Gulf Arabs 'lazy' and 'spoilt', blasts minister

ASIAN TSUNAMI: Al-Alawi warned that the number of foreign workers in the Gulf could hit 30 million in the next ten years. (Getty Images)

A Bahraini minister has warned of an "Asian tsunami" because of the reliance of "lazy" Gulf Arabs on foreign labour to carry out even the simplest tasks, in an interview published on Sunday.

Labour Minister Majid Al-Alawi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the presence of almost 17 million foreign workers in the Gulf, mostly from the Asian sub-continent, represented "a danger worse than the atomic bomb or an Israeli attack".

"I am not exaggerating that the number will reach almost 30 million in ten years from now," he told the pan-Arab daily.

Al-Alawi has called for the residency of foreign workers in the oil-rich Gulf states to be limited to six years.

RELATED: Millions of expats could be kicked out of Gulf

However, Al-Alawi said the leadership of the six-nation GCC has not followed up on the proposal.

"The commercial lobby in the Gulf thwarted the project which was in the final phases before being implemented," he said.

Al-Alawi said that Gulf nationals were "lazy" and "spoilt", relying on imported labour for the simplest of tasks.

"A lord with billions in Great Britain cleans his own car on a Sunday morning, whereas people of the Gulf look for someone to hand them a glass of water from just a couple of metres away," he said.

"If the Gulf governments do not watch out for this tsunami of foreign labourers, the fate of this region is very worrying," he said.

In October, Al-Alawi called for the Gulf's "sponsonship" system to be abandoned, saying it left foreign workers at the mercy of the individuals or institutions which employ them.

He called for government to oversee visas and work permits to protect the rights of foreign workers, in a region which human rights organisations have often accused of abusing employees in slave-like conditions.

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Mr. Rajendra's Optimisim
Posted by Ayesha, Dubai, UAE on Sunday 3 February 2008 at 09:59 UAE time


If Mr. Rajendra is so optimistic about the economies of India, China and Brazil. I suggest he pack his bags and leave quickly or stand outside the agent offices in first India (as from there the highest number of expats come to this region) and then China (whose population is also heading to the GCC) to stop migrating given his 10 point solution.

10 TRIGGERS, THE NEW WORLD ORDER!!
Posted by RAJENDRA ANEJA, DUBAI, UAE on Thursday 31 January 2008 at 12:04 UAE time


In the "disguised" attacks on Indians workers, who help to build many countries, in the Middle East, we must remember the new status and power of India!!

Just last week, the British PM Gordon Brown recently underscored that a New World Order was emerging, and countries like India and China needed more representation in world affairs and a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. He is right. The French President also endorsed Mr. Brown's views.

However, Brazil too is a mighty emerging nation. The New World Order is being triggered by the following 10 variables.

1. Possible recession in USA, hence need for other economies to be energising.

2. Some decline in USA influence, post Iraq war

3. Excellent performance of India, China economies

4. Rise of Indian professionals, globally, 25 million work ion 200 countries.

5. High oil ($100 barrel), gold ($900 ounce) prices

6. Unresolved Middle East issues e.g. Palestine, Iran, Lebanon.

7. Issues in Pakistan, Kenya.

8. Intense world poverty, 2 billion people live on $1 a day

9. Continuance of international terrorism

10. Improvement in Communications, IT, in India/China/Brazil.

In the years to come, it would be wise for nations, to build strong bridges with China, India and Brazil!

Nationals and expats
Posted by johnboy, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 30 January 2008 at 11:58 UAE time

Very good point Hussein! Well said...it's great having 'GCC locals' making themselves heard. The Arab peoples have had a great history of innovation, science, literature and advancement. When my ancestors were still 'ducking witches' and prescribing leeches and bleeding for every medical condition under the sun, in Granada and Baghdad inoculation and vaccination was widespread and Arab astronomers had worked out the circumference of the globe and mapped out our galaxy. However, today's generation of UAE nationals (I have no experience of Saudi Arabia), need to want and work harder to take control of their destiny.

As for subcontinental expats, not all of them work building the Gulf's monuments. Many run the large companies, banks and institutions. But they, and we Westerners should go home and build our own economies (the US and UK are in a shocking state) and be replaced by the people of this region.

But are the people of this region ready, willing and able to step up to the plate? Not many UAE nationals are willing to work until 2AM to finish a piece of work as I frequently do.

ASIAN TSUNAMI
Posted by immaya, Dubai on Tuesday 29 January 2008 at 11:01 UAE time

It is quite inappropriate for a dignified and honourable person like the Labour Minister to give such remarks against a particular group, more so it is contradictory to most of Gulf countries' vision to lead a viable economy through globalisation.

Hypocrisy
Posted by Bonovox on Tuesday 29 January 2008 at 08:15 UAE time


This is ridiculous. I think the people who have put comments here should wake up and smell the coffee, including the esteemed Minister. If not for the Asians "specifically" subcontinental Asians, the GCC countries would not have one building to live in. These hard working Asians through blood sweat and toil have from the beginning of time worked for low wages. The Minister should recognize this fact instead of calling us Tsunamis, which is an environmental phenonmenon that has caused many of us untold suffering and I hope, one that you do not have to experience.

