End Sponsorship System To Control Marginal Labour
KUWAIT CITY, April 8
Secretary-General of the Governmental Manpower and Restructuring Program (GMRP) Fawzi Al-Majdali refuted that the government intends to terminate the services of the expatriate personnel, indicating that the proposal submitted by the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Thikra Al-Rasheedi target the marginal personnel, reports Annahar daily.
Meanwhile, Second Deputy Chairman of Kuwait Chamber for Commerce and Industry Abdulwahab Al-Wazan stressed that any hasty unstudied step taken in this domain is like leaping towards unknown destiny.
Former minister of oil Essa Al-Mazeedi said the Kuwaiti oil sector will not terminate efficient expatriate personnel with specialized operational experience.
The Chairman of Industries Union Hussein Al-Kharafi stressed the need to consult specialized authorities and economic institutions such as Kuwait Chamber for Commerce and Industry, Real Estate Union, Industries Union and utilities of public benefit when bidding for such proposals.
He pointed out that the marginal personnel, who carry bricks and perform other hard activities, have provided key support in building the economy.
Furthermore, the Chairman of Real Estate Union Taufiq Al-Jarrah said the decision to deport 100,000 expatriate personnel per annum does not align with the country's policies which are aimed to achieve development projects.
He stressed that implementing such a decision will result in a problem against human rights, adding that it is necessary to carry out proper studies of such issues to ensure the image of Kuwait on the international and commercial levels is not distorted.
In the same context, the decision taken by the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Thikra Al-Rasheedi has provoked several reactions among citizens, residents, politicians and economists who opined that the decision to deport 100,000 expatriates per annum is a time-bomb against the development of Kuwait, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
They suggested that it would be better to cancel the sponsorship system for controlling the marginal personnel, stressing it is difficult to give up the services offered by expatriates since citizens do not take up many of the jobs that the expatriates occupy.
The Chairman of Expatriate Personnel Office in Kuwait Trade Union Federation Abdulrahman Al-Ghanim said the minister's statement is not logical.
He indicated that it is better for the ministry to carry out its earlier decision of cancelling the sponsorship system, as the latter will only attract the marginal personnel again into the country.
He stressed that the ministry has to study this situation intensively in order to assess the weak points because the private sector will not give up its expatriate personnel immediately.
In addition, Economist Hajaj Bukhadour said the minister's statement unfortunately indicates lack of thorough scientific study because the Kuwaiti nation depends on the expatriates in every field including housing, education and medicine.
He pointed out that Kuwait started its development with the help of expatriates, stressing the current situation cannot be solved by bothering expatriates but by proper application of the law because several citizens are responsible for bringing expatriates illegally into the country.
He also indicated that the government authorities rely on cheap options based on the Tenders' Law, which in turn necessitates bringing marginal and non-skilled personnel into the country.
He suggested that the minister should seek to cancel the sponsorship system in order to avoid bringing unwanted personnel into Kuwait.
Furthermore, MP Ahmad Al-Mulaifi said he will submit a query to Minister Thikra Al-Rasheedi about her proposal to deport 100,000 expatriates annually.
He indicated that he will ask her about the alternatives she proposes to fill up the positions of the expatriates after the latter's deportation, stressing it is necessary to allot clear strategy and create necessary alternatives in this domain.
© Arab Times 2013
