KUWAIT: Head of the National Assembly's health and labor committee MP Humoud Al-Khudhair said yesterday that the government rejected amendments to the labor law to raise annual leave in the private sector from 30 to 35 days. The law had been approved by the Assembly in the first reading last month with the government's approval, but the second and final vote on the legislation was delayed without any reason.
Khudhair did not say when the government made the rejection, which is expected to block its passage in the Assembly. The government has the right to reject laws approved by the Assembly, which also has the right to override the government's rejection by approving the law again by a two-thirds majority, or waiting until the next term to pass it with a simple majority. Lawmakers had said the main purpose of the law is to lure more Kuwaitis to the private sector, which is dominated by expatriates. The amendment would have reduced the gap between benefits offered by the public and private sectors.
Meanwhile, MP Majed Al-Mutairi said yesterday that five lawmakers have submitted a request to the Assembly urging speeding up the approval of a draft law calling on the government to write off bank debts on Kuwaiti citizens. The lawmaker said his proposal has so far received strong positive response by MPs and the public, and as a result he and other MPs have urged the Assembly for a quicker debate to approve the legislation. The proposed law calls for writing off consumer and housing loans taken by Kuwaiti citizens from local banks to help them meet the increasing cost of living, according to Mutairi.
MP Ahmad Al-Fadhl said yesterday that a member in a committee formed by the defense ministry to probe the Eurofighter jet deal was found to hold a forged university degree. The lawmaker questioned how someone who has committed forgery can investigate a multibillion-dollar deal suspected to be marred by corruption. He said that an Assembly committee found some big names in a list of those suspected to have fake university degrees, including some who were appointed members in the municipal council and another leading a department in the information ministry. He said the government silence on the issue is suspicious.
By B Izzak