KUWAIT CITY, Nov 16: Former MP and First Constituency candidate Saleh Ashour strongly criticized the decision of the government to allow the issuance of work permits for expatriate workers who are stranded abroad, especially the Egyptians and Syrians.

He pointed out such a decision contravenes the recently-ratified law on addressing the lopsided demographic structure issue, warning that the government will be subjected to intensive questioning soon.

Sources from the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) revealed the authority has started issuing work permits for the stranded expatriate workers in order to allow them to return to Kuwait.

Sources explained this step is in line with the decision of the Health Committee formed by the Cabinet to allow the employers to send a list of the needed expatriate workers, who are stranded abroad, to the Ministry of Interior in order to obtain security approval.

After obtaining security approval from the ministry, the employers will submit a request to PAM for the issuance of overseas work permits to the stranded expatriate workers.

The employers will authorize the issued documents and then send them to the expatriate workers who will complete the necessary procedures in their respective countries. This decision ends the eight-month suspension caused by the closure of Kuwait International Airport due to the coronavirus crisis. Meanwhile, Fourth Constituency candidate Eng Batel Al-Rasheedi stressed the need for the government to regularly submit reports on the steps taken to combat corruption and address major issues to the National Assembly.

Evidence
He believes the government refers lawsuits to the Public Prosecution without providing evidence and supporting documents; hence, the important cases are set aside. In case he wins in the elections; he intends to closely follow up corruption issues like the Malaysian sovereign fund, Kuwait Army fund, social security and government’s expenditures on coronavirus. Former MP and First Constituency candidate Khalid Al-Shatti argued the amendment of the oneman- one-vote system is not a plausible solution, as it is more important to raise the awareness of citizens on the need to set aside their sectarian and tribal affiliations when voting for their representatives in the legislature. He added that sectarian and tribal loyalty was evident in the elections held under the one-manfour- votes system. He said the alliance between the government and radical religious blocs negatively affected democracy and freedom; considering this alliance resulted in the ratification of laws which punish not only the individual who uttered offensive words during his interview in a television program but also the broadcaster, editor and cameraman. Former MP and Second Constituency candidate Dr Hamad Al-Matar considers democracy a package of procedures like the election, which is the only democratic process in Kuwait. He said the government wants to limit the only democratic process in the country by controlling the election results.

By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff