Bill aims to weed ‘wasta’ out of hiring

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KUWAIT CITY, Dec 11: MP Saleh Ashour submitted a bill on amending Civil Service Law No. 15/1979, such that the recruitment of public sector workers should be only through the nomination of the Civil Services Commission (CSC). According to the bill, public institutions should send their manpower requests to the CSC; which will then nominate those who applied through its recruitment system.

Ashour explained the bill is aimed at stopping the use of influence (‘wasta’) in the recruitment process, pointing out that most of the requirements and conditions specified in job advertisements are obviously made for applicants supported by influential individuals. He said this bill will reduce the waiting period for applicants at CSC, considering more than 100 applicants are currently on the waiting list and they missed many opportunities due to the job advertisements that public institutions publish separately. The bill mandates the Council of Ministers to issue the executive regulations once it is ratified.

MP Muhammad Al-Hewaila has proposed amending Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) Law No. 61/1976 to prevent the collection of additional fees or interest on loans that employees or retirees obtain from PIFSS. He argued the collection of additional fees or interest on such loans is a violation of the Constitution and the relevant laws.

MP Essa Al-Kandari submitted a proposal to implement regulations stipulating the conditions for selecting the best offers for public tenders; including the submission of the list of achievements, commitment to complete projects on time and honesty. He also stressed the need to activate the government’s oversight and monitoring role in the implementation of projects, impose penalties on contractors who violate the provisions of contracts, and enforce the last clause of Article 27 of Civil Service Law No. 15/1979 to punish public sector workers if they commit errors, in addition to the penalties stated in Article 14 of the Public Funds Protection Law and those stipulated in other relevant laws.

Meanwhile, MP Hamad Al- Obaid forwarded queries to Minister of Health Ahmed Abdulwahab Al-Adwani about the alleged lack of medicines for asthma in public pharmacies. If this is true, he wants to know the plan of the Health Ministry to address the issue.

On the other hand, items in the agenda for the ordinary sessions scheduled for Dec 13-14 are as follows:

• several items added to the minutes of the sessions held on Nov 29-30,

• incoming letters, petitions and complaints,

• voting on report number 24 of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee about the request to lift the parliamentary immunity of MP Majed Al-Mutairi for Lawsuit No. 2066/2020 filed at the Capital Public Prosecution,

• report No. 25 of the same committee regarding the bills on the conflict of interests,

• program of the government, • election of a member of the Human Rights Committee to replace MP Muhammad Hayef Al-Mutairi who resigned from the committee,

• voting on the requests of MPs to form fact-finding committees to investigate several cases like the violations in distributing industrial plots and Karacal helicopter deal,

• request to form a temporary parliamentary committee for retirees,

• reports of the Budgets and Final Accounts Committee on the final accounts of independent institutions for fiscals 2018/2019 and 2019/2020.

Furthermore, National Assembly Speaker Ahmed Al-Saadoun had a meeting with Chairman of the Secretariat General at the National Assembly Workers Union Jamal Al Shalahi, Vice Chairman Muhammad Al-Failakawi, Secretary Eid Al-Ajmi, Treasurer Talal Al-Anzi and member of the Board of Directors Shaima’a Al-Sherazi.

He also met with Chairman of Kuwait Association of Accountants and Auditors Yousef Saleh Al-Othman, Board Chairman Rashed Al-Hatlani, Secretary Abdullah Al-Kandari; board members Faisal Al-Tebeikh, Sabah Al-Jalawi, Abdulwahab Al- Fares, Fahd Al-Azmi, Chairman of the Accounting and Auditing Consultation Committee Dr Faleh Al-Azmi and auditors Dr Ali Rekhais and Nasser Al-Anzi. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff

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