MP demands parity in cargo transit fees
KUWAIT: MP Khalil Al-Saleh called for resolving the problems of owners of refrigerated trucks in Kuwait, as their business has been hit since a number of countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan increased transit fees, while Kuwaiti authorities have not done the same. “These hikes have overburdened the owners and only serve transport companies in other countries,” he underlined, calling for a similar measure in Kuwait to achieve parity. “It is unacceptable that Kuwaiti trucks pay the equivalent of KD 100 in Jordan while Jordanian trucks only pay KD 40 in Kuwait,” he said, urging concerned ministries to act immediately.
Domestic labor
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh stressed that launching the AlDurra Domestic Labor Company was not delayed and explained that it is normal that the company faces various obstacles in dealing with foreign bodies. Speaking in response to a parliamentary inquiry, Saleh added that the company had been professionally dealing with various obstacles as planned and that it already started receiving applications on Aug 29.
Allowances
Official sources at the Manpower and Government Restructuring Program strongly denied social media reports about paying national labor support allowances to the owners of small business licenses, and stressed that the issue is still being studied with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. “The Cabinet is the only body entitled to add any new categories to the beneficiaries of the national labor support allowances,” the sources highlighted.
Fingerprint
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Fareed Emadi said the ministry has taken all necessary measures to start using the fingerprint system for imams and muezzins, as per the Cabinet and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) decisions. However, Emadi strongly denied that imams and muezzins will have to use the system before and after every prayer. Emadi added that the ministry’s administrative and financial affairs sector asked the mosques sector for a complete timetable to come up with a suitable method of using the system with imams and muezzins, especially since their working hours are related to the times of the five prayers, unlike other government employees. Emadi said the fingerprint system has already been in use in the ministry since 2001. He also noted that the ministry had contacted CSC requesting exempting imams and muezzins due to the nature of their work, but the request was rejected.
Camps
The spring camps committee at the Municipality is due to meet today with the municipality’s deputy director Fahd Al-Otaibi to discuss the sites where camping would be allowed this year. Informed sources strongly denied intentions to cancel any sites that had been approved and used in previous years unless alternative sites are provided in order to avoid cramming camps within limited areas. The sources added that municipality teams are still traversing across Kuwait to remove any unlicensed camps and warned that penalties would be very severe. The sources said an automated camping system would be developed this year to facilitate registry and site selection. “The same system will be used for removing camps and photos will be taken before and after camping to make sure no debris is left over after the season,” the sources concluded.
School of choice
The Public Authority for Disabled Affairs plans to allow disabled students choose the school they wish to attend on condition that the school is accredited by the Ministry of Education (MoE). Informed sources said the decision was being prepared to be signed next week and that it will include all educational facilities - Arab, foreign and bilingual - that provide educational services to disabled students.
Charities
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor’s (MSAL) charities department has sent letters to charities that have so far not submitted their final reports about collecting donations for this year’s sacrifice project, said informed sources, noting that the letters inquired about delaying the reports after the legal deadline. The sources added that many charities, namely major ones, have not so far submitted the reports although the ministry had urged them do so over a month earlier. “Bank accreditation will be suspended of uncooperative charities,” the sources stressed.