QATARSUCKS and the world needs to know!

First you should know this: The Qatari government gives a grant to every citizen who gets married, from $2,500 to astronomical sums, in accordance with income level. A young Qatari man will also receive a plot of land worth $200,000, $150,000 to build his home, and of course $15,000 to buy furniture.

If the money does not suffice, that same citizen can receive a loan of another $150,000 at low interest. Qataris do not pay for electricity, water or a land-line telephone. Widows, orphans and divorced people receive generous aid from the state, and higher education is given for free. All that remains is to buy food - some of which is subsidized - and clothing.

Now read this from the Gulf Times, July 9th, 2008:

Scores of construction workers, who refused to work for the second day demanding higher salaries, were rounded up by police from their camps yesterday, a spokesman for a diplomatic mission said in Doha.

The workers were taken into custody from the company’s camps in the Industrial Area and Al Wakrah, among others. The exact number of those detained was not available.

The protesters, mostly Asians, have reportedly expressed their willingness to return home rather than work for the present salary. They said their salaries were grossly inadequate to meet the rising living cost in Qatar.
“We can hardly save any money,” one of the workers said.

Some of the Asian embassies have been informed about the detention of the workers, it is learnt.
An official of the Nepalese embassy said some 80 Nepali men had been taken into custody for their refusal to work. The diplomat said the workers had been demanding a 25% hike in their salary.

He said some workers had informed the embassy that they were being paid less than the minimum levels fixed by the mission.

The embassy official said efforts were on to contact the company’s managers and “discussions to resolve the issue are likely to be held today”.

A year ago, more than 300 Nepalese construction workers, who sought better wages and refused to work to press their demand, were deported by their employers.

Some skilled workers yesterday said that most of them were being paid QR 550-QR600.

A company official refused to comment, saying he was not supposed to talk on ongoing developments.

Source: Gulf Times