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An apparent act of revenge by case worker Ms. Helen Lee
May 25th, 2014 | Advocacy | Comment
The Refuge Union protest against ISS-HK was triggered by widespread dissatisfaction with food provisions, the only sustenance for refugees who are not allowed to work. Refugees continue to allege that the ISS-HK shops fail to deliver the entire food allowance scheduled by the government.
On 24 January 2014, the Social Welfare Department enhanced the Provision of Assistance for Asylum Seekers and Torture Claimants. With regard to food, SWD instructed ISS-HK, “To increase the average budget for food … to $1,200 per month … to instruct case workers to increase claimants’ food consumption with the additional budget …”
These instructions failed to reach case worker Ms. Helen Lee, who appears determined to starve into submission one of her clients. After being dragged into court for failing to lodge a homeless pregnant mother, Miss. Helen Lee is on a path of vengeance against Madam Lama and her family.
Refugees depend entirely on the services arranged by their case workers and Madam Lama has no recourse against an oppressor who determines her family’s assistance. It matters not what refugees selects on food sheets, because these are frequently reduced and replaced at the arbitrary whim of case workers.
Food assistance is arranged three times a month and refugees have to ration provisions until the next collection date, often more than ten days later. Every collection should be worth about $400, although refugees complain about receiving less than $700 for the entire month, as verified in this SCMP report.
Madam Lama is in a distressingly grim position. Ms. Helen Lee hasn’t taken a liking for her family and disregards the additional nutritional needs of the pregnancy. The food allocated is vastly insufficient and might be related to revenge for the embarrassing court incident.
For a 10 day period, Miss. Helen Lee approved this for Madam Lama:
2 catty cabbage
2 catty onion
2 catty tomatoes
1 chicken
100gr spices
475gr yogurt
6 small mango juice boxes
5Kg basmati rice
1lt oil
For a 10 day period, Miss. Helen Lee approved this for Lama’s husband:
2 catty cauliflower
2 catty choi sum
2 catty onion
2 catty tomatoes
475gr yogurt
6 small mango juice boxes
5Kg basmati rice
For a 10 day period, Miss. Helen Lee approved this for their son:
NOTHING!!!
Vision First is alarmed by the abusive treatment of a pregnant mother and family by a vindictive case worker who should be removed from this account for obvious reasons. At ISS-HK there is such a lack of oversight and due diligence that permits case workers to cause actual bodily harm to refugees.
Meanwhile, the Social Welfare Department failed to take action on repeated requests from Madam Lee and Vision First to change her case worker for reasons of conflict of interest. Thus Miss. Helen Lee remains in a position to take revenge against her nemesis to the detriment of the unborn baby.
Vision First urges the Social Welfare Department to investigate this complaint and take action.
How ISS-HK cheats the Social Welfare Department
May 23rd, 2014 | Advocacy | Comment
Iqbal was a human rights activists in Pakistan before he fled for his life in May 2007. His torture claim is still pending seven years later as he languishes in the welfare hell that Hong Kong Government offers asylum seekers. Based on the evidence he brought with him, his case appears to be meritorious.
For seven years Iqbal suffered abuse and humiliation at the hands of his case workers at ISS-HK. The litany of complaints is as long as it is detailed, a shameful confirmation of how a failed welfare system oppresses all those unfortunate enough to be trapped in such a cruel and inhumane system.
The rent crunch is hard for all Hong Kong residents, but brutal on indigent refugees without the right to work. A resourceful person like Iqbal, with the advantage of not having a family, might raise a few hundred dollars here and there, but still struggles to make ends meet month after month.
In September 2013, a rent increase forced Iqbal to move out of a tiny room (without kitchen or toilet) at 107 Tai Nam Street. He cooked on a bench outside the front door and showered in a shared bathroom, but felt secure in this legal structure, where ISS paid 1200$ a month in rent assistance.
Unable to secure another room for 1200$, Iqbal had to rent the next best thing: an illegal structure on the rooftop of 137 Un Chau Street in Sham Shui Po. It should be noted that in 2010 ISS-HK issued guidelines to case workers not to confirm illegal structures in Kowloon, though this rule was clearly not implemented in the New Territories.
Vision First visited the illegal structure Iqbal calls home where conditions are as dangerous and unhygienic as in the slums where ISS-HK relegates refugees with no concern for their safety or the SWD tender specifications, “The Contractor shall ensure that Service Users … are provided with accommodation (including electricity, water, gas supply and other basic utilities)”
In September 2013 Iqbal signed a tenancy agreement with the landlord and submitted the documents to case worker Rhoda Despabiladeras for approval. From that moment Miss. Despabiladeras was fully aware that her client had moved out of the room on Tai Nam Street and into an illegal structure on Un Chau Street.
For reasons that must be investigated, Miss. Despabiladeras failed to update the ISS-HK records with the change of address. The old address in a LEGAL structure was retained on the Agreement on Provision of Assistance from October 2013 until today. The new address in an ILLEGAL structure was conveniently concealed from the contract that ISS-HK submits to the SWD for documentary inspections. Why?
On 17 April 2014 Iqbal raised his concerns with Miss. Despabiladeras who refused to change the address in the agreement. At this point, Iqbal remarked that he would make the change himself on his own copy as evidently ISS-HK was uninterested to reflect the truth in the official government documents.
