Al-Yousef in Meeting with Company Owners and Representatives: Forget the Previous Chaos
Fahad Al-Yousef revealed audits on companies that failed to pay salaries, the removal of delivery workers, and studies to convert government contracts to the labor market.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, revealed that his second meeting with business owners and their representatives serves to reinforce the warnings he issued during the first meeting regarding the existence of Kuwaiti nationals who are unaware that companies are registered in their names, and who receive small sums of profit in return.
Al-Yousef added during a meeting titled “The Wage Protection System: A Protection for the Workforce, A More Compliant Market” that one citizen had a salary registered at 3,000 dinars, yet received only 180 dinars monthly. He noted that such practices damage Kuwait’s reputation with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and other international indicators.
He clarified that relevant authorities have begun scrutinizing approximately 10,000 companies employing more than five workers, which have not paid their employees’ salaries for several months, noting that delays in some cases reached four months.
He pointed out that he was surprised by the increase in money laundering cases under review by the State Security Apparatus, adding, “We opened files on three individuals and found they were not complying with paying workers’ salaries for a year and a half, and the company owner had fled.”
He noted that “70 million dinars were laundered through three companies, including a restaurant license that had only one employee.”
Al-Yousef stated, “Our meeting today is to resolve the issue of unpaid salaries at all levels.”
He highlighted the deportation of 300 delivery workers following a major campaign to enforce traffic regulations, which was preceded by a meeting with owners of companies operating in the food delivery sector. He added, “We monitor daily violations by workers in this sector, and company owners must select organized, experienced personnel in the delivery field. Forget the previous chaos.”
Regarding government contracts, Al-Yousef revealed plans to study transferring them to the labor market to benefit from them, and to study reclassifying domestic workers from Category 20 to Category 18.
He also called on the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor to designate one day a week to receive citizens.
He stressed that “the law will be applied to everyone. Work fairly, and no one will hold you accountable.”
He affirmed that “Kuwait is the most important and enduring entity. His Highness the Emir emphasized the necessity of applying the law to everyone, including his own sons.”
He clarified that cash payments are permitted for new workers who have entered the country for only two months; anything else is categorically rejected.
He noted that licenses will be automatically suspended if no workers are registered under them. They are also studying issues related to multiple licenses at a single location, coordinating with the Ministry of Commerce.
Al-Asimi told business owners, “Provide all workers’ rights and salaries, and we will not allow workers to transfer without sufficient reasons. We have issued instructions to the Labor Relations Department regarding this matter.”
