Ring of conmen

Few years ago one Pakistani building contractor have told me Kuwait is the country where you could collect money by sweeping. It doesn’t mean go for sweeping jobs. He meant you could get money very easily. He repeated this statement again after few years.

Oh yes now I remember what he meant. One day I was in mangaf area of Kuwait and he came with a plan to export machinery to Pakistan Sahiwal from where he originally come from. He told me I have talked to one company in sahiwal and lets ring them. That day his line didn’t connect and few days latter told me he has spoken to the company  and they are willing to import few containers of machinery. I have asked him how about the payment? He said they will pay after selling the machinery. Ok what about shipping? Who is going to pay? Oh what a good idea he has given? I have to pay the shipping as well. I just told him that I don’t want. He proudly told me that he have applied for uk visa twice but refused. This statement actually heard from him many times but this time it clicked more because someone was trying to rob me at the same time and he came by chance uninvited. One of his friend just arrived back from Pakistan after visiting his family in Pakistan. They are two brothers of pathan ancestory from Abottabad and living in Lahore. I went to meet him in Hawally area of Kuwait. As soon as I arrived he again came there. Anyway I have asked this pathaan guy that don’t you have draws (cupboards)

for your clothing because all clothes were hanging on hat stands. He said he is thinking to go to sauq juma (Sunday market held on juma in Muslim countries). I have told him I have two one three meter and other one meter wide. As soon as he heard this he suddenly asked with similar to funny smile? is it as gift or with money? I told him if you want as gift iam willing to give you as gift. Few day leter he came to my flat to see these draws and I have told him that I have lots of other household stuff if he is willing to buy. As he was going through the stuff that Sahiwal guy rung him and told him he is coming to him. This call made him bit worried about the deal. He said to me I will give you offer later. This Sahiwal guy arrived and went through all stuff with him. He called his two men with tool box to open the drawers. They dismantled the drawers and loaded the stuff on the van. They put all the stuff in the van and left drawers and few bits and told me they will collect this next day. Next day they came and collect few things like thieves and left the drawers. this guy rung me told me the situation of the stuff and in other words

the whole stuff which was more than big van load has no value at all. It was big shock and I was almost speechless and I told that you came for drawers and took everything and left drawers. He said oh yes he was in need of drawers and they left these drawers there. I told him ok send them again and he said they had problem with police while they were coming. Next time his statement was  had accident. I went to his work place although he arrived an hour later and went through all stuff like computer is slow problem with tv and other words everything is shit. If someone bother to ask this type of shit ass hollers if  everything was shit then why you have bothered to bring it and left your desired cupboards. Anyway he has business in area of Amgra. While I was waiting for him one of his employee of Indian origin was sitting there and watching television. He started by asking about immigration rules in Kuwait. He told me he is living in Kuwait without any visa since years. I asked him how you could live without visa? He told me no body comes here for checking and hundreds and thousands people working in amgra are without visas. They work eat and sleep here. Most of the illegal workers from amgra hardly go out of their work place. So they don’t need to worry about anything like visas. He has told me many companies even have no trading licences. According to him many agricultural farm workers in  Abdaly and Wafra have no visas and employed by the companies at lower wages and kept in appalling living conditions.  

Who mixes stones? in food Internationaly

Many children have been killed by contaminated food in Indian school due to lack of control on food stuff. It was one evening couple of months ago that I had severe attack of pain in the stomach. The pain was so severe which lasted about half  minute that I thought it is end of my life. I went to hospital emergency in Kuwait.  They said I have to bring letter from my local clinic. Oh I see I thought  it is emergency he replied yes it is but we accept patients with doctors refers. So this was a emergency ward of Mubarak al Kabeer hospital Kuwait. I think this type of emergency wards could kill people in real need of treatment by just returning back to their clinics. What about if someone has heart attack?   arrive to the hospital emergency by bus and then hear word “Maafi Inglisi” from the receptionist after waiting in the queue. No wonder many people die before receiving medical help in third world countries Africa and middle east. Anyhow I then went to clinic and got letter. The emergency  was full of patients. They performed basic tests on my urine and done xrays. I was lucky that they didn’t find anything  and found out I had kidney pain. This made me bit of health conscious about food I buy and consume.   I have bought recently some spices including cloves and black pepper from Kuwait COOP. When I was going to grind it came to my mind I should better check it for rubbish they mix in food stuff. First I started to go through black pepper packet and

Astonished to find one stone exactly same size and look of  black pepper. After finishing with black peppers I started with cloves packet and found out two stones same size and look of cloves. I wonder why Indians or Pakistanis and even middle eastern traders mix stones, sand and ground bricks in food. If they must mix they should mix some sort of  peas or beans which are not harmful to human health. This is picture of  stones found out in  black peppers and cloves

Once I was making a paste of tamarind (which is mostly of Indian origin especially in the uk) and found a black bit with some suspicious look and then I looked through minifying glass and found out these few packs of tamarind were full of dead small aunts. Thanks god it wasn’t that bad as stones in food stuff.