STOP COMPLAINING....ROOT THE PROBLEM...CHANGE ATTITUDES.
Posted by Hussain M, Khobar, Saudi Arabia on Monday 28 January 2008 at 17:21 UAE time

First of all I would like to say that statement should have been carefully thought through.

I have been to Bahrain a lot, I have seen Bahrain's women and men working as store clerks, fast food servers, hotel busboys...

Here in KSA, I see many young Saudis working in similar if not lower paid jobs.

I myself wake up every morning at 5:30am, leave Jeddah at around 6am, drive 100km daily to work... and come back home at around 8 pm.

Yes there is a large percentage of people who are lazy... then again 60% of the Gulf's population is under 20 and are still in school. Or out on the streets hopelessly cruising around because they have no meaningful job to go to.

If we are lazy it is not because we want to be.

It is the present leaders who brought up their children believing everything would be handed to them on a golden plate.

It is the minister's generation that brought in labour from the subcontinent.

It is the minister's generation that is responsible for the state of our education system.

You cannot expect a national to earn 800-1500 SR and expect them to believe they are happy and fulfilled in their work and life.

A friend of mine just graduated as a building engineer and is now working with BINLADEN corp. for a monthly sum of 5000sr. He has taken a stance where he claims... "I am not paid well enough for my job - so why do it well?

The system is unfair - a graduate from, let's say Lebanon, earns 7 to 8000 SR for the same role.

A Greek acquaintance gets paid 11,000 sr to supervise the watering of flowers in a big firm. A local would be paid 2000.

The minister should note - no matter how hard GCC nationals work, we will never be as appreciated or as well paid as nationals from the US, Canada...

If you are looking for someone to blame for this, kindly blame your generation. You guided us to this point.

This comment is brought to you by a pissed off SAUDI engineer in the middle of nowhere, taking part in a MEGA project, who began working in part time jobs at the age of 14.

Asian economies
Posted by Ayesha, Dubai, UAE on Monday 28 January 2008 at 17:09 UAE time

Asian economies are doing much better than most Western economies are. Lets go back and work where we are treated as first class citizens - and not an 'atomic bomb or an attack by Israel'.

Results are hard to achieve under localication projects
Posted by Ian, Dubai, UAE on Monday 28 January 2008 at 16:27 UAE time


The Minister's comments were no surprise, but the fact that he made the statment at all was quite surprising. I think everyone is aware of this problem but a remedy is difficult. During my career, I have coached and developed my staff in order to provide benefit for them as individuals and also, of course, for the benefit of the business. I have achieved success with individuals both back home in UK and in this region. However, the amount of time I have had to spend with members of my staff in order to achieve results is certainly more than I would back home. During the years I spent in Saudi, I had success with young saudi guys under the localisation drive, but they certainly expected having everything handed to them on a plate initially. The problem is that many experienced managers do not have the time to spend hour after hour on one-to-one coaching sessions with their local (and expatriate staff). However, that is what is required. I think my bigggest achievement was to get a Saudi Trainee Manager to sweep a warehouse floor during his first week in the post. He certainly could not understand why he was being asked to do that, but I explained that one day he would have to achieve aims through his own staff. If he understood the equipment, resource and skills required to undertake the tasks then he would be far better placed to be able to manage. He did sweep the floor, but it took a long time spent on one-to-one coaching sessions to explain aspects such as this. In short, developing locals can be achievable, but there is an underlying absence of work ethic that makes this a difficult and time-consuming activity. Hence the fact, people don't want to recruit them. Sad, but unfortunatley true.

Spoilt & Lazy -- they were , but it's changing
Posted by Harry, Tehran, Iran on Monday 28 January 2008 at 15:43 UAE time

I have served in the Gulf for nearly 22 years and have seen and borne (the brunt) of the Arabs ..... Owners and ordinary men .... likewise!
But for sure, while I was in Bahrain, I saw much changes for the better... non-stop. I hope the momentum keeps on increasing and most of the Arabs come to understand the real meaning of life .....

Lazy & Spoiled
Posted by Johnboy, Dubai, UAE on Monday 28 January 2008 at 13:52 UAE time


At last someone has said it. Yes, the locals, or many of them in the GCC are lazy and spoiled. The same could be said for Western expats, who are here just here as mercenaries. If the governments of the region continue to pamper the local populations there is no incentive for them to go out and make their own way in the world. The GCC governments raising public sector wages by such huge amounts, and then being surprised why the local population does not want to go and work in the private sector is unbelievable. Take away the handouts, the preferential treatment, and get the local populations to use some initiative. Educate the local population so that they can take that expat job in management by merit, not by nationality and actually build this region on the backs of its people. There are local Arabs who are inspirational leaders, great innovators and have a hard work attitude and the will to succeed. Sadly these individuals are the exception to the rule. When you have a local job applicant coming to my company and saying: "I am Emirati, I have the right to succeed" it really says it all. No one has the right to anything.

