KUWAIT: The Egyptian central department for mobilization and statistics rejected an announcement by Kuwaiti State Minister for Economic Affairs Mariam Al-Aqeel about the inaccuracy of the Egyptian department's numbers. It affirmed the credibility of its figures of work permits issued - 230,803 - which reflects the number of permits issued to Egyptians working in Kuwait during 2018 officially and documented by concerned authorities, which cannot be doubted.

The department
said the numbers include two types of work permits - those issued for the first
time and those renewed of people working in Kuwait. It said the number of
permits issued for the first time is 98,794, while those renewed number
132,009, which means 8,000 Egyptians entered Kuwait during each month of 2018.

Kuwait's Central
Statistical Bureau had issued a statement earlier stating that 62,191 work
permits were issued for Egyptians in 2018, and that 23,883 permits were
cancelled, with a net total of 38,308 permits for work in the private sector.
It said the total number of Egyptian workers appointed in the government sector
last year was 577, most of whom are in medical, educational and legal professions.

Bedoons' issue

In other news,
information has leaked from the team preparing a solution for the issue of
bedoons, as a new law is being prepared by parties from the National Assembly,
interior ministry and the central agency for illegal residents. Sources said
the law, which will be submitted to the Assembly during the upcoming term, was
to be ready by the end of this month to be discussed in September, but it was
not completed due to differences of opinion, adding that it may be discussed in
November.

The sources said
differences are over how to deal with bedoons included in the 1965 census, as
hardliners in the team believe those without suspicion of having another
nationality and without security restrictions will be naturalized. The number
of those falling in this category is about 5,000 and if their children are
added, the number will be between 10,000-12,000 only.

"On the
other hand, others argue that the agency's record is not fully accurate and
supported by documents," the source said, adding that this team calls for
naturalizing all those with 1965 census provided they do not have another
nationality and have nothing to do with a relative who has another nationality.

Disabled people's
exemption

The
communications ministry has formed a team to activate the disabled rights law,
starting by exemption of public service fees. The team is looking into reviving
items of law 8/2010 with regards to the rights of the disabled and its
amendments, most notably item 37, which says the disabled will be exempted from
government fees for public services.

Social events'
ads

Awqaf and Islamic
Affairs Minister and State Minister for Municipal Affairs Fahd Al-Shula issued
an administrative circular to all heads of sectors and department managers at
municipal branches to follow and supervise cooperatives' compliance with the
rules related to advertisements of social events, with regards to general and
particular decisions mentioned in item 17a of ministerial decision 172/2006
regarding having one advertisement board at the entrance and another at the
exit of the supermarket parking, and one board only in the parking of each
branch.

The ad should be
limited to social events, should be made of six frames on either side on a
cylindrical pole of a minimum 2.5 m in height, and should be fixed. No
investment or commercial ads should be affixed on it. There should not be
stickers of any kind on the boards and anything that will obstruct the view of
road signs.

By A Saleh