TNAG-2318-FCO40-3362-Petitions-from-members-of-the-public-regarding-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 121

Repeated telephone calls to the Immigration Department on her behalf were met with polite replies and requests for Rosa to come and see them again.

Each time she did she was listened to and then told to go back to Manila and process her new contract from there.

Her prospective employer's husband was also granted an interview but although he agreed that the letter of the law had been followed (by the former employer) he pointed out that the method which they used certainly showed a lack of humanity. A senior Immigration Officer showed sympathy for Rosa's case but pointed out that all the rules and conditions had been met and that she would have to go home.

It would appear that Philippine Airlines were the only ones. to benefit from the situation but they kindly revoked the condition on her ticket and the Immigration officer said that she will try and expedite Rosa's return, under the rules.

An interesting aside to the preparation of "Rosa's" new contract involves an extraordinary directive given by someone at the Labour Department.

When the papers were submitted for attestation they were returned with a small unsigned note, stapled to one copy of the contract which read: "Pls ask E/R to select either food or a food allowance". (This officer had also erroneously asked that the employers name be written beside her signature - there is no such requirement indicated on the contract.)

The employer's intentions are to supply food and a food allowance to the helper but, not being able to distinguish between a hand out and a rip-off, this officer insisted that the either/or conditions be met. (It will be seen, in the following case history, that such foolishness and lack of understanding could have more serious consequences.)

But, when viewed in the light of some other cases, it would appear that Rosa has been very fortunate.

J

She has found another employer so the family that she helps to support in Bataan (where communist rebels often visit her village and demand under armed threats food and money for their cause) will not be further deprived because her new employer is going to give her the money she has lost in wages. A happy ending? Perhaps. But she has had many weeks of worry and she is not back in Hong Kong at the time of writing.

3

Appendix B