KUWAIT: The Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP) is carrying out distinguished efforts towards increasing the percentage of employing Kuwaitis and limiting future unemployment, MGRP Secretary General Fawzi Al-Majdali said. The program works in several areas at the same time to achieve this goal, support employment policies, create job opportunities for Kuwaitis and curb unemployment by providing many means that support nationals and urge them to work in non-government areas, financially or otherwise, he added.

The program exerts efforts towards achieving the targeted increase in Kuwaiti labor percentage in the private sector in many aspects, particularly monthly payments for Kuwaitis in nongovernment areas in order to urge them to work in the private sector, Majdali said. He added that the proposal to amend the percentages of Kuwaiti workers in the private sector is complete, and is being coordinated with concerned authorities to make 17,000 job opportunities available soon.

The program proposed and prepared four decisions that were issued by the Cabinet in 2003, 2005 and 2008 that aim to provide 33,732 citizens with jobs, Majdali further noted. He added that the program reviewed the current percentages decision and added some amendments to it, and carried out a survey of employers to make sure about their intentions to employ Kuwaitis in the private sector.

According to the proposed law, telecommunication and banking sectors will witness the highest percentage rises, because the new change stipulates that 65 and 68 percent of employees should be Kuwaitis respectively. The decision stipulates 30 percent of Kuwaitis in higher education, 8 percent for occupational, science and technical activities and 10 percent for support and administrative services.

Arcades

Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh issued ministerial decision 95A/2018 with regards to rules to grant approval to entertainment arcades. The decision stipulates that to grant approval, security, safety and preventive measures should be present. As for the specifications of the arcades, they should be at least 100 sq m in size with trained supervisors and a minimum of one for every five rides.

Electronic games should not contain bloody scenes that contribute to boosting violence or involve gambling. The decision bans the sale of food and drinks in the arcades until after obtaining a license from the concerned authority, and they must not have closed cabins. The decision set the hours for children from 8 am to 10 pm and 8 am to midnight for adults, except for holidays, when closing time can be extended till 2 am. The decision bans men from working in women's areas and women to work in men's areas and banned smoking in children's areas.

By A Saleh