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FREE Established 1961 Friday ISSUE NO: 18276 RABIA ALAWWAL 20, 1442 AH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2020 Fishing serves as hopeful Damascus fair offers hope for ‘Great achievement’: Nadal 4 pastime during pandemic 22 exports-starved Aleppo artisans 37 claims 1,000th win of career Biden edges ahead in knife-edge US election See Pages 10 -12 2 Friday Local Friday, November 6, 2020 ‘Housemaids to go’ thrive during pandemic in Kuwait By Ben Garcia allow them to earn an extra income. “I see by the police on my way to work. I started that accepted me despite the fact that I the necessity to help workers. So from July, in August and I am enjoying it, plus the fact have an absconding record and visa 20.” nline businesses are booming during we accepted those searching for a job even that I am now earning better than being in Migz has a different story. She was one the pandemic - even those providing if the work involves cleaning houses or the house of a Kuwaiti, where you feel like a of four helpers at a Kuwaiti house, but their Ohousehold help. Kuwait Times met offices,” he said. slave 24/7,” said Bebot. sponsors encountered a family problem and some domestic helpers working for a com- Migz and Bebot (names changed), both Bebot said she ran away in January eventually separated. They were all permit- pany that delivers housemaids to the from the Philippines, are earning KD 300 because her employer did not protect her ted to work anywhere they like. “Three of us doorsteps of Kuwaiti houses. “We are a monthly. “When I was working at a house, I against abuse and the rage of a Kuwaiti work as housemaids to go. The good thing legal company and are gradually introduc- was getting a fixed amount of only KD 120 woman who harassed her at school. “I went is that our accommodation is paid for by our ing a new way of delivering housemaid from my sponsor, but now I am earning KD to my friend’s house in Maidan Hawally. I former boss, so the KD 300 monthly we services ‘to go’,” said the owner, who chose 300 monthly,” Bebot said. “I earn even more thought I could get a job easily, but I was earn from the company we send to our fam- to remain anonymous. if you include tips from satisfied customers,” wrong. I only got a job in July because of ilies back home,” she said. “This pandemic is a blessing in a way, she added. She ran away from her sponsor’s the pandemic,” she said. The schedule of housemaids to go is con- because household workers can now work home in January, and when she learned “I worked with my previous employer for trolled and arranged by a supervisor of the in homes of Kuwaitis at an hourly rate,” he about the housemaid to go service, she a year, but I was offended by the way I was company. “Our income per week is KD 60, said. “It means no more mistreatment and no applied for a janitorial job. The company treated. I normally took the son of my boss but because sometimes we work overtime more complaints of overwork, because supplies cleaners anywhere in Kuwait, to school, but that morning I was mistakenly and on holidays, we can make KD 300 per workers can only work a maximum of 10 including homes of Kuwaitis. berated by a Kuwaiti woman because she month. If the customers are happy, we get an hours daily.” Bebot wasn’t hired immediately as she saw me fighting with the boy in the car. But additional KD 20-50 in tips. We go twice or Housemaids in Kuwait usually remain in has a record of absconding from her I wasn’t fighting him at all - I was just telling thrice a week to each customer’s house. We their sponsors’ homes throughout the peri- employer. But she was adamant on earning him to sit down properly in the car. That can only work up to five hours at a house od of contract, which normally is of two money during the pandemic for her family woman thought I was slapping the son of and strictly for cleaning chores,” she said. years. But with the introduction of house- back home, so she went back to the cleaning my boss, so she approached the car and Employing a housemaid can cost an maids to go, their schedule and work is company and met Migz there. “Migz, who is spat on me. I told her I wasn’t doing any- employer around KD 1,000 to KD 1,500 if monitored by a supervisor and salaries are a fulltime worker at the company, told me thing wrong with the boy, and if she wants they go through an agency. These are much better than the regular KD 120 that housework was netting her KD 300 she can talk to my boss. I called my boss upfront fees in addition to the monthly monthly. “We are a legitimate company and monthly. I was amazed and excited to hear and when I gave her the phone, instead of salary of KD 120 and living expenses. have a license. We have several workers her story, and said I wanted to work like talking to her, she smashed my phone on the The heavy fees fuel a thriving black mar- who are working with us under our visa,” her,” Bebot told Kuwait Times. street and left it broken,” Bebot recalled. ket of human trafficking via illegal transfers. the owner told Kuwait Times. “I told my boss to return me to the Sponsors often transfer a domestic helper Search for better treatment and better pay agency, but they didn’t, so one day I just left when she’s completed her two year contract Pandemic grows business “But the difference was that she has legal the house of my sponsor and went directly (or sometimes before that) by charging an During the pandemic, his company hired residence and I don’t. On her insistence, I to my friend’s place in Maidan Hawllay,” she illegal transfer fee. A new sponsor pays the holders of article 18 (private sector) visas as was finally accepted by the boss, but they said. “Now I am happy that I am earning KD fee and ‘acquires’ the services of the helper well as article 20 (domestic helper) visas to warned me they are not liable if I am caught 300 plus, thanks to the cleaning company for another two years. Kuwait reports 795 new COVID cases, five deaths KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health lasts until Wednesday, December 2. instructions by local authorities to abide by announced yesterday registering 795 new Everybody must abide by the safety meas- precautions against the novel coronavirus. coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in the ures outlined by the UK health authorities Kuwait’s embassy in Mexico made the past 24 hours, raising the total to 129,638. to minimize the spread of the novel coron- appeal in a statement released early yester- Deaths reached 799 with the addition of avirus (COVID-19); otherwise they might day. The embassy urges the Kuwaiti citi- five fatalities. Official spokesperson of the face a legal measure, the embassy said in a zens currently present in these countries to Ministry of Health Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad press release on Wednesday evening. The abide by the precautions and health meas- said that there were 115 patients receiving embassy advised its nationals, who might ures declared by the local authorities for treatment at the intensive care units, while be in need of help, not to hesitate in seek- combating spread of the novel coronavirus, those still receiving treatment amounted to ing help via the following phone number of the mission statement said. It also called on 8,275. Health authorities conducted 7,403 its consular division: 02075903400. While the Kuwaiti nationals in these republics to swab tests in the past 24 hours, raising the the national lockdown lasts for four weeks, avoid crowded locations. The mission is whole count to 947,921. The ministry had the one in Wales will end on November 17. reachable round the clock for any assis- announced earlier that 822 patients have The restrictions affect the businesses and tance on the following phone number: recovered in the past 24 hours, raising total leisure activities; only schools, universities, (+52)15513632619. Kuwaiti diplomatic mis- recoveries to 120,564. groceries, pharmacies and the jobs that sions throughout the world have urged the could be done online are exempted. citizens abroad to be vigilant against the Citizens in London coronavirus and heed health instructions. Separately, Kuwait’s embassy in London Three countries The State of Kuwait had evacuated thou- called on its nationals to comply with the In the meantime, Kuwaiti citizens in the sands of citizens who were abroad shortly four-week lockdown that took effect across republics of Guatemala, Honduras and after breakout and spread of the communi- the United Kingdom starting yesterday, and Nicaragua have been urged to heed cable disease. — KUNA 4 Friday Local Friday, November 6, 2020 By Ben Garcia Passengers arriving directly from Egypt and 33 other countries are banned from entering Kuwait unless they he weather is getting cooler, and many people head quarantine in a third country. “It’s hard for me and my family Tto the seaside to relax and unwind. Mo Raqan and to be separated for this long period of time, but that is the Muhammad Ahmed, both from Alexandria, Egypt, said best thing to do now since the virus is still around.

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