Saturday 19 November 2022 02:02 AM Migrants employed as security guards at Doha park 'paid 35p an hour and get one ... trends now
Migrants working as security guards at a park in Doha set to be packed with World Cup fans claim they are being paid as little as 35p an hour - as the Gulf nation faces more backlash on the eve of the global tournament.
The staff are deployed across Al Bidda Park, a sprawling green space linked to the Fifa Fan Festival.
As World Cup fever spreads across the Gulf nation, fans will flood the park and enjoy pristine green lawns, shaded picnic spots and stunning views across the Doha skyline.
But behind the scenes - and long after fans have vanished for the day - the guards will continue patrolling the area despite claiming to be paid shocking amounts.
The Guardian spoke to Al Bidda Park security staff - none of which are contracted to Fifa or deployed in the Festival.
Shocking revelations show that the guards claim to work 12-hour shifts and usually get just one day off a month.
The stark reality is that migrants working in Qatar may not even get an opportunity to see any of the country riddled with human rights issues.
'We just go between our duty and our accommodation,' one guard said holding out his mobile. 'You can show me anywhere in Qatar and I won't know where it is.'
The terrifying claims come less than 48 hours before the start of the controversial 2022 Fifa World Cup.
Migrants working as security guards in a park central to Qatar's World Cup festivities are believed to be being paid as little as 35p an hour. Pictured: Security guard sits under an arch at the Museum of Islamic Art
Shocking revelations show that the guards claim to work 12-hour shifts and usually get just one day off a month. Pictured: Doha, the capital of Qatar
The stark reality is that migrants working in Qatar may not even get an opportunity to see any of the country riddled with human rights issues
The staff interviewed by the Guardian work in Al Bidda Park (pictured with people walking through)
The first game will see host nation Qatar take on Ecuador, kicking off a tournament plagued with international criticism over the nation's extremely strict interpretation of Islam which restricts women's rights and criminalises members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as banning public displays of affection and public alcohol consumption.
Worker's pay notifications, confirmed by their accounts of working hours and pay, suggest the guards are paid 1330 rials (£310) per month for 348 hours of work - with a small food allowance.
The Guardian's analysis highlights that this included 104 hours of overtime, which they receive 150 rials for.
This would equate to less than 35p an hour - which could be a breach of Qatar's labour laws.
Despite claiming to be working in horror conditions, one security guard alleged: 'It's illegal, but the government keeps quiet, so what can we do?'
Meanwhile, another said: 'We put up with it because we need the money.'
Others remain somehow positive, saying that they are happy to get something because it is more than they make at home.
The World Cup in Qatar will finally kick off tomorrow as the host nation faces Ecuador at 4pm GMT
The tournament is plagued with international criticism over the nation's extremely strict interpretation of Islam which restricts women's rights and criminalises members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as banning public displays of affection and public alcohol consumption. Pictured: Workers stand in front of Doha skyline
Qatar faces serious allegations of abuse of migrant workers - many of whom are thought to have died in the heat but Doha claims just three deaths are attributable to construction project. Pictured: Workers at the new al-Bayt stadium in 2019
Qatar faces serious allegations of abuse of migrant workers - many of whom are thought to have died in the heat - who built the World Cup stadiums and
