THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Established in 1977 / www.arabtimesonline.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017 / JUMADA AL AWWAL 17, 1438 AH emergency number 112 NO. 16391 44 PAGES 150 FILS tennis Page 43 Government panel works end to kafeel system Proposed employer-held residence card could control expatriate travel KUWAIT CITY, Feb 13: While several MPs are prepar- ing to submit a request for forming a special temporary committee to study the problem related to population structure and to hold a special session on March 30, the committee formed by the government to study the pos- sibility of cancelling the sponsorship (kafeel) system is proceeding towards setting up a mechanism for imple- menting the system in a manner that protects the rights of concerned parties, reports Al-Rai daily. Such a move by the government’s committee, which consists of representatives from Ministry of Social Af- fairs and Labor, Ministry of Interior, and the Public Au- thority for Manpower, is aimed at preserving the global image of Kuwait in the aspect of human rights. The proposal for tackling this issue will be submitted by several MPs, namely Jama’an Al-Harbash, Abdulka- reem Al-Kandari, Khaleel Abul, Thamer Al-Suwait, Majed Al-Mutairi, Yousef Al-Fadhala, Abdullah Fuhad, Osama Al-Shaheen, Mohammad Al-Dallal and Moham- mad Hayef. According to the MPs, the number of expatriates in the country has exceeded beyond the normal limits due to lack of implementation of substitution policies (Kuwaiti- zation) and lack of restrictions which in turn encourage the phenomenon of visa trading in the country. This has resulted in the number of Kuwaitis to be just 30 percent of the total population of Kuwait. Informed sources revealed that the proposal, which is being studied by the government’s committee, suggests that the residencies of private sector employees will be issued through the Public Authority for Manpower. This authority will be responsible for organizing the work con- tract between the employer and the employee. They explained that the contract, which will be signed by the employer and the employee, will consist of all nec- essary conditions. Once they are signed, the employee will be under the sponsorship of the Public Authority for Manpower. The name of the authority will be added to the employee’s civil ID. The contract signed between the employer and the em- ployee will include articles that will prevent one party of the contract from transgressing the rights of the other party in any manner. For instance, employers will be pro- hibited from holding the passport of their employees due to lack of any forceful obligation over those employees. The contract will also prohibit transfer of residency from one employer to another as long as the employee is Dubai plans ‘drone taxi’ DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb 13, (AP): Up, up and away: Dubai hopes to have a passen- ger-carrying drone regularly buzzing through the skyline of this futuristic city-state in July. The arrival of the Chinese- made EHang 184 — which al- ready has had its flying debut over Dubai’s iconic, sail-shaped Burj al-Arab skyscraper hotel — comes as the Emirati city also has partnered with other cutting- edge technology companies, in- cluding Hyperloop One. The question is whether the egg-shaped, four-legged craft will really take off as a trans- portation alternative in this car-clogged city already home WASHINGTON, Feb 13, (AFP): US President Donald Trump was expected to unveil new measures on immigra- tion as early as Monday in the name of keeping Americans safe, with a top aide insisting he did not overstep his authority with his controversial travel ban. With the ban now frozen by a federal appeals court pending further legal re- view, Trump is “considering and pursu- ing all options,” presidential aide Ste- phen Miller told “Fox News Sunday.” The White House could either file an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, defend the merits of the order in US plans new immigration measures BAGHDADI FATE UNCLEAR ... 13 ‘KILLED’ COMMANDERS NAMED Euro/KD 0.3233 Yen/KD 0.0027 British £/KD 0.3815 KSE +19.55 pts at closing Feb 13 See Page 35 Dow +134.99 pts at 21:15 Feb 13 See Page 36 Nasdaq +28.71 pts at 21:15 Feb 13 FTSE +20.17 pts at closing Feb 13 Nikkei +80.22 pts at closing Feb 13 Gold $1,222.25 per oz (London) US$/KD US$/KD 0.30525/35 0.30525/35 NYMEX crude $52.85 pb Brent crude $55.51 pb 3-month $ LIBOR rate 1.3622% ▲ ■ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▼ Continued on Page 37 Continued on Page 3 Continued on Page 37 Continued on Page 37 BAGHDAD, Feb 13, (Agen- cies): The Iraqi airforce car- ried out a strike on a house where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was thought to be meeting other commanders, the Iraqi mili- tary said on Monday, with- out making clear whether he had been hit. In a statement, it said Iraqi F-16s had targeted the house in western Iraq on Saturday. It published the names of 13 Islamic State commanders it said had been killed in the air strike, but the list did not include Baghdadi. Three other Islamic State positions in western Iraq were targeted in the same wave of air strikes, killing 64 fighters, the statement said. The military said Baghdadi moved last week in a convoy from Raqqa, in Syria, to the region of al-Qaim, on the Iraqi side of the border, to discuss with commanders “the collapse happening in Mosul and to chose a successor for him”. Stronghold Baghdadi, an Iraqi whose real name is Ibrahim al-Samarrai, has been report- ed wounded several times in the past. His last known public message goes back to November, when he called on Islamic State fighters to defend Mosul, their last major urban stronghold in Iraq. US-backed Iraqi forces have com- pleted the first phase of the campaign to retake Mosul, removing the militants from the