According to the Labour Act, there shall be no distinction between the Mauritian worker and the foreign worker. They must both have the basic salary scale. Apart from the basic salary, the foreigner can earn more than the Mauritian if he is working on a ?piece rate? scale where the pay rate is based on how many pieces of any commodity, the employee has worked upon and completed. However, since the migrant workers have no family here, they must be provided with shelter and food arrangements. The employer is also responsible for the air fares of these employees. There has been a welfare programme set up by the government and certain norms set by the ministry of Health and Quality of life, which have improved the working conditions of the employees. However, both Mauritians and foreigners must have the same work, benefits and protection schemes.

● <B>What is the required number of hours of work per week?</B>

According to the EPZ Act, work is spread over five to six days to give a total of 45 hours. Besides, whenever there is much work, the employer can require employees to work ten additional hours per week. To work more than this, there must be mutual consent between employer and employees and it is remunerated at a higher rate. There must also be a pause between every 2 shifts of work. Often, these conditions are not respected. The employees are sometimes at the mercy of their employers as they often live in the vicinity of their workplace.

● <B>Is there any medical insurance which covers them?</B>

There is no medical insurance offered to them. The only facility is the access to public hospitals and dispensaries unless the company has a private doctor. Where they are working on construction sites, there is an insurance which covers them just as any other worker against accidents.

● <B>They have sometimes complained of being victims of exploitation?</B>

One thing is that foreign workers are often victims of deception. There is a sort of illusion created. What they are told and what is actually offered to them can differ a lot depending on the case. They also have to work longer hours than stated before. This affects the morale of the workers and of their families also. Sometimes, they want to go back to their countries because of these reasons.

<I>?The quality of accommodation and food arrangements has improved. However, there are still differences between what they were told in their countries and the reality here.?</I>

● <B> In such cases, can they go back to their countries?</B>

It all depends on the terms and conditions of their contracts. Normally they are not sent back unless they have a very strong reason to give. This is not so common but, often in the past, team leaders have been deported. Either the workers are no more needed or they have been deported because of indiscipline or disclosure of information to outsiders.

● <B>Does the country really need foreign labour?</B>

We must first understand why we have to recruit foreign workers. Is it compulsory to recruit them? Are Mauritians unable to do these jobs? Now once they are on Mauritian territory, it is important to transmit them the know-how they require. They should be treated as equal human beings and given an equal treatment. They must be given a platform for exchange and opportunities for leisure activities.

● <B>What is the current work situation?</B>

The quality of accommodation and food arrangements has greatly improved. The communication problem has also been solved to some extent. However, there are still differences between what they were told in their countries and the reality here. There are also violations of certain clauses of their work contract. It is the responsibility of the government and employers to set up proper structures. However, the government has done a lot to improve their working conditions and there have been lots of improvements over the past ten years.

<B>Bilkiss JAFARALLY</B>