Total number of workers grows by 3 percent annually: MP
KUWAIT: Member of the parliament's human resources development committee MP Safaa Al-Hashem said the 'replacement policy' was not put into practice although it had been approved 15 years ago, adding that the committee will take serious measures towards what she described as 'the government's stalling in this regard.' She was referring to the policy of replacing expatriate labor with national manpower in the public and private sectors, in a bid to rebalance the state's demographics. Hashem said Saudi Arabia and Oman are much ahead compared to Kuwait in executing similar policies.
"Had the government done the same, we would not find a non-Kuwait employee in the government sector by now," she underlined, noting that this goal can easily be reached within five years. Hashem urged the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL) to put an end to visa trafficking and set a five-year limit for expat workers to remain in Kuwait.
Meanwhile, MP Mohammed Al-Dallal said the demographic imbalance issue was snowballing and that the total number of workers is growing annually by 3 percent, "which leads to overcrowded streets and traffic congestions, needless to mention the load on security forces with the presence of over 3 million expats in the country compared to only 1.3 million citizens."
Legislative committee
In other news, the parliament's legal and legislative affairs committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow to discuss seven items on its agenda including reaching a final solution for all applications made to obtain Kuwaiti citizenship and another proposal filed by five lawmakers to establish a Sabah Al-Ahmad Generations Fund. Meanwhile, the committee assigned to investigate the aftermath of the recent heavy rain will meet today to discuss concerned bodies' readiness for such weather and their reaction during the rain.
Temporary marquees
Kuwait Municipality Director Ahmed Al-Manfouhi said a new charter on licensing temporary marquees and tents is being prepared to include all the needed fees, locations and conditions before referring it to the Municipal Council. Responding to an inquiry by Municipal Council member Maha Al-Baghli concerning these tents, Manfouhi said they are currently licensed by only paying insurance without any fees.
Retirees' numbers
The Public Institution For Social Security (PIFFS) said that the total number of retirees receiving KD 2,000 in monthly pension is 15,275 citizens, those receiving KD 1,000-2,000 number 73,057, while those receiving less than KD 1,000 are 34,356. The above statistics were included in a response by Finance Minister Nayef Al-Hajraf to an inquiry by MP Khalil Abdullah. Statistics also showed that the total social security subscriptions collected during the fiscal year 2016-2017 amounted to KD 2,000,057,506. Hajraf added that chapter one of the social security law regulates the categories deserving the pension once an employee dies regardless of nationality.
Robots' surgeries
Director of Sabah Al-Ahmad Urology Center Dr Fauzi Abul said that 73 surgeries were conducted at the center using robots this year, adding that robots make it easier for surgeons to conduct minute surgeries on prostate and kidney tumors. Abul added that the center has received 7,590 patients this year, adding that a new male sterility clinic was opened at the center where an open day awareness activity was held about prostate cancer.
Books' ban
Rejecting decisions by the information ministry to ban several books, the appeals court issued new rules stating that the ban is not effective in some decisions. The court upheld rulings of the court of first instance to cancel ministry decisions to ban some books in Kuwait, Al-Qabas reported yesterday quoting informed sources, who added that "we are living in an open world and a different era, so simple mistakes that the censorship authorities see do not require banning." Meanwhile, the sources said the administrative courts backed the information ministry's decisions in some cases, while some final rulings are pending. Some authors said on social media that censorship has gone too far and MPs must move because "we are a country of freedoms."
By A Saleh