KUWAIT: The interior ministry warned on Tuesday that Kuwaitis and expats who have not submitted their biometrics once the deadline passes will be barred from doing transactions with government bodies.

The ministry had earlier said all Kuwaitis must submit their biometric data before Sept 30, while expats have until the end of the year to submit their biometrics.Once these deadlines pass, people who fail to submit their data will be barred from processing any transaction with any government bodies.

The ministry added that so far, as many as 2.5 million people, both citizens and expats, more than half the population, have submitted their biometric data.

The ministry said so far it has not been decided whether to fine those who fail to submit their biometrics after the deadline. Meanwhile, a leading Kuwaiti writer alleged in an article on Tuesday that expatriates consume and use the “lion’s share” of public services in Kuwait for almost free and without any economic return, and accordingly their number must be slashed.

“Reducing the number of expats, as a policy, must be implemented at government and popular levels,” liberal writer Abdullatif Al-Duaij wrote in his column. “Currently, expats, who represent three-quarters of the population of Kuwait, consume the lion’s share of subsidies offered by the government.

They consume fuel, water, electricity, use roads and even medications.

They consume all of this for almost free, when at the same time, a majority of them, especially unskilled laborers, do not make any real contributions to development and (national) income,” Duaij said.“In fact, they hinder development and distort the environment, with little return, if any,” he claimed.

He lent support to any government plans or measures to reduce the number of expats, provided they are done within the legal framework and as long as the rights and dignity of expats are preserved.

But Duaij said it was not clear if these government steps are being taken on a long-term basis or are temporary.