Kuwait is suffering from a state budget deficit this year and this made concerned authorities take some harsh economic measures of great importance to Kuwait's economy, including launching awareness campaigns to enlighten citizens about the significance of such measures for future generations.

Amidst all this, expats have been a point of argument amongst politicians, decision makers and Kuwaiti lawmakers, who are all divided into two teams -those for a tighter grip on expats and those for being more lenient with them. I would like to tell both teams that Kuwait's security and economic prosperity are of great importance to expats and as urgent to them as to citizens, because it would positively affect their jobs.

However, decision makers must realize that expats are already going through considerable problems, that if not taken into consideration on making any decision, would negatively and indirectly affect Kuwaitis and the Kuwaiti society, such as the growth of excess labor more than needed for the local markets, which poses a threat because jobless expats might help spread crime.

Tough economic measures usually burden expats, who earn an average of KD 80-200 a month. This particular category has found itself torn between high costs of rent, transportation, petrol, electricity and water, plus the proposed fee increases and other tough measures that entail expenses far beyond their limited incomes on one hand, and the government's incrimination and rejection to allow them to take up second jobs. In fact, this might get an expat deported.

At the same time, employers refuse pay hikes because they already have a lot of alternatives at lower costs. Thus, an expat prefers keeping silent and stops demanding raises lest he/she might be fired, despite the sufferings because of the new economic measures that also affect citizens, with a slight difference that the state has given them some alternative solutions. However, even citizens will eventually suffer because they hire expats, who still suffer more, to do various tasks and jobs.

Such harsh measures will definitely force many expats to break the law, commit crime or at least send their families back to their home countries, which will negatively affect local real estate markets that mainly rely on them, and many debtors will find it difficult to pay off their loans.

Treating expats as one group with the same economic statuses, or that they have come to usurp Kuwait's fortunes and job opportunities, is not good for Kuwait's economy. It is not wise to view them as people who come to spread crime and corruption in Kuwait, and that it would be best to make their lives here miserable to force them to leave, because these things affect expats' stability and performance. Expats came to Kuwait to achieve mutual benefits. Kuwait needs their skills and expertise and they came seeking better living conditions and savings. They go through the pain and hardships of estrangement and leaving their loved ones behind.

However, allow me to tell you that claims about expats being behind all problems in Kuwait are false, because many of these problems are created by employers themselves and companies specialized in recruiting laborers without providing them with real jobs in Kuwait. Some exceptional laws even allow some decision makers to bring laborers to Kuwait and leave them without jobs, salaries or control, and the result is the increase of various kinds of crimes and expats being chased around by security.

Therefore, I plead to lawmakers and decision makers to take it easy on expats and not to treat them all as if they are the same and come from the same backgrounds. They have in fact given a lot to Kuwait and are willing to give more if they feel welcomed! - Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Jarida

By Abdul Raheem Thabet Al-Mazeni