NO PAYMENT FOR 40 CASINO EMPLOYEES

PANJIM: It became once again evident that some off-shore casinos operating in River Mandovi conduct their business in violation of the labour laws.  About forty employees of Mint, an officer shore casino owned by the home minister of Haryana, have been left stranded as the management decided to shut shop on expiry of licence for operation -- without paying salaries for last month.

Some disgruntled employees complaint that even otherwise they were never paid their salaries on time. James Mendes, Inspector gaming services, said they were promised by K K Jain, Vice –President, Finance, that salaries for month of September will be disbursed on October 7/8 but now he says that payments will be made on October 12.

What has bugged the employees of Mint is that they have been asked to go home without even customary one month notice. On the top of it the management has been dilly-dallying in paying their salaries No wonder Mendes and other Mint employees are distrustful of the management as none was given an appointment letter. Anthony D’Mello, who worked for two years for Mint is dismayed that he has lost the job with no avenue to raise his grievance.

When asked whether a complaint was filed with labour department, “How can we -- with nothing in written we have nowhere to go?” K. K. Jain, President who runs Mint was not contactable. When this reporter checked with some employees of other off-shore casinos, it was found that practice of employment is no different from that of Mint except that salaries are paid on time.

Shalaka who works as helper in kitchen for one of the off-shore casinos, said though she has been in employment for last six months, she does not have an appointment letter and similar is the case of others as well.  Will the government bother to look into illegalities conducted by off shore casinos?(HD)