Dubai, Nov.7,2006 (WAM) -- H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, summoned today Ministerof Labour Dr. Ali bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi for a meeting and ordered himto take a series of organisational measures to regulate affairs of foreignworkforce in the country and secure all requirements and conditions ofhealth and safety standards to ensure decent living for them whether inaccommodation or the in the working site.

Sheikh Mohammed also demanded adoption of a health insurance cover forall categories of labourers which guarantees their treatment and providesthem health and medical services on equal footing with the rest of othergroups in the community.

Sheikh Mohammed demanded the Labour Minister to develop an efficient andmandatory mechanism to enable unpaid labourers for two consecutive monthsfrom their employers to get these delayed salaries which, he affirmed,are their natural and legitimate right.

''Those labourers should be allowed to change the place of their workif they want so without any obstacles if they meet all required conditionsas per the laws of the country and labour ministry,'' Sheikh Mohammedadded.

Sheikh Mohammed instructed the Naturalisation and Residency Departmentto create special contracts for housemaids and servants and to fix theirworking hours.

He also ordered setting up of a labour court that looks into the greivancesof labourers.

Sheikh Mohammed also ordered setting up of an inspection agency that willbe part of the Labour Ministry. The agency will absorb 2,000 inspectorswho will cover all sites and labour camps in the different emirates.

The agency's mandate is to ensure that all laws and regulations pertinentto human rights are in place and to protect the rights of labourers sothey can come up with better performance in a healthy environment andexcellent pschychological, financial and health conditions.

As per Sheikh Mohammed's directives, an urgent study will be conductedto identify roles and capabilities of labour supply companies.

He instructed the Labour Minister to monitor those companies and officesto ensure that they do not violate the laws. He stressed that UAE lawsand its Arab and Islamic traditions safeguard labourers rights and protecttheir human dignity.

Sheikh Mohammed warned any individuals, firms or groups from exploitinglabourers or abusing their rights, saying that violators will receivedeterrent legal measures.

The meeting which took place at Sheikh Mohammed's Palace in Zabeel wasattended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairmanof the Dubai Executive Council, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin RashidAl Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Authority for Technology and Media FreeZone and Mohammed Abdullah Al Garqawi, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs.