‘Need to reconsider some clauses related to labor rights in contracts’
Meeting discusses strike by workers of cleaning companies African Group bids farewell to Mbaki, Ambassador Lisitide
KUWAIT CITY, July 4: In a touch of loyalty and gratitude, the ambassadors of the African Group bid farewell to the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the Ambassador of Senegal to Kuwait, HE Abdel al-Ahed Mbaki, and the Deputy Brigadier, the Ambassador of Botswana HE Manipedza Patrick Lisitide, on the occasion of the end of their duties in Kuwait, during a ceremony hosted by the Ambassador of Benin Mujahidu Somanu at his residence recently.
The ceremony was held with the participation of the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Khaled AlFarsi. The ceremony was held in compliance with all the health protocols.
Speaking on the occasion Mbaki expressed his pride for the time he spent in Kuwait, which spanned over 33 years, including 23 years as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
He said he made every effort to support and strengthen bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, and forged friendships. “Relations between me and the people of Kuwait will continue even after my departure from Kuwait,” he said, stressing that he will visit “our beloved Kuwait in the near future.”
He pointed during his tenure in Kuwait, he worked with 3 of Kuwait’s rulers, many heads of government and heads of the National Assembly, thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the support and assistance given to him during his work in Kuwait.
Mbaki expressed his hope to meet his colleagues and friends in the near future in Senegal or in their countries, wishing the Kuwaiti government and people, headed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Ahmad and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad, continued success, progress and prosperity.
In turn, the Deputy Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of Botswana Manipedza Lisitide, praised the period he spent in Kuwait, describing it as fruitful and successful, as he worked to support and strengthen bilateral relations
between his country and Kuwait, expressing his pride and pride in the period in which he served as Deputy Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, praising the cooperation of colleagues from Ambassadors accredited to the country, indicating that he will return to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his country.
For his part, the Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of Djibouti, Mohamed Momen, said: “The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of Senegal, Abdel Ahad Mbaki, was a teacher in diplomacy who offered a helping hand to all his colleagues.”
KUWAIT CITY, July 4: The Municipal Council’s Fact-Finding Committee on Cleaning Contracts has recommended the need to reconsider some clauses related to labor rights in the contracts, reports AlQabas daily.
Following a workshop held one week ago to discuss the reasons behind the sanitation workers’ strike, Head of the committee Eng. Abdulsalam Al-Randi said the concerned authorities were invited to discuss ways to eliminate this phenomenon and to present Kuwait in a civilized manner.
He revealed that the main reasons for the strike included lack of adequate housing due to delays in the procedure for allocating the accommodation sites for companies contracting with the municipality.
Solutions
Eng. Al-Randi said the members listened to the solutions and the emergency plan that was prepared in order to avoid such matters in the future by adopting a fixed plan in the event of repetition of such strikes in the future.
Meanwhile, one of the members Eng. Maha Al-Baghli explained that the committee held its meeting to verify the reasons behind the strikes of cleaners and to find radical solutions to eliminate this issue with the cooperation of the executive body in Kuwait Municipality, the Public Authority for Manpower, the State Audit Bureau and representatives of the relevant cleaning companies.
The most important observations and problems that were raised by the cleaning companies are the delay of some parties in offering new tenders, which has caused a stumble in the transfer of laborers from old contracts to the new ones, and the delay in labor files in PAM. There is also a problem in requesting the allocation of housing sites for laborers, which has led to companies faltering in receiving sites and executing contracts.
The committee concluded that there should be a liaison officer between the government agencies, the contracting authority, and PAM in order to avoid problems.
Officials in the authority affirmed that their offices are open and ready to extend a helping hand to the companies facing difficulty in transferring their workers due to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic or any other reasons.
Eng. Al-Baghli revealed that the committee has decided to hold workshops on three main topics regarding the employment problem, as well as a workshop to develop cleaning contracts in light of the remaining period of the current contracts, which amount to about 18 months, adding, “We need to put forward our observations on the current contracts in order to avoid problems in the future contracts”.