KUWAIT CITY, Jan 28: The Ministry of Health has approved the proposed salary increment for Bedoun nurses, reports Al-Anba daily quoting a reliable source.
The source explained the ministry took this step in line with the recommendation of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) that the pay raise should be based on the beneficiaries’ academic qualifications.  He said there will be a difference in the increment for those who hold bachelors degree, diploma and secondary certificates. He confirmed the Bedoun nurses will receive salaries equal to their expatriate counterparts.
According to the source, the Bedoun nurses are also entitled to nature of job and level of job allowances based on years of experience as stated in CSC decision number 5/2009. He disclosed the level A Bedoun nurses will receive KD 170 nature of job allowance, KD 120 for level B and KD 80 for level C.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet is expected to endorse the salary increments approved by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) in its regular weekly meeting on Sunday, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting sources.
Sources disclosed CSC Chairperson Abdulaziz Al-Zebn has amended some entitlements to ensure the total cost does not exceed KD 360 million - the amount specified by the Economic Advisory Committee to avoid depleting the national budget. Sources said Kuwaiti employees with low income like the administrative assistants and messengers will receive double their allowances.
Sources confirmed the increment will be fair as each specialty in all ministries has been taken into consideration. Sources clarified the basic pay raise is according to sections, not levels, to guarantee equal treatment of employees. Expatriates in the public sector will receive KD 50 increment to help them cope with the soaring prices in the local market, while the Kuwaitis in the private sector will get KD 250 through the Government Manpower Restructuring Program (GMRP), the sources added.
In another development, the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) has postponed the distribution of plots in Nassem and Abu Halifa until further notice due to technical disagreements between the authority and the ministries of Electricity, Water and Public Works, reports Al-Rai daily quoting sources.
Sources said the authority was surprised when it received the plots because the services did not include designs for electricity network.  Sources revealed the problem led to redesigning the city again to accommodate the network and this will cause loss of about 700 plots. Sources added the redesigning phase takes about three months to be followed by submission to the Municipal Council for approval. The major problem now is the Ministry of Electricity and Water’s admission that it will not be able to connect electricity network in Nassem and Abu Halifa in less than three years, sources concluded.