Raise the Hammer

I have been working in Dubai for about 14 months now. I am leaving this summer and will be glad to get back to Britain regardless of the terrible recession that is damaging our country. But what do I have to say about Dubai? I agree with all the comments about it's virtual slavery, abuse of workers, prostitution etc. It is literally a place built on sand. and a funny story in the local press recently proved the point when it was reported a taxi driver and his car drove into a large sink hole on the Palm because a burst water main washed away the sand underground!

Ask most shop workers, Arab ex-patriots, Asian workers doing ordinary jobs if they like Dubai and my experience in nearly all cases is an exasperated look on the face as the person tries to find words to soften the inevitable answer which is no. Why are people there then? Well, you can earn better wages than in many of these workers home countries and thr lifestyle can be good. But the price is horific. Unscrupulous banks pushing credit cards onto people who cannot afford them. A terrible keep up with the Jones' attitude means that all Filipinas must have a Blackberry regardless of their running costs - they need to realise WhatsApp makes a BB redundant! Most shop workers seem to get paid between 700 and 1900 dirhams per month - that's between £100 and £320 per month!! Most people on these wages hope to get a package where their employer may provide accommodation but miles away from work and one is then bussed to and from the workplace each day. International City - regularly reported in the press and hosting loads of brothels is one such location.

Alternately, people live in Bed Spaces (see the stickers on walls and lamposts in Karama, Satwa, Deira) aimed at different nationalities. I know of three young couples living in one room on three matresses around the walls for example. Oh and because they are not married, that's also illegal! or is that immoral! Slightly better than a bedspace is a partition i.e a room with a curtain down the middle or perhaps across one third of the room providing some visual (but not audible privacy).

Back on the subject of money, there is no concept of dept or bankruptcy. Paying for your apaertment calls for Post Dated Cheques one or maybe four if you can get a deal. Should one of those bounce, you are looking at a criminal offence. That's why so many expats do a runner if they realise they are in financial shit. Dumping cars, belongings, etc and fleeing the country. However, if like most of those described above on low paid jobs, it is more than likely your passport will be held by your employer. Current UK leaflets about trafficking of humans describe this an an indicator of such slavery / trafficking. Large and small employers do this in Dubai doubtless many who are franchisees of global businesses. Next time you are at a shareholder meeting, why not ask if their franchisees in Dubai hold the passports of their workers - it is illegal under labour law.

Laws are a mess. At present, it is likely that tourists cannot drink alcohol in Dubai. They can and do, but according to police chiefs, not legally. They need a licence but a tourist cannot get one. The law turns a blind eye however in true hypocritical Dubai fashion unless you come to the attention of the police. Alcohol is one of those "easy nicks" they can use. So would consensual sex between an unmarried man and woman! Illegal. Again, though, blind eyes are turned unless something else happens. Try googling Rape and Dubai to see the horrific levels of rape of young women (and sometimes males) in Dubai. Two Saudis were recently convicted of having consensual sex with a 15 year old South African child who was visiting Dubai with her parents. She was separately tried on charges of consensual sex.

Paranoia levels are high here. Everyone seems to think their calls and emails are monitored. I guess that monitoring everything is impossible but it is certainly true that suchg activity takes place. Internet censorship is severe - even the relatively innocuous Flickr was banned until recently, only being allowed for access around the time the Queen of England visited - perhaps because she has a Flickr page too).

Lies! No-one in authority tells the truth or they simply ignore truisms. The recent petrol shortages in the Northern Emirates being described as being due to pump ugrades when they were clearly the result of economic and oil pricing issues.

Labour camps - appalling places. Easy to find, just follow any of the buses heading out of the city in the evening. For a glimpse, head down to Sharjah and find the cement works there and then take a drive around the hell-hole that is to the north and east of the works.

And finally. for a place where sex is largely illegal (or at least feels like it is) why is one of the most prominent items on display in petrol stations everywhere Durex lubricants!!