It doesn’t end on mixing stones in black pepper or cloves but found out couple of years ago in one piece of stone in chickpea pack bought in Manchester and packed by one of the company from Bradford. It was same size and brownish stone same look as black small chickpeas. This story doesn’t end here. I have first noticed stones in white dry chickpeas decades ago in Germany and complained about it to the German shopkeeper which she just took it as nothing by saying she can not  do anything because these are not from other country. These stones similar to white chickpeas in size and colour still coming in especially from Indian and Pakistani origin. I think they have secured a large amount of these stone which are still making money for them.

I have written many times about fresh date’s especially Saudi origin in packets have trace of sand in it. I have tried it in different countries and  found it everywhere. Once it came to mind that might be due to its origin which is sandy deserts  are prone to sandstorms but why dry dates have no trace of sand. If dry dates are possible without sand then why not these slimy ones. It is really unsolved mystery to me till now. Few years ago I went to health food shop Holland and barrette and bought some stone less dates origin Iran and while I was eating I have chipped my tooth due to stone (stone not from the date but rocky) in it.

There is another dates packed in small packets “tamoor al madinah” dates from madinah  has traces of sand and have tried in the UK and Kuwait. Their packets states packed on modern type of machinery.

It is hard reality that in these cultures there is no concept of come back as soon as you have bought something it is end of story and doesn’t effect seller whether you live or die.

As soon as you complain about their stuff then be ready for their in direct revenge. Why this type of mentality. Ok these food traders importers exporters packers might be un educated but educated one are the same one. I would like to share a personal story. In these countries medicine are also victim of these people. Kuwait is fairly modern country with strict Islamic laws. I went to chemist in rowdha  coop and found out they have blood sugar monitor for sale. I have bought one and came home. I checked it and compared reading with other monitors I had but there was four points difference in new one and old. I want back few days later and reported it to the duty chemist. He took it and said he will ring after two days. After one week I went to them and asked about it. He said ok I will change it and gave me another. I came home and checked it and compared with old one’s and showing same four points difference, I went back again and then they kept it for another week or two.

While I was waiting for their call I have decided to get my money back. When I went their I told them I want my money back I have no more time to waste and bother you. The chemist on the duty said it is impossible to get your money back because you were not feeding the strip code in the monitor that’s why it was giving wrong reading. Now these suppliers have checked it fed the strip code and now monitor is fine. By the statement of the chemist I felt bit guilty and ashmed that how stupid iam to complain. Anyhow she became angry when I told her if it is not ok I will get my money back. She replied to me don’t talk like that.
I have decided to leave this matter instead of wasting time but again while I was in rowdha I popped into chemist shop and found out another chemist which was incharge of the company or chemist shop and told him whole story and asked his opinion about this matter. He told me bring back this monitor and other you have and he will check it in my presence and will compare readings with his monitor. So educated  people should be more considerate. The educated one have wasted my two trips and time and still no where. I would like to point out here they have policy with suppliers unsold goods returned to suppliers basis. I have decided to forget this matter.

One of the worst customer service I have experienced is from Safat Alghanam which is I think Kuwait’s biggest electronic goods supplier. It is not only one event but many events and every time I decide not to go there for future purchases. I better mention one instance which is related to the Safat  alghanam? in schwaikh  Kuwait which is really example of their worst service. I have ordered some mosaic tiles and went to the home furnishing section and decided to buy one chair. I got all information about the chair from their sales person and paid for this at their counter. As soon as I have finished with payment  I have asked that person what about If I don’t like this chair? He replied you have checked it on display so you cannot return it. I told him I have changed my mind and don’t want this chair. I want my money back. To get my money back it was like hell of negotiations and then shouting. The strange thing is they have asked me to give them photo copy of my identity card which made my blood boiling till now. I have asked them you just received my money and what the hell you want my identity card copy for? I didn’t ask you for any identity when gave you my money. They gathered about ten people around me including manager and started by explaining that it is their part of policy to get copy of id card on refund. I asked them who made this policy?  Iam not going to accept this type of policy by say just give my money back.  At the end I manage to get my money back but cashier had bit angry looking. Why? I told him you are not doing me any favour because you returned my money back. I have long list of complaints about their customer service and picked up one customer opion card from one of their shop and when I have time I will fill it and return it to them and write about their responsed

Mineral water from paradise

“Diamond “ ?

