KUWAIT CITY, March 14: The government remains committed to its promise to address the employment and training issues in the public sector, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting State Minister for Cabinet and Municipality Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah.

The minister made the statement during the closing ceremony for the National Youth Conference recently, in the presence of Director General of the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) Abdul-Aziz Al-Zebn.
He disclosed a recent statistical report showed there are around 290,000 government employees; excluding the military personnel and expatriates, while over 19,000 citizens are on waiting list for employment at the Civil Service Commission (CSC). He pointed out the number of employees in the public sector is triple its actual manpower need, but the government is still under pressure to provide employment opportunities to the citizens.

He also stressed the need to discuss the issue with full transparency to keep the public informed, because it is wrong to address problems related to the people behind dark glasses. He admitted the government faces serious problems in all ministries, citing the two ministries under his watch, information and municipality, as a case in point. He said five employees usually do the work of a single person.

Sheikh Mohammad added the expatriates constitute 10 percent of the employees in the public sector, except the Health and Education ministries. He reiterated that the number is worrisome; adding the mechanism of employment in Kuwait is faulty. He went on to say, “Regardless of my political responsibility, I am now worried about the future of my 21-year-old child, considering his slim chance in getting employed in the public sector after graduation.”