THREE Sri Lankans have complained to the Cyprus Mail after their boss in Nicosia fired them and then cut off the water supply to their accommodation.
“Even a dog on the street needs water,” one of the three said yesterday, adding that they were now forced to carry water from a nearby public tap.
“It’s backbreaking work.”
All three of the men who spoke to the Mail say they were working in Abu Dhabi in 5-star hotels before being offered employment in Cyprus. They were all sacked in May after they refused to accept alternative accommodation five kilometres away from their workplace.
“Before accepting our jobs we were told we would be given fully-furnished accommodation nearby. At first we had nowhere to stay at all and had to sleep at friends’ houses. We were living like gypsies. Then we were given one room at the back of our workplace for the three of us. It only has two beds”.
The three have been staying in the room despite being sacked because, they say, they have no money to rent elsewhere.
They say that when their employer first told them about the new accommodation he promised to provide transport to and from work.
“But he went back on his promise. And when we asked him to pay our transport costs he refused.”
The three say they spoke to a trades union about the transport issue – something which, it seems, angered their employer.
“He called us to his office and gave us an ultimatum. He said either you move or I’ll throw you out of your room and seal the door”.
The three refused to move.
Since May none of the three have earned any money and are dependent on handouts of food from friends.
“We all have families back in Sri Lanka who are dependent on money from us, but for three-and-a-half months we’ve not been able to send a penny home”.
They say they often get by on just one meal a day.
All three men are all highly skilled with many years of experience in the hotel trade. Despite this they have been unable to find alternative employment.
“We think it’s probably our former boss who is making it difficult for us to get jobs in other places because they always ask for references”.
The three are desperate to leave their current accommodation but say it is impossible until they find work as they are unable to pay rent.
Their lawyer Yannakis Erotocritou told the Cyprus Mail the three had every right to remain in the apartment and described their employer’s behaviour as “unbefitting the year 2004”.
The employer told the Mail yesterday he knew nothing of the case, adding: “I am not responsible for this”.
