KUWAIT CITY, Dec 20: Inspectors of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor will soon be granted the right to summon violators and carry out inspections, reliable sources in the ministry told Al-Watan Arabic daily.
The right is included in the Labor Law No. 6/2010 and the ministry will soon issue a directive granting this power to labor inspectors, they added.
According to sources, the old labor law granted these rights to inspectors only under circumstances; the new labor law gives them the right without any conditions attached.
The aim is to reduce labor law violations and arrest the violators, say sources, adding inspectors will have to take an oath after the directive is issued.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor will soon establish the public authority for expatriates as an alternative to the sponsorship system, which it had earlier promised to scrap in February as a Liberation Day gift to foreign workers in the country, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting sources.
Sources explained the authority will be in charge of recruiting expatriate workers for the private sector but it will not act as the workers’ sponsor because its main function is to safeguard the rights of the employees, employers and companies; thereby, replacing the term ‘sponsor’ with ‘guarantor’.  Sources confirmed the ministry has forwarded a comprehensive study on the sponsorship system to the Cabinet, which will refer it to the concerned authorities after discussion.
Sources said the proposed alternative to the sponsorship system entails the application of the correct recruitment principles to protect the rights of both the workers and employers, particularly issues related to salaries and filing lawsuits against the employers.  Sources disclosed the ministry had initially presented three alternatives to the system but it later decided to push for the establishment of the public authority as it is the best solution.