KUWAIT: Interior Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for Nationality and Residency Affairs Major General Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah said Syrians who are in violation of the residency law because of the expiration of their passports should expect 'happy news' after Eid Al-Adha in the form of measures to be done in agreement between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. "There will not be a grace period to allow residency violators to adjust their status, and those who did not benefit from previous periods will be deported, as experience showed that there is no use of giving grace periods," he added.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Mazen said that fee increases for residencies, visas, renewal and transfers will go ahead, especially since current fees are very low. He added that discussions are ongoing with Social Affairs and Labor Minister Hind Al-Subaih and the Manpower Public Authority to find a solution for absconding complaints, especially malicious ones, as well as taking measures to reduce the number of expatriates whose numbers are now 3.2 million.

E-media law

MP Ahmad Al-Qudhaibi warned against the danger of the government's proposal on electronic media, saying the proposal in its current form does not serve the idea of electronic journalism as much as it restricts the freedom of establishing websites or social media accounts. Qudhaibi said electronic media is the future of information and both executive and legislative authorities are required to introduce legislations that contribute to the success of Kuwait's electronic media, and side with young journalists to remove obstacles in their way.

Subsidies committee

Oil Minister and State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Ali Al-Omair said the subsidies committee will submit a report to the Supreme Council for Planning and Development. Meanwhile, oil expert Kamel Al-Harmy said "oil markets have not seen any actual production increase from Iran and Iraq." He said oil Gulf countries and OPEC will increase investments in producing oil because of the drop in prices, and oil services costs will drop because more than 300,000 employees have been laid off around the world.

Health insurance

The health insurance law will once again be postponed because of problems with insurance companies, although the health ministry said it was to implement it in August. It later stated that it will enforce the law sometime this month. Sources said there are some lingering issues between insurance companies and the health ministry involving the mechanism of implementing the law, prices and medical services that should be provided, in addition to how to cover people under insurance.

Low-cost homes

Director of Private Sector Projects Management Department at the Public Authority for Housing Welfare Awar Al-Haleela expected that Sulaibiya and Taima residents may be relocated to a low cost project in 2021. He said 65 percent of the economic feasibility study is complete on low-cost houses over an area of 815 acres.

News service fined

The misdemeanors court fined a news service KD 100 and sent the case to the civil court after insulting a citizen who serves as managing director at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). Lawyer Mohammad Abbas, who represents the plaintiff, filed a complaint against a news service for publishing insulting news about his client. The lawyer said he will go for a civil case and demand KD 20,000 in damages for his client, whose reputation was harmed.

By A Saleh