eastern side of the city last month. An Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi’ite para- military force is also battling the Sunni militants west of Mosul, trying to pre- vent their escape to Syria. Iraqi forces, meanwhile, have thwart- ed an attempt by around 200 jihadist fighters to flee their bastion of Tal Afar towards Syria, west of the city of Mo- sul, a security spokesman said Monday. Forces from the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation), a paramilitary organisation dominated by Shiite mili- tia groups, said the Islamic State group used tanks in their bid to break out of Tal Afar. “The attack by the DAESH (IS) ter- rorist gangs started at around 7:00 pm (1600 GMT on Sunday), the fighting lasted around six hours,” their spokes- man Ahmed al-Assadi told AFP. Hashed forces have been deployed in desert areas west of Mosul since federal forces launched a massive operation to retake the city from IS on Oct 17. Their main goals are to retake Tal Afar, a Turkmen-majority city which is still held by IS, and to prevent the Trump angers Iraqis Iraq airstrike targets IS leadership Panel nod to visitor health cover hailed By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Feb 13: The Women and Family Affairs Committee in the Parliament discussed issues concerning Kuwaiti women with a number of female activists on Monday. Speaking to the press after the meeting, Committee Chairman MP Saleh Ashour said they tackled family violence and a plan to es- tablish shelters for victims of violence. He af- firmed the committee is keen on drafting laws that address the needs of Kuwaiti women. Meanwhile, MP Safa Al-Hashem praised members of the Health Committee for approv- ing the bill requiring foreigners visiting Kuwait to buy health insurance. She believes this will reduce crowds in hospitals, disclosing the bill stipulates a high price for the health insurance of those entering Kuwait on visit visas. On the other hand, Al-Hashem criticized the lack of database at the Fatwa and Legal Depart- ment and its intention to sign contracts with 30 expatriate consultants which she considers a A model of EHang 184 and the next generation of Dubai Drone Taxi is seen during the second day of the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Feb 13. Dubai hopes to have a passenger-carrying drone buzzing through the skyline of this futuristic city-state in July. Mattar al-Tayer, the head of Dubai’s Roads & Transportation Agency, made the surprise announcement Monday at the World Government Summit. (AP) Newswatch KUWAIT CITY: His High- ness the Amir Sheikh Sa- bah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent on Monday a cable of congratulations to German President Frank- Walter Steinmeier, after electing him by a parliamen- tary assembly last night. His Highness the Amir expressed his best wishes on the new post and prosperity for Germany. His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al- Sabah sent similar cables. (KUNA) ❑ ❑ ❑ KUWAIT CITY: There is nothing abnormal on the Kuwaiti-Iraqi borders, Deputy Foreign Minister Continued on Page 37 Continued on Page 37 Opinion Perhaps suspending it is better for everyone By Ahmed Al-Jarallah Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times THERE is a question that has been asked many times in vari- ous local circles – What is the point of having a strong Parlia- ment which continues day by day to exceed the cost of Parliamen- tary positions on financial and economic aspects? Is democracy about accusations and blackmail- ing? Whenever the Parliament is drowning in altercations, inter- pellations and legislative crip- pling, it is considered as a strong Parliament. On the other hand, a productive Parliament that performs its oversight and leg- islative duties is considered as a weak Parliament and a Parlia- ment of agents. This fact is the basis for the question. Perhaps those asking the ques- tion find its answers in the series of blackmail requirements which are attributed to some members of parliament, like those who have been threatening the Health Minister with interpellation and vowing to give him a vote of no- confidence if the minister does not dismiss the ministry’s under- secretary. One of the lawmakers has been threatening the Interior Minister on the grounds of not accomplishing his self-serving demands. Another lawmaker has vowed to put the Prime Minister on the parliamentary stand if he does not reinstate the citizen- ships that were revoked consti- tutionally. It is difficult to know who is next in the parliamentary intimidation list after the Prime Minister. Some of the MPs have re- turned to their old habits of portraying themselves as being above the constitution and laws of the country. They had previously failed in their attempt to take over the state after their Parliament was nullified by a verdict issued by the Constitutional Court in 2012. They faced disappointment Email: [email protected] Follow me on: [email protected] Continued on Page 37
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THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAITEstablished in 1977 / www.arabtimesonline.com
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017 / JUMADA AL AWWAL 17, 1438 AH emergency number 112 NO. 16391 44 PAGES 150 FILS
tennis
Page 43
Government panel works end to kafeel system
Proposed employer-held residencecard could control expatriate travelKUWAIT CITY, Feb 13: While several MPs are prepar-ing to submit a request for forming a special temporary committee to study the problem related to population structure and to hold a special session on March 30, the committee formed by the government to study the pos-sibility of cancelling the sponsorship (kafeel) system is proceeding towards setting up a mechanism for imple-menting the system in a manner that protects the rights of concerned parties, reports Al-Rai daily.
