Call For Free Govt Accommodation For Helpers

The government is being urged to provide free and safe accommodation for foreign domestic helpers, especially those between jobs, as the poor condition of boarding houses is blamed for a recent coronavirus outbreak in a Tai Po facility.

The call coincided with the start of a free Covid-19 testing scheme for helpers on Friday.

In an online press conference, representatives of migrant groups and their supporters appealed for greater pandemic-related support from the government for foreign domestic helpers.

Sringatin, a spokeswoman of the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body's Hong Kong and Macau branch, said free Covid testing is not enough because the poor living condition of dormitories could result in the spread of the virus more easily.

She said free and safe accommodation would help especially those who are processing their visa applications or changing jobs.

Johannie Tong from the Mission for Migrants Workers, whose group has been assisting foreign domestic helpers fight the virus since the pandemic began, said free accommodation offered by NGOs was often full.

She said her group gives priority to those who were not paid by their former employer or complained that their rights were violated.

Tong also said they have provided food assistance for more than 110 helpers since the beginning of this month. The recipients are mostly stranded in Hong Kong, waiting to go home or waiting for visa renewal, she said.

A spokeswoman for the Autonomous 8A Migrants Committee, Fifi Ng, said Hong Kong lags behind its neighbours in helping foreign domestic helpers. She said Japan and South Korea have offered financial support to those who have stayed in the country for a certain period of time.

She also said helpers should be entitled to the government's pandemic relief.

"In Hong Kong, even though our organisations here have been advocating... including migrants in the (pandemic) financial support scheme, the government has no response at all," said Ng.

Meanwhile, a number of foreign domestic workers RTHK talked to said they're not too worried about getting infected by Covid-19 and won't be taking the free tests.

“I’m not going out, I always stay at home. If I go out once in a week, I’m going to the market, but I’m alone and I avoid crowded places,” said Penny, who has been working in Hong Kong for 30 years.

“I don’t go out when I take my holiday, I just stay home,” said another worker Suparmi. She also said it could be more risky for her to go get tested because there are many people at the testing centre and she will need to take her mask off.

Another worker, Julietta, said she is afraid the test will make her feel uncomfortable.

“The swab test… will be very painful and… I have a thyroid problem. [The swab] goes straight [into] the throat and it will touch my thyroid.”