To Protect Or To Exploit [1964.06.14]
p. 234-235
Texte intégral
1Some startling revelations were made in the National Assembly yesterday. There are over 123,000 non-Kuwaitis working in Kuwait, according to statistics published by the Ministry Social Affairs and Labor. Of these 32,000 are Iranians, 17,000 Jordanians, 1,000 Syrians, 8,000 Lebanese, 3,000 Egyptians, 3,000 Iraqis, 5,000 Omanis, 7,000 Maharis, 5,000 Indians, 3,000 Pakistanis 1,000 British, 300 Americans and 600 Saudi Arabians. The Bill, which was introduced by the government to safeguard the rights of the workers is a commendable piece of legislation, but the House noted out one of its most important clauses. Clause 29 concerning workers’ pay. This is indeed regrettable.
2For the government who is the largest employer in the country is trying admirably to be generous to its employees, yet its efforts were frustrated by a majority of 21 votes to 17 against the clause.
3In the heated debate, these 17 members, notable amongst whom are Dr. Ahmad Al Katieb, Mr. Jasem Al Kuttami, Mr. Muhammad Al Reshaid, Mr. Sami Al Munaies, and a few others fought gallantly for the rights of these workers. But the defeat of the bill is indeed both sad and dangerous. To quote Mr. Mohammed Al Reshaid MP:
4“We have employed these workers because we need them, not to safeguard their rights is a gross act of injustice, it is better to send them back to their country than to be held responsible before the whole world as a nation who exploits workers because they are workers”.
5Another objective approach to the subject was put nicely by Mr. Abdul Baqui Al Auri (MP) when he said: The statistics shows the number of workers in this country to be 123,000. This is more than one third of the population. If they are induced to leave because of bad working conditions, our economy will come to a standstill. Furthermore, they represent with their families nearly half of the country's consumers. Surely if they are paid better, their purchasing power will increase and this is in the interest of the country's small shopkeepers and merchants of whom the greater majority are Kuwaitis.
6One could view the clause from the moral point of view or from the practical point of view, the defeat of the bill's clause 29 in not in the best interest of the inhabitants of the country, native or otherwise.
7Another startling revelation was that the oil companies in general and the K.O.C. in particular are the best and most generous employers in the country. In fact, all oil companies pay their workers more than it is prescribed by the bill, in all fairness, therefore, it is clear to us that attacks directed against working conditions in the oil companies sometimes should be directed elsewhere.
8Should not those who opposed clause 29 take a good example from the enlightened policy at the so-called big capitalists represented by K.O.C. and other oil companies in the country?
9We think it would be more conducive to the general harmony of the labour force and economy of the country if they did.
10The law was made to protect, not to exploit -perhaps this has been overlooked or forgotten in the mad rush of events, but it is still there. For truth is never lost.
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