Corruption is running rampant in Iraq, reducing the chances for positive change and influence in Iraq.

Working as an independent contractor in a foreign country is difficult enough without the added burden of being an Expatriate working for a foreign company that does business unscrupulously. The fact is, that because the U.K., U.S. and other International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) no longer maintains a significant military presence in the Middle East, Independent contractors who accept work with foreign companies, particularly in Iraq, should take heed—as there is no oversight for employees or contractors who are mistreated or do not receive compensation from the foreign entity that employs them in the Middle East.

One such company is MediCorp, a partner of INTERMEDIC, which has been doing business in Iraq for several years and is based out of Jordan.

MediCorp CEO/President, Gabriele Muntean and Robert McVickers, owner of Morris Corporation, in Australia, once ran the examination clinics at Camp Victory, Iraq. When the soldiers left, they paid over $400,000 U.S. dollars to have the entire operation moved to Basrah, Iraq. They hired Third Country Nationals from different countries, and then began working as a subcontractor for Global Linguist Solutions, and KBR to provide physical examinations to contractor’s who are working in Iraq.

MediCorp hires expatriates to run their business; however, they are not legally registered to do business in Iraq. Expatriates and Third Country Nationals who take positions with MediCorps’ Al Zubair, location are not issued the proper VISAs to travel throughout Iraq to perform the physical exams, which puts them in jeopardy of being arrested. Recently, four Nepalese contractors were arrested when they attempted to return home.

Contractors who complained to the owners were erroneously terminated, and subsequently denied their final paychecks. One expat was refused re-entry to the Al Zubair camp, and remains in Iraq with no money to return home. He has contacted the U.S. Embassy, with no luck, and has complained to the Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG), who has not contacted him, to date.

“All I want is to the money they owe me”, stated the stranded U.S. Expat, who asked not to be identified. “The guy that worked for MediCorp before me never got paid, either”, he continued. “I have some Iraqi friends that I have done business with in the past, that are helping me out, but their generosity only goes so far”, he continued. “MediCorp doesn’t even pay its Iraqi vendors, which makes all of the other companies who do business in Iraq look bad to the Iraqi people. They keep complaining to me, but I can’t do anything about it, because I am just trying to figure out how I am going to live day-to-day until I can figure a way home”.

KBR, and Global Linguist Solutions are using MediCorp as a subcontractor to perform physical examinations for their employees to meet the contract requirements required in their Statement of Work, and have been notified that MediCorp has been performing the physical examinations using a janitor to perform the X-rays, and then submitting false claims to the insurance companies for reimbursement.

The Department of Defense has been notified that MediCorp is violating the human trafficking laws by not allowing their employees the freedom to come and go as they please. “MediCorp won’t pay for your VISA until it is time for you to return home”, the Expat continued. “The VISAs are written in Arabic, and most of the people who work for the company don’t read Arabic. The reason that the Nepalese people were arrested is because they didn’t know the name of the company that was written on the VISA”, the Expat stated.

It is common practice in Iraq to have different companies who are already doing business in Iraq to sponsor individuals for other companies.

“I entered Iraq to work for MediCorp, but my VISA says that I work for XYZ Company. If I can’t read my VISA and I am trying to move about the country, or want to exit Iraq. I have to know to say that I work for XYZ Company, and not MediCorp, or I will be arrested”, he said.

Corruption is running rampant in Iraq, and Iraqi government officials who have developed business relationships with companies, like MediCorp are protecting these companies and adding to the corruption and reducing the chances for positive change and influence in Iraq.

“The owners of MediCorp have over $113 million dollars, and would rather pay hush money to the allies that they have in the Iraqi government than to do the right thing and get properly registered in the country, and run their company legally”, the Expat continued.

“It would cost me over five thousand dollars just to get a lawyer to get fifteen-thousand dollars back. There is no oversight; the companies over here reek with corruption; because there is no one watching them”, he stated.

Oversight in Iraq is desperately needed. The Iraqi people are trying to rebuild their country after a decade of war, and they need companies that are ethically strong, and legally bound to a higher standard of ethical behaviors. Until then, employees and contractors should closely scrutinize overseas job offers and have an attorney review an employment contract before accepting a position with a foreign company.

You are probably right about Levy but lost all my respect when you referred to Filipinas as Flips. I am more than 100% certain you have one yourseld unless you was GAY.

Flori is getting 500kd housing allowance. What are you getting?

