‘Public Prosecution’ receives SAB report on embezzlement of funds

‘MoSAL’s proposed system will not curb graft in hiring maids’

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 5: The Public Prosecution received a report from the State Audit Bureau about the administrative anomalies and Public Funds Protection Law violations uncovered in the Health Office in Frankfurt, Germany, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting sources.

Sources disclosed the bureau’s report highlighted irregularities such as embezzlement of public funds estimated at millions of Kuwaiti dinars, as a result of violations proved by documents. Sources believe further investigations and scrutiny of documents will expose other irregularities.

Sources disclosed this complaint is the first of its kind to be submitted directly to the prosecution. This came after the Kuwait AntiCorruption Authority (Nazaha) received a report last May about the violations committed by some officials at Kuwait Ports Authority and a logistics company.

Suspected

Sources clarified the bureau has the right to refer suspected violations and abuses to the prosecution directly, without amending the law as claimed by many in an attempt to prevent the bureau from performing its oversight role.

Sources said the Civil Service Commission previously issued an explanatory decision which prevents the bureau from playing its oversight role, prompting the latter to address the National Assembly speaker in this regard.

Meanwhile, the application system proposed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor will not eliminate corruption in the recruitment of domestic workers and it could even cause problems for citizens who do not know how to use the Internet, not to mention the high cost of implementation, reports Al-Anba daily quoting a security source.

The source argued that the contract, which was previously adopted by the Domestic Labor Department, protects the rights of both the workers and the employers (sponsor).

Burdens

He said it is not right to conclude any agreement in the interest of a particular domestic labor exporting country which merely adds burdens on the shoulders of citizens and contravene the laws of Kuwait, similar to what the Philippines has done.

In the meantime, the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) added an article to resolution number 552 on organizing the work of Bedouns who hold a special card from the Central System for Remedying the Status of Illegal Residents (CSRSIR), stipulating the issuance of work permit to these Bedouns with one year validity and renewable for a similar period, reports Al-Anba daily.

The article stipulates submission of a form prepared by the relevant labor department, copy of the employment contract, valid card issued by CSRSIR, and copies of academic credentials and work experience, if any.