Employers should share returning maids’ plane ticket costs: Unionist
Head of recruiters’ union meets with human rights panel’s chief
KUWAIT: Local recruitment officers are asking that employers share the price for a domestic helper’s plane ticket in case he or she returns back to their home country before the end of their contract. This condition was discussed during a meeting between the head of the domestic labor offices’ union Khaled Al-Dakhnan with head of the parliament’s human rights committee MP Adel Al-Damkhi. Dakhnan stressed in a statement following the meeting the importance of amending some laws to reduce technical problems related to the domestic helpers’ sector in Kuwait. Among the topics discussed during the meeting was a proposal to amend a law which gives the government-owned Durra Domestic Help Company exclusive authority to rehire domestic helpers, while denies private recruiters from providing similar services. The meeting also discussed adjusting the condition of renewing domestic helper office licenses, Dakhnan said.
Gang of thieves busted Well-informed security sources said four gang members were arrested for committing multiple house burglaries in Salmiya and Maidan Hawally, sources said. Most burglaries were committed during morning hours, when the burglars were sure that apartment residents were out at work. The gang mainly focused on stealing cash and jewelry, said the sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The sources explained that the gang comprises of 15 Georgians, of whom only four have so far been arrested. The sources stressed that the gang members do not know each other, which suggests that they are part of an organized international mafia. The sources added the suspects are in Kuwait on visas issued by individuals and some companies.
In addition, the sources said that the police have so far received 30 burglary reports including two in Farwaniya, two in the capital and 26 in Salmiya and Maidan Hawally, where the suspects used sophisticated methods to open doors. Finally, the sources stressed that coordination is in progress between police detectives and airport authorities to stop the departure of any Georgian without checking his criminal record.
Clash with parliament MP Khalid Al-Otaibi claimed the government is seeking a clash with the parliament through the reshuffling of portfolios between ministers. He added that instead of each minister facing the responsibilities and results of his decisions, “we get surprised by the escape plans of the government to protect its ministers”. Otaibi wondered about the reward and punishment principle, saying: “We only read about it in government statements at the start of the current parliament and after the government’s formation.”
Otaibi rejected that there are ministries with heavy burdens, adding that the burden depends on the minister, who knows the nature of his ministry when he takes over. He said political history shows that there were statesmen who became ministers during tough times and were able to overcome problems and issues by good management and decisions, and did not run away from political responsibility. Otaibi said the government thinks that it avoids political problems between MPs and ministers and brings about more cooperation, but the truth is that it pushes for more political crises between the two authorities.
Co-ops Kuwaitization
MP Nasser Al-Doussary stressed that Kuwaitizing the co-operative societies’ sector has become a priority. He added that he had made a proposal in this regard to prioritize employing citizens in various co-ops and called to employ retirees to benefit from their experience. Separately, the General Secretariat for Planning and Development announced that it had suspended the participation of expat employees in any of the teams and committee it formed since September, in line with Civil Service Commission (CSC) regulations. The secretariat follows the state’s strategy in replacing expats with citizens, rationalization and cutting expenses, sources said. Separately, Head of the parliament’s health affairs committee MP Humoud Al-Khodair said the committee approved amending the oil sector’s end of service indemnity so that it includes all employees hired since 2010. Khodair said 3,150 citizens working in the oil sector will benefit from the amendment.
Development projects
The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has so far spent KD 75 million out of a total budget of KD 87 million allocated for this year’s development plan projects, planning department’s manager Iman Al-Omar said, noting that 86 percent of the budget was spent. Omar added that the new fiscal year plan (2018-2019) has been already set, including several projects, of which two are already under construction - Kuwait airport’s terminal 2 and the Mubarak Port in Boubyan Island. Omar said that the new plan also includes two projects for the Ministry of Health (MoH) - the new maternity hospital in Al-Sabah medical zone with a capacity of 780 beds, in addition to a new 792-bed hospital for children below 18. She added that the plan also includes projects to develop the seafront, develop South Mutlaa treatment plant, using wind and solar power in generating electricity and saving 50 percent of the electricity needed to operate the plant.
Public Prosecution
The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition referred 41 violations to the public prosecution based on law 112/2013. Director Essa Al-Kandari said the violations included 15 grave ones that were referred on Feb 13, while 26 were not as grave and were referred on March 6. Kandari said the fines vary between KD 100 and KD 100,000, in addition to up to six years in jail and closure of the facility.
Private sector
Member of the parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee Saleh Ashour said the government plans to hand over 75 gas stations, Al-Shadadiya university, Jaber Hospital and some electricity and water plants to be run by the private sector. Ashour warned making the private sector run state-funded projects is wrong and that the government will be held responsible.