Equadhoo Investment Private Limited

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by gamage, Oct 12, 2007.

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  1. gamage
    Joined: Apr 2002
    Posts: 212
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    Location: SRILANKA

    gamage Senior Member

    Beware of this people you may be a next victim

    I kindly request permission from authorities of this web site to publish this statement, I have been a member of this great web site since 2002 and during last six years I met lot of boat builders, owners, professionals all around the world share our views, experience and still maintaining very friendly relationship with them who are genuine boat lovers. But unfortunately I was caught to a one of the notorious racketeer through this web site and during last five months I experienced terrible time under there custody.

    I went to Republic of Maldives 17th May and join with them as a production Manager of their boat yards in Meedhoo (they have another yard in Dhevodoo). They are not paying salary for many months to poor workers who come to work from, Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. Labour’s monthly salary 100 to 150 USD but such a small amount they are not paying for many months. It was very painful experience for me to see they cry saying children are not going to school and their families striving without money to buy food.
    These islands are far away from Male’ and takes 3 to 5 days to travel by boat and one hr to fly. Once held up in such a place it is extremely dangerous because it’s very difficult to get any help from out side. At one stage I was totally isolated from out side world without phone, internet facility and money. Company had no single rupee for workers welfare and I sold my cloths to buy a cough syrup.
    Most of the time, owners of the company hid in male, without responding to Phone. They are keeping all passports, works permits in Male’ incase of any emergency there is no way of coming out. One poor Indian worker was seriously ill and they have send him by boat for three days to male’ few days after reaching male’ he died without proper medical care.
    If some one asks salary they bring them to male’ and keep them for few weeks in one of the partners rented house. It is a small apartment and they some times keep 10 workers just sleeping on ground for many weeks. They kept me also in same house I slept one month on 3 feet long chair, and came home without getting three months salary.
    I have documentary proof and you may read attached letter I sent to the President of R.O.Maldives.
    Please don’t try to do any business with these racketeers and get in to trouble yourself. Now I my self have no money to feed my family.
    I kindly appeal boat building community on the planet please spend few minutes to send an e mail to the Maldivian Labour Ministry and request to do proper investigation about this company and rescue poor workers traped in their custody.
    Please don’t allow such people to use this web site to trap innocent people, so come forward to wipe out these elements from this great industry,

    Thank you
     

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  2. Kay9
    Joined: Oct 2006
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    Location: Central Coast Oregon US.

    Kay9 1600T Master

    Do you know of some other people with the same problem, from this company?
     
  3. Trevlyns
    Joined: Oct 2006
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    Location: London UK

    Trevlyns Senior Citizen/Member

    This is utterly preposterous!

    Yet one feels so helpless in a privileged western society with employment contracts, politically correct, signed sealed and delivered.

    I only hope this matter gets resolved, but let’s all be vigilant about these “employment offers” which are fairly frequent on our forum.

    Gamage, I sympathise with your situation and you did well to bring the facts before the other members of this forum.

    And anybody buying a boat from these “questionables”… I hope you can wrestle with your conscience.
     
  4. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
    Posts: 4,742
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Ther are times when it is right to forceable take what is yours (forceably does not always resort to violence, often the tthreat is sufficent - I believe that had these workers stood up and said "that is enough we want what is ours NOW!" somethingwould have happened. Possibly the Police or other public bodies MAY be in the pay of these people but the last thing anyone wants is official bodies sticking their noses in! Hence why any 'trouble maker' is removed to Male, get them away from the rest! For you Gamage it may be to late, even if your letter gets to where it's supposed to go! Aim higher!

    It is a warning also to the rest of us, always check foreign job offers before travelling, you may not be able to afterwards!

    Best of luck in the future Gamage in getting back what is rightfully yours


    the Walrus
     
  5. eponodyne
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Upper Midwest

    eponodyne Senior Member

    This thread has been forwarded to OXfam, International red Cross, and Amnesty International. I hope you get some sort of resolution out of this; or at least that the perpetrators get a little attention from incorruptible people in a postion to do something about it. Sadly, Executive Outcomes is defunct and I am too poor to hire them anyway.
     
  6. gamage
    Joined: Apr 2002
    Posts: 212
    Likes: 9, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 48
    Location: SRILANKA

    gamage Senior Member

    I can’t give you details of others without their written permissions. But Maldivian labour ministry official can find answer to your question,
    They have authority to get payment details of expatriate workers from this company. From Maldivian Department of Immigration they can obtain number of persons, who has come to work with them, and their date of departure. They can clearly see up to which date this company has paid salary and date of departure of employee. They can refer bank statements of this company and whether they have maintained sufficient funds for workers welfare.
    I was stay at 2nd floor, G.Goalththerege, Hadheebee magu, Male’ if necessary police can get information from neighbors’ how often expatriate workers come and stay this place for long period.
    Male’ is a small city and when expatriate worker come to male’ from other island they have no place to stay and no money for food. Minimum cost per day in a hotel 25 $ and above without food. They have no option other than staying at a place where sponsors provide. While staying in their house I was sacred to continue legal battle with them.

    I myself beg from peon to attaché of our High Commission more than an hour just to keep my bag inside our High Commission building. Thanks to kind gentleman of our HC who permitted to keep my bag inside. Please note that main source of income to our country come from Srilankans work abroad.

    Standard technique of this company (may be not only this place) is held worker under this condition for a long period, thereafter he never think about how many days he paid for, not think about annual leave entitled for. Then they agree to go home even with small payment and air ticket.
     
