Articles

Whatever happened to First Kuwait?

TThat indeed is an interesting question, which unfortunately few people ask nowadays after a major public employment abuse case was first exposed to the public view in 2006 related to the mistreatment and possible deaths at the hand of a prominent construction contractor based in Kuwait. Just to refresh your memory, First Kuwait, (www.firstkuwaiti.com ) is a general trading and contracting firm which, in tandem with other major Kuwaiti companies has, since the invasion of Iraq of Kuwait, been able to grow exponentially on the back of supply contracts to the US Military and military contractors such as Halliburton and KBR.

The past 10 years has seen an explosion of First's, including First Bahrain, First Dubai and First Qatar, all of these companies involved in real estate and construction, and many of them with head offices, listings or registration in Kuwait and with investments from Global Investment House in Kuwait. Is this a coincidence? I leave it for you to be the judge this "First" phenomenon. Regardless of your conclusion, based on the articles I have read and the reporters with whom I have spoken, First Kuwait is definitely not First in good behaviour, ethics and standards.

Here's a quick synopsis on First Kuwait's behaviour which parallels my case described in our other articles:

• Advertises positions by false pretenses. (False representation of fact or circumstance, calculated to mislead)
  
  
• Obtains or supports the obtaining of contracts on public tenders under unusual circumstances.
  
  
• Runs what is basically a sweatshop operation.
  
  
• Has major negative consequences for those drawn in by the false pretenses, including possible death.
  

First Kuwait is now in court, in the Columbia District in the USA to be exact, due to the same type of unconscionable behaviour I describe in our other articles, The Case for Equity and Fairness and the Origins of Fairness and Equity. (See link http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-dcdce/case_no-1:2009cv00198/case_id-134993/) The plaintiffs, David and Ramil Autencio, are amongst those treated unconscionably by a Kuwaiti company, mentioned on http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14173 and other sites, including the media in the US.

Source: www.corpwatch.com

Based on this type of example set by the country's ruling elite, employment conditions remain deplorable, prompting a recent recruit in the IT industry to proclaim that "It's a life without dignity in Kuwait" http://www.expat-blog.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=30828#p30828.

I wish the Autencio brothers best of luck as they are fighting the battle to gain recognition that all is not well in the State of Kuwait and necessary compensation for the wrongful treatment and other unpleasantness they had to suffer. My thoughts are with all the other workers who were treated in a similar manner but have no financial means to lodge a legal case and get satisfaction, including those that apparently died on the job due to improper medical treatment.

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.