SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016 SHAWWAL 9, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net US envoy lauds Accountant Kuwait for wins 2016 protecting Kuwait Times workers Ramadan contest SUPPLEMENT INSIDE 2MoI sets4 KD 60 as monthly Min 35º minimum wage for maids Max 48º High Tide 06:52 & 19:52 Total labor force amounts to 1.8m: Statistical Bureau Low Tide 00:20 & 13:59 40 PAGES NO: 16931 150 FILS By B Izzak ‘Fintas Group’ Solar plane lands in Egypt KUWAIT: Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah yesterday issued a decision setting KD 60 as the members jailed minimum monthly wage for domestic helpers in Kuwait, in the first such step in the country. In a decision setting By Meshaal Al-Enezi bylaws for implementing a landmark legislation regulating hundreds of thousands of domestic helpers in the country, KUWAIT: The appeals court yesterday jailed alleged the ministry also mandated that offices recruiting maids “Fintas Group” members Sheikh Athbi Al-Fahd Al-Sabah from overseas must submit a bank guarantee worth KD and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Dawood Al-Sabah and lawyers 40,000 valid for two years at the time of establishing the Falah Al-Hajraf and Abdelmohsen Al-Ateeqi, and decided office or renewing its license. to resume their trial on July 20. Suspect Hamad Al-Haroun The decision sets the procedures for settling disputes was sentenced to 10 years in jail, while Ateeqi, Hajraf, between maids, their employers or offices, which are Sheikh Khalifa Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Dawood required to provide an employment contract for them. The and Sheikh Athbi Al-Fahd were sentenced for five years. interior ministry’s domestic helpers department is entrust- The convictions came after the suspects were ed with the powers to resolve such disputes within three accused of spreading false news and rumors by faking months. The law, passed by the Assembly last year, grants and publishing a video clip on social media and domestic helpers unprecedented rights including limiting YouTube claiming that the head of the constitutional daily working hours to eight, a mandatory weekend and a court Yousuf Al-Mutawa received bribes in an attempt 30-day paid annual leave. to shake confidence in the judiciary, in addition to For the first time, maids are entitled to demand over- insulting other judges. time for working extra hours. The law bans the employ- The court also sentenced suspect Saud Al-Asfour for ment of maids under 20 years and above 50 years of age. It one year for insulting Mutawa through Twitter with the also stipulates one maid for families of up to four, two fake video clip. It exonerated suspects Yousuf Al-Essa, maids for families comprising five to eight members and Fawaz Al-Abdullah, Ahmad Al-Enezi, Mohammad Al- three maids for families consisting of more than eight peo- Jassim, Mushari Buyabes and Jarrah Al-Thafiri over ple. The law also stipulates for the first time an end of serv- insulting HH the Amir on WhatsApp because it is a pri- ice indemnity for maids equal to a month’s pay for each vate medium, but noticed that their posts talked about year of service. The law applies to private drivers, maids, the Amir disrespectfully, which is against the most CAIRO: The Solar Impulse 2 flies over the pyramids yesterday as the experimental solar-powered airplane basic of ethics. babysitters and cooks. arrives in Egypt as part of its global voyage — AP (See Page 29) Continued on Page 13 Kuwait to sell stakes in oil units Coordination with Saudis eyed over bond sales KUWAIT: Kuwait is taking steps to sell minority stakes in units of the state oil Are Egypt, Syria producer as the government plans to tap global capital markets for funds and next for Turkey improve efficiency in its most important industry. The government has a four-year plan to organize and execute sales of rapprochement? shares in the international units and the ANKARA: Turkey has in the last month maneuvered shipping and chemical arms of Kuwait to end damaging foreign policy disputes with Israel Petroleum Corp, Finance Minister Anas and Russia, but Egypt and Syria will be tougher nuts Al-Saleh, also acting oil minister, said in a for Ankara to crack in its drive for regional rap- phone interview with Bloomberg. KPC, prochement. Turkey has had downgraded relations responsible for the country’s 3 million with Egypt since the ousting of pro-Ankara Islamist barrels of daily crude output, won’t be part of the sale, he said. LONDON: Britain’s new Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip John president Mohamed Morsi by the Egyptian army in 2013. And in neighboring Syria, Turkey has made the Middle Eastern oil producers are seek- wave outside 10 