Jack Peterson

Flori Dowonoski (flipina) Finance Supervisor

Roger Prewett

Chris Livingston

So as the saying goes becareful what you ask for, “Grass is not always Greener on the other side”.

Mr. William Bowers & Mrs. Kathy Bowers
RBK OVERSEAS INTERNATIONAL LLC
&
RBK GLOBAL COMMODITIES LLC
011-965-9924-1702
skype: dodbowers

Rikki and to the above

I am finishing up my labour law and civil case here in Kuwait against Itt and KRH. Which I am waiting on my judgement against them March 30th. Which will be posted and used in another civil action against Itt.

I want you all to be aware that Itt is not registered in Kuwait as a Business they are registered under Shell not Itt I have turned in their registration and sent it to the Military Board head quarters. Because between Itt and KRh they are trafficking American Citizens and Lying to the Kuwait government of the actual pay.

Itt has violated the following:

1.) Trafficking U.S. Citizens

2.) Violating people rights under the Kuwait Labour Law

http://www.kuwaitiah.net/visa5.html
Working Hours

The working hours of an adult are limited to eight hours a day and 48 hours a week. A rest break of at least one-hour must be allowed after five consecutive hours of work. Rest periods are not included in the calculation of working hours. These standered hours may be increased or decreased by the MSA&L in certain cases, such as hotel works.

Holidays

An employee is entitled to one full day off without pay a week. The traditional day off is Friday, but this is not a legal requirement in Kuwait. An employee also has the right to eight public holiday’s a year with full pay as follows:
· One day on Hijri NewYear’s Day
· One day on Ascension Day
· Two days for Eid Al-fitr
· Two days for Eid Al-Adha
· One day for the prophet Mohammed Birthday (PBUH)
· One day for National day
Liberation Day is not yet a statutory holiday in the private sector.

Annual Leave

An employee with up to five years of continuous service is entitled to 14 days leave a year on full day, provided he has completed one year of services, and 21 days after more than 5 years of continuous service. Official holidays and days of sickl leave may not be counted a part of annual leave. The employer has the right to fix the date of leave.
An employee must be given his holidays pay before he goes on leave and the last salary payable before the holidays must be used to calculate the amount due. If an employee’s services are terminated that he is entitled to a cash payment in lieu of accumulated leave, irrespective of the number of years of leave due, and payment for the accumulated leave must be calculated on the basis of the last salary payable on the date of termination.

Sick Leave

Subject to a satisfactory medical report, an employee is entitled to sick leave for
· The first six days of illness on full pay
· The next six days on three-quarters pay
· The next six days on half pay
· The next six days on quarterpay
· The next six days without pay
This entitlement is the total entitlement in one year and not per period of sickness.

Overtime

An employee may be required to work overtime provided it is necessary and the employer’s order is in writing. Overtime rates of pay are:
· 1.25 times the basic hourly rate for excess hours worked on ordinary days
· 1.50 times the basic hourly rate for all hours worked on the weekly day off
· Twice the basic hourly rate for all hours worked on public holidays.
Overtime may only be worked on 90 days in a year and is limited to 2 hours a day, 6 hours a week, and 180 hours a year. An employee has the right to refuse to work overtime.

Termination Benefits

When his employment is terminated, an employee is entitled to a lump sum payment called termination indemnity.

3.) Sexual harassment against females and allowing this among employees who are supervisors

4.) hiring people who have no experience just for body counts for the contract

5.) violating injured employee rights under the Kuwait Labour Law

6.) Forging time sheets and lying to the military the actual times employees work

Everyone needs to be aware Itt is on a 5 year Federal Probation in the United States. And they have Violated their term of probation here in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

If anyone has a actual proof and would like to take ITT and KRH to Court I will tell you how to do it and take you to my attorney who is a very famous attorney here in Kuwait and rank in the top 5 here in Kuwait.

Let me know. Thank you.

Now the bad news-The Easterners that CSA hired have been farmed out to a new company, KRH. KRH cut their salary in half; down to 100KD a month. About 1/2 of what they had been making.
I’m hearing two variants – they quit and went back to India or they went on strike.
I can’t see how the camps can function without the Indians.

Strickland
Allen
Carter
Sallam
Anderson
Holmes
Levy

Feel free to add to the CSA Wall of Shame
NSLB (NO SCUMBAG LEFT BEHIND)