Ministry to review Dubai labour camp allegations

Saqr Gobash, the UAE Minister of Labour, said in a statement that the ministry would not 'shy away from taking the necessary measures against violating companies', and that those companies that did violate the laws would be referred to the courts.

The BBC's Panorama documentary 'Slumdogs and Millionaires', which was screened in the UK on Monday, showed an undercover reporter investigating labour camps belonging to Arabtec and United Engineering Construction, a subcontractor of First Group.

The report alleged that the labourers were made to live in overcrowded conditions, with poor ventilation, a lack of clean water and raw sewage flowing through the camp.

The UAE has instigated a series of legislative measures to protect the rights of labourers, with inspectors touring accommodation and workplaces. 'The country's record on worker's rights is a source of honour...it is not possible to violate these rights as they are protected by UAE labour law and international conventions which the UAE has ratified,' Gobash said.

Labour regulations

In 2007 Dubai Municipality issued a series of regulations concerning permits for labour camps. These include providing at least 40 square feet of space for every labourer staying in a labour accommodation, and at least one bathroom for every eight labourers - which is the maximum number of labourers that can be made to share one room.

In addition, each camp was to ensure that there should be 'enough ventilation, natural or artificial light, thermal insulation, drainage, water supply, gas, electric supply, fire-safety measures, and health and environment preconditions'.

The acting Executive Director of Inspection Affairs at the ministry, Maher Al Oubed, said that the ministry had reviewed the content of the programme and that, as per directives from the minister, was currently investigating the truth about the claims.

A team of inspectors has been sent to visit the camps named and is to report back to the ministry.

Al Oubed repeated that the ministry would take punitive action against companies that were found to be violating the country's labour laws.

Negative reports

The BBC documentary is the latest in a series of allegations in the British press touching on the condition of the workforce tasked with providing the manpower for Dubai's construction industry.

An article in the Independent newspaper made similar claims about labour accommodation visited by the reporter, and added that the water delivered to the camp was not properly desalinated.

The British government has sought to distance itself from the increasing number of negative reports in the country's press, as the UAE is the UK's largest regional market, with a Foreign Office spokesman describing the criticism as 'over exaggerated'.