Happy International Migrants Day to All!
17 December 2015
Tomorrow is International Migrants Day.
It is a day to show our collective
appreciation for the various contributions of our foreign
workers for the work that they do to benefit Singapore and Singaporeans.
I have joined the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for
three months now, and I thought I’d share some reflections after
meeting up with some of them at a dormitory recently.
7.30 pm: Our foreign
workers returned to their dormitories after a hard day’s work, and the
place came alive!
Many were whipping up dishes for dinner
(smells good!).Others were making long-distance phone calls to
connect with their loved ones back home, while the rest chilled out over
some movies (and sports). Lots of smiles and laughter everywhere I turned, and
I even got some invitations for dinner (tried and it tasted good!).
Touring the dormitory with the dormitory operators
"Ok,
don't drool, I give you some!" :-)
Visiting
groups having dinner. "Can I half squat and eat? My knees painful, can't
sit down" :-)
Taking
a break myself.
Having lived and worked overseas for a period of time
while in the private sector, (I imagined myself in their shoes) I can empathize
with them. It is challenging for them working in a foreign land with limited
access to their families. Some may feel homesick. But I was quite
heartened to see the kind of camaraderie and boisterous atmosphere here.
At this point, I thought about those
online articles on the mistreatment of foreign workers. But
based on what I saw, most of them are well-adjusted and
taken care of. In any case, when there were instances of mistreatment, MOM
would look into them.
Just check out the gym. Some workers
were working out in spite of the physical demands of their work (they stuck
to a regular regime)! Where did they get their energy from? Must find out their
secret. The gym was quite well-equipped. In fact, I was told that many other dormitories
were also equipped with good quality equipment!
Looking
fit, healthy and stylo!
Tempted
to check out the machine too! But better don't embarrass myself :-)
Sam’s Curry
MOS Sam Tan also visited two other dormitories recently.
He told me similar things, and he even received a culinary lesson on
preparing delicious Indian curry from a very friendly worker! Hey bro, when can
I try your new-found cooking skill?
What’s
cooking? Sam looking too serious. #learningbystaring
Community Living in
Action
8.30pm: Next stop,
the Recreation Centre located near the dormitories
Checking out the shops and amenities
A foodcourt at
the Recreation Centre. Just like a hawker centre.
Workers chilling out over
some drinks and good company
I saw many foreign workers having
drinks and chit-chatting, occasionally bursting into
laughter. The atmosphere was lively.
As I toured the area, one of the things that
caught my attention was a well-stocked supermarket, which was busy. I
also spotted a barber, remittance facilities and an ATM in the
same area. Very convenient for the workers.
The busy scene at the supermarket
Like all of us, foreign
workers deserve a comfortable place to rest and play after a long
day’s work, especially those from the Construction sector. We should
provide them a home away from home, especially when they have to work so
hard. I am glad to see that care has been taken to
locate these recreation centres close to their dormitories, to
allow workers easy access to facilities and shops to cater
to their daily needs.
A collective effort
needed
I had wanted to walk the ground and visit the
dormitories to see for myself how our foreign workers are living and find
out about their experiences working here. I am glad to see many
of them settling in well and are happy working in Singapore.
I feel reassured that the system we have in place has
largely fulfilled its purpose to ensure the well-being of foreign workers. That
being said, there is always room to improve.
A community effort
with employers, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and other
partners is important to ensure a safe, fair and enjoyable working
environment for our foreign workers, who are many miles away from their homes
and families.
Over the years, public service officers and NGO staff
and volunteers have worked hard to lend a helping hand to foreign workers in
need. They have also played a big part in promoting greater understanding
between our local and foreign workers, so that all workers can enjoy a
harmonious co-existence at their workplaces.
This was the scene at the “You Come My Picnic”
event organised by the Migrant Workers Centre last Sunday. MOM officers
took the opportunity to set up booths to
share information about working in Singapore, including our
employment laws, and workplace safety and health matters.
Long
queues waiting to check out MOM’s booths
Common workplace safety and health hazards are
highlighted. We believe that all injuries can be prevented.
Take a quiz and receive a gift. Now, you can help us to
spread tips on having harmony at the workplace.
Disseminating MOM’s information leaflets to everyone. No
language barrier because our leaflets come in different languages.
Can you spot the work pass that has expired?
Working together at work and at play
Reflections and
Parting Words
While much is already being done for our foreign
workers, we will continue to review our policies and
processes to ensure that they keep up with the times. At the
same time, our collaboration with NGOs must continue so
that foreign workers will have easy access to various avenues for assistance.
The other day, someone asked me if we
appreciate our foreign workers only on International Migrants
Day. I’m glad that question was asked. International Migrants
Day is the culmination of all the little things we do for our foreign
workers throughout the year. (We listen, help and try to resolve any
issues wherever possible.) It is not the only time we show our
appreciation for them. It’s always good to have a day dedicated to celebrating
their contributions.
While many of our foreign workers are more than able to
take care of themselves, some may need more help from us. I
will continue to join my fellow MOM colleagues, who work behind the scenes, to
help those in need.
I believe that what we do collectively goes a long way
towards making a difference to their lives, and I really appreciate the
warmth that they showered me during my visit.
On this note, I wish all our foreign worker
friends a happy International Migrants Day and all the best in the year ahead!
-Ser Luck
