Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Is it happening in Kuwait?



While performing my “Kuwait News” readings ritual, I found an alarming story. It says that Trina Flowers (an American national) was hired by a “technical institute” in Kuwait, and then faced problems regarding an unpleasant incident with Kuwaiti students from the royal family.

I can’t judge the story by some little readings, but it brings up a dangerous issue, which shocks me, and it is:
Is this happening in Kuwait??!!

Then, I found comments by Trina Flowers in a Kuwaiti blog, she said:

“I have written a book about my case and I would bet that the Kuwaitis who have been a part of this won't find it entertaining either (such as a high court judge that forged court documents and then produced this false evidence to a couple of sheiks who knew what he had done). His name and the evidence is in my book along with the transcripts of the recorded conversations.”

I really don’t find it entertaining, my main concern in not the people with power or connections. What I do care about is our Judicial system, if court documents were “forged”, I think we (as a country) is in a great dilemma. Not because she’s American, but because she’s a human – period

I wish there’s some kind of misunderstanding. If not, who erred must be charged, regardless of who he is.

Links:
Relevant Press Release
Trina Flowers Comments

8 comments:

Delicately Realistic said...

I know Miss Trina, she taught me when she first came to Kuwait. She's quite a character. She only stayed for a year at my faculty, then she disappeared. I saw her a couple of years later at Ruby's Tuesday and when I asked what she was doing now, she told me I'm (something I didn't hear very well cuz of the noise, but it had something to do with civil rights).

McArabian has a point.

I'd like to know what kind of institute was this? A school? A university??? Doesn't make sense. But maybe thats because I didn't read everything. I will later.

nibaq said...

There some numbers in that "press release" we should give them a call and see what it is all about. I can write a press release tomorrow and have it on that site stating that I want to take over the animals in Friday market and start a real life Animal Farm where everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others.

I've seen Trina comments elsewhere and she also wrote this book about Kuwait that nobody heard about.

Here is another press release, but something caught me in this one.

Seems she didn't want the American Embassy to take her picture so she can be issued a new passport and be deported.

I dont know about you guys, if I was in a country that I believe and know has a corrupt justice system and had some evidence to say about the government of such a country. I would be in the first plane out of there to be safe, and be able to spread the word out.

There is a lot of bias and red flags in that thing, something doesn't smell right and it is coming from her side.

Unknown said...

The justice system can be bought off almost anywhere. Money and politics talk.

I haven't heard anything about this case, but I venture to guess there is more to it then that. For one, you don't go into a country not your own and decide to get pro-active. One of the things I am fond of telling co-workers over here is "You're not in America anymore, are you?"

It would probably be better for her if she left. She might end up prying to much and get herself in lots of trouble. I'm all for non-corruption in the government and stuff, and I applaud her if she was trying to change things, but if she has all this information the thing is claiming, she should leave and spread the word there, hehe.

I'm sure the article has inaccuracies. It's stories like this that i read, and see people jumping to the defense of the "victim", but they really don't know what's going on. Hell, she might have been the "bad guy" in all of this.

The Stallion said...

McArabian, Nibaq, and Shady well everyone has a point! Everyone is right! The question is, if she did write a book what's it called?

forzaq8 said...

only 2 news items on her
one you linked to and the other also a site that publish press realse

Ben Rivard said...

Yes, it is happening in Kuwait.

Female American teacher Trina Flowers used to teach English at the Kuwait University at the faculty of medicine. After completing her one year contract, she was offered a position at A’takamul Int’l School whose C.E.O. is Dr. Ibrahim Al Khulaifi who used to work for the martyr’s bureau at the Amiri Diwan.

In March 2002, Miss Flowers claimed that she was fired from the school under false pretexts because she refused to pass students who had failed. She filed a complaint at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor where she was not allowed to testify and present documents supporting her claim. On the other hand, the lawyer representing the school was allowed to proceed unopposed. The M of SA&L, most probably because of Al Khulaifi’s wasta, decided not to get involved in the case even though it was the Ministry’s jurisdiction and responsibility to enforce the contract between the parties. Miss Flowers was told to file her case in Labor Court if she wished to pursue the matter.

On April 23rd 2002, Miss Flowers filed case 550/2002, Labour First Instance /8 against her employer requesting financial compensation for the remaining period of her contract. On January 12th 2003, the Labour Court ruled in favor of Miss Flowers stating that the reasons for firing Miss Flowers were unsubstantiated and, because of a mistake made by the experts department in the report 1082 / F1 / 2002, the school was ordered to pay only half of her labor dues.

