SUBSCRIPTION SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2014 SHAABAN 2, 1435 AH No: 16182 Overcrowded SpaceX unveils Ex-Microsoft CEO lockups force capsule to ferry Ballmer buys LA crackdown2 halt astronauts36 Clippers44 for $2bn Imam to be deported for anti-Sisi sermon Max 43º 150 Fils Worshipers also arrested after mosque altercation Min 24º KUWAIT: An Egyptian imam was sacked and set to be deported after he accused judicial authori- ties in Egypt of forging presidential elections there, which caused an altercation with wor- shipers at a Farwaniya mosque yesterday. The imam was reportedly arrested along with an unspecified number of worshipers following a heated verbal exchange that happened during the Friday prayers. Some worshipers reportedly interrupted the imam’s sermon at the Khrainej Mosque when he criticized the presidential elections in his home country. An argument ensued after the imam defended his right to comment on the general situation in his homeland, according to eyewit- nesses. Police soon arrived at the scene in response to emergency calls made after the situa- tion spiraled out of control. The imam and some worshipers, believed to be all Egyptians as well, were taken to Farwaniya police station for ques- tioning. There were no indications that a physical confrontation happened during the quarrel. Al-Watan daily reported on its website yester- day that the Interior Ministry has already taken a decision to deport the imam immediately after the Awqaf Ministry terminated his contract for violating regulations that prohibit discussing political matters in any capacity at places of wor- OXON HILL, Maryland: Ansun Sujoe, 13, (left) and Sriram Hathwar, 14, raise the championship trophy after being named co- ship. The case was expected to be referred to the champions of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday. — AP state security for investigations on accusations of violating regulations that ban expatriates from having political discussions in public without a Co-champs at Spelling Bee license, Al-Aan news website reported earlier. The remaining detainees could also face OXON HILL, Maryland: Two young American teenagers of South Asian Then Sujoe stepped up to the microphone and learned he and deportation if the state security finds that their heritage made spelling history Thursday when they became the first co- Hathwar would be co-champions if he nailed the last word of the night. political discussion and subsequent altercation winners of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in more than half a century. He did. It was feuilleton, a noun for a newspaper supplement, which he harms national security - which is the reason why Ansun Sujoe, 13, and Sriram Hathwar, 14, hoisted the glittering gold cup spelled flawlessly despite admitting later that he’s sometimes uncom- expatriate rallies are banned in the state. Last together after they saw off 10 other finalists before taking turns to fortable with French-based words. “Correct,” said official pronouncer week, Kuwait sent 15 Egyptian voters home after exhaust the competition’s demanding word list. In the nail-biting finale, Jacques Bailly, a classics professor and 1980 bee champion, triggering a Hathwar correctly spelled stichomythia, meaning a dialogue of alterca- shower of confetti and a standing ovation from the ballroom crowd in they reportedly held a public gathering in Abu tion in Greek drama. the Gaylord resort outside Washington. — AFP (See Pages 24 & 25) Halifa in support of Egyptian president-elect Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. —Al-Watan & Al-Aan LOCAL SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2014 8-year tenure limit for senior officials mulled By A Saleh KUWAIT: Senior government officials cannot stay in their offices for more than eight years divided into two terms, with the second depending on their performance during the first tenure, according to a project approved by the Civil Service Council. The proposal, which would affect assistant KUWAIT: Expats arrested for various violations are seen in this recent file photo. undersecretaries and other top officials in ministries and state departments, was referred to the Cabinet and is expected to be discussed during a future Cabinet meeting. Overcrowded lockups Prolonged stays of senior officials, who do not have to leave office before completing 35 years of service before retirement, have created problems for the state as it strug- gles to create jobs for Kuwaitis in the coveted public sector. force crackdown halt If approved, the project would limit the number of years an official stays in office at eight, or four if a performance assessment indicates that his or her contributions fell short Noncooperation, health concerns main problems to serve their respective department’s development plan. This is to counter arguments that dispute the achievements KUWAIT: Crackdowns against illegal residents are stopped until sometimes over a week, causing often prolonged stays for depor- of long-staying officials in light of the government’s poor further notice because the deportation detention center