Ras Al Khaimah water park closes, expats scramble to find work

Ras Al Khaimah water park closes, expats scramble to find work

  DUBAI - Ras Al Khaimah's water park has closed in the UAE, with hundreds of expatriate workers now scrambling to find work. The Ice Land Water Park closed on August 30, with more than 200 employees made redundant. The Dh100-million park was opened in 2010 and was shut down after an eight-year run. The Ras Al Khaimah government said it shut down the water park as part of an ongoing plan to turn Ras Al Khaimah into a "global destination". The 50-hectare park was managed by Polo RAK Amusements, a joint venture between Polo Amusement Park, RAK Investment Authority and RAK Properties. Majority of its workforce are nationals from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka. They were reportedly given their salaries for August and were promised a one-month pay-off along with their gratuities this September. One of the park's lifeguard instructors, who did not wish to be identified, said he and 60 Bangladeshis find it difficult to find a new job because "the visa is very difficult to obtain". There are also 34 Filipinos looking for work. "I can’t sleep and I can’t rest unless I find a job," a Filipino lifeguard supervisor said. Some of the former employees are reportedly still living in the park's accommodation, while others are staying in shared villas. The RAK government said it closed the park as part of its plan to "enhance the emirate’s competitiveness on an international scale". “The RAK government has been persistent in its efforts to boost development across vital sectors, as well as to set and implement clear directions for the future of the emirate and, with that in mind, has moved forward with foreclosing Ice Land Water Park for the time being,” the Ras Al Khaimah government said. GAD/Expat 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