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Page 7
Pages 19-29
www.cyprus-mail.com
November 4, 2012
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TALES FROM THE COFFEESHOP: CRIMINAL MINDS HARD AT WORK INSIDE Cyprus Car parking deterrent menace to public safety 6
World Power returns to lower Manhattan 10
Reportage Scientists clash on what caused superstorm Sandy 18
Property What to do in the garden this month 34
Sport Van Persie breaks Arsenal hearts 48
Page 17
At the mercy of a flawed system Exploited workers cannot hope for justice as long as employers favoured By Stefanos Evripidou
T
HE ONGOING detention of a 25-year-old potential victim of labour and sexual exploitation for three weeks and three days has served to highlight the systemic symptoms of a deficient domestic workers employment system, geared towards protecting the employer and demeaning trafficking victims, experts told the Sunday Mail. A 25-year-old domestic worker from Nigeria filed a series of complaints to the Limassol Labour Relations Office on October 4 relating to alleged abuses at her workplace as well as claims that her employer had taken her to a Paphos hotel to have sex with other men at least twice. According to the complaint, which the Sunday Mail has seen, the 25-year-old was brought to Cyprus by her employer who she used to work for in Nigeria. She said her work involves cleaning up and looking after a three-floor residence in Limassol, taking care of her employer’s son, son-inlaw, daughter and grandchildren, as well as gardening and washing the car. She was allegedly made to work from 5.30am until 10pm without a day off. When the Nigerian woman asked for her first salary, her employer reportedly told her she will not pay her for at least a year to cover the expense of bringing her to Cyprus. The 25-year-old wrote in her complaint that her employer took her to a Paphos hotel in
September, where a wedding was taking place, to have sexual intercourse with a man for money. The employee also asked to be taken to a doctor after developing red spots all over her face and arms. Her boss allegedly replied she had no money for a doctor so the 25-year-old worker asked permission to go to her cousin’s place in Nicosia to get medicine. When she returned later that evening, her employer allegedly beat her and locked her in a room. The Nigerian woman managed to escape with just the clothes on her back using a duplicate key. She returned to Nicosia, where she was put in touch with Renos Pelayias, a retired policeman who now works with the Cyprian Samaritans OFW Foundation Incorporation. He gave her shelter and on October 4, took her to Limassol to file a complaint with the district labour office. Within days, the employer made a counter-claim that the domestic worker had stolen €3,500 worth of jewellery. On October 12, both the employer and employee were called to the Limassol labour relations office to give their respective version of events. “The labour relations office provides a parody of a trial. The employee says one thing, the employer the opposite, and then the labour officer writes up a report and sends it to the advisory committee. This committee takes a minimum of four months. I’ve had cases where they’ve taken
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What goes up must come down. Tong Jian and Pang Qing (top) of China compete during the pairs free skating programme at the Cup of China ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Shanghai yesterday