By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone has begun a mass registration exercise of Sierra Leonean nationals residing in the State of Kuwait.
The registration exercise, according to a press statement from the Mission, is aimed at compiling adequate data on all Sierra Leonean migrants in the country as part of efforts to address some of the labor issues they have been grappling with over the years.
Kuwait is popular destination for young Sierra Leoneans seeking overseas employment. But many of them have been returning home with stories of abuse.
“The significance of this exercise cannot be over emphasized, as it is aimed at, amongst others, to institute appropriate database, including the efforts to regularizing the work status of housemaids and other skilled and unskilled works for our nationals residing in the state of Kuwait,” the statement reads in apart.
The exercised was to commence on the 1st of August and will end on the 30th of August this year, according to the statement which noted that during the registration period officials from the embassy will be visiting various communities in the country to assist with the registration process.
Sierra Leoneans are required to pay a fee of Five Kuwaiti Dinar (5KD), equivalent to Le140, 000 to be documented; they will also be required to produce two passport sized photos.
“Each successful applicant will be issued with an Identity Card, which will be used as means of identification as well as proof of nationality and will be valid for a period two years,” said the statement.
The Embassy therefore called for the full participation of the Sierra Leone Union Executive in Kuwait to the process to enable, among others, a wider coverage of the registration, by way of identifying Sierra Leoneans.
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