thing

Inselaffen

I dont think its that much better over here

Kooky.

You mean those Bangladeshi and Nepalese labourers don't really want to live on building sites, in shipping containers, with no sanitation, Inselaffen?

954RR

I downloaded and watched this last night and the conditions these guys are living in are disgusting.
It is one thing to see this sort of thing on the TV when your back home in blighty but when you can look out of your window and see these guys grafting away each day it tends to bring things into focus a bit more.
A lot of the labourers seemed to have been conned into coming here by agencies back in their home countries that charge them a fortune and thus saddle themselves with debts that will take years to pay off.
What anoyed me the most was all the sports stars who are getting handouts to promote these constructions who did not wish to comment !

co durham boy

what does michael owen and the rest know about these conditions? your own next door neighbor doesnt know or doesnt want to know about these conditions.
its illegal to house workers on a construction site and its the firms and the sponsor that are responsible for these workers.
remember this was happening in the boom construction years,what about these guys now?
you have to remember that they've been working this way for 40 years so they cant see the problem !

954RR

But when the producers tell Michael Owen and the rest about the conditions and show them the evidence they still have nothing to say and continue their support.

Blue Cat

Jamie Oliver pulled out though

co durham boy

yeah your right,its unethical and wrong but would you rather have an apology from mr owen or better conditions for the workers?
the construction industry in this country is archaic, bad practice,bad standards,bad safety and the list goes on, i know i work in it.i have seen standards drop in some instances over the past 12 years here,this place is being built on an ideal that is outdated and unethical but thats the middle east and you aint gonna change it.
think of this place as 2 buckets, one with money and one with sh*t, when either ones full go home!

954RR

We all want better conditions for the workers but if other people pulled out like Jamie Oliver did then these people would not get their celeb endorsments and it might make them sort things out.
Just a pipe dream I know but every bit could help.

co durham boy

every bit does help, these guys have built this place sometimes with their own lives being lost as a result of bad practice and they're treated no better than a pikey's dog !

Emerald_Eyes

Absolutely. Remember when that building in Deira collapsed? There were 23 labourers and a site engineer in the building and apparently there were no fatalities or serious injuries...even though they brought in the cadaver dogs...! Pictures of what was left of the building:
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles.../10340944.html

Apparently the government is looking at ways to enforce and monitor housing conditions for labourers...hmm.
http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Employment/10346598.html