Companies must hire Kuwaiti auditors; move to create nearly 16,000 jobs

Education ministry lays off third batch of expats effective July

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) issued a decision mandating all insurance companies, insurance brokers, companies practicing real estate brokerage, real estate offices dealing with gold and precious metals and money exchange companies to appoint Kuwait auditors effective Jan 1, 2020 to fight money laundering. Al-Qabas daily had reported yesterday that the move is expected to generate nearly 16,000 job opportunities for Kuwaiti jobseekers in the private sector.

And in another decision that goes in line with the ‘Kuwaitization’ policy, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has decided to lay off a third batch of expats effective July, said informed educational sources, noting that the majority of those to be terminated work for Hawally and Farwaniya educational governorates, and that lists of the suggested names had been submitted to minister Al-Azmi for approval to proceed with the policy of replacing expats with citizens.

In the meantime, state departments seem to be continuing the replacement policy in various fields, hiring more Kuwaiti advisors specialized in IT systems to replace expats. Informed sources said the finance ministry approved a request by a government body to adjust the value of a tender to provide IT advisors to become KD 1.5 million, provided the body coordinates with the Civil Service Commission and Kuwaitize these positions.
In a separate education concern, the Central Agency for Public Tenders agreed to extend a contract on fixing, operating and maintaining various air conditioners, cooling, heating and ventilation devices in schools in Jahra educational zone from March 31 till June 30, 2019 at a total cost of KD 58,444,748.

Data statements
The Public Authority for Manpower invited employers and authorized signatories to submit their endorsed data statements within 90 days ending Aug 14, 2019 to avoid suspending transactions of their companies. The manpower authority’s public relations manager and official spokesperson Aseel Al-Mazyad said the authority had previously announced openings to receive employers’ data through its website http://www.manpower.gov.kw.

Excellent performance bonuses
The Secretariat General of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development finished preparing lists with 300 names of its employees to be paid excellent performance bonuses, said assistant secretary general for administrative and financial affairs Eman Al-Mutairi, noting that a nearly KD 240,000 in bonuses will be paid within a few days.

Drug prices
Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah announced reducing the prices of 291 drugs by up to 50 percent, explaining that the new prices were set upon recommendations made by the GCC drug pricing committee. He noted that the new prices will go into effect at private pharmacies 30 days after publishing the resolution in the official gazette. Health Ministry’s assistant undersecretary for medicine and food control Dr Abdullah Monjed Al-Bader said reductions will continue side by side with periodic inspection of medicines, namely those for chronic diseases.

Delayed payment
Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Fahad Al-Shula formed a special committee to investigate the delay in paying the salaries of cleaning workers at the Quran affairs sector for four months, said informed sources, noting that the committee’s tenure will be of two months, after which it will report back to the minister.

Different IDs
The Ministry of Social Affairs’s charities department withdrew the IDs of 32 representatives working in the 16th Ramadan donation collection program after finding the same representatives hold different IDs from different charities, which is against regulations.

Car fire
A vehicle caught fire yesterday along King Fahd Expressway, Kuwait Fire Service Directorate said in a statement, noting that firemen rushed to the scene and managed to control the fire without any casualties.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi and A Salel

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