11,851 Kuwaitis on waiting list for employment

KUWAIT CITY: There are 11,851 Kuwaiti citizens registered under CSC in the waiting list for employment; 77.3 percent of them (9,157 in number) are women, and 22.7 percent (2,694 in number) are men, reports Al-Anba daily quoting informed sources from Civil Service Commission (CSC).

They explained that the statistics issued by CSC on Aug 19 reveal that the total number of the registered highly qualified applicants is 1,985, those without any qualifications is 1,712 and those holding diploma certificates is 423.

Majority of the registered applicants hold elementary level certificate. They are 3,077 in number, constituting 25.96 percent. The sources said the aforementioned applicants will be offered positions in different ministries and state bodies based on the keenness of CSC to ensure citizens receive employment and to implement the replacement (Kuwaitization) policy.

The Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) has suspended procedures for cutting water supply in private housing units whose owners failed to pay their bills on time and it will resume after the Eid Al-Adha holiday, reports Al-Rai daily.

Meanwhile, offices in the Consumers Affairs Department at the ministry recently witnessed crowds as a large number of citizens came to rectify their situation after the announcement of the list of consumers whose debts exceeded KD1,000 and they have been warned that the services will be cut if they do not settle their bills.

Sources said many defaulters have requested for postponement of disconnection until they rectify their situation, indicating the ministry collected KD1.7 million within one day after the announcement of the list of defaulters with huge amount of outstanding bills.

On the other hand, a number of monitors at the Consumers Affairs Department asked for expansion of powers granted to them to enable them to receive 25 percent of the total debt as first payment from consumers who are willing to settle outstanding bills, instead of 50 percent.

They also requested for authorizing heads of departments and legal affairs employees to do the same in a bid to provide the service to as many citizens as possible. The monitors pointed out that they are away from their offices most of the time due to the nature of their work so when consumers come to their offices to pay they are usually outside touring various offices in governorates as part of their duties; hence, the need to authorize the heads of departments and legal affairs employees to receive payment.

Sources added the ministry toughened procedures for cutting electricity in investment units and commercial shops whose owners failed to pay their bills within the deadline. They affirmed the ministry has informed the owners of buildings that they will bear the cost for re-connecting the service once