Bill seeks hike in basic pay

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KUWAIT CTY, July 5: MPs Khalid Al- Tamar, Muhammad Al-Mahan, Hamdan Al-Azmi, Mubarak Al-Tasha and Hamad Al-Obaid have submitted a bill on amending Civil Service Law number 61/ 1976. The bill stipulates granting hazard allowance to the Ministry of Electricity and Water employees doing hazardous jobs like their counterparts at the Ministry of Oil. Aside from the hazard allowance, the bill allows these employees to opt for early retirement after 20 years in service maximum. It mandates the minister to specify the dangerous or hazardous jobs after consulting the health council. MP Mubarak Al-Tasha submitted a proposal for the State Ministry for Housing Affairs to provide the National Assembly with a housing plan including the number of applicants, number of ongoing housing projects stating the achievement rate per project, timetable and available space for the establishment of residential areas in the next 10 years.

MPs Fares Al-Otaibi, Majed Al-Mutairi, Mubarak Al-Hajraf, Khalid Al-Otaibi and Badr Nashmi Al-Anzi have proposed amending decree number 14/1992 on the social allowance and pension of public sector employees. According to the bill, the basic salary of Kuwaitis working in the public sector and are covered by CSC regulations will be increased by 35 percent; as well as those appointed based on special recruitment regulations. It also stipulates increasing the children allowance from KD 50 to KD 75 per child. MP Adel Al-Damkhi submitted a proposal to open a pediatric clinic in every dispensary in order to reduce the work load and crowds in public hospitals caused by the lack of pediatricians.

In addition, Al-Damkhi forwarded queries to Minister of Public Works Amani Bugamaz on the decision to extend the deadline for completion of the new Kuwait International Airport project until Nov 30, 2023. He asked why the project was not completed within the specified date, why the consultancy contract to supervise the execution of the project was extended until April 30, 2025 with a cost of KD 18 million, if the alleged shortage of workers in the contracting company (Limac) has been addressed, penalties imposed on the contractor for providing a lower number of workers, and if there is only one Internet network at Terminal Two; which means anyone can access confidential information.

Decision
He also asked the minister about the rationale behind the decision issued by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on April 17 to suspend the shift allowance for those occupying supervisory posts at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). He pointed out that the technical committee formed as per ministerial resolution number 70/2022 and its amendment (number 10/2023) recommended the cancellation of the decision as it is erroneous. He wants to know the steps that will be taken in case the affected employees decide to resign, considering the lack of enthusiasm among the lower ranking employees to be promoted to supervisory positions as they do not want to lose the shift allowance.

Meanwhile, an “achievable” action plan draft was presented during the Kuwaiti Cabinet meeting, said Deputy Premier Essa Al-Kanderi on Tuesday. The Cabinet, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, was briefed with the plan for the 17th legislative term (2023-2027); tasked with Finance Minister Manaf Al-Hajeri, noted Al-Kanderi, also Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs, after the meeting. The proposed plan is in light of the Government’s keenness to cooperate with the parliament, according to the Constitution and in an endeavor to manifest directives of His Highness the Amir on the ground, the deputy premier said. Regarding this year’s successful ‘Hajj’ (Muslim pilgrimage) season, the cabinet members expressed great appreciation of the exemplary efforts and generous care by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, of sisterly Saudi Arabia, and Crown Prince Mohammad Salman bin Abdulaziz for the guest of Merciful God during their stay in the Kingdom. The cabinet members fully appreciated the services and facilities offered by the Saudi authorities for pilgrims at the holy shrines.

They reviewed a range of political regional and international issues, including the recent burning of a copy of the holy Quran in Stockholm. They renewed Kuwait’s strong condemnation of the despicable act by an extremist in Sweden, calling on the international community to act urgently against sentiments of hate and extremism, prevent recurrence of slanderous behaviors targeting Muslims, and bring to book anybody who might use the freedom of expression as a pretext to offend against the holy faith. The cabinet members strongly denounced the Israeli onslaught on Jenin city in the occupied Palestinian West Bank which resulted in dozens of casualties.

They reaffirmed Kuwait’s unequivocal rejection of the escalation and recurrent aggressions by the Israeli occupation authorities against the brotherly people of Palestine. They noted that the ongoing Israeli aggression is a new ring in a chain of fl agrant violations of the international law and UN conventions, which require urgent intervention by the UN Security Council. They urged international community and the UN Security Council, in particular, to shoulder their political, legal and humanitarian responsibilities, and provide the necessary protection for the Palestinian people pursuant to the rules of the international law. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff and Agencies

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