Prosecution orders continued detention of ‘Interior’ official, aides in peddling charges

Kuwaiti offers young women KD 100 for ‘fun party’

KUWAIT CITY, April 13: The Public Prosecution yesterday ordered the continued detention of a Colonel working in the Ministry of Interior and 6 Egyptians believed to be his employees, on charges of ‘human trafficking’ until completion of investigations, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

The daily quoting security sources said the human trafficking – the phenomenon of ‘bulk labor’ – is tied to security and economic repercussions which came to the surface following the emergence of the new ‘Corona’ virus.

The government tends to take stringent measures in the face of the crime which is reported in the media from time to time and according to well-informed sources there is intention to amend the work law to balance the demographics, put an end to visa and human trafficking.

The sources revealed the authorities – the government and the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) are mulling different options and that includes increasing transfer fees between companies, issuing work permits, organizing government contracts, and striving to replace expatriates with national workers in the public and private sectors.

The sources added, one of the options on the table is to amend Article 138 of the National Labor Law to increase the penalty to double the years of imprisonment, financial fine, and closure for any establishment that recruits workers from outside the country and leaves them stranded to fend for themselves and including tightening penalties on recruited workers and that includes administrative deportation.

The sources following the outbreak of the virus the file of human trafficking surfaced which shows the country has been flooded with marginal workers and that put pressure on the public services including health and created a sense of panic since a majority of those infected are marginal workers.

Sources said in the face of this Kuwait will be obliged to amend the laws that guarantee protection for everyone, foremost of which is controlling the demographics and fighting visa traders.

In the same context, MP Dr Hamoud Al-Khudair said the presence of just three communities represent half of the population in Kuwait and called the situation ‘abnormal’ which must be corrected if we are serious about investing the current conditions to control the demographics.

Al-Khudair praised the Minister of Interior Anas Al-Saleh for referring one of the ministry officers to the Public Prosecution after he was suspected of trafficking in humans.

For his part, the Deputy Director General of Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) says he supports the decision to block the files of violators of the law and stressed PAM will not tolerate any violations and will suspend the files of violating employers.

Ministry of Defense announced the arrival of a Kuwait Air Force (KAF) plane from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, as part

of the flights for evacuation and air cargo, for providing logistical support to various official authorities in the country in light of the urgent health conditions that the world including Kuwait is going through.

Also, an Indian Air Force aircraft arrived recently with a shipment of medicines and medical equipment, and medical crews to support the country’s efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.