Non-issuance of new work permits hits fishing sector: Kuwait

Head of the Kuwait Fishermen Union Dhaher Al-Suwayan says the non-issuance of new work permits for fishermen is hindering the sector’s endeavor in providing food security for marine products, reports Al-Qabas daily. In a press statement, he explained that more than 30 percent of the Kuwaiti fishing fleet has ceased operation due to this problem as well as due to the inability to renew fishing licenses, although the fishing sector is one of the sectors that are excluded from employment rates by 100 percent.

The challenges that the fishing sector faces are many and complex. They must be resolved so that fishermen can fulfill their national duty in providing marine food security. Al-Suwayan expressed his regret that the automated system in the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) rejects many applications for new work permits under the pretext that the file has exceeded the quota of the permitted labor force.

Suffer
He stressed that this is happening despite having labor licenses on which there are no workers registered, but unfortunately the automated system did not update the data and is not accepting the issuance of new permits, due to which the sector continues to suffer from the inability to place new workers on fishing licenses. Al-Suwayan considered the failure to issue new work permits as one of the most important challenges facing the fishing sector at the present time. He called on the concerned officials to take the required measures quickly and accomplish the necessary mandate in order to fill the deficit existing with the owners of fishing licenses.

Al-Suwayan insisted that the continued rejection by the automated system for new permits for fishermen will cause more fishermen to cease their operations. He expressed the fishermen’s ambitions to solve their issues and water down the challenges they face, especially with the union having met and sent several official letters to officials to solve this problem and others. Al-Suwayan stressed the importance of taking the necessary steps and standing with the fishermen in their just cases as soon as possible. He highlighted that the other problem is the failure to renew the files of fishing licenses using the automated system of the workforce, despite their renewal by the issuing authorities, and activating the automated number of the civil ID in the files. In conclusion, Al- Suwayan said, “We therefore demand the manpower authority to quickly solve the problem of the files of fishing licenses”.