<B>By Pauline ETIENNE</B>

It is not the first time. Workers, at different points in time, have come into the limelight and relate their inhumane living conditions. The latest has been the Sri Lankan workers. It’s as if they have been suffering for too long and can’t stay silent anymore. Should the company be liable for these sufferings? Isn’t it due to recruiting agents who hold out the prospects of a different and extraordinary life in Mauritius? Or is the ministry not responsible for taking care of all the workers in this country?

Actually, I don’t know who’s responsible for this situation and I just don’t care! There are two certainties, however: people should all be treated in a decent way and the country should make sure it avoids such bad publicity…

The story related by the Sri Lankan workers is frightening. They live in extremely difficult conditions – not enough hygienic amenities for everyone, lack of ventilation in dormitories – 70 working hours a week and say their supervisors talk badly to them. These women left their country to earn some more money here. They assert they are not afraid to work long hours but what they describe is far from just long working hours. Their working conditions might not be far better at home but this should not be a reason to justify their bad treatment here.

But the problem is not only one of bad working and living conditions. It seems to be a problem of humiliation as well. They say their supervisors do not speak well to them but we should not mist over the fact that many of us despise these workers. Chinese workers are often laughed at in the streets because they can’t speak any of the languages we may understand or for any other obscure reasons.

Such attitudes from us are not worth of people living in a country depending on other people. We are living in a small island far from any world economic centres and with no money coming from tourists and foreign investors, there is no doubt that we would not hold out. Of course, we will make sure to be pleasant and nice with people who bring money into the country, but are we sure they will be interested in coming to a place where its citizens are incapable of treating its workers decently?

The workers have already announced that they will not hesitate to echo this situation in the media as soon as they get back to Sri Lanka. It is already done. The Sri Lankan newspapers have already started exploiting the news and it could be known all over the world that Mauritians are not trustworthy and treat foreign workers badly.

We know this does not reflect reality. But we know as well that we’d better do some soul-searching to make sure we are doing everything possible to convey a good image of the country. This should be done at all levels – government, private sector and on an individual basis. The Compagnie Mauricienne de Textile (CMT) is one of the jewels of the textile industry and the country can’t afford it to suffer from bad publicity!