‘60s rule decision threat to lives of some expats’
Workers’ rights will be protected: KSHR
KUWAIT CITY, July 17: Commenting on the new decision issued by the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) to renew residency permits for expatriates who are above 60 years and holding only high school certificates or below, the Kuwait Society for Human Rights (KSHR) said, “We were surprised when the PAM board of directors approved an amendment to Resolution No. 520 of 2020, which prohibits issuing a work permit for this category of workers,” reports Al-Rai daily.
However, what was more surprising is that this category of workers is permitted to renew work permits if they can pay an annual fee of 2,000 dinars.
The society says it regrets this approval, which will lead to an official decision that will become government legislation affecting a large number of migrant workers in Kuwait and their families.
The KSHR added, “We, at the Kuwait Society for Human Rights, have recently signed a partnership agreement with the American Middle East Partnership Initiative to work to protect the rights of migrant workers in the State of Kuwait.
“It is our national duty in human rights work to protect migrant workers. We recommend canceling this decision from a humanitarian point of view, because this is a real threat to the lives of some migrant workers, and we reiterate our call to the government of the State of Kuwait to assume its responsibilities by abolishing the sponsorship system and working to establish an alternative system that safeguards the rights of all.”
The association recommended “the necessity of issuing decisions based on specialized studies and research, and discussing these decisions seriously with representatives of the relevant public interest associations.”
‘It is not murder’:
A Forensic report issued by the Criminal Evidences Department says the death of an Indian delivery man was due to natural causes and not murder as was believed to be earlier, reports Al-Rai daily.
A Kuwaiti, the son of the owner of the house, whom the worker went to deliver in the parcel in Abu Futaira, was accused of killing the man but the
Forensic report showed the man died of heart failure. However, he fell to the ground after he was allegedly hit on the head with a hard object, but the blow to the head was not the cause of death.
A security source said the victim had abrasions on the chest and this was caused when the suspect dragged him into the yard of the house, trying to revive him, and when the suspect felt the man was not moving, he fled fearing his arrest by the detectives.
The Prosecution on the strength of the report is said to have released the suspect of the murder charge, but continues to be detained because he is wanted by law in several other cases.