PAM gives companies nod to renew workers contract

US Army tied hitch cleared

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 8: The Government Contracts Department at the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has addressed the problem of companies which signed contracts with the US Army, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting sources.

Sources confirmed that PAM has given these companies approval to renew work contracts (government contracts), which were suspended for several months due to violations committed by some companies and suspicion of human trafficking.

Sources pointed out the decision includes returning the expatriate labor files registered under US Army contracts to the Manpower Need Estimation Department to determine the actual manpower need of each file. Sources said this step was taken after uncovering violations and irregularities in this item, as the US-Kuwaiti Liaison Office did not determine this through the correct mechanism throughout the working period.

Sources revealed the recent meeting between PAM, US Army and Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense focused on the need to determine the actual need for non-American workers under the files referred to PAM. Sources explained this is in line with the regulation on determining the actual number of workers needed in the implementation of each project as some companies were found to have obtained approval from the liaison office to hire a large number of workers that are not really needed.

Sources added that PAM has given the owners of companies two options to deal with this issue – first is to transfer workers with violations to the main files, ask for approval from the Manpower Need Estimation Department on the appropriate number, return them and correct their status. The second option is to deport them.

Sources pointed out that hundreds of non-American workers are facing deportation, while companies will incur huge losses estimated at hundreds of thousands of Kuwaiti dinars because they will pay for the transfer of workers from the file of US government contracts to the private sector, indicating the cost is KD 350 per worker.

Sources disclosed the number of erring workers in each of the 12 companies reached 90 which means these companies will pay KD 378,000 for 1,080 for workers whose residency permits are about to expire and are holding permits to work in American military bases.