Salary of Ministry of Information official withheld

KUWAIT CITY, March 4: A company tasked with launching three new government radio stations on the FM band has had its contract terminated by the Ministry of Information. The new stations went briefly on air on Tuesday which promoted the ministry to issue a statement, claiming that it was aware of the broadcast and that it was in coordination with the operating company although it had already issued the order to terminate the company's contract, reports Al-Jarida daily.

In a press release issued by the ministry's Director of Public Relations Moussa Turki, the ministry claimed that the broadcast was done to ensure proper operation of radio stations before they join their sister stations in Radio Kuwait on the FM band. The statement did not mention some facts that show that the project should have been handed over to the ministry by the company three years ago according to the contract between the two parties. Informed sources revealed that some parties are trying to hide this issue which had been raised by the State Audit Bureau and the General Prosecutor.

Director of News and Political Programs Section in the News Sector of the Ministry of Information Hussain Jamal's salary for the month of February has been withheld allegedly due to his refusal to commit to work only for the ministry, reports Al-Jarida daily.

Jamal described the decision as 'personal,' since it was not based on any legal basis. He added that the head of the legal affairs sector in the ministry said the decision came upon orders from the Information and Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah and Undersecretary Sheikh Faisal Al-Malek who claimed that he did not report to work. Jamal said he has official documents issued by the assistant undersecretary for News Sector proving that he reported to work and was performing duties required of him, in addition to the fact that he was on official leave from Jan 31st until March 17th.

Jamal added that this proves the 'personal' nature of the decision since the minister himself was away from the ministry for months, something that will not enable him to judge who is working and who is not.
He said he will go to court to demand payment of his salary, stressing that he refuses to be treated in this way after all his years in service of official media outlets.

© Arab Times 2011