Vision First is deeply concerned about such questionable practices that might amount to fraudulent behaviour on the part of case workers who are fully aware of agreements bearing false information. It is suspected that ISS-HK might engages in such a manner to cover-up an undesirable reality from SWD inspection.
God now give me the Refugee Union
May 23rd, 2014 | Advocacy | Comment
Following the publication of his story on the Vision First website, Iqbal approached ISS-HK to discuss his housing problem with case worker Ms. Rhoda Despabiladeras. As she was absent, Ms. Sulma Samsula, the manager of the Prince Edward office, tried to solve the embarrassing problem.
Having explained his predicament, Iqbal asked Sulma, “Who gives me money to pay rent and to buy clothes and shoes? I am angry after seven years waiting. What do you want me to do? Where do you want me to live? Do you want me to walk without clothes … with a towel around my waste?
Iqbal explained, “Hong Kong government doesn’t allow me to work. If I do work, I go prison one or two years. ISS give little food … ISS give little rent … this is policy to make me go to prison … must be I do work to survive … then police arrest me …”
Sulma replied, “This is not my problem. You move to a better place to live.”
Iqbal clarified, “If there is room for 1500$, you find for me. I am your client. This is your job. Two times I found a cheap room, but ISS didn’t confirm and property agent gave to another people. Now cheapest room in Shamshuipo is 3000$ on ninth floor [of a walk-up building]. Some are 3500$ on lower floors. I have no money. What I do? How I can pay?”
Sulma was indifferent to reason, “This is your problem. You find room and ISS pay deposit.” Then, upset at having her photo taken, Sulma ordered, “You close your mobile phone! You cannot take photos here!”
Iqbal retorted, “Why I close my mobile? You use CCTV to record everything. Why me not allowed? This is my rule. Every time I follow your rules, but your rules [are] not good for me!”
Sulma rose in anger, grabbing the files, and called the police to remove an uncooperative refugee who refused to obey. Iqbal noted that previously when he had called the police, they refused to respond upon hearing it was at an ISS-HK office, again. However, when ISS-HK called, they came running!
Iqbal complained to the policemen, “If I do work, maybe you arrest me. This is the ISS fault. ISS give me trouble. ISS don’t give me money, don’t give me enough food, rent or clothes. If you arrest me the charge must be for ISS, not for me. I work because ISS don’t help me enough!”
The undesirable mismatch in negotiating powers between ISS-HK and refugees must be addressed as a matter of fairness. Shouldn’t Hong Kong offer a level playing field for all human beings who live here?
Shouldn’t the most vulnerable people also be treated with respect, and not like outcasts?
The solution might rest with the Refugee Union. Hong Kong Government should note that the strengthening of the Union relates directly to the incompetence of and abuse by ISS-HK case workers.
Taking stock of another lousy experienced, Iqbal expressed his hope for the future at the protest camp in Central, “For a long time I am thinking who can help me? God now give me the Refugee Union!”
Refugee Union marks 100 days of protest against ISS-HK
May 22nd, 2014 | Advocacy | Comment
Edward Snowden lawyer helps accused insider trader Steven Xiao exploit boats row
May 21st, 2014 | Media | Comment
A year after the slums were exposed ISS-HK declines to comment
May 19th, 2014 | Advocacy | Comment
On 20 June 2013, ISS-HK justified the slums to TVB claiming it was very difficult to get exact addresses in rural New Territories. Miss. Adrielle Panares explained, “Most of it is just a lot number, it doesn’t have a building address or anything. So for cases like this … our case workers will say, ‘Can I meet you at the bus stop? And then let’s go together’”.
Miss. Panares added that ISS-HK goes on a trust basis with local landlords that the units rented to their clients are legitimate. Panares also said that ISS-HK has case workers that follow each client and insists no one has raised any concerns about poor conditions with them.
In other confidential documents, Miss Panares defended the slums, “The landlords in the New Territories have document proof to show approval by the Lands Department for the structures in their properties … Our staff are in contact with the landlords during the negotiation for the rent and mode of payment.”
In May 2014, almost a year later, ISS-HK seem to have lost their tongue and decline press interviews to shed light on the refugee slums and food manipulation that have raised grave public concerns.
At a time when the Chinese media and society may be waking up to the disturbing conduct of this government contractor, ISS-HK is attempting to deflect attention by hiding behind lawyers and raising unacceptable excuses.
Nobody at ISS-HK said that they are looking into these matters because they are concerned about services to asylum seekers and refugees. Not one person said that they are investigating complaints and conducting due diligence to ascertain the veracity of such complaints.
Together with the Social Welfare Department, ISS-HK and ISS Geneva are holding a line that there is no need to take action unless criminal charges are brought. Mr. Stephen Yao, executive director of ISS-HK, cited his lawyers’ advice that it was not the right time to respond.
Instead of taking responsibility for ISS-HK’s disastrous failure to meet refugees’ basic needs, Mr. Yao attacked the integrity of Vision First which has been advocating for the rights and interest of refugees founded on hundreds, if not thousands, of complaints.
Vision First has not made any defamatory statements and ISS-HK’s lawsuit for defamation is wholly without merit. Vision First’s lawyers are in the process of preparing all underlying evidence which will be put before the court in due course and which we will be more than happy to share with the public at that time.
Mr. Yao has made it clear that he, his board of directors and case workers are looking forward to the entire world having the opportunity to look at the evidence of ISS-HK’s corrupt practices.
