No Taxes, No Salary Cuts

Yarmouk mayor Gulf markets Two-speed labor is a man surge on system in Qatar with a mission6 stronger38 oil for World43 Cup Min 11º Max 21º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16377- Friday, December 19, 2014 no taxes, no salary cuts See Page 8 Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2014 Local Spotlight Filipina eaten alive By Muna Al-Fuzai keeping wild animals as pets, such as snakes. These people are not unstable or mentally ill. Why would someone have such kinds of animals in a house where they can attack other members including children? What is the fun in this? The same applies to those who have the sick hobby of [email protected] having guns in house and so many incidents have hap- pened because kids may not be aware of the threat to them. ast week, we were all shocked by the news on Kuwait The law is clear about importing animals, and yet there Times’ front page about the Filipina domestic worker are some who smuggle these kinds of animals into the Lwho died in Kuwait after she was attacked by her country and keep them as pets because they have the employer’s pet lion. She was taken to hospital in a serious power of wasta and the system allows them to do so. Law condition after she was attacked by the lion that escaped no. 17 of the year 1987 prohibits the import of wild ani- from its cage, but was discharged. Reports said an investi- mals including carnivores, as well as reptiles and monkeys. gation is still undergoing. The woman is dead now, but No one can claim to be naÔve about the law. We all know this should not be the end of the tragedy. that falcons, dogs and cats have passports that allow them A poor woman came from a distance seeking a better to enter Kuwait after undergoing medical tests and veteri- life for her family, but lost her life in the worst kind of nary quarantines to ensure they are safe and not carriers of death because someone’s hobby is to keep wild animals in any disease. I can’t imagine that lions or snakes are holders the house and not even in cages! So the fact is that she of passports of such nature! was eaten alive or whether she died in the hospital or else- Meanwhile, the General Department of Investigation where doesn’t change anything. has issued a decision to put behind bars the keeper of the The lion is a wild animal, and it can never be seen as a lion for 10 days following the death of the Filipina house- pet and it can never be compared to dogs or cats or birds. maid in his house in Doha. He is charged with negligence. KUWAIT: Fresh veggies growing at the Secret Garden in These kinds of animals belong to the zoo and must be There are many speculations surrounding this case. So far, Baghdad Park in Salmiya. The park is a popular communi- caged and supervised because they can be a threat to the authorities are looking into the matter. We have lost a ty project aiming to promote gardening, healthy eating humans. It seems not many people believe this, because it human, but I hope real enforcement occurs against such and outdoor spaces in Kuwait. is becoming noticeable in the region that more people are people and puts them in jail. In my view The lost rules By Talal Al-Ghannam [email protected] ood morning my dear readers. In this article I will paper, eat breakfast, drink tea and coffee and once they You are puzzled by that and try to justify that the driver shift back to the lost rules and regulations that are finish, they need to stretch, and after stretching, they behind you is to blame according to the law. But as long Gimposed in Kuwait but unfortunately not imple- would feel drowsy, and they end up telling you come as the wasta is there, you are to blame whatever you had mented, or somehow implemented on those less fortu- back tomorrow. done. You leave the officer’s room to the investigator to nate or those without vitamin W or the so-called “wasta”. I am not saying this happens at all the labor ministry’s file a complaint, and you are told to wait outside. You wait In Kuwait, we have the best rules in the world pertinent branches, but there are departments including at the for two to three hours and end up being told the same to traffic, labor, domestic helpers, sanitation, food, agri- Behbehani Complex where the labor ministry has an phrase: No case, you are wrong (habibi fi wasta, don’t you culture, education, corruption and so on. Many foreigners office which I describe as “The Day of Judgement”. Too see that). whom I have met on my previous trips envy Kuwait for many people jam-packed over one another, smelly odors Lastly, you want to get a driving license and get reject- the so many fantastic and strict rules, but they say unfor- coming from some representatives (mandoubs), arro- ed because you didn’t meet the criteria set by the interior tunately the decisions or those who take the decisions gance by some female workers with sometimes humilia- ministry. You go searching for a wasta and finally you find are absent. tions of the expats, and when you wait in line at 11 o’clock a Kuwaiti or an Asian tea boy working there who will assist Talking about “wasta”, which means an intervention and reach the window at noon, the employee tells with you to get it without going through the dilemma of the by someone to do a favor to another, it sounds great. cold blood to come back tomorrow (yalla khalas). needed documents, while hundreds of people who are However, when the wasta is done for someone while You come back the next day and wait in line and end really in need of it cannot afford to pay the tea boy or find eviscerating somebody else’s rights, in this case it is up being told that the employee’s wife delivered today a wasta. unlawful and unfavorable. There have been many cases and he went to the hospital to see his wife - take your doc- In all countries of the world, it is easy to get a driving where wasta played a great role in taking someone’s uments and have him sign them at the hospital because license without needing any help. It is your right to com- right while being entitled to it, all because of the other he is in a good mood now, hurry up! However, with wasta, mute to and fro from work. In order for expats to go to person having wasta in the police station, labor ministry, you would be sitting at home and your documents will work and return, decent transportation means must be interior ministry or anywhere else. I can agree that wasta arrive at your doorstep along with a kiss, tistahil (you supplied in order to lure them to use public transporta- is preferable when you have a right to something and it is deserve it). tion rather than leaving them stranded on the road under taking a longer time than expected. In this case, it is OK to Another case where wasta is obviously seen is at the the burning sun in the summer or the frigid cold in the have someone rush it for you, unless it is haram (unlaw- police station. You get hit from behind by a youngster winter. Where is the social role of the co-operative soci- ful). who does not have a driving license and then go to the eties in this regard? Where is the money we invest in these Another hectic issue is to think to go to the labor min- police station to file a report. You are told to sit outside co-operative societies? Don’t the expats deserve decent istry, which I can describe like going to nowhere. Work and the kid and his father along with the wasta are inside bus stops? Can the officials of the public transportation actually starts at 7:30 am and once you enter you must with the officer. Your turn comes, and you go in and sud- companies tolerate being under the blazing sun for even abide by the rules and regulations by waiting for the denly the blame is thrown on you. (Why didn’t you leave a minute? If they can, then I am wrong. energetic employees until they finish reading the news- enough space between your car and the car behind you?) Until the next article, Insha Allah! Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2014 Conspiracy Theories Don’t pin the niqab on religion for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in dressed - many of the women would have their faces By Badrya Darwish Makkah, shocked many people when he appeared on a covered. And some of them only showed their eyes. So popular show on Dubai-based Saudi MBC TV with Dr it has nothing to do with religion because most schol- Badria Al-Bishr accompanied by his wife, who was ars say that women can show their hands, feet and unveiled. She was wearing an abaya and hijab (hair face. And this is what we do when we are praying or cir- covering), but no niqab. cumambulating the Kaaba. [email protected] This is highly unusual in Saudi Arabia where most The conclusion is that everyone is entitled to wear women wear niqabs in public.

Load more