Such a move by the government’s committee, which consists of representatives from Ministry of Social Af-fairs and Labor, Ministry of Interior, and the Public Au-thority for Manpower, is aimed at preserving the global image of Kuwait in the aspect of human rights.
The proposal for tackling this issue will be submitted by several MPs, namely Jama’an Al-Harbash, Abdulka-reem Al-Kandari, Khaleel Abul, Thamer Al-Suwait, Majed Al-Mutairi, Yousef Al-Fadhala, Abdullah Fuhad, Osama Al-Shaheen, Mohammad Al-Dallal and Moham-mad Hayef.
According to the MPs, the number of expatriates in the country has exceeded beyond the normal limits due to lack of implementation of substitution policies (Kuwaiti-zation) and lack of restrictions which in turn encourage
the phenomenon of visa trading in the country. This has resulted in the number of Kuwaitis to be just 30 percent of the total population of Kuwait.
Informed sources revealed that the proposal, which is being studied by the government’s committee, suggests that the residencies of private sector employees will be issued through the Public Authority for Manpower. This authority will be responsible for organizing the work con-tract between the employer and the employee.
They explained that the contract, which will be signed by the employer and the employee, will consist of all nec-essary conditions. Once they are signed, the employee will be under the sponsorship of the Public Authority for Manpower. The name of the authority will be added to the employee’s civil ID.
The contract signed between the employer and the em-ployee will include articles that will prevent one party of the contract from transgressing the rights of the other party in any manner. For instance, employers will be pro-hibited from holding the passport of their employees due to lack of any forceful obligation over those employees.
The contract will also prohibit transfer of residency from one employer to another as long as the employee is
Dubai plans‘drone taxi’DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb 13, (AP): Up, up and away: Dubai hopes to have a passen-ger-carrying drone regularly buzzing through the skyline of this futuristic city-state in July.
The arrival of the Chinese-made EHang 184 — which al-ready has had its flying debut over Dubai’s iconic, sail-shaped Burj al-Arab skyscraper hotel — comes as the Emirati city also has partnered with other cutting-edge technology companies, in-cluding Hyperloop One.
The question is whether the egg-shaped, four-legged craft will really take off as a trans-portation alternative in this car-clogged city already home
WASHINGTON, Feb 13, (AFP): US President Donald Trump was expected to unveil new measures on immigra-tion as early as Monday in the name of keeping Americans safe, with a top aide insisting he did not overstep his authority with his controversial travel ban.
With the ban now frozen by a federal
appeals court pending further legal re-view, Trump is “considering and pursu-ing all options,” presidential aide Ste-phen Miller told “Fox News Sunday.”
The White House could either file an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, defend the merits of the order in
US plans new immigration measures
BAGHDADI FATE UNCLEAR ... 13 ‘KILLED’ COMMANDERS NAMED
Euro/KD 0.3233
Yen/KD 0.0027
British £/KD 0.3815
KSE +19.55 pts at closing Feb 13See Page 35
Dow +134.99 pts at 21:15 Feb 13See Page 36
Nasdaq +28.71 pts at 21:15 Feb 13
FTSE +20.17 pts at closing Feb 13
Nikkei +80.22 pts at closing Feb 13
Gold $1,222.25 per oz (London)
US$/KDUS$/KD 0.30525/35 0.30525/35
NYMEX crude $52.85 pb
Brent crude $55.51 pb
3-month $ LIBOR rate 1.3622%
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BAGHDAD, Feb 13, (Agen-cies): The Iraqi airforce car-ried out a strike on a house where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was thought to be meeting other commanders, the Iraqi mili-tary said on Monday, with-out making clear whether he had been hit.
In a statement, it said Iraqi F-16s had targeted the house in western Iraq on Saturday. It published the names of 13 Islamic State commanders it said had been killed in the air strike, but the list did not include Baghdadi.
Three other Islamic State positions in western Iraq were targeted in the same wave of air strikes, killing 64 fighters, the statement said.
