The Qatari government set up a committee to consider imposing restrictions on issuing driving licences to expatrie workers. Acommittee, withmembers from the interior ministry, advisory council, municipal affairs and urban planning ministry and the public works authority (Ashghal), is studying the problem of traffic jams to recommend permanent solutions. It has recommended issuing driver’s licences only to certain categories of foreign workers arriving in the country. The panel passed the recommendations unanimously to be forwarded to the cabinet.
Will the U.A.E. follow suit to reduce congestion and accidents etc. How will this attract tourists and skilled labour to a knowledge economy?
In March 2013 Kuwait introduced similar tough new rules for expatriates applying for a driving license, including a requirement that they be a legal resident for at least two years, according to state-run media.
Expats must now also have a university degree and earn at least KWD400 (US$1,400) per month.
The new conditions are on top of existing requirements including being at least 18 years old, physically well and having past a driving test.However, there are some exceptions, including spouses of Kuwaiti nationals and their children, bidoons who carry valid security cards, college students, wives of expatriates who already have a driving license.
Today an announcement was made by Interior Ministry Assistant Undersecretary Major General Abdulfattah Al Ali, thatKuwait has implemented a freeze on issuing new driving licences for expatriates until further notice,. He said that the only exceptions would be for household drivers on specific visas.
Al Ali is rpeoted to ahve said that the ban would remain in place until changes are made to the current regulations for expatriates to obtain new driving licences. Since Ali’s appointment two months ago, hundreds of expats have been deported for minor traffic violations such as jumping red lights. It is estimated that 12,000 foreigners in total have been ejected from the country over the last two years over driving misdemeanours and KD24m worth of fines issued.
Kuwaiti citizens who commit similar offences face having their cars impounded, although this can only take place if a court order is issued.
313 expatriate teachers had had their contracts terminated after reaching the age of 60. This move has come despite a new law introduced by the Civil Services Commission in April that increase the age of retirement for citizens and locals working in the public sector up to 65. Kuwait earlier this year announced the Gulf state would cut the number of foreigners, who make up about two-thirds of the population, by 1m over ten years.
The country also is implementing segregation in public health services, banning expats from attending public hospitals in the morning unless it is an emergency. Lawmakers also have called for large subsidies for services such as water, electricity and gas to be scrapped for expats, which could push up monthly bills beyond the average salary.It also has approved segregation of expats and nationals seeking medical care, with expats limited to services in the afternoon except during an emergency.
Kuwait was named as one of the world’s least friendly countries towards tourists in a global travel and tourism competitiveness survey by the World Economic Forum released this week. It was ranked 137 out of 140 countries for friendliness.
