Aldar Properties, the largest developer in Abu Dhabi, has joined National Catering Company in a venture to provide food and facilities management services to construction workers on Aldar's projects. Al Raha International Integrated Facilities Management will serve 56,000 construction workers living in Musaffah and Yas Island as they build Aldar's key projects at Al Raha Beach, as well as the Formula One circuit and associated facilities on Yas Island.
The partners will each hold 50 per cent in the new firm which is being established as developers across the UAE seek to tap new income streams to compensate for falling demand for new apartments and villas. Areej al Naqbi, the director of business development and non-core operations at Aldar, said the move would "ensure that we set the benchmark for the welfare of our significant workforce across the emirate".
Abu Dhabi came under fire in May when Human Rights Watch, based in New York, published a report claiming that conditions for construction workers on Saadiyat Island, a project by the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), amounted to "forced labour". The Government rejected the report, arguing that the organisation had failed to recognise its efforts to improve labour conditions in the country.
The TDIC moved to improve living conditions on Saadiyat Island with the opening of Construction Village, a workers' housing complex, in July.About 300 workers employed on the St Regis Hotel and Residences project are living in the village, which is expected to house 3,000 people by March. The complex includes sport, entertainment and healthcare facilities. Reduced investor demand hit Aldar's second-quarter net income, which fell 78 per cent compared to the same period the past year to Dh253.8 million (US$69m).
Over the next few months, Aldar is scheduled to pass several milestones, including the delivery of the facilities and hotels in time for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the end of next month. agiuffrida@thenational.ae
