"Last year, we were asked by the Ministry of Finance to buy a small machine for swiping the e-dirham card costing Dh5,000," said Umm Shaymaa, an Egyptian lady who has her own typing office in Ajman and has been in the business for over 10 years.
"This machine is connected to the computer, and the printout cannot be obtained unless the e-dirham card with the value of the transaction fee is swiped."
Speaking about the new technology used for typing the forms for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health - the only ones dealing with the new forms - she said the applicant's information is typed on the e-stamp form. The computer program for the e-stamp form is connected to the Ministry of Finance and Industry which is responsible for fee collection.
"Typing centres cannot issue any form without receiving payment through the e-dirham card. These forms are used by companies and individuals at typing centres, and the fees collected at these centres are encrypted on the form.
"And when the smart form is typed, the fee is shown (and encrypted), with the customer not standing in a queue at any ministry to make payments, but merely to submit the papers.
Failure
"But, until now, it has proved a big failure," she charged.
Umm Shaymaa explained the printout of the form carries the e-stamp logo. The transactions of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs do not require applying via a form, and hence, the e-dirham payment system should be followed.
The applicant should swipe the amount on the same machine and a printout of the receipt should be enclosed with the transaction.
In the past, they used to type the forms and pay the fees by e-dirham. "Now we have to use the new machine with its smart card reader — and this has proved a big failure since it costs us and our clients too much money, if we commit any mistakes while typing the form.
"The new program never gives us a chance to correct it if any mistake should occur while typing a form," she said.
"The smart card, which costs Dh100, can be exhausted if only two or three transactions are in error. Further, the e-dirham paid is transferred to the Ministry of Finance and Industry, and it is not refunded in case of any mistake, and we need to re-type the form with new fees.
"Should the error have been committed due to us, we have to bear the financial burden for our customer, else he has to. In either case, the money, once gone, is lost; we have to pay again for a fresh form."
She pointed out that every day sees several such mistakes, either because of the typist or the client.
"For instance, yesterday a client paid for a number of labour permits and, after having them typed, signed in the wrong place - and lost Dh2,000 in the bargain.
"Sometime ago, I typed for one of my clients a partnership transaction, which usually cost Dh1,000 before the amendment of the labour fees. And I charged the customer accordingly.
"I typed the transactions and paid the fees through the machine - which charged the fees without giving any sign that this kind of transaction is now free of charge. Neither were we informed by the ministry about the changes. Imagine our client's wrath when the ministry told him it is free - he came to us angry, and we had to repay him his money again.
Drawbacks
"Meanwhile I tried hard to get back the money, submitted earlier through the machine. I went to the Ministry of Labour in Dubai who said it is with the Ministry of Finance. But eventually, after three months of going and coming, I simply gave up.
"This new programme is not clear and offers no chance to correct a mistake," she concluded.
Umm Shaymaa pointed to a number of drawbacks with the new system: after the initial three-month guarantee period, the machine fails every now and then, and when they inform the company (Global Information Technology Co is the only one that can be contacted to put it right, it appears to enjoy exclusive rights here), they are asked to bring the machine to their main office in Dubai.
"That costs us Dh200 - and if they send us someone to check it, we have to pay Dh400."
"As part of the overall equipment, there is a smart card reader which costs Dh400 - and every one or two months it fails and cannot be repaired. We have to buy a new one each time.
"Further, every now and then the software is changed and a new CD sent to install the new programme in our computer system."
Another drawback is the programme is installed with a limited number of job names, and only 12 trading activities. "It is a confused programme," Umm Shaymaa said. "The old forms were better."
She added sometimes the program mentions there is a mistake in the form, without specifying the mistake. "The programme says its is error No 150, or 130 - but who knows what these numbers being referred to are!
"All of this results for us in losses on a daily basis of at least Dh500-Dh1,000, and sometimes more. But nobody listens to us," she lamented.
"We are not against development and technology - but if we have to do it, we have to do it right." She added when contacted, with difficulty, Global Information generally offers no response.
Further, in case of any failure, or for investigation, the Ministry of Labour can be contacted toll-free on 8002243 - "but it only gives helpful explanations, not actual help."
Other typing centres in Ajman and Dubai echoed these views. Aumniya, who works with her husband, also has a typing office in Ajman. "All the typing offices have the same problem, and there is an urgent need to solve it. There is no chance to correct any mistake - and a mistake means no chance to get the fees back."
She recalled one day she made a mistake while typing a transaction costing Dh2,000. "I went to the Ministry of Finance who asked me to return after six months, saying maybe I could get the money back... I called the free number of the Ministry of Labour but there was no response."
Upset
Marwan, who has a typing office in Dubai near the Ministry of Labour's building, complained the technology, including the telephone lines required to link the ministry's e-dirham programmes into the system, cost more than its benefits.
Akbar, who also works at a typing office in Dubai, pointed out: "The new machine gives us no chance to correct mistakes, it is not clear... it is better if we get rid of it."
He claimed the new system is affecting their jobs while resulting in daily losses of Dh2,000-Dh3,000 either for the typists or their clients, while suggesting the program be upgraded: "We need a solution which will allow people to avoid losing the fees."
Customers are just as upset. Syed, an agent for a private company in Ajman, complained he lost Dh500 recently because the name of the job he needs to be typed is not available on the list; and when they typed it earlier the ministry rejected it. This happened twice over.
Another Pakistani agent said he lost Dh1,000 merely due to mixing up the worker's gender: "I mentioned male instead of female, and the fees have gone to the Ministry of Finance. I have to pay the fees again, this time from my pocket. Obviously, the company I work for will not foot the bill."
Quelle: Gulf News
