Finance nods repatriation funds

KUWAIT CITY, July 6: Minister of Interior Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali affirmed the continuation of the open-door policy pursued by the ministry in all its sectors, to look into all complaints submitted by citizens, to find an immediate solution to their issues, and applying the spirit of the law, especially in humanitarian cases, reports Al-Seyassah daily. This came in a press statement issued by the Directorate- General of Public Relations and Security Media Department of the Ministry after the Minister Al-Thamer received a number of citizens to hear their complaints regarding transactions which were submitted to him by all service sectors of the Ministry and directed quick solution to the issues after presenting them to the concerned authorities in line with the law and applicable procedures.

According to the statement, Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali stressed the need to serve citizens in all sectors of the ministry and be a role model for speedy solutions to problems with accuracy and mastery of work and to overcome all difficulties facing public transactions. The statement explained receiving citizens comes within the framework of Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali’s keenness to listen to complaints personally and supervise their resolution and overcome obstacles in all service transactions related to the sectors of the Ministry of Interior. It is noteworthy to mention the Minister of Interior receives citizens every Monday of every week at the Ministry’s headquarters in the Sabhan area from nine in the morning until 12 noon after booking a prior appointment via phone number (25200641) during official working hours or via WhatsApp number (96031116) or e-mail or by visiting in person the citizen service office in the ministry.

The Ministry of Finance has agreed to arrange what it called special funds which were spent by the Directorate- General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to bring Kuwaitis who were stranded abroad and to ‘repatriate’ expatriates of different countries who were living in the country illegally, news reports Al-Anba daily quoting reliable sources. This happened when the country like the rest of the world was struck by the Covid-19 pandemic. The estimated budget for evacuation flights is believed to be 25 million dinars. The sources said the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had requested final approval from the regulatory authorities for operating the evacuation flights but the authorities have reportedly asked the civil aviation data, including approval from the Ministry of Finance so that money can be disbursed.

According to sources the DGCA will provide the Audit Bureau with reports of the latest developments on coordination with the Public Authority for Manpower and the Ministry of Interior, as well as all decisions of the committee formed by the Public Authority for Manpower, contained in the Administrative Resolution No. 430 of 2020 concerned with determining the value of the required cost for each of the illegal expatriate worker who were housed at the accommodation centers who were deported at government cost although some of the employers were obliged to pay the value of the travel tickets for those workers whose contracts had expired.