News in Brief

Pay hike likely: The salaries of public sector employees will increase by 50 percent if the proposed strategic alternative to the pay scale is approved, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting Minister of Finance and acting Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh.

Indicating the salaries of public sector employees are low compared to those in other sectors, Al-Saleh confirmed the strategic alternative guarantees equality among employees in the governmental sector according to their line of work or profession. He clarified the alternative will also take into consideration the nature of work and the allowances will be the distinguishing feature between the technical and administrative workers. ‘Tug of war’: The report which has been issued by the State Audit Bureau shows suspicious transactions carried out by the Public Ports Authority (PPA) worth KD 8 million paid for advisory services to one of the companies as a result of which the Bureau officials and officials at the PPA are involved in a ‘tug of war’ of accusations, reports AlQabas daily.

The Audit Bureau complains lack of cooperation from the PPA in this case and the latter accuses Bureau of not tracking down the real thieves of public money.

The Bureau has called upon the DirectorGeneral of the Authority Sheikh Yousef AlAbdullah to submit financial statements and bills for KD 8 million in question. All ‘mobiles’ gone: Police are investigating a strange theft which has occurred at the Faculty of Law at the Kuwait University, reports Al-Qabas daily.

It has been reported female students were not allowed to enter the examination halls with their cell phones and these cells were