Expat hires stoke anger – MP hints on taxation

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KUWAIT CITY, Sept 11: MP Salah Khorsheed said an unstudied plan to appoint expatriates in ministries, particularly the Ministry of Social Affairs and its affiliates, provoked the ire of citizens who are searching for jobs.

He warned that the recruitment of expatriates has become a serious issue, since Kuwaitis are required to register at the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to get jobs while the expatriates are hired directly.

He clarified, “We are not against the recruitment of productive expatriate workers who will serve the country. We are against the terrifying growth of the expatriate population due to its negative impact on services provided to citizens.”

He emphasized the need to implement regulations which prevent expatriates from usurping services provided to citizens, indicating he does not see any harm in imposing taxes on expatriates. He appealed to every official of the State to control the number of expatriates, stressing Kuwait maintains good relations with all countries.

He said it is no longer acceptable to think that reducing the number of expatriates will affect the country’s foreign relations. “We want to address the issue, especially since our streets can no longer accommodate the cars of expatriates,” he concluded.

In a related issue, MP Abdul- Kareem Al-Kandari has called on Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al- Sabeeh to conduct an extensive investigation on the manpower estimates submitted by companies and institutions. He urged the minister to ensure the data provided by establishments are accurate, away from fraud and manipulation.

He said the minister should open this file, similar to what she did earlier with the social aid and disability claims. Moreover, MP Omar Al- Tabtabaei announced that he intends to submit an interpellation motion against Minister of Oil, Electricity and Water Essam Al-Marzouk at the beginning of the next legislative round.

He said the interpellation will be about the appointment of an expatriate as head of EQUATE Company, instead of a Kuwaiti. On the other hand, MP Salah Khorsheed also said that lawmakers are still keen on completing the priorities set in the previous session.

He clarified the strategic alternative salary scale presented by the government became a bone of contention between the authorities, so the Parliament decided to suspend talks on the bill for further study. He argued the gasoline price hike issue entails issuance of legislation to determine the government’s behavior or authority in increasing prices. In general, there are proposals in the agenda that limit the authority of the government, he added.

MP Abdullah Fahad affirmed that the priorities set in the previous legislative round like the strategic alternative salary scale, children’s allowance and gasoline prices remain in the agenda of the Parliament. He hopes for ratification of bills related to these issues in the next legislative round.

MP Hamoud Al-Khodair expects rearrangement of priorities through the coordinated efforts of the parliamentary Priorities Committee and other legislative committees to reach an agreement on the most important issues that should be tackled in the next round. He asserted the top priority should be improving the living conditions of citizens. “I think many MPs share this view. We will monitor the financial and economic reform plans of the government. We want to prevent recurrence of the gasoline price hike issue, as the prices increased during the parliamentary recess under the previous council. We will insist on coordination between the government and the Parliament bespecial fore approving proposals to increase prices or anything that touches the income of citizens. These are the main issues which will determine the course and relationship of the Parliament with the government,” he explained.

He said prioritizing items in the agenda is in the hands of the Parliament, such that priorities are determined through voting. “In the next round, we will focus on coordination with the Priorities Committee and the government to address issues like rent, child allowance and others which are aimed at improving the lives of citizens,” he added.

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff

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