  7. westlawn5554X
    Joined: Aug 2006
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    Location: home lazy n crazy

    westlawn5554X STUDENT

    Is this real? If so it will hit hard on the local boat industry... But if it is real then justice need to be brought forward... Hope u can hang on till justice come.:(
     
  8. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    You sit there and wait you will wait forever! You have got to get out there and do things - kick a*** otherwise your on your own!
     
  9. amajyds
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 20
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    Location: Maldives

    amajyds Junior Member

    Interesting post Gamage!
    after 1 and half years of negotiations you joined our company. Your claim as everyone who reads your posts here would assume that you can design and build boats. We offered you an atractive salary and you joined our company as the head of production. You promised us that you can install engines, build boats and even design them (tell these guys what actually you can do among all these tasks if there's even one). We fell for your trap. When you arived here I gave you the list of jobs that we need to finish in order to recieve half a million dollars. You confidently told me that you could finish it in time . All you had to do was to finish the decks of two 100' fishing boats and the cabin of another 100' fishin boat (not much for a very capable man like you is it?) . Could you tell everone on this forum how much were you able to do in that 4 months.?? just bonding already prepared deck sheets to a hull and left with an incomplete cabin isn't it ? tell everyone the truth Gamage!!. You wanted to get internet facilities in your room because you wanted to start a boat building business with another Srilankan partner who has a high profile job in the government of Maldives..is that not the truth Gamage? You have stolen our drawings and photographed our boats, Our feasibility studies and all the inqueries directed to you while you were there and delivered to that particular high profile Srilankan gentleman isn't it. Do you want me to post your communications by skype on this forum Gamage? ...Gamage aren't you conning this srilankan gentleman as well like you have done to us. If we are not paying slaries why are our stff returning even after they got jobs in South Africa , Dubai and other places Gamage? Were you scared of the investigation Gamage which would have got you deported from Maldives to get a ticket from your sister and leave Maldives without waiting for wages? You know that we had a meeting fixed with Srilankan highcommision on the 17th of this month where by we agreed to settle what ever is due from this company to you if your highcomission feel its fair to pay your dues. Tell everyone why you left immediately when you came to know about the investigation. By the way Gamage how much did your previous employer pay you in Kuwait. Please don't forget the document!!! what do you call racketeers Gamage? Gamage..!!could you please post pictures of those boats that you desined? (To be continued..with some factual evidence Gamage' ...)

    BTWL : gamage how much money did you get to help sunami victims in your area to rebuild their boats??? I thought you made a boat yard with that money to help the victims..by the way the cat you used to feed at the boat yard, we are still looking after and the boats that you have left are also growing fast!! The Indian guys who have returned from South Africa are getting ready to push the first boat in two weeks!!
    CAUTION: Gamage is a very silent small man who dress well but can never look in the eyes of the people he talks to.( Just to let you all know if it happens anyone of you to meet him)
     
  10. amajyds
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Maldives

    amajyds Junior Member

    By the way those who may not know the Maldives ...please note that this country is a very easy place for expatriate workers to file complaints and the authorities respond more quickly than Srilank govenment may attend a bomb blast in the midle of COLOMBO and they always pretect the rights of expatriate workers. By the way Gamage, why didn't you claim the return ticket money which is deposited at the Ministry of Labour. (For every expatriate worker maldivian cverment requires to keep a deposit paid by the employer for their return)
     
  11. amajyds
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Maldives

    amajyds Junior Member

    And Gamage !! are you taking advantage of the ime knowing the chairman is out of Male' and he must be out of reach to reply your posts?
     
  12. amajyds
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Maldives

    amajyds Junior Member

    Also please explain Mr.Gamage why you didn't want to atend the meeting with the chairman and your highcommission on the 17th of this month?
     
  13. amajyds
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 20
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    Location: Maldives

    amajyds Junior Member

    One more thing!! Gamege pleadse tell the truth about how much money was given to you as food allowance per day while you were in Male'? and do you want to post some pictures of the apartment (2ndfloor, Goalhyereyge, Hadheebee Magu, Male') for other members to have an idea of your suffering in Male'.?
     
  14. westlawn5554X
    Joined: Aug 2006
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    Location: home lazy n crazy

    westlawn5554X STUDENT

    Mmmm posting picture might really help us who is worried about the claim thanks. Getting interesting.
     

  15. amajyds
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Maldives

    amajyds Junior Member

    Worried..!!!? the guy he is talking about is my best friend and I'am frequently in their office and know most of the things that are happening around. He had some finacial difficulties but have always paid the staff, there food and all medicals. I will send you pictures of the siad address and you can get anybody you can find (may be someone fro you embassy to even validate them. Why don't you ask this Gamage fellow if he was able to deliver any thing he pronised before he was hired? Why don't you ask him why he had submitted a resignation letter addresed to the chairman to Labour ministry and Srilankan Highcommission without actually submitting it to the company even before his probation? Why don't you ask him why his fellow srilankan FC of the company just four days before this "CC" resignation letter to highcommission wit all the other srilankan staff in the company? why don't you ask him why he had to hide his bag with a peon attache from Srilankan embassy? Why don't you ask about the ten boat orders which actually came to Equadhoo which he passsed to a certain "Jas" who happen to be a friend of a powerful maldivian? Why did he send very valuable drawings to his investor?
     
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