Panel nods proposal to Kuwaitize govt jobs

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 6: MPs Saleh Ashour and Khalil Al-Saleh have submitted a bill on amending Article 19 of Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) Law number 61/1976 to increase the minimum monthly pension for retirees to KD 1,000. It can be recalled that this bill is part of the electoral platforms of the two lawmakers during the campaign period. MP Muhammad Al-Huwaila has proposed the establishment of a leadership center under the State Ministry for Cabinet Affairs. The center shall be autonomous administratively and financially; while its tasks include laying down plans and strategies for training youths to occupy leadership posts, conduct studies to determine the actual number of leaders that each public institution needs, specify the tasks of each category of senior officials, continuous evaluation of the performance of senior officials, and develop the skills of existing officials.

The Board of Directors of the center shall consist of five highly qualified members who will elect among themselves the board chairman. The board will determine the training program that every category needs; form committees that will conduct studies and present recommendations; and lay down the executive, organizing, financial and administrative regulations for the center.

Employees in ministries, other public institutions and Stateowned companies can apply for the board member post. The Council of Ministers will issue decisions to form the Board of Directors based on the presentation of the state minister for cabinet affairs, as well as specify the salaries and allowances of board members. Decisions of the board will be implemented only once approved by the concerned minister. The center’s budget will start and end as per the schedule of the State budget. The executive regulations should be issued within six months after the ratification of the bill and its publication in Kuwait Gazette.

Development
In another development, MP Osama Al-Shaheen asked Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Barrak Al-Sheetan why the Civil Service Commission (CSC) did not issue a decision on the continuation of online work for at least 50 percent of employees in ministries and other public institutions, considering the positive results of such practice during the Covid-19 crisis. He wants to know if CSC assigned a committee to conduct a study on flexible working hours or online work system. He also demanded for copies of studies submitted by consultancy committees from 2018 till date and experience of the members of these committees.

MP Khlaid Al-Otaibi forwarded queries to Minister of Justice, Integrity Enhancement, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdulaziz Majed Al-Majed about the justifications for appointing only 60 Kuwaiti primary researchers at Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies as a prelude to their appointment to the Public Prosecution. He asked about the number of Kuwaitis appointed as primary researchers in the last five years, number of expatriate public prosecutors, date of their appointment, and date of terminating their contracts. MP Saad Al-Khanfour asked Minister of Health Ahmad Abdulwahab Al-Adwani about the causes of delay in the demolition, reconstruction and maintenance of Farwaniya Health Center. He requested for a copy of the contract for this project. He wants to know if the contractor was fined for the delay, if the contractor has been paid or not, if the ministry filed a case against the contractor and vice versa, and if the ministry has a plan to expedite the completion of its projects.

Moreover, MP Abdulkareem Al-Kandari confirmed that the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee has approved his proposal to Kuwaitize public sector jobs and referred it to the Human Resources Development Committee. He urged the latter to expedite the completion of its report on the proposal for immediate ratification. In addition, Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Sa’adoun presided over the meeting of the Assembly Office on Sunday. Deputy Speaker Muhammad Al-Mutair, Secretary Osama Al-Shaheen, Observer Abdulkareem Al-Kandari, Financial and Economic Affairs Committee Chairman MP Shuaib Al- Muwaizri, Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee Chairman Muhannad Al Sayer and Secretary General Adel Al-Lughani attended the meeting. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff