anyone know this lowlife?

[kombuchakid]

a 'top' banker who can't be named for 'legal reasons'


A domestic helper from Sri Lanka says she has been abandoned for nearly two weeks in her employer's multi-million-dollar mansion without any food, money, gas for cooking or a key with which to leave the residence.

Saroja Priyangani Jayasekara Vithanage, 36, has been relying on food handouts from neighbours and the charity Helpers for Domestic Helpers while her employer and his family take a holiday in Egypt.

Ms Vithanage's employer, her second since arriving in Hong Kong in 2004, is a top banker in the city. He cannot be named for legal reasons.

Two charities, Christian Action and Helpers for Domestic Helpers, confirmed they had contacted Ms Vithanage and organised for food to be brought to her.

A spokeswoman for Helpers said the charity would write to the Immigration Department about the case and had notified the police.

"She doesn't have anything and she is scared to leave the house because she doesn't have a key," the spokeswoman said.

Speaking next to two late-model German-made cars in the garage of her employer's luxury, multilevel home in Chung Hom Kok, Ms Vithanage held a copy of her contract, which showed that she was paid HK$3,400 a month - the minimum wage for a domestic helper in Hong Kong.

The contract also has a clause stating that she should be given HK$300 a month if she is not provided with food, but Ms Vithanage said she had yet to receive this sum.

The instructions left by her employer warn her that she is "on probation" because they are unhappy with her performance since she began working on July 18. The instructions also state that she can leave the house only on August 8.

"It's so hard for me because I have a family and three children at home whom I support by working in Hong Kong," she said. "But I have to resign from here, I cannot take it any more."

A tearful Ms Vithanage said she had to keep her clothes and food in the garage since arriving.

"I can't take it any more; I'm going to hand in my notice when they get back to Hong Kong," she said.

A source close to Ms Vithanage's employer and his wife said that the family had hired and fired several maids in the past year.

"They all cry and are very unhappy with the madam, who just shouts and blames the girls for everything," the source said.

Ms Vithanage's employer's secretary at the European investment bank at which he works said her boss was on holiday but could be contacted by e-mail, which he checked regularly.

Ms Vithanage's employer did not return any e-mails requesting a response to her allegations.

The case follows a report last month by the New York-based Human Rights Watch, which praised Hong Kong for protecting domestic workers' rights.


from the SCMP

The time has come to name and shame

[jayinhongkong]

Damn! Unbelievable...I can't believe how some people can treat other human beings.

[deleteduser]

It gets a lot worse.

[Asian1]

You would think someone with that kind of wealth would exhibit some morality and treat someone humanely. IMO the person should be outed and name publicized.

[KnowItAll]

Not sure what the legal reason's are for naming the person.

By the way, I'm pretty sure there is another side to this story. Have also heard nightmarish stories from employers who get taken to court for all sorts of reasons.. the various groups are more than willing to fight these issues in public light without going through the due process of "innocent until proven guilty"...