KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Manpower carried out a campaign at some malls in Sharq, resulting in the discovery of tens of stores and offices that are closed although hundreds of workers are under their sponsorship. The campaigns come as part of field tours that aim at organizing the marketplace and stop marginal laborers in violation of residency law or those who work for people other than who provided them residencies, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State Minster for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh said. The campaign resulted in the discovery of 59 fake offices with 393 expats registered on them, she added. About reports of not renewing residencies of some groups of expat laborers who do not have degrees, Sabeeh said "such a decision has not been discussed yet."

Durra company

Acting Social Affairs Ministry Undersecretary and Assistant Undersecretary for the Social Care Sector Sheikha Al-Adwani said the social affairs ministry has no objection to open offices of Al-Durra domestic help recruitment company in cooperatives, in coordination with the Union of Consumer Co-operative Societies.

Stationery prices

The commercial supervision and consumer protection department at the commerce ministry said the sector has taken the necessary measures to monitor prices of school stationery supplies. It said inspection teams in the six governorates began monitoring goods and are receiving complaints. It added the teams found several companies that did not place price tags on their goods, besides having two different prices for the same item.

Environmental concern

The environmental Green Line group warned against the hazardous environment situation in Basra, as the water has become polluted, with an increasing number of people affected with cholera symptoms. The group called upon the Cabinet to mobilize concerned departments as a precaution to ensure no epidemics cross into the country. Head of the group Khalid Al-Hajeri said the escalating water pollution in Basra makes us worried about the spread of cholera. He said information received by the group indicates Basra hospital has received around 1,500 cases of colic and diarrhea.

By A Saleh