Another company shocked me  to my foundation (by the way I have no foundation) that

which might be shocking to most of us is one company handed me one small bag printed

on it word “ Diamond” and this bag has two small pieces of silicone rubber moulded  As ear plugs.  As soon as I came out of  the shop in kuwait “Hassan” opticians hearing department.  There was one Indian guy wearing sun glasses ready to enter the same building where this shop is located. I just said to him

hello and he came near to me and shuck hand. He asked me how are you and I replied to him iam trying to recover from a shock of  being robbed for 40 pounds (20 KD). I told him do you know this bag has diamond to me because it says diamond. He looked at the

bag very seriously and said it looks to me two small pieces of plastic instead of diamonds. He said no problem we can get it made from India for 5p each or even less.

Mineral water from paradise

Iam not against making money in business but making money through false claims about product and put prices like hell to empty vulnerable customers pocket. Few years ago someone imported to Kuwait  bubbles liquid for children about 4Kd (£8) each and many

People bought it. What a rip –off it was because for this price you could have bought many  bottles of washing liquid which is much concentrated ingredient of bubbles solution. I remember my childhood when present day leisures were not available and we used to make bubbles by putting  few minutes soap bars “Lifebuoy”  in  small bowls and then wheat straws to make bubbles from it.. One importer even went one step further by importing mineral water packed in dark blue bottles in different sizes. Where one shop display this pile of water bottles they also displayed a long story of this mineral water and priced it at about KD4 (£8 ) for one litre bottle. Whatever it is or brought from caves or mountains through hard work or fairies or by donkeys at end of the day it is water and not worth more than few pence. If you look prices of  holy water from macca “zamzam water” sells 2 gallon bottles at price of KD 1.5 (£3 for 2 gallon bottle).

Garages from the hell 

It is general trend  in shops and businesses i.e  I have bought Toyota jeep  fan belt for KD18  (£36). When I have paid this type of price I wrote a complaint and put in their box but never heard anything from them. The same company again and took car for minor repairs like window wasn’t winding?  A Lexus car hardly used its windows maximum about 15 times? Anyway their “customer consultant” have told me it needs a small rubber and costs KD 50 for this repair. As soon as I have heard this silly price for small repair Iam nearly blasted and told him you are  a thief. As soon he heard the word “thief” he replied to me don’t call me thief.  He called his service manager and he took me in his office . I have asked him how many hours it takes to change the rubber? I have told him if even inexperienced person try to change it which takes maximum one hour. He agreed yes it doesn’t take much time. How much is the rubber cost? KD 3 (£6). He proudly mentioned that they charge KD 15 (£30 ) per hour for repairs. Ok now If I calculate It shouldn’t costs more than KD 18  (£36) because it is few minutes job. The luxury cars usually don’t have complicated things that are why their window panels have no screws and they used just silicon to stick it with door. He didn’t accept my last offer of KD 20 (£40) but he insisted for more but I left the garage . It is situation with one big and well reputed company of Kuwait. 

Chocolate benefits in kuwait

I have come across with one fuuny small brochure which was  packed in box  of

“Patchi chocolate” . It is actually not funny in one sense because it is just to cone 

Volnenerable customers. Lets see what it says

“Chocolate benefits

Other than being a treat that has been enjoyed for millenniums, chocolate carries several healthful benefits. It acts as an antioxidant as well as a stimulant; it is great source of magnesium, while also having the quality of an anti-depressant, As far dark chocolate, it is known to be beneficial for the heart since it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol”

It is not cheap chocolate as comparing to British chocolates like Cadbury’s . I have eaten

one chocolate out of box and it tasted like full of butter. I wouldn’t like to touch it again because full of butter and also due to misleading statements like above.  I wish they could be more honest with their customers by putting some nutritional information instead of above statement. Hope their this small leaflet is not copyrighted

One of the bakers from Kuwait went one step further by writing on bread packaging that this bread is helpful in curing cancer. Was it just one variety of their bread? Iam afraid it wasn’t the case. Their whole range of breads and the cakes had similar statement on the packaging.

complaint box

Complaint box ?

