If you’re a new follower of this blog, or even a
loyal follower, I do go slightly off-topic on Thursdays. Why do I do this?
To bring you, my very loyal and faithful
readers/followers/stalkers, a quick peek into what’s making news headlines in
Kuwaiti papers.
After reading this blog, just think how
well-informed you’ll be about the world around you!
Enjoy.
Economic, social pressures
behind Expat crackdown
Source: Reuters
June 13, 2013
The
narrow, cracked streets of the district of Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, down the road
from Kuwait’s main airport, would normally be bustling with Indian and
Bangladeshi workers by late morning, just before the summer sun becomes
unbearable. But since Kuwaiti police launched a series of raids about two
months ago, saying they were tracking down illegal laborers, the streets are
almost empty and many small businesses have closed their doors, residents say.
In the last few months, authorities have deported thousands of mainly low-paid
Asian workers from the state for working without the correct visa or residency
papers or for repeat traffic offences, according to local media and residents. A
government minister has called for a reduction in the number of “excess”
foreign workers in Kuwait.
The
country relies heavily on foreign workers to perform low-paying and strenuous
jobs in sectors such as construction and services; foreigners make up about 69
percent of Kuwait’s 3.8 million population. Pressure to limit their numbers has
been growing among some Kuwaitis who argue that too many workers are a burden
on the state. They say that instead of bringing in foreigners, Kuwait should be
trying harder to cut unemployment among its own nationals, which analysts
estimate above 3.0 percent.
If
this pressure continues to grow, it could have a major effect on Kuwait’s
economy, limiting its access to low-cost labour, while reducing flows of money
to countries which supply foreign workers such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan
and the Philippines. “Kuwait is keen to regulate the labour market because of
the imbalance in the demographics,” Social Affairs and Labour Minister Thekra
Al-Rashidi told Reuters, saying the number of foreigners in Kuwait had
increased 12.4 percent between 2008 and 2012. “We have respect for all the
expatriates who have participated in the labour market and contributed to the
development of Kuwait,” she said, but added that there was an excess of
unskilled “marginal” workers who were not contributing to the economy in a
positive way.
Read more here:
Premier
visits Iraq in sign of warming ties – Leaders sign accords, discuss Syria, war
reparations
June 13, 2013
Kuwait’s
prime minister discussed ties with his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad yesterday
during a surprise one-day visit, signaling improving relations between
neighbors still working to overcome the more than two-decade legacy of war. The
warming bonds between Iraq and Kuwait is noteworthy in a region increasingly
plagued by the sectarian divisions running through Syria’s civil war and Iraq,
which is struggling to contain its worst eruption of violence in years. Iraqi
Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki personally greeted Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak
Al-Sabah on a red carpet on the airport tarmac yesterday before the two men sat
down for talks. Officials later signed a series of agreements aimed at
improving bilateral ties in the economic, transportation and other sectors.
The
leaders hailed the latest set of talks – one of several high-level meetings
between the countries in recent years – as the start of a new chapter in their
relationship. “We got rid of a heavy burden and turned the page from the past
toward broader relations in all fields,” Sheikh Jaber said in a statement
issued by Maliki’s office.
In
a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari, Kuwaiti
Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah said that Kuwait has reached
agreements with Iraq on their outstanding issues to pave the way for ending
Iraq’s Chapter VII status. “An agreement on the maintenance of border markers
has been inked during foreign minister Zebari’s recent visit to Kuwait,” Sheikh
Sabah said, adding that “representatives of the two countries will meet UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to hand him a copy of the agreement to be
deposited at the UN.”
Read more here:
Expats
Take It All
By
Muna Al-Fuzai
June
11, 2013
It
is really becoming awkward and certainly not laudatory these days to point a
finger towards the expatriates, blaming them for the so-called demographic
imbalance in Kuwait.
For
those who think the expats are the ones behind this skew in the population
structure, I need to say that they are completely wrong. It is also unfair to
blame those who have been here throughout history and have been partners in
building this country’s economy.
In
the early days, before oil was discovered in Kuwait, some expats, both Arabs
and Indians, used to come to Kuwait for work and exploring new fields of
business.
At
that time, no luxuries beckoned anyone towards Kuwait and people used to come
from even countries that happened to be rich and highly advanced when compared
to us, like India and Egypt. They came to live in Kuwait and established their
families here.
Their
businesses struck roots here for more than half a century. Of course, they did
benefit financially but they also gave their life, time and efforts so far away
from their own homeland. They adopted Kuwait as their new land, a country in
the middle of a desert. So, trying to look down upon the same expats now and
claiming that we should get rid of them should be a matter of shame for anyone.
Those
who think expats are the reason for this improper population skew are ignorant
of Kuwait’s history and its development over the years; they know not how
countries become bigger and stronger. All decent expats come to Kuwait via
sponsors, so when things go wrong we should look for these sponsors who could
be individuals or companies. It is the sponsors who should be held accountable
and not the victims.
Read
more here:
Assembly discusses ‘retirement’ of
senior officials
By: Nihal Sharaf
and Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff
June 12, 2013
The National Assembly Wednesday passed
numerous pending bills on its agenda, including the final draft of a bill to
establish a telecommunications and information technology authority. It also
approved the Electronic Transaction bill in its first deliberation.
The Parliament approved the Legal and Legislative
Committee’s report on Electronic Transactions bill in its first deliberation
with 39 votes in favor and one against and four abstentions. The law will be
discussed again next week after amending some of its articles.
During the debate on the law a majority of the lawmakers
stressed the importance of the law which they say will remove obstacles facing
the e-government and will add to real development of the country.
They said the law will also eliminate administrative
corruption in the government institutions as well as electronic crimes,
hackers, infringement on bank accounts and copyrights. The law will also help
to build electronic commerce and protect consumer and intellectual property
rights.
The explanatory note of the law explained the preparation of
this law came in support to the country’s course in the comprehensive
development and a push to advancement and modernization for entire fields of life.
Read more here:
