David Phinney Recaps Accusations Against First Kuwaiti

by Austin on November 14, 2006

Independent journalist David Phinney has compiled a list of current allegations regarding First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting.

According to an October 21 (2006) press release from Phinney:

• “Witnesses say First Kuwaiti has smuggled low-paid Asian workers on planes to Baghdad after taking away their passports and issuing airplane boarding passes for Dubai. Taking passports is a violation of US trafficking laws and contracting.

• First Kuwaiti has coerced low-paid workers to take jobs in Iraq against their wishes after recruiters lured them to Kuwait for different jobs. [...]

• Although no journalist is allowed on embassy site, prostitutes are smuggled in by First Kuwaiti managers, according to former employees. Prostitutes are a “breach of security,” says one former manager for the company.

• An American medic recommended that health clinics serving thousands of embassy construction workers be shut down for unsanitary conditions and then was fired. He also requested the investigation of two workers who may have died from mistreatment. Prescription pain killers were handed out “like candy” and workers were sent back to work on project, he says.

• There have been numerous beatings of workers by First Kuwaiti managers and labor strikes, say former employees. This reflects complaints of others who witnessed mistreatment on other projects.”“

More from David Phinney’s website