Our world is changing in so many ways, fastidiously and uncontrollably; yet legal systems around the world are still very difficult to comprehend by the average person.

A theory that we were taught in law school was called 'Rule of Law' - it is the rules that make up the laws. In other words, what does law have to be in order for it to be law? One of the many rules was for law to be accessible to the general public, but what if the general public did not speak the official language of the country? In Kuwait we have three times as many expats as Kuwaitis, and in other GCC countries, there are eight or nine times as many expats as there are locals, making the law very difficult to be accessed by those that need to. With that said, in Kuwait and other GCC countries, there have been talks about simplifying the law for expats and other non-Arabic speakers. I hope these projects begin as soon as possible, as they are vital for the society.

When facing an issue that you would like it to stop, and maybe you have even found a solution for this issue to not reoccur, where or whom do you go to? I do not like using the word complaint, so I have substituted it with 'suggestions for change'. Where do you go to make these 'suggestions for change'?

Also, I have to make it clear that one of the main reasons for me to write this article is that you do not have to go to court for issues to be resolved - a lot of issues can be resolved officially through governmental or non-profit institutes, without you going to court or hiring a lawyer.

Question: I got a membership at a gym and I signed a contract. The contract said that I can use the gym's facilities seven days a week from 12 am to 12 pm, but after I signed the contract, they changed the gym's hours and are now only open six days a week. I do not think this is fair, because it is not what I agreed on. Where do I go to officially ask them to change their hours or reimburse me?

Fajer: Issues like this can be resolved without a court case, as I said above. I would suggest you file a complaint at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. You will need the receipt/contract and your civil ID. Also, if it is a product and not a service, you will need to take it with you. There are 14 different offices around Kuwait along with a hotline number 135 to receive complaints. If you have tried them out, please email me your experience.

Question: I bought a TV, and after buying it and assembling it, I found that the colors are off. The company doesn't want to take the TV back, and neither do they want to reimburse me. What can I do?

Fajer: Please read the above question!

Health and Safety

Question: I was sick last week and I went to the hospital. The doctor treated me very badly, and gave me medicine that I was allergic to, even though my file clearly said that I was allergic to it. What can I do?

Fajer: You can call the hotline of the Ministry of Health and explain to them what happened. The number is 151 and they are very eager to help. They also have an active Twitter account @Kuwait_MOH where they are updating us on the changes that have been going on!

Public works

Question: The roads in Kuwait can be a mess sometimes. Where can I go to complain?

Fajer: The Ministry of Public Works has a hotline for emergencies. If you think the roads are dangerous, than call them on 150! Also, they have a beautiful user-friendly website mpw.gov.kw that is available in English and very easy to use. Give it a try.

I hope the above helps in any way or form. I would love to know your experiences with the different governmental entities in Kuwait, so feel free to email me on [email protected] with your questions and concerns. I also think it is important for you to stay in touch with the officials, and let them know what things can be changed for the better in Kuwait. Expats are an important part of our society and therefore I would love to hear from you!

For any legal questions or queries, email [email protected].

By Attorney Fajer Ahmed