In retaliation, on February 9th 2003, an absconding case was filed by the employer at the Rumaithiya police station against Miss Flowers. The employer made a false declaration stating she was absconding when in fact, there was a case in court because he had fired her almost a year before. As a result, an arrest warrant was issued against her. On the very same day, the school appealed the ruling in case 141 / 2003 – Labor / 2. On October 12th 2003, the Appeal Court upheld the previous ruling in favor of Miss Flowers.

At this point, Miss Flowers had been unemployed for 19 months and had not received a single fils to support herself. During the legal proceedings, Miss Flowers had asked the M of SA&L to authorize the transfer of her residency under another sponsor to be allowed to work to support her basic needs. Also, her residency which was set to expire on December 25th 2002 was automatically extended until the end of the case. The Ministry refused her request even though she was authorized to do so under the labor law. As a result, she could no longer pay for her flat and other basic needs. She had promised the owner to pay the rent as soon as the court would release her money but in vain. A Good Samaritan had given her some money to pay for her flat but the new owner who was renting the other flats for twice as much didn’t miss this opportunity. He refused to take her money and had her thrown out of her flat in March 2004. She then used the money given to her to rent the cheapest flat she could find and support herself until she could legalize her status and be allowed to work or leave Kuwait of her own free will.

Meanwhile, she had been to the Hawally court more than a hundred times to collect the money awarded to her in the labor case but, due to corruption, she was always told to come back the following week. As a result, those she owed money to wouldn’t wait any longer and had filed cases and travel bans against her. Playing the stupid game, the court clerks were asking her to pay these people before releasing her money which was meant to pay her depts. As a result, she was not able to get her due until October 4th 2004 on which day; the Consul of the American embassy accompanied her to the court and wasn’t going to leave the building until she gets her money.

At this point, she had been unemployed for 31 months; she had false absconding charges filed against her; an arrest warrant was still in effect because of the false statement provided by the employer; she had travel bans against her; her residency had expired so any services requiring a valid residency were denied since December 25th 2002 and; she was not allowed to work.

Even though she had legal rights, she was treated as an illegal but couldn’t leave Kuwait due to travel bans.

The complicity between her ex-employer, the M of SA&L and the Ministry of Interior made her life in Kuwait literally impossible. Many times she went to the MOI about the false absconding charges and when she produced the court documents proving she was illegally fired and wasn’t absconding, some police officers ignored the evidences and detained her on three different occasions. She tried to file criminal charges against her ex-employer for filing false charges in order to mislead the authorities but every time, the public prosecution and the police stations refused to take the complaint without giving any reasons.

While fighting for her legal and human rights, other expatriate workers and Kuwaitis asked her for help with their own legal issues which she always did for free even though she needed the money. She visited every ministries, government bodies and human rights groups for help. Very few people actually tried to help and every time they looked into her case and realized how much corruption was involved, they became too scared to do anything. As a result, because she was continuously denied her rights, she became more frustrated and desperate but determined to fight for her rights no matter what.

As she became more vocal and started to publish on the internet about her case and others, once again, wasta and corruption came into play. She was arrested on September 29th 2005, detained then deported on October 17th 2005 after being victimized by a corrupt system for 3 years and 7 months while she never got legal remedy for the abuse she was victim of. She had committed no crime and all she was asking for was her legal rights to be respected. Instead, the rules of corruption were enforced and the victim was punished.

I witnessed all of it and saw all supporting documents.

PISSonQ8 said...

Hey Trina , Hey ben.. locke...

keep on keeping on. Trina once again thanks for the birthday steak treat.

Just a mention here as i was reading the comments
Hey mcarabian

Like millions of us who travel across the oceans, we all have an agenda. Could it be, her's was in the hope of better a life, for herself and family, like the rest of us? i feel Trina went there for the same reasons. Not to pick a fight, but to earn a decent living. sadly, arabs know not the meaning of the word..DECENT.

In Kuwait, u need not pick a fight one to have one, rape, murder, burglary, slavery are a way of life for these camel jockeys.


To mcarabuian : John Locke's name is as real as yours. Whats in a name?

my name is Mohammed Ali Sulaiman ...ahemm..


im sure you guys figgured out who i am..lol..

Im alive and well.. im in Goa drinking beer, smoking grass with a few of our Arab bretheren. Get them stoned and push em of a cliff..


KuwAIti's are GREAT, EVERY BODY SHOULD OWN ONE"

Unknown said...

And as of August 2010, under new management, A Takamul are still stitching up people, stealing money, failing to provide work visas for their staff.......who or what os their wasta and how do they get away with it year after year?

Kuwaiti and ashamed.