KUWAIT CITY, Sept 25: Director of the General Immigration Department Major-General Kamel Al-Awadhi was recently quoted as saying the name of Kuwait can be cleansed from the list of countries accused of trafficking in humans by reconsidering the current domestic labor recruitment system, reports Al-Qabas daily.

He was quoted as saying the irresponsible practices of a few owners of domestic labor offices are responsible for Kuwait’s name being included in the list of countries accused of slave trade.
Al-Awadhi added there are a lot of shortcomings and weaknesses which need to be reviewed in the sphere of recruitment and what he called deployment of domestic workers. He added that some offices recruit unskilled workers who are not prepared to live within the community and the Kuwaiti families and as a result many of them suffer from mental and neurological diseases.

Al-Awadhi went on to say some owners of offices bringing in domestic workers even lure these workers to flee from their employers so that they can ‘sell’ them to other sponsors and in this way earn more money. He said these offices exploit the sufferings and increase the problems of domestic workers by offering them accommodation.

Al-Awadhi pointed out the project to establish a shareholding company for the recruitment of domestic workers is being discussed by the Cabinet. He added the company - if it gets the approval — will handle the recruitment and employment of domestic workers.

The company will also hold training courses and educate these workers on the culture, traditions and habits of Kuwaiti families and the society they will be required to live in.
The company will also take all measures to serve the purpose including the establishment of institutes and schools that will specialize in this area.

Al-Awadhi said the company may employ some of these workers on hourly basis, and they will be under the sponsorship of the company itself which will be responsible to provide the food and accommodation. This system is prevalent is some countries, he said.

The company shall also take all prescribed precautions to ensure the laborers are free from venereal or psychological diseases. Al-Awadhi said ‘only some’ and not all offices have accepted the recent Ministerial Decree according to which the financial guarantee has been increased from KD 5,000 to KD 20,000. He added 30 offices have applied for the licenses.