By William Chin I was told that working in the marine industry is a lucrative segment, which pays higher than an average job. Economics 101 teaches that jobs that are dangerous would pay more than an average job to draw applicants. That is until one evening, when I meet the trio of Uddin Mohin, Md
By Ranjana Raghunathan “Oh you share your name with the wonderful Tamil music director,” I try to break the ice as he nods, unimpressed at my remark. Elayaraja is from Killaipichavaram, a village near Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu, India. He was earning about 10,000 Rupees per month (around $200) in India, from fishing. I ask
By Lim Shaomin "See the doctor yourself, after that money give you" is the phrase most dreaded by foreign workers. The statement is duplicitous in its simplicity; settling injury claims are never as straightforward as they seem. Getting reimbursement can take months. In Moyjjin's case (as in the case of many others), it continues to be a frustration.
A noticeable number of workers who have been injured at work lose over two years of their lives waiting for resolution of their cases. Typically, their medical treatment is largely over within months, but the compensation process (for permanent disability they may have suffered) can drag on for another year or longer. In the meantime,
By Samantha Ege On 14 November 2014, Sarker Babu Sukanto should have been preparing to spend the night in hospital. Moments earlier, he had suffered a fall while at a working site in Kallang. The accident left him with severe pain across his right shoulder, down his back and around his leg. He recalls that in
By Kimberley Cham Four days. That is how long Humaun has before he goes back to Bangladesh. Back to his family, his wife, 9-month old son Tanjime, father, mother and 22-year old brother. Yet when Humaun reaches home, he does not return from a fruitful time in Singapore. Instead, he brings back heartbreak and gloom.
Akbar is at risk of being cheated thousands of dollars. This story is going to explain how the conditions for this possible outrage has been laid. 6:30 pm, 26 March 2015. He blacks out. Construction worker Akbar Hossain Abdur Rob will not regain consciousness till days later. That gap remains a blank; he only knows
By Lee Min-wei In the wee hours of 3 June 2015, Juvy, a petite and soft-spoken Filipina domestic worker, mustered the courage to flee from her employer’s apartment. Leaving behind most of her belongings in a locked suitcase, she put what she could into a small tote and yellow plastic bag and took a taxi
Have you ever seen anyone spit in public? Have you ever done it yourself? That’s what I thought: most of you have seen people spit and some of you have done it yourself. It’s more common among older people, and more common among men than women. I’ve seen many people spit, but I’ve never known
By Alexandra Galvez “I don’t want to go to jail. I cannot come back to Singapore to work if I go to jail. I like Singapore and I want to continue working here. I need to provide for my family,” Ali (not his real name) is worried, his countenance darkening with anxiety and desperation. The