The military said Baghdadi moved last week in a convoy from Raqqa, in Syria, to the region of al-Qaim, on the Iraqi side of the border, to discuss with commanders “the collapse happening in Mosul and to chose a successor for him”.
StrongholdBaghdadi, an Iraqi whose real name
is Ibrahim al-Samarrai, has been report-ed wounded several times in the past. His last known public message goes back to November, when he called on Islamic State fighters to defend Mosul, their last major urban stronghold in Iraq.
US-backed Iraqi forces have com-pleted the first phase of the campaign to retake Mosul, removing the militants from the eastern side of the city last month.
An Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi’ite para-military force is also battling the Sunni militants west of Mosul, trying to pre-vent their escape to Syria.
Iraqi forces, meanwhile, have thwart-ed an attempt by around 200 jihadist fighters to flee their bastion of Tal Afar towards Syria, west of the city of Mo-sul, a security spokesman said Monday.
Forces from the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation), a paramilitary organisation dominated by Shiite mili-tia groups, said the Islamic State group used tanks in their bid to break out of Tal Afar.
“The attack by the DAESH (IS) ter-rorist gangs started at around 7:00 pm (1600 GMT on Sunday), the fighting lasted around six hours,” their spokes-man Ahmed al-Assadi told AFP.
Hashed forces have been deployed in desert areas west of Mosul since federal forces launched a massive operation to retake the city from IS on Oct 17.
Their main goals are to retake Tal Afar, a Turkmen-majority city which is still held by IS, and to prevent the
Trump angers Iraqis
Iraq airstrike targets IS leadership
Panel nod to visitorhealth cover hailed
By Abubakar A. IbrahimArab Times Staff
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 13: The Women and Family Affairs Committee in the Parliament discussed issues concerning Kuwaiti women with a number of female activists on Monday.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Committee Chairman MP Saleh Ashour said they tackled family violence and a plan to es-tablish shelters for victims of violence. He af-firmed the committee is keen on drafting laws that address the needs of Kuwaiti women.
Meanwhile, MP Safa Al-Hashem praised members of the Health Committee for approv-ing the bill requiring foreigners visiting Kuwait to buy health insurance. She believes this will reduce crowds in hospitals, disclosing the bill stipulates a high price for the health insurance of those entering Kuwait on visit visas.
On the other hand, Al-Hashem criticized the lack of database at the Fatwa and Legal Depart-ment and its intention to sign contracts with 30 expatriate consultants which she considers a
A model of EHang 184 and the next generation of Dubai Drone Taxi is seen during the second day of the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Feb 13. Dubai hopes to have a passenger-carrying drone buzzing through the skyline of this futuristic city-state in July. Mattar al-Tayer, the head of Dubai’s Roads & Transportation Agency, made the surprise announcement Monday at the World Government Summit. (AP)
Newswatch
KUWAIT CITY: His High-ness the Amir Sheikh Sa-bah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent on Monday a cable of congratulations to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, after electing him by a parliamen-tary assembly last night.
His Highness the Amir expressed his best wishes on the new post and prosperity for Germany.
His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables. (KUNA)
❑ ❑ ❑
KUWAIT CITY: There is nothing abnormal on the Kuwaiti-Iraqi borders, Deputy Foreign Minister
Continued on Page 37
Continued on Page 37
Opinion
Perhaps suspending it is better for everyoneBy Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
THERE is a question that has been asked many times in vari-ous local circles – What is the point of having a strong Parlia-ment which continues day by day to exceed the cost of Parliamen-tary positions on financial and economic aspects? Is democracy about accusations and blackmail-ing?
Whenever the Parliament is drowning in altercations, inter-pellations and legislative crip-pling, it is considered as a strong Parliament. On the other hand, a productive Parliament that performs its oversight and leg-islative duties is considered as a weak Parliament and a Parlia-ment of agents. This fact is the basis for the question.
Perhaps those asking the ques-tion find its answers in the series of blackmail requirements which are attributed to some members of parliament, like those who have been threatening the Health Minister with interpellation and vowing to give him a vote of no-confidence if the minister does not dismiss the ministry’s under-secretary.
One of the lawmakers has been threatening the Interior Minister on the grounds of not accomplishing his self-serving demands. Another lawmaker has vowed to put the Prime Minister on the parliamentary stand if he does not reinstate the citizen-ships that were revoked consti-tutionally. It is difficult to know who is next in the parliamentary intimidation list after the Prime Minister.
Some of the MPs have re-turned to their old habits of portraying themselves as being above the constitution and laws of the country.
They had previously failed in their attempt to take over the state after their Parliament was nullified by a verdict issued by the Constitutional Court in 2012. They faced disappointment
Email: [email protected]
Follow me on:
Continued on Page 37
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