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by Neomi Kodikara

The newly constructed hostel complex for female workers of the Biyagama Export Processing Zone (EPZ) has run into a few unexpected snags, with a majority of the workers refusing to move into the new lodgings despite the deplorable conditions they are living in.

The Ministry of Women's Affairs this month planned an elaborate opening of the 300-bed facility hostel complex, as part of the International Women's Day commemorating events. But they had to be content with an unofficial soft opening on March 1 when only eleven workers agreed to move in.

Allegations were rife that residents of the Biyagama area who had converted their homes into boarding houses and were running lucrative businesses, had threatened the workers with physical harm preventing them from moving into the hostel complex. But the Sunday Observer investigations discovered that although some workers had been threatened into staying, the real threat was, however, the relatively high price of the new lodgings rather than any physical intimidation.

The workers, most of them from remote areas such as Moneragala, Anamaduwa, Hambantota, Bandarawela and Mahiyangane live in deplorable conditions, some without even the basic facilities of water and proper sanitation. More often than not, 5-10 women share a small room and use a common toilet with 20 others. Security is non-existent, even when they return home late after the evening shift.

In contrast, the hostel complex built by the Women's Affairs Ministry at a cost of Rs. 52 million offers both comfort and security. But not many are eager to change lodging, though the women who are already occupying the hostel complex talk highly of the facilities. The few residents agreed that the hostel was better and safer than the boarding houses they had stayed in earlier. "We are well looked after here and the wardens are like mothers," they said. The hostel complex consists of 50 comfortable rooms which can accommodate 300 girls. The monthly rent is Rs. 500 and facilities comprise a well equipped kitchen, a dining room, a TV room, a counselling centre, pantry and a reading room on each floor.

There won't be any hard rules and regulations," assured Padmini Herath, warden of the hostel, who also said that measures will be taken to guarantee the safety of the hostellers. She said that the lodgers have the freedom to go out on holidays provided they informed the warden or the sub-warden and that a 24-hour security service and police patrol service were being employed to ensure their safety. "Eleven girls are staying here now", Herath said adding that around 50 had got themselves registered and are expected to move in once they get their salaries.

However, many of the workers rejected the hostel facilities, claiming monthly expenses were too high for them, and beyond their means. "A sum of Rs. 500 excluding food is too much for us. In addition we have to pay the electricity and water bills and cook the meals," said Palika from Deniyaya when asked why she did not want to stay in the new hostel as two of her other friends had done. "We cannot afford such luxury when we have to look after our families and save for the future, with this meagre pay," she explained.

According to them, a boarding place can be found for a monthly rent of Rs. 200-300, although these places leave much to be desired, especially in terms of basic facilities like water, space and even ventilation. Some places are like fowl pens and do not have proper ventilation, light or enough space to move about and accommodate from 50 to 200 women. The workers leave the factories after an 8-hour shift, some even after 10 or 12 hours following two to four hours of overtime.

"What we really need is to go to bed once we get to the boarding place," said N. D. Kulathunga, adding that they were not too worried about the lack of comfort. She agreed that the hostel was `hundred times safer' than the lodges they stay in at present, but added "Wherever you are, you have to take care of your safety and protection."

"Life here is quite difficult," said Palika explaining that they were more concerned with saving `something' for the future than seeking comfort or luxuries in boarding places. Most of the workers return to their homes and settle down after working for about 5-6 years.

If we move into the hostel we will have to pay an additional sum of Rs. 600 or more every month which will be too much for us," said Renuka and Priyanga, two sisters from Ampara. Many said they would be willing to accept the hostel facilities if the Government brought down the rent by at least Rs. 250. According to the workers the monthly expenditure, including lodging, food and other incidentals amount to around Rs. 1200. Moving into the hostel they claim would increase expenses to about Rs. 1800 or even more. "It's impossible to spare such a lot, especially these days with the danger of factories being shut down, rendering thousands jobless. Besides, we do not get much OT either," Priyanga said.

Passing allegations of intimidation, Upali Tilakaratne, who has been running a boarding that accommodates around 40 women since 1991, said that a hostel with facilities to accommodate 300 women wouldn't make much of a difference to the boarding business. "There are thousands of girls working in one factory, but the hostel can accommodate only 300. If a few go there, there will still be a lot more asking for accommodation, so boarding owners need not panic," he said. However, a girl who did not want to be identified said that some girls had been threatened by owners if they were to leave their boarding places. "It is not a surprise," she said, "Every boarding place has an adjoining boutique run by the owner and the lodgers have been asked to purchase their day-today grocery items only from that boutique."

Tilakaratne also said that they had no means to stop any boarder if they wished to go to another place. "Their salary is becoming less by the day as now they do not get much OT, and these girls have become very frugal. Some even skip their dinner and have only a cup of tea, so their priority is to save," he said adding that saving even Rs. 100 or 200 means much to them.

"This is a form of self-employment for us, and the main, or only, for some, income generating source for the villagers," another boarding mistress told the `Sunday Observer'.

Many of the residents had been given credit packages at low interest rates on a long term basis by the Government to provide boarding facilities to the workers. But the substandard rooms that are inadequate and unhygienic to stay in show no indication that the money has been used for the specified reason.

The EPZ has a workforce of 30,000 of which 90 per cent are females and the hostel complex was constructed in response to a request made by a group of female workers in the garment sector from the then Minister of Women's Affairs, Hema Ratnayake.

Minister of Women's Affairs Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake has appealed to the female workers to occupy the hostel which was built at a massive cost to ensure their own safety and welfare. Media Secretary to the Minister, Major V. B. Karunaratne said that having seen the suffering of these girls, the Ministry built the hostel with improved accommodation facilities with a view to remedying the situation.

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