KUWAIT CITY, March 22: Undersecretary of Social Affairs and Labor Abdul-Mohsen Al-Mutairi has urged senior officials to ease procedures related to the activities of cooperative societies, particularly contract documentation, correspondence, attestation, and transactions for shopping malls and their branches, reports Al- Watan Arabic daily. Al-Mutairi made the call at a recent meeting with Assistant Undersecretary of Cooperative Affairs Dr Jassem Ashkanani and the directors of relevant departments to discuss the responsibilities of each department. He focused on the need to abide by regulations, so that officials would be decisive in applying decisions that regulate the activities of employees or board members. Meanwhile, Assistant Undersecretary for Labor Affairs Jamal Al-Dousari cautioned employers against violating rules guiding the payment of monthly salaries to workers in their individual bank accounts.

Suspend
He reiterated that the ministry will suspend file of any company found culpable in that regard until violation is corrected, adding that such companies will be referred to General Investigations Department. In the meantime, the Undersecretary of Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Abdulmohsen Al-Mutairi recently held a meeting with the ministry officials to discuss about controlling the current method of labor recruitment and adopting best ways of doing so, reports Al- Seyassah daily.

During the meeting, Al- Mutairi insisted that the employers and employees must respect the laws and ministerial decisions governing all issues related to labor and severe punishments should be imposed on those who fail to do so, adding that all employees of the labor departments must provide best services to the employers and employees.

Meanwhile, sources revealed that the Social Development Sector affiliated to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor issued a report on social aids recently which indicated that KD 12,754,880 was distributed as social aid during the month of February 2013. They explained that the beneficiaries of the social aids included 4,901 elderly people, 3 disabled individuals who are unable to work, 127 orphans, 859 widows, 7,698 divorced women, 1,359 ailing individuals, 1,559 financially unstable individuals and families of 938 prisoners.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor issued a circular to all accredited journalists in the ministry, instructing them to submit a letter to the Public Relations Department before making interviews or taking statements from employees, reports Al-Anba daily quoting sources. Sources said the letter should be addressed to the undersecretary, indicating this is just one of many steps being taken by the ministry to ensure smooth flow of work procedures.