MOVE CONTRAVENES AGENDA OF GOVERNMENT, SAYS AL-MEDLEJ

KUWAIT CITY, June 15: The newly-elected MPs have reacted sharply to the decision of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to merge the Employment Monitoring Department with the Legal Affairs Department. MPs-elect Osama Al-Shaeen, Shuaib Shaaban, Hamad Al-Medlej, Muhammad Al-Hewaila, Hamdan Al- Azmi and Badr Sayyar Al-Shemmari expressed their objection to the decision. Al-Shemmari argued that the decision is unacceptable, stressing the Employment Monitoring Department is supposed to be affiliated with the Bureau of Financial Controllers (BFC) to strengthen oversight and monitoring.

Al-Medlej called for questioning the senior officials who issued the decision, because it contravenes the agenda of the government. He pointed out that the previous government submitted a proposal to put the Employment Monitoring Department under BFC. He also urged HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to adhere to the program of his government, which includes intensifying efforts to combat corruption.

Al-Azmi said the caretaker government has been taking many destructive decisions; such as the abovementioned decision and the referral of senior pilots for retirement. He stressed the need for HH the Prime Minister to interfere in order to stop such steps. Al-Hewaila underscored the need to cancel the decision, which he considers suspicious as it was issued at a critical time. He confirmed support for the program of the government, because it is keen on combating corruption. He added the Employment Monitoring Department is one of the tools for implementing the program of the government.

Shaaban believes that administrative corruption is one of the major obstacles to national progress and development. He then called for cancellation of the decision in question in order to guarantee integrity and address administrations shortcomings. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff