Envelope shortage hits typing centres

Abu Dhabi: A shortage of envelopes which are needed for all Labour Ministry transactions has hit typing centres hard since the beginning of December, owners of the institutes said.

Most transactions, including visa and labour card applications, are supposed to be submitted to the Ministry within these envelops sold at post offices across the country. However, since the beginning of December, the envelopes have been in short supply, especially in Dubai. The typing institutes submit the applications on behalf of their clients.

Critical position

"The shortage has put us in a very critical position. There was no warning about this situation. I went to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi to buy a few boxes and stock up after I was forced to buy two used envelopes from the Ministry itself for more than double the price in order to submit a document," said the owner of a typing centre in Dubai.

"Two used envelopes cost me Dh10, it is not about the money, but about the inconvenience caused," he said.

A box of 250 envelopes cost Dh500. But making use of the shortage, some people are also selling these at higher prices, Gulf News has learnt.

An official at Dubai Central Post office confirmed the shortage.

"We are facing a severe shortage. Many people are coming and enquiring about this. But we are not receiving any new stock," he said.

"Our job is getting difficult. Without the envelopes we cannot go ahead and complete the transactions with the Ministry," said M.S, an employee at a typing centre.

"Although we buy in bulk, the envelopes run out out fast," he added.

Several typing centres said the envelope shortage had developed because the Ministry has temporarily stopped supplying them with the intention of changing the design of the envelope by January and increasing the cost to Dh3 per envelope. Labour Ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.

An owner of another typing centre in Deira said: "We submit hundreds of applications in a week. If the ministry does not look into this matter, it will become difficult for us."

In Abu Dhabi the post office has not yet run out of the envelopes.