Wait stretches to 3 weeks
KUWAIT CITY: In view of a serious shortage of Civil ID-making material, the issuance and renewal of Civil IDs can now face delays of up to three weeks, a source at the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) informed the Arab Times on Wednesday. The instant Civil ID renewal service is reportedly unavailable for the past two months. He added that a few hundred Civil IDs are now being processed on a daily basis as against thousands earlier. He declined to say when the instant renewal service will be restored and linked its functionality to availability of the material. "The ID-making material, including the paper and the lamination sheets are imported from abroad and hence we are not in a position to say anything at this stage." Some expats complained that the PACI telephone no: 889988 was not regularly in service. Expats said it took them between three weeks and one month to get their IDs renewed. The ID renewal system was facilitated a few years ago even as PACI got rid of the paperwork that was associated with the renewal process and as a result people now can renew their IDs by dialing: 889988 and thereafter choosing the renewal option.
An expat, Mohammad Yousef, who came to collect his Civil ID on Wednesday returned home disappointed after learning that his card was still being processed. He added that he tried to call the PACI service number on numerous occasions but couldn't get through and that his residency was renewed over three weeks ago. "I really do not know how this system works...they (PACI) should inform the general public about the partial functionality of their service through newspapers." Another expat, Ravinder Kumar, said his residency was renewed nearly a month ago but was yet to receive his Civil ID. "Initially, I thought it was some mistake on part of PACI but when I came here I realized the extent of the problem," he added. Earlier it was reported that PACI was planning to install vending machines in various areas to make it convenient for people to collect their IDs. Under the new system, all an applicant has to do is insert the old ID card in the machine and collect a new one. The new service will cost KD 3 as against KD 2 charged at present.
By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo
© Arab Times 2007
