Steady and focussed, reports Committee at AGM 2012

Reporting on yet another successful year helping 1,908 migrant workers, the Executive Committee of Transient Workers Count Too described an organisation that is in steady hands, very focussed on its mission, at the Annual General Meeting held on March 25, 2012.

Of these 1,908 workers, 1,458 came through the helpdesk of our Cuff Road Project, while 450 reached us through our helpline.

President Russell Heng however highlighted several areas where TWC2 would need to attend to. These included raising our professionalism and organisational efficiency. Constraints, such as in funding, would need to be addressed.

During 2011, a major research project was undertaken, interviewing Bangladeshi workers at the airport on departure. John Gee, who directed this project, expects to be releasing its findings soon. It will shed much light on the true experience of workers from that country.

Other parts of the report by the Executive Committee touched on progress on the advocacy front — the government had just announced that a weekly day off for domestic workers would soon be mandatory — regular engagement with partners and the revamp of our website last year.

The members approved the audited accounts for both 2010 and 2011 at this meeting. At the previous AGM, the audited accounts for 2010 were unfortunately not ready, and while they had been circulated to members as soon as they were ready a little after that AGM, it was felt that for proper order a vote should be taken at this AGM to approve it.

A series of constitutional amendments were also proposed and approved through voting. Most of the changes aimed to tidy up the language of the constitution, for example, to carefully distinguish between the Executive Committee and the Audit Committee; the latter had been created in the 2010 amendments. Other changes spelt out more clearly the role of the Executive Committee in overseeing membership applications and subscription rates, raising the monthly spending limit to support the growing scope of services, the manner in which the Audit Committee is to be constituted and its role.

John Hamalian reached his term limit on the Audit Committee. Cheow Xin Yi was elected to fill the vacancy.

A final item on the agenda was the presentation of Certificates of Achievement and Certificates of Attendance to several volunteers who went through a helpdesk training course.

This was followed by afternoon tea giving members a chance to catch up with each other and share their views. Heavy rain cooled the afternoon and gave everyone an opportunity to linger and enjoy each other’s company for longer.