Foto: Marie Eriksson.

Romanies stopped by the Municipality of Staffanstorp

Publicerat 7 Jul, 2006

”These women are already involved in a project that takes care of them,“
says Tamas Matray, a recently-appointed co-ordinator in the Social Services Department of the Municipality of Staffanstorp.
Last week, the Umbrella Project reported on a number of Romany women in a new EU project who feel that they are being discriminated against in Staffanstorp. Those involved respond to this criticism below.

"I am just a person who can get certain things moving more quickly," says Tamas Matray.
Nevertheless, in an article published in the newspaper Sydsvenskan on 4 April this year he confirmed that he was an expert who was particularly qualified to coach unemployed people in order to increase their self-confidence and help them find jobs.

However, he mentioned none of this at an information meeting held in February for the participants of the EU project "Co-operating Young Romany Women Create an Enterprising Lifestyle" according to them and their project manager (read our earlier article).

Does your job cover these women, those who live in the Municipality of Staffanstorp?

"What are you getting at?" says Tamas Matray, before answering "Yes."

Then it is surely also part of your job to be available to them? But they say that you didn't give them your telephone number or mail address even though they asked for them at the information meeting?

"I can always be reached by phone, they know where I am."

But they say that you didn't give them your number or your mail address?

"Nobody asked for my mail address."

They also feel that you didn't inform them about what you can actually help them with in your job.

"I don't work actively with these women. They are already involved in a project that takes care of them. They haven't put any such questions to me."

You're saying that they haven't asked you any questions?

"Yes."

The women say that you handed out a paper at the beginning of the meeting that they were supposed to sign which would give you and several other public officials access to confidential information about them. They and the project manager say that you couldn't explain why they should sign.

"I don't know what you are talking about, no. Who is this?"

I have told you but I can tell you again (The Umbrella Project repeats the information given earlier).

"As I said, I don't work actively with them."

Can you understand that they feel badly treated by you?

"No, and as I have said, once again, I don't work actively with them."

But they are a part of your job, as residents of the municipality.

"They can come to me if they have an acute problem. Then I can quickly conduct a check and they can get help within a few hours, when they need it."

These women would like to receive a salary instead of social security, like the other women in the project who come from Lund. They have been waiting a long time for a decision from the Municipality of Staffanstorp. What can you do for them as far as this is concerned?

"A number of questions have come up."

What questions?

"It's better that you talk to my boss about this."

OK, who should I talk to?

"She'll call you."

What's her name?

"I said she'll call you."

But why can't you tell me her name?

"She'll call you."

But what's her name?

"Hillevi Ventura."

Do you have her telephone number?

"She'll get back to you, I said," says Tamas Matray and then hangs up.

On the website of the Municipality of Staffanstorp it says: "We work for the Municipality of Staffanstorp because we enjoy giving service and meeting people."

The head of the Labour Market Unit in Staffanstorp, Irena Sibinovic, says that they have just begun discussing the question of paying a salary instead of social security benefits to the participants in the project.

But the women say that they have been waiting a long time, around six months, for a decision about this?

"No, it's not that long," says Irena Sibinovic.

How long have they been waiting?

"I don't know, but it's not that long."

Is it correct that you will give them a decision today? Apparently the decision was postponed again on Friday?

"No, I am not going to announce a decision, but I am going to try to contact them. This is a little complicated and we are in the middle of a financial year. We are investigating the matter but we can't do it just like that, we can't click our fingers. Personally, I think it's a pity that they have had to wait. There are administrative problems and it may be too expensive for the Municipality to move from benefits to salaries," says Irena Sibinovic in Staffanstorp. But, as she says, they are looking into it.

Ingrid Malmqvist Norin, head of the Work & Integration unit at the Social Services Department of the Municipality of Lund says, on the other hand:
"I think it's ridiculous to claim that it would be too expensive. Having a job, even if it is under a labour market programme, represents a major, positive gain for the individual. For the municipality it means that work gets done, that tax is paid, that a government grant is paid for the programme and that the unemployed person is covered by the social insurance system and becomes a worthy citizen. I find it hard to understand how this can be described as being more bureaucratic than the payment of social security benefits. For us, it goes without saying that Romanies have the same rights as everyone else."

A few months ago, the Employment Office in Staffanstorp arranged things so that one and the same employment officer now deals with the Romany women in the project. The head of the office, Mehran Najafi, says that the bad experience the women have had in their contacts with the Employment Office probably relates to earlier visits.

"I am really sorry if they have been treated badly," he says. "I cannot guarantee that all of the personnel always behave completely correctly, but they are given information and instructions on the rules and regulations that apply here. I am very keen to see that the project with the Romany women is successful and I have tried to do all I can to get them moved from benefits to salaries."

He shows us his e-mail correspondence with the head of the Labour Market Unit in Staffanstorp, Irena Sibinovic. She is also involved in the project with the Romany women as the representative of the Municipality of Staffanstorp. In the mail messages, Mehran Najafi and one of his employment officers repeatedly point out that Irena Sibinovic should take responsibility for the Municipality's objective to reduce the number of people on social security, and that these women are a particularly urgent case. Najafi also requests a meeting at the earliest possible opportunity so that he can help the women to begin earning their own living. Irena Sibinovic answers, among other things: "I cannot take responsibility for participants that in principle don't have anything to do with me."
"Individuals shouldn't have to suffer because an organisation and its representatives don't do their jobs," says Mehran Najafi. "It's a shame."

 

 

Marie Eriksson marie@stockholmskulturbyra.se

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