Many Malayali expatriates working in the Gulf have either cancelled or postponed their annual vacation with the family back home in view of the ongoing currency crisis set off by the demonetisation of Rs.1,000 and Rs. 500 currency notes.
Some of the NRI Malayalis told The Hindu that they did not want to waste their leave by joining their family in a cash-strapped unhappy situation. They have apparently been apprehensive of the remaining days of the current year.
“I’m forced to postpone my journey to next year because of the existing situation in Kerala. My parents are already suffering there because of the Central government making high-value currencies invalid. And I don’t want to add to their woes by being with them in this crunch time,” said P.K. Mubashir, a company secretary in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He was to join his family here in less than a week.
Mohammed Ashraf V., a supermarket staff in Dubai and hailing from Ponnani, too said he had cancelled his flight ticket because of the crisis. “I’m not the only one. Many friends I know have put off their travel plans. We have been leading a fairly good lifestyle here. It will be hard for us to spend time at home without enough cash in hand. So it’s better not to go home now,” he said.
According to travel agents here and in Kozhikode, cancellation of tickets has increased in the wake of the demonetisation. “People are afraid and uncertain about the situation. None can predict tomorrow,” said Mohammed Saleem, a travel agent.
Some Kuwaiti expats compared the situation to that caused by Saddam Hussein by invading Kuwait in 1990. A mass evacuation of Indians from Kuwait ahead of the Gulf War had led to a tough situation for a large number of Keralites. Many had suffered when the Kuwait Dinar had lost its value.
C.T. Mohammed Haneefa, an expat in Kuwait on vacation at Koduvally, said he was happy as his return date was nearing. “With the currency crisis, all donations have stopped. No charity organisation approaches us these days,” he said.
Many do not want to waste their leave by joining their family
in a cash-strapped situation
