29 March 2011
KUWAIT: Public sector workers are set to receive a pay increase after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) approved a KD100 monthly pay rise for all civil servants who were not included in last year's round of salary increases. The pay rise, approved during the CSC's meeting on Sunday, will benefit 17,000 Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti public sector workers working in various state bodies, regardless of rank. Also during Sunday's meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and interior minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, the CSC approved increases for Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti teachers at the country's state schools.
The commission also approved additional financial benefits for assistant engineers in the public sector, as well as launching an inquiry into the possibility of including additional annual funding, such as rent allowances, for expatriate teachers. The decision to increase state teachers' pay means that almost 150,000 teachers will see their monthly salaries increased by KD150 to KD250, reported Al-Qabas. Meanwhile, the assistant engineers will see their monthly wage rise by KD100 each, to KD250.
Meanwhile, already set to answer for inquiries regarding the housing, development and housing subjects, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad now appears to also be required to face questions on national unity when he faces the grilling motion filed against him by the National Action Bloc (NAB).
MPs Marzouq Al-Ghanim and Adel Al-Sarawi, who filed the interpellation motion, raised questions during a recent meeting about whether the deputy premier had accomplished any progress on this front since he was assigned to head a commission tasked with strengthening national unity. Al-Ghanim further criticized Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad who is also the Minister of Development and Minister of Housing, accusing him of failing to achieve significant progress in development "which could have taken his focus from the
national unity issue". Al-Sarawi further accused the minister of being a "bystander" when it came to reinforcing national unity.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad "was too busy solidifying his influence that he failed to commit to his duties pertaining subjects of vital importance to the state," Al-Ghanim claimed, accusing the deputy premier of failing to implement the development plan, or to prevent national unity from being damaged by sectarianism. The cabinet two years ago appointed the minister chairman of a special commission established to devise measures to combat any factors which could damage national unity, reported Al-Rai.
The two lawmakers made their remarks during a coordination meeting with members of other parliamentary blocs, which also featured Dr. Faisal Al-Mislem, Dr. Jamaan Al-Harbish and Falah Al-Sawagh from the Development and Reform Bloc, and Musallam Al-Barrak from the Popular Action Bloc. During the meeting, DRB member Dr. Walid Al-Tabtabaie also reiterated his bloc's support for Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad's grilling.
KUWAIT: Public sector workers are set to receive a pay increase after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) approved a KD100 monthly pay rise for all civil servants who were not included in last year's round of salary increases. The pay rise, approved during the CSC's meeting on Sunday, will benefit 17,000 Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti public sector workers working in various state bodies, regardless of rank. Also during Sunday's meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and interior minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, the CSC approved increases for Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti teachers at the country's state schools.
The commission also approved additional financial benefits for assistant engineers in the public sector, as well as launching an inquiry into the possibility of including additional annual funding, such as rent allowances, for expatriate teachers. The decision to increase state teachers' pay means that almost 150,000 teachers will see their monthly salaries increased by KD150 to KD250, reported Al-Qabas. Meanwhile, the assistant engineers will see their monthly wage rise by KD100 each, to KD250.
Meanwhile, already set to answer for inquiries regarding the housing, development and housing subjects, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad now appears to also be required to face questions on national unity when he faces the grilling motion filed against him by the National Action Bloc (NAB).
MPs Marzouq Al-Ghanim and Adel Al-Sarawi, who filed the interpellation motion, raised questions during a recent meeting about whether the deputy premier had accomplished any progress on this front since he was assigned to head a commission tasked with strengthening national unity. Al-Ghanim further criticized Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad who is also the Minister of Development and Minister of Housing, accusing him of failing to achieve significant progress in development "which could have taken his focus from the
national unity issue". Al-Sarawi further accused the minister of being a "bystander" when it came to reinforcing national unity.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad "was too busy solidifying his influence that he failed to commit to his duties pertaining subjects of vital importance to the state," Al-Ghanim claimed, accusing the deputy premier of failing to implement the development plan, or to prevent national unity from being damaged by sectarianism. The cabinet two years ago appointed the minister chairman of a special commission established to devise measures to combat any factors which could damage national unity, reported Al-Rai.
The two lawmakers made their remarks during a coordination meeting with members of other parliamentary blocs, which also featured Dr. Faisal Al-Mislem, Dr. Jamaan Al-Harbish and Falah Al-Sawagh from the Development and Reform Bloc, and Musallam Al-Barrak from the Popular Action Bloc. During the meeting, DRB member Dr. Walid Al-Tabtabaie also reiterated his bloc's support for Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad's grilling.
© Kuwait Times 2011
