Kuwait MP slams KPC over plans to hire expats
MP Faisal Al-Kandari criticized Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) for reportedly fielding job offers for expatriates at a time when thousands of Kuwaitis remain in the unemployment line. “What is happening in the oil sector is a farce,” he proclaimed, saying in a statement to the press yesterday that KPC had contacted the Fatwa and Legislation Department demanding permission to appoint expat secretaries and administrative staff directly at a drilling company. “The problem is that the contract’s value is KD 4 million and will not go through the standard tendering process,” he added, wondering why no tender was announced.
Kandari added that KPC had recently laid off many expats with the excuse of rationalizing expenditure. He also noted that the concerned drilling company had been involved in various violations. Finally, Kandari urged Oil Minister Essa Al-Marzouq to subject whoever is behind this decision to legal accountability, especially since many unemployed citizens are waiting for a job opportunity in the oil sector.
Failure in legislation
Separately, Chairman of the parliamentary priorities committee MP Thamer AlSowaitt said some MPs like to hold the committee responsible for their own failure in legislation. Speaking to reporters, Sowaitt stressed that according to parliamentary norms, whenever a committee finalizes a report on certain bills, the priorities committee should be notified so that the report could take its turn in the priorities agenda. Meanwhile, MP Askar Al-Enezi urged the government to immediately intervene to stop what he described as illegal practices committee by the central apparatus for illegal residents affairs against thousands of bedoons, such as suspending the renewal of their security cards. Enezi stressed that this is inhumane, as it deprives bedoons any access to education, healthcare and employment.
Allowances suspended
The Public Authority for Housing Welfare warned that citizens who reject the housing unit allocated to them in new cities might have their rent allowances suspended unless they apply to get their units in new projects in South Khaitan, South Abdullah Al-Mubarak and South Mutlaa.
Free licenses
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has finalized preparations to use an online system to issue free licenses, which will be completely ready after the Eid holidays, said informed sources, noting that the one-window system will be used to issue these licenses. Notably, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Acting Minister of State for Youth Affairs Khaled Al-Roudhan had issued a ministerial decision announcing that the new licenses would include 20 activities such as fashion design, interior designing, software and website design and programming, telecom device repairs, translation, organizing sports championships, exhibitions, sports camps, photography and others. It is also expected that the national fund for small and medium projects will fund these projects.
Session postponed
Because of the upcoming Eid holidays and the engagement of many members in obligations abroad, the Municipal Council postponed its coming session till July 10. The last session in this council’s tenure would be held on Aug 21.