Cyprus-Forum.com

[Svetlana]

I do agree that whatever life (well nearly) Housepersons 'enjoy' here, it is far better than life in a Sri Lankan peasant village - which I have experienced.

What is so interesting, is how quickly girls and guys from jungle villages (and I do not use that term pejoratively), become 'Europeanised' and get to 'need': smart clothes, a mobile phone, DVDs, the internet etc.

Most of my SL friends, while missing their families, have no desire to return to their simpler life.

[supporttheunderdog]

Dear B25

They are however providing services at substantial less cost and probably under a lot worse conditions, eg working hours, etc., than a Cypriot would accept, and they are putting something into the economy; their labour, in return for which they are fully entittled to do what they like with their money, including sending it out of Cyprus.

It does otherwise appear very unjust (if not racist) that they are not entitled to benefits etc, to which thay have contributed: the comment that their families get a compartively big benefit is not any excuse.

As an alterntive, if you want to keep that money in Cyprus. employ Cypriots!

Dear STUD,

I don't agree with your assessment, sorry. They do come here knowing full well the conditions underwhich they will be working. They have elected to do so, but even with these conditions, they are a million times better than back home. Even in the UK, you cannot get free medical when you first go there, even if you do pay NI. In fact a self employed person, paying oudles of NI, you cannot get dole, so hardly surprising a small country like Cyp to refuse immediate free medical to incoming workers.

I can work in the UK and get in excess of 50K pa, I chose to live and work here, at substantially less income and lesser conditions, that my choice.

You have to remember these people have been brought here and should have the medical cover in place by their agents or employers. I bet they don't get €5 / hour in sri lanka, more like €5 / week.

Nothing racist, just telling it as it is, further, if they didn't come then yes some people would have to employ Cypriot help, so in effect they are under cutting the local work force as do the Eastern Europeans, but thats another story.

It wasn't a case of WANTING to keep the money in cyprus, I was explaining that they cannot expect the free medicals AND then send their money away. They don't pay any tax. So if they need government services, police, fire or whatever, why should they not make some contributions??

Thanks for this comment
NI is meant to cover certain particular benifits not otherwise funded out of Taxation, not certain benifits, such as the fire brigade, etc., which are paid for out of other taxation. Here I understand that many Cypriots are sufficiently lowly paid so they pay no tax either, so they likewise benefit from items others pay for out of tax. I dont have a problem with that, if as I understand it, there is an identical regime covering when everyone starts paying.
(apart from Doctors, dentists, lawyers, etc who are alleged to do a lot of tax-free cash in hand under the counter work, or certain highly paid civil servants etc, who I am told get a largeish lump sum in tax free expenses. Those, too, are a different story)


I dont have a problem with the general concept of minimum contribution levels before any entitlement accrues.

The key question is however would a Cypriot / EU Citizen be obliged to pay in for 5 years before being able to collect? If the answer is yes, then fair enough, the policy is not racist. It may be harsh but we are all playing by the same set of rules. If however the terms upon which some can collect are different to the terms upon which others can collect, based upon nationality,then it is probabably discriminatory on racist grounds and moraly unfair.

IMHO The arguments about relative incomes here and in Cyprus do not alter that position.

[Kikapu]

Yes, but the point of my post was the irony was that those who earned least (€3900pa) subsidised those who earn so much more - and also never enjoy the benefits, that others might.

I'm against slave wages anywhere, specially in a EU country, but it appears anywhere in the world, that those who earn below certain rate, does not pay any income taxes, but they all seem to be paying towards the National Insurance all the same.

My personal feeling is, what ever money non citizens they pay into the system should be paid to them when they retire, where ever they may be, or, they should be given the total amount they paid in, plus interest, minus taxes, upon departing the country before retirement age.!

[Schnauzer]

Not wishing to appear to volunteer an opinion that may be construed as 'Racist', I am currently in the UK and am aware of the amount of controversy surrounding social issues here.

It would seem that the general consensus of opinion in connection with 'Social Security Handouts', is that the system is widely abused and that those who offend most are from such nations as do offer themselves into domestic service.

Perhaps the Cypriot government is exercising a little caution in placing the restrictions you mention, Cyprus is suffering enough already from the influence (past and present) of British perceptions of 'Fair Play'.

Or would we wish to see Cyprus become even more 'Little Britain' than is already apparent in 'PaFos' and other selected areas in our country.

'Fair Play' (as an Aussie would say) if they don't like it in Cyprus, they know where the airport is. (IMHO).