Prime Minister offers sympathies to cockling victims' families
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has extended his sympathies to the family and friends of those who perished in the Morecambe Bay cockling disaster.
Gordon Brown, said: "I want to extend my sympathies to the family and friends of those who perished at Morecambe Bay and to affirm to Britain's Chinese community that those lost to us that tragic day will be forever in our thoughts. Those 23 deaths and those of 58 Chinese people at Dover in June 2000 show the awful human cost of unregulated working, illegal migration and human trafficking.
"We have implemented the Gangmasters Licensing Act and will do whatever it takes to stamp out human trafficking and prosecute employers who persistently employ illegal migrants. The Government and colleagues in the trade union movement are committed to ensuring that vulnerable workers are aware of their employment rights and have the confidence and resources to report abuses.
"Britain's Chinese community has contributed so much to the prosperity and success of our country and we are determined that the legally settled community will be protected and allowed to flourish to the full. That is why we will work to prevent another Morecambe Bay tragedy by cracking down on all those who demean vulnerable workers or exploit the hopes and dreams of those who want to call Britain home.
My thoughts and prayers are with Britain's Chinese community."
On February 5, 2004, 23 Chinese cockle pickers lost their lives due to the behaviour of a ruthless and criminal gangmaster. The cockle pickers were stranded and abandoned on the mud flats of Morecambe Bay as they harvested cockles and were drowned by a rising tide. They had no protection and they had no escape. The main defendant, Lin Liang Ren was convicted on 21 counts of manslaughter and sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment followed by deportation to China.
Paul Whitehouse, Chairman of the GLA said: "Since the GLA was established we have worked tirelessly to ensure that rogue and criminal gangmasters are put out of business.
We are helped in this work by the support of many partner agencies and organisations who all share our objectives of protecting vulnerable workers from abuse and protecting legitimate businesses who are undercut by the rogues.
"We are determined to ensure that the gangmasters we regulate meet the highest standards and pay the penalty when they step out of line. This is why we have recently ramped up our standards, expectations and enforcement activities."
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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