I don't believe on this article.
Posted by jigzzou, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday 28 January 2008 at 13:33 UAE time

Everywhere you can find lazy and spoilt people, even in my country (I am an Asian national). To single-out one people is not acceptable. I've been working here in Saudi Arabia for two decades and the majority of Saudi people give 100% performance to improve their standards of living. Education and training are there primary foundation for their success.

His Excellency should not say Asian country sub-continent workers are, "a danger worse than atomic bomb or an Israeli attack". I do respect his judgment; nevertheless, this should be corrected.

I believe that due to the manpower needs of a strong economy expatriates are necessary.

Unfair
Posted by Rainigade, Dubai, UAE on Monday 28 January 2008 at 12:56 UAE time


Lazy and spoilt? Its not just the Gulf Arabs but also expats in better economic brackets. Sorry to say, but it is part of the allure of this region; this bubble of luxury that one can afford to live in. Bad enough the cost of living is virtually impossible to manage, now the standard of living is going to lose its charm too?

As for the so-called "asian tsunami" - I think the esteemed minister is a bit late in recognising this phenomenon. Look around you, sir - its already happened.

This asian tsunami is the backbone of most gulf countries. Banning them will just weaken that spine. Somehow, I dont see rich Gulf Arabs changing their minds overnight just because there are fewer labourers.

Education is the key! The younger generations must be taught well and a different mindset will have to be cultivated, so that they would consider all jobs with dignity and pride.

Gulf Arabs Lazy & Spoilt
Posted by Lee, Dubai, UAE on Monday 28 January 2008 at 12:14 UAE time


In general I don't have a problem with what the Minister has said. I have worked in many Gulf countries including Bahrain. I know how lazy local employees can be when they get to work. Some clock in then they need a smoke break, then they need to eat, then their stomach hurts so they need to go to the restroom.....any excuse to not actually do the work! But the minister's comments do not describe all Gulf Arabs. I know many who work extremely long hours. Even some wealthy individuals that I know work very hard to keep their businesses going. But who was working in restaurants and doing the manual labor jobs 30 or 40 years ago? Asian expats? I don't think so. Somewhere along the way many Gulf countries allowed their people to become lazy by supporting them and giving them money for nothing. Restricting the number of expats or their length of service is not the solution.

Lazy and Spoilt Indeed
Posted by Bruno Veninga, Dubai, UAE on Monday 28 January 2008 at 11:27 UAE time

Contrary to the comment of the terms Lazy and Spoilt being on the level of a primary school teacher, I would agree with the Bahraini Minister. In most parts of the world we wash our own cars, change our own oil for a small service, even use the vacuum cleaner ourselves! (shock horror) But here in the middle east, it is almost as though we are incapacitated. Here the local (and plenty of adjusted expats) drive the biggest, fastest, most fuel guzzling cars, and will do anything to park it as close to the front door as possible, even if this means removing traffic cones, or ignoring the multitude of no parking signs... just because we (as a collective) have become too lazy. We start to think it normal that we inconvenience other people, to make our own life easier.
Sitting at the fuel station it is not an uncommon sight (or should that be sound) to see a local pull up and start honking his horn if he doesn't get served within 10 seconds. And then despite all the fire and safety warning, they leave the engine running as the car is being filled up, just so that they don't need to sit in an un-airconditioned car for 4 minutes as the tank fills. then they wait for the attendant to give the keys back (through a 3mm crack of the lowered window - please don't let this cool air escape!!!) and often have the audacity to then still ask the attendant to get something for them from the shop!!!
So yes... Spoilt and Lazy are very fitting terms.
Putting a maximum time on the stay of migrant workers is not the solution to this problem. Education and awareness... oh, and little but of mutual respect, are the answer.

Based on what statistics?
Posted by Bakr Al-Tamimi, Dubai, Jordan on Monday 28 January 2008 at 10:21 UAE time


This type of talk is negative! It is also baseless. Apart from the conceptual problems is this talk, This "lazy" and "spoilt" terminology maybe more suitable for a primary scool teacher, not for a minster, who should know better, and be far more responsible.

Gulf Arabs 'lazy' and 'spoilt', blasts minister
Posted by Woody Segal on Monday 28 January 2008 at 09:46 UAE time

Finally there is someone who has the guts to talk about it and propose something is done. WAKE UP ad smell the Coffee not the oil.

Gulf Arabs 'lazy' and 'spoilt', blasts
Posted by A.A.MOHAMMED, Mumbai, India on Monday 28 January 2008 at 09:21 UAE time

The views expressed by Majid Al Alawi is preposterous. he has direct his ire against the Asians only. What about the Westerners? I ave an alternative to suggest, give nationality to all those expatriates who have completed more than 5 yrs in Gulf states. Once they become naturalized citizens, this problem would not remain. They will be Saudis or Bahrainis or Qataris or Emiratis like naturalized citizens in the USA or UK. Let expats become naturalized citizens - then they will integrate more.

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