Maldives would be known for many things، and as we are not strangers to our tropical nation being titled or labeled as “paradise on Earth”، we all can comprehend our prime source of income comes from tourism industry. Maldives is known for its rich textural beauty، for the crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches.
But in recent years، Maldives have also become known for something else among the neighboring nations. It will be one of the nations in the South-Asian region with a considerably large number of expatriate workforce living in it.
According to the Preliminary Census report of 2014، Maldives currently holds an exact figure of 58،683 registered expatriates engaged in various occupations. This is the amount of registered expatriates، but it is clear like a shining bright sun during a sunny day، that this is not the exact amount of foreigners residing in Maldives، given the fact that the figures enumerated in the Census report does not coincide with Immigration Department results.
Foreigners; what are they doing here? And why such a huge amount?
A question that had been pondered over in coffee tables for countless years، and still no definitive and subjective answer has been produced that can enlighten into the depth of how Maldives have become accustomed to welcoming so much of expatriates as part of their working-class members.
Before pointing any fingers at anyone، or starting with the usual trend of the “blame-the-government” game، one must thoroughly think of the given matter. Imperatively، when we consider the expatriate workforce of 5 years back، it would be lower. Per year، a lot of foreigners are gaining access to Maldives through work-visa. They are not just the Bangladeshis you are familiar with on roads going on bicycles carrying garbage، neither they are only limited to the waiters working in different cafe’s and restaurants of the capital city or any one of the inhabited islands. No! They are from various ethnic backgrounds and nations.
They are everywhere!
From education sector to tourism sector، from building and construction sector to civil and municipal sector، from corporate sector to fisheries industry، you will come across many expatriates releasing their blood، sweat and tears to earn their wager. They would then happily proceed to send their salaries back to their home countries. The general practice of remuneration method applied of foreigners is simple; pay them in US Dollars، which they will be sending off to their families residing in their home countries.
Meaning more of the foreign currencies are flowing out of our economy.
What brought “fuel to the fire” ?
Based on numerous rumors and individual accounts، it was widely discussed of the discrimination Maldivians faced from their employers with regards to their salary compared to their foreign counter-parts working at the same designation in a similar rank. While expatriates were granted with living and food allowances along with other bonuses and increments، it was not practiced in the same manner for Maldivians.
Expatriates in queue outside Immigration’s Expat Shelter.
Thus، the fire، as employers continued with this practice further enraging the local working-class citizens as they felt the levels of discrimination they were being introduced into. Following this، Maldivians developed a sense of notion، that the only credible designations or posts lied in executive posts، or to dumb it down، their only saving grace was to hitch White Collar jobs.
With the aforementioned reasoning along with years of similar practice has created a mindset that strives for White Collar jobs، and only White Collar jobs.
Why we disregard some occupations while we hail others?
“You practice what you preach”
The locals who faced this sense of injustice taught their children of the values of occupation and laid a clear history of how their bittersweet experience in working fields were، molding the younger generations into an ideology system، where the youngsters were taught to choose specific jobs، as they are the “respectful” jobs، along with this they were also taught of the “lame” and “embarrassing” jobs. Based on these classifications، below follows occupations that are considered respectful and embarrassing by locals.
Respectful Jobs
1. Managers of business entities
2. Political careers
3. Doctors
4. Pilots
5. Aeronautical Engineers
Embarrassing Jobs
1. Waste Management jobs
2. Waiters (except for in Resorts)
3. Receptionists/Customer care
4. Construction workers
5. Fishing
Lame Jobs
1. Teachers
2. Nurses
3. Sales representatives
These are how jobs are being classified in our minds، and everyone of us are hard at striving the respectful jobs. All the while they fail to understand the basic principals of work and professionalism.
Who is to be blamed on this? Me، you and everyone else
A Bangladeshi as a shopkeeper at a local shop.
It is always easy to point the blame finger at the government، and hold them responsible. Yet، it will not improve or help the situation which we are facing. This is a pressing matter، and people need to be made aware of professionalism and also taught that “no job is lower than the other”، it all depends on the perspective of an individual.
Governments need to take stiff action on expatriate quotas as well as setting a structural framework of specific professional careers where only locals can be employed. If not، private institutions، corporate offices and other organizations will be reaping the rewards of keeping minimum wager employees in the form of foreign employees.
Solutions are neatly visible، it is time we act upon it
It is not hidden that the increase of expatriate workforce in our nation is resulting in the increase of unemployment rate among Maldivians. True، these two factors may not be used in symbiotic fashion، but logical reasoning of any safe and sound mind would be quick to deduce that the unemployed individuals، who are tuning towards delinquency can be controlled in an orderly fashion if they are given the opportunity to utilize their experience and talents.
Apart from this، the educational body of this nation needs to undergo some adjustments as to giving prior career guidance before students enter into their O’Levels، along with giving them relevant and adequate training along the way including professional development programs.
Will the workforce completely belong to us?
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a complete eradication of expatriates from jobs in Maldives، but rather a controlled environment where Maldivians are granted to a wider spectrum of jobs or occupations based in the nation. If employers stick with an unbiased form of “hiring and firing” then equal opportunities must be provided to expatriates as well as Maldivians to prove their potential.
Locals working as Waiters at resorts.
But above all of this، relevant institutions، state-government and the community itself must amend their belief system where “Maldivians should do White Collar jobs only” attitude as well as “Hiring expats means less expenses” attitude must be completely dismissed.
Then we can perhaps see a future، where Maldivians would no longer disregard certain occupations as well as are ambitious and career driven.