KUWAIT: Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Interior and Defense Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, signed separate deals on Wednesday with the UAE and Britain as part of efforts to beef up the national coastguard’s capabilities. The agreements with Abu Dhabi and UK-based SRT Marine Systems meet the highest “maritime quality” standards, representing a step towards enhancing Kuwait’s maritime security, according to an Interior Ministry statement.

The deals are part of a broad “overhaul” of the nation’s maritime security apparatus, added the statement, singling out the agreement with Abu Dhabi as being a testament to the camaraderie shared between the two Gulf Arab neighbors. The Ministry is determined to employ the latest “technological means” in an effort to ensure the security of Kuwaiti territorial waters and navy personnel alike, the statement underlined.

Meanwhile, the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, headed a meeting of the assistant undersecretaries on Wednesday to discuss ways to organize traffic in the governorates. The Ministry of Interior, in a statement, quoted the minister as calling during the session for exerting efforts, intensifying follow-up, and enhancing effective and continuing presence of the personnel at the public places to strengthen security throughout the country.

He also stressed the necessity of handling issues promptly and firmly, applying the laws to everyone, increasing traffic awareness campaigns, and ensuring adherence to the traffic laws. Moreover, he lauded the efforts exerted by the Ministry’s various divisions in persevering with homeland security, instructing the senior officers to activate measures to confront illegal activities.

The statement indicated that the minister was briefed during the session about the intensive campaigns against the outlawed and violators of residency and work laws. The officers also discussed various other issues, means of combating all forms of crime, and setting the priorities of the security tasks in the foreseeable future. The session was attended by the Undersecretary, (Lieut Gen) Sheikh Salem Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Reputation a ’redline’

In another development, the First Deputy Prime Minister said on Wednesday that Kuwait’s human rights reputation is a redline, and it goes hand-in-hand with the timely payment of laborers. This came in a statement issued by the Interior Ministry’s Public Relations and Security Media following Sheikh Fahad Al-Yusuf’s meeting with representatives of labor force companies in the presence of Director General of the Public Authority for Manpower Marzouq Al-Otaibi.

The meeting discussed the Cabinet’s decision concerning regulating companies’ workers’ pay on a timely basis. Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yusuf affirmed that the full force of the law would be used against companies violating the Cabinet’s decision in this regard, saying that no one was above the law. Companies would be paying their laborers in a timely manner without any delays, he reiterated, saying that those failing to do so would face scrutiny and investigation, and legal action would be taken against violators. He affirmed that all amenities and resources would be provided to companies to ensure fair treatment of their laborers in accordance with the law. - KUNA