and tees at police stations, the sources noted. performance in the past few years. The project also sets police station cells are overcrowded, a local daily reported yes- Administrative deportation allows the Interior Ministry to standards for appointing senior officials, including academ- terday. The Interior Ministry’s Undersecretary was recently given deport foreigners without charges or any legal justification. Until ic qualifications and experience in the field. sole authority to make administrative deportation decisions recently, high-ranked officers had the authority to order foreign- The Civil Service Council holds a meeting tomorrow against expatriates arrested with expired visas or for violating ers deported immediately when arrested in cases deemed dan- chaired by Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh to discuss the the labor law in order to avoid arbitrary procedures. This has led gerous to public security. Undersecretary Lt Gen Suleiman Al- organizational structure at a number of state departments, to slower procedures and overcrowded cells at police stations Fahd, the highest ranking officer in the Interior Ministry after as well as the latest updates regarding a study to come up around Kuwait and the deportation jail, according to ministry Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, currently has with a unified payroll system for public sector employees. insiders. exclusive authority to make administrative deportation decisions. Public security directors at Kuwait’s six governorates have giv- This step was motivated by complaints from expatriates and Ministry of Education en verbal instructions to put crackdowns on hold until a solution Kuwaitis, as well as criticism from rights groups inside and outside Separately, a member of the parliament’s educational to the problem is found, said the sources who spoke to Al-Qabas Kuwait on the indisputable nature of these orders, the sources committee demanded that separate ministers be appointed on the condition of anonymity. The sources did not give a date said. Administrative deportation leaves no option for foreigners for the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher when the crackdowns would be resumed. The Interior Ministry who cannot seek legal action or even have the chance to be con- Education, in order to allow each minister to focus on key could not be reached for a comment yesterday due to the week- victed through evidence. There has been concern in the past that challenges facing their respective ministries. “The two min- end holiday. The decision was also motivated by other reasons these orders were being used as an excuse to expel large num- istries are the future of the country,” MP Khalil Abdullah said that include lack of cooperation from workers’ employers or bers of expatriates as part of unannounced plans to cut the num- in a statement Thursday. “And this requires commitment embassies that are approached to issue passports for their ber of foreigners in Kuwait. The Interior Ministry has repeatedly from the government to improve the terrible educational respective nationals arrested during security campaigns, the denied any human rights violations against workers ordered to situation that the Kuwaiti society suffers from.” sources said. They also indicated that fear of a possible outbreak be deported. Minister of Commerce and Industry Abdulmohsen Al- of contagious diseases at detention centers has also necessitated Mudej was appointed last week to take over the two min- the suspension. Labor complaints istries on an interim basis after the Cabinet approved the In other news, the Labor Public Authority received 11,258 resignation of previous minister Ahmad Al-Mulaifi. Prolonged detention complaints pertaining with work visas, financial disputes and In other news, Al-Anba reported yesterday that Mariam Detainees arrested during crackdowns are sent to police sta- work injuries during the first four months of 2014. Complaints Al-Wutaid, Undersecretary of the Education Ministry, sent a tions, where directors prepare lists of their names to be sent to over work visa-related disputes include 554 filed in January, 564 letter to Mudej requesting approval to hire 15 educational the respective director for security affairs in the governorate. The in February, 530 in March and 514 in April, according to sources supervisors to posts that have been vacant for nearly a year. lists are referred to the Assistant Undersecretary for Public quoted by Al-Jarida daily yesterday. Complaints pertaining to Also yesterday, Al-Rai daily reported that an internal investi- Security Affairs and then to the office of the Interior Ministry’s salary nonpayment and other money-related disputes include gation was opened in accusations that several employees Undersecretary to be signed. The lists are then taken back to 1,574 filed in January, 2,088 in February, 2,567 in march and 2,877 obtained bonuses illegally in recent years, which caused directors of police stations in order to send workers who are to be in April. Last week, the same daily reported that the Labor Public budget problems for the ministry.