ABU DHABI // Families are putting themselves at risk by employing domestic staff, unaware that they may have a criminal record in other Gulf states.
GCC member states should share such information so that workers with a criminal history are barred from seeking employment in the UAE, a Federal National Council member will tell the Minister of Interior on Tuesday.
Families have complained to FNC member Mosabeh Al Kitbi (Sharjah) that housemaids deported from other GCC countries for breaking the law have been able to enter the UAE unnoticed and unchallenged.
When Mr Al Kitbi set out to investigate the issue he was unable to obtain exact figures. Nevertheless, he identified a number of cases, the most tragic of which took place last year in Ras Al Khaimah when a maid burnt her Emirati employer and child to death. The maid was found to have committed crimes in Saudi Arabia and had been deported from the kingdom.
“We hear about these crimes on a daily basis, then we are surprised to learn that they were previously deported for other crimes committed in other GCC countries,” Mr Al Kitbi said.
“Today the UAE is very developed, so why is there no tie between GCC countries to ensure these maids don’t come to the UAE or any other GCC country?”
More than 100,000 visas are issued each year for domestic staff, Mr Al Kitbi said.
At Tuesday’s session of the FNC he will call on Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, also Deputy Prime Minister, to establish a shared database of domestic employees convicted of criminal offences.
"We need to protect the security of our children, the numbers are very high," he said.
In 2011 in Dubai alone, 1,000 maids committed crimes. Of those, he said, 108 were sexual assaults on the children they were supposed to be caring for.
It is unknown how many of those maids had a criminal history in other countries, but Mr Al Kitbi said a link between countries would be a start, since there is no way of tracing maids’ previous work records abroad.
As a member of the Arab parliament, Mr Al Kitbi said he would also suggest such a link between all Arab countries as well.
“The case of maids is a big case, both employee and employer need to be looked at,” he said.
Sheikh Saif will also be questioned by Dr Abdullah Al Shamsi during the session, on giving bonuses and medals of honour to retired officers.
Previous questions yet to be answered by ministers that are up for discussion again this week include increasing the pensions of undersecretaries, managers, and employees who are in debt and went into retirement before 2008, encouraging Emirati tourism inside and outside the country and a delay in a law to protect archeological sites.
Finally, Mr Al Kitbi will again ask Obaid Al Tayer, Minister of Financial Affairs and chairman of Emirates Post Group, about establishing an office for Emirates Post in the Maleaha area of Sharjah.
Mr Al Kitbi said as the number of residents in the area had increased to more than 7,000, postal services were needed.
During the second half of the session, members will go over the 2014 federal budget.
The Dh46 billion budget has already been found to fall short of meeting health, environment and social sector needs, based on discussions held between the council’s finance committee and ministry officials.
The budget will be debated with Mr Al Tayer.
The session will begin at 9am on Tuesday, and will be open to the public.
osalem@thenational.ae
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