KUWAIT CITY, Dec 23: The Permanent Committee for Organizing Expatriate Personnel Issues in the Private Sector is looking for new mechanism to handle the problems of marginal laborers, says committee Chairman and Undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammed Al-Kandari, adding “it is very important to find a solution in order to avoid negative impact on the society,” reports Al-Seyassah daily.
He made the comments during a committee meeting Wednesday in presence of ministry officials and representatives of ministries of Commerce and Industry, Interior and Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Al-Kandari said a sub-committee has been formed to provide a comprehensive vision on how to handle the problem.
A large number of marginal laborers who are living in violation of the residence law are waiting for Amiri amnesty to go back to their countries, “since they are not in a position to pay the fines,” state sources.
Officials from the ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Social Affairs and Labor recently met a 16-member delegation from Indonesia, headed by the Indonesian Ambassador to Kuwait, to renew talks on the recruitment of Indonesian workers, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting sources.
After reaching an impasse in March, both sides agreed to resume negotiations.  During the meeting, the Indonesian officials affirmed their stand to suspend the recruitment of Indonesian domestic workers until further notice.  They demanded full protection of the workers and their rights, which should be stipulated in a document signed by both sides.  This came after the officials noticed the rising number of abuse cases among Indonesian domestic workers, who have allegedly been mistreated by their employers and deprived of their rights. 
The Kuwaiti officials, on the other hand, rejected the demand on grounds that Kuwait is an institutional state; hence, it is impossible to sign such an official undertaking.