KUWAIT CITY, Jan 22: The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor will start issuing work visas only after the National Assembly elections and the formation of the new government, reports Al-Dar daily quoting reliable sources.

The same sources said it was earlier announced that the work visas would be issued during this month, but the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammed Al-Nomas has reportedly requested to postpone the issuance of visas until after the elections for the National Assembly and the formation of the new government.

The sources added the Cabinet then will issue the list of countries which are eligible to apply for Kuwaiti work visas.

Meanwhile, Deputy Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah during a meeting with the head of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) AbdulAziz Al-Adsani was quoted as saying he is determined to put an end to what he called ‘squandering of funds’, reports Al-Rai daily quoting reliable sources.

During the meeting Al-Hmoud also disclosed that after the completing of the Ministry of Interior building all the ministry departments will be shifted to Sabhan. This will also lead to an end of all contracts which have been signed by the ministry with real estate owners to house some of the ministry departments. He disclosed this action will save the ministry KD 35 million annually.

The daily added, Sheikh Al-Hmoud has also pledged to tackle the issue of funds squandering, which mainly happens in the vehicles hiring department.

He disclosed hiring of an ordinary vehicle for senior ministry official costs the ministry ten-fold. He added the hiring of vehicles from now on will be done through what he called ‘our supervision’ and ‘transparent tenders.’

In another development, Head of the workers union at the Ministry of Information has denied rumors which said the employees plan to go on strike from Feb 2, 2012. This date coincides with the National Assembly elections, reports Alam Alyawm daily.

However, he said the ministry has chosen the path of negotiations and respect for officials and although the employees were promised salary raise in the mid-December 2011, nothing has occurred until now.
He went to say the CSC, a few days ago, had issued a statement saying the employees of the Ministry of Information will get a salary raise between KD 150 and KD 200, “and this is the problem.”