If you walk into Kuwaiti offices government or private companies they usually have  complaint box. They are like a part of traditional outlook of the office and without the complaint box offices seem uncompleted. I have many times thought I should try to see the use of complaint box whether it is of any use or these are just part of their deco. I have tried government official complaint emails few times but  never have success to complete due to some unknown reasons but most websites have complaint section to click if you want to. At one instance I bumped into “Kuwaiti citizen advice buro area of Jabar al ali. It was just by chance to ask about local Paaci office location. They gave me instructions and I was impressed by their staff for their effort to explain to me. Before leaving I have asked about their office and their activities. It was big surprise to me  by knowing that Kuwait has citizen advice offices. They told me I have to contact them next time if I have complaint about any company or product. I  took their telephone numbers and left their office with good impression and  continued my journey to the next office.

After few months I came to pay electric bill into Jabar al ali offices. Most Kuwaiti offices have security man. In this office security man was their on his chair and small desk. The customer service desks were empty. All people who supposed to be servicing customers were in sitting in the manager’s office. First I thought their manager is very friendly because he let his staff to sit in his office for tea and chatting. Anyway I have started the the triumph and procedure to pay the bill. Their office is situated on different levels in other words I had few trips up and down in their offices and ended up to managers office for signature. His service counter staff was still in his office and surprise to knew he was absent. This solved my confusion of his friendliness and absence of staff from the counters. Anyway while I was waiting for managers signature I thought I better go to citizen advice buro which is exactly in your front as soon as you come out of electric office. I entered the citizen advice centre and all members of the staff were sitting and socialising.  I have explained to them reason of my arrival by saying that I have complaint about my landlord. After listening to me they have told me to go to local  ministry of trade and Industry office.  Anyway I came out of their office and back in electric office. By now the manager was in his office and staff was back on counters instead of sitting in managers office. I entered with my application for payment of  electric bill and got his signature. Now I am nearly finished my application procedure and went straight to cashiers counter and he wasn’t there because he went for midday prayer.

After half an hour the cashier returned to cashiers desk and got successful in paying electric bill. After finishing this triumph I headed towards local office of ministry of trade and industry. After arriving there I told to them my purpose of arrival into their office. I went through different sections of this office and ended up in their managers office. The manager told me that was right place “Istahlakia” for your complaint and iam failed to understand why they have sent you here instead of helping you out to resolve your complaint.

It wasn’t the only this office of citizen advice buro in Kuwait. Surprisingly most areas of Kuwait has citizen advice buros. The difference between British citizen advice buros you need to wait for your number in Britain and in the Kuwaiti citizen advice buros you can speak as many as you want to their officers as long as you have no complaint. It wasn’t my first time in Kuwaiti citizen advice buro. Actually I came to know this name through “Environmental pollution authority of  Kuwait” after completion of successful complaint against the landlord. Although EPA has full powers to take action against the companies and  traders but they sent me to citizen advice office in the area of  “Jabriah”. Their office is located near old premises  of coop jabriah. At reception I told them  purpose of my arrival and they sent me upstairs to the concerned department. On the first floor of the building I entered to the first room where one their officer was busy on the computer. I told him about purpose of my arrival and he answered why you are here? I explained to him whole story of  EPA Kuwait to his office again then he told me you should go to fahaheel citizen advice office. Anyway I came back to EPA Kuwait again and went to their engineers office. I have manage to speak to one of their young lady officer and she put me to another male officer. Very relaxed and friendly person replied to me in very relaxed manner we don’t like complaints. He then told me you know best thing you could do is make another complaint then they will take action. Iam laughing while iam writing about this trick of  “file another complaint”.

The EPA department who deals with these type of complaints have very nice,  friendly and polite general manager. I have used this term general manager for Arabic  “Raees”.

He is the person that you are feeling that you are talking to a friend instead of officer. Whenever I went there he was always there. If you are suffering from any environmental

Issues you can contact this department which is now in their new building offices. If you plan to visit them as soon you pass road 55 their offices are on your right at ring road 4. Massive big new building written on it “Environment pollution Authority”. You cant miss it. Please visit them for your concerns about environment.