KUWAIT CITY, Aug 18: Since the beginning of the Corona pandemic, last February, the Public Authority for Manpower, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, has referred the files of more than 400 companies to the Public Prosecution, reports Al-Seyassah daily. These companies are accused of suspicious dealings and a variety of violations including trafficking in humans. In this context, informed sources, told the daily that the files of some companies – about three thousands of them -- in the private sector are subject to the scrutiny by specialized teams from the Ministry of Interior and the Public Authority for Manpower.

The source added the suspect files have been referred to the Public Prosecution. The source added, violation of the rights of the workers and human trafficking have been discovered, and that the authority was continuing to clean these files and hold accountable the violators – employers or employees.

Meanwhile, the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) has recovered 405 out of 520 new apartments in Jaber Al-Ahmad City from the Ministry of Health, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting sources. Sources disclosed the authority retained 115 apartments distributed in 23 buildings for the ministry’s medical staff within the context of facing the repercussions of the corona pandemic.

Sources said Minister of Public Works and State Minister for Housing Affairs Dr Rana Al- Faris has instructed the PAHW officials to urgently discuss a safe mechanism for distributing the recovered apartments to citizens for whom these apartments were allocated, in preparation for handing over the apartments in accordance with the health regulations.

Moreover, while PAHW announced the lifting of priority for allocation of housing alternatives that were already handed over to housing grant applicants as of Dec 31, 2009 and earlier; sources revealed the authority might begin implementing the new ministerial decision next week after it is officially published in the next edition of the Official Gazette (Kuwait Al-Youm).