Gonu II continues to be put off, & Maids get a pay rise

More cyclone update. The computer models have now apparently backed off somewhat on the prediction of another tropical storm/cyclone in the next 2 weeks.

BUT, it seems there are signs of dropping pressure, yada yada yada, so the boffins say there still could be one. Its just become less likely.

There is currently some cloud (here's the current Sat Pic), but its not spinning or building cyclonic rotation. So, all OK right now. Don't panic.

And in other news
A coupe of days ago the minimum wage for Indian housemaids in Oman was raised from 50 rials/mnth to 75 rials/mnth, a 50% pay rise, the first rise for 15 years.
Embassy raises minimum wages for Indian maids

MUSCAT The Indian embassy has raised the minimum wage for household workers coming from India from RO50 to RO75.

The new wages will be effective from June 1, 2008, HE Anil Wadhwa, India’s Ambassador to the Sultanate said on Saturday. “This was necessitated by the rising cost of living in Oman and India. The wages had remained static for more than 15 years,” he said.

The wages had been raised in consultation with the Ministry of Manpower, said Wadhwa. The Philippines had raised minimum salary to RO150 per month, Sri Lanka to RO75 per month and Nepal to RO60 per month.

Well, its about time. Maximum hours are supposed to be 10hrs a day, 6 days a week, but thats harder to enforce. In theory that works out to around $1/hr.

Prior attestation of labour agreement by embassy is a must, before the worker leaves India. In association with the Ministry of Manpower, flyers which carry ‘dos and don’ts’ for workers, are placed in aircraft and immigration counters. There are also two help-lines operated round-the-clock by the Ministry of Manpower – 8007-7000 and the embassy – 2469-8491.

It has also been made contractually binding for the sponsor to provide a pre-paid mobile phone to the worker. The housemaid is also required to report to the embassy within four weeks of arrival.

This is all a significant improvement. Now they need to look at the manual workers and do something similar.