Kuwait- Govt female teachers can sponsor spouses

(MENAFN - Arab Times) The General Immigration Department has issued a decision to allow female expatriate teachers contracted with the Ministry of Education to transfer their husbands' residence under their sponsorship, reports Al-Shahid daily.

This decision comes after repeated requests by the teachers and has been approved across all governorates. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior has issued a notice, instructing expatriate personnel at government departments to submit a no-dues certificate from the Ministry of Electricity and Water in order to receive an approval for leave, reports Awan daily.

The Undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior Lt Gen Ahmed Al-Rajeeb circulated the announcement to help the government recover KD 4 million in unpaid electricity and water bills in the country. This decision comes after the Ministry of Electricity and Water asked for its Interior Affairs counterpart's support to enforce the decision.

Chairperson of the Kuwait Trade Union Federation (KTUF) Khalid Mutlaq Al-Azemi, after unrelenting efforts, assisted several expatriate workers to claim their rights from sponsors who committed violations against them.

In a press release, Al-Azemi disclosed this action has led to the closure of files of many companies. He stated that activities of the corrupt sponsors forced the affected workers to try to evade arrest and prosecution, while they were unable to transfer their sponsorship to other persons.

He said the federation held a series of talks with concerned authorities, such as the Ministries of Interior and Social Affairs and Labor, in addition to the parliamentary committee for Human Rights Protection in that regard. He added this became necessary due to several unfair decisions taken against workers due to reasons beyond their control.

Al-Azemi cited a meeting that took place on Nov 19, which involved the concerned parliamentary committee chairperson Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabaie, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammad Mohsen Al-Afasi, the Director-General of Immigration, the Assistant Chairperson of the federation Abdul-Rahman Yousif Al-Ghanim and himself, among a host of other officials.

"We explored this issue from all perspectives, while the Immigration Chief undertook to withdraw arrest warrants against innocent workers and give them three months to regularize their legal status", the KTUF leader pointed out.

Source: Middle East North Africa Financial News (MENAFN).
Link: http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093284233&src=NLEN.