Downing Street yesterday as she takes office following the formal ing to diversify their economies and resignation of David Cameron. — AFP exit of President Bashar Al-Assad a precondition for ending the more than five-year civil war that has develop new sources of revenue after a supply glut triggered a plunge in crude seen some 2.7 million refugees flee to Turkey. to a fraction of its 2014 average of close Anas Al-Saleh But the appointment of Binali Yildirim - a close May takes over as PM, to $100 a barrel. Saudi Arabia, the ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - as prime percent in the oil units, he said. The gov- biggest producer in OPEC, plans to sell as ernment, which would keep majority minister in May signified a more conciliatory much as 5 percent of the kingdom’s state Cameron leaves office approach to foreign policy after the aggressive control of the energy companies once it producer Saudi Arabian Oil Co. by 2018. listed their shares, is preparing for the ini- stance of his predecessor Ahmet Davutoglu. “We will Like Saudi Arabia, neighboring Kuwait is tial public offerings even as it studies in LONDON: Theresa May took over as bloc on June 23, which sent shockwaves keep on increasing our friendships by observing the planning an economic overhaul that greater detail which businesses to sell Britain’s new prime minister yesterday, around the world and plunged Britain interests of our region and our country,” Yildirim told would involve cutting subsidies and sell- and when, Saleh said. He declined to promising a “bold, new, positive role” for into uncertainty. European Commission members of his ruling Justice and Development ing some state assets. specify dates for the IPOs or estimate the country less than three weeks after president Jean-Claude Juncker was Party (AKP) party this week. “We are looking into privatization,” how much money they would generate its seismic vote to leave the EU. May, the among the first to offer his congratula- Continued on Page 13 Saleh said. Kuwait is planning “definitely for the government, other than to former interior minister who succeeds tions to May, and said he hoped they soon” to sell stakes of 20 percent to 30 Continued on Page 13 David Cameron after seeing off several would meet “in the near future”. “The out- rivals for leader of the Conservative Party, come of the United Kingdom’s referen- becomes Britain’s second female leader dum has created a new situation which PAGE PAGE after Margaret Thatcher. After formally the United Kingdom and the European Japanese emperor Saudi reform drive being invited to form a government in a Union will have to address soon,” he said. meeting with Queen Elizabeth II at May campaigned for Britain to remain in plans to abdicate faces jobs challenge Buckingham Palace, May arrived at her the EU but has stressed that she will hon- new Downing Street residence with a or the popular vote, saying repeatedly promise to lead a government that that “Brexit means Brexit”. However, she would tackle “burning injustice”. has refused to be rushed on the Oman maid abuse verges on slavery “Following the referendum we face a timetable. time of great national change. And I Earlier, Cameron had made his final DUBAI: A leading international rights group Rights Commission and the Omani Embassy fled abusive situations often had police know because we’re Great Britain that we statement in Downing Street flanked by yesterday said that foreigners employed as in Washington did not respond to requests return them to their abusers under laws that will rise to the challenge,” she told his wife Samantha and three children, maids in Oman can face physical and verbal for comment from AP. consider the workers “absconders”. reporters, flanked by her husband, Philip. where he wished Britain “continued suc- abuse while working entrapped in condi- Many from Asia and Africa come to Gulf “Situations like those described below are “As we leave the European Union we will cess”. “It’s not been an easy journey and, tions that near slavery. A new Human Rights Arab countries to work as maids, often as the at the very least dangerously close to situa- forge a bold new positive role for our- of course, we’ve not got every decision Watch report blames in part Oman’s system sole provider for their families back home. tions of slavery,” the report said. The report selves in the world. “And we will make right but I do believe today our country of tying workers’ visas to their employers, as While some find success, others can face called on Oman to overhaul its “kafala” Britain a country that works not for a is much stronger,” the 49-year-old said. well as police failing to enforce laws and abuse or find themselves working in condi- employee sponsorship system.