ShareKUWAIT: A number of employees of the ministry of electricity and water plan to hold a sit-in on Sunday in protest over their new work timings from 7:30 am till 2:30 pm, which started at the beginning of January to replace the old timings of 8:00 am till 2:00 pm. Informed MEW sources stressed that the ministry fully respects Civil Service Commission regulations concerning working hours and timings in various government bodies.
Notably, the first workday following the new year holiday on Jan 2 witnessed very low employee attendance at the ministry, where only 50 percent of the total workforce showed up to work under the fingerprint system. However, the sources remarked that some of the absent employees had official leave of absence, while others might have faced some urgent circumstances.
Ballot photographer jailed
The court of cassation yesterday upheld an earlier verdict to imprison a citizen for two years, but suspended the verdict for three years conditional on good conduct and KD 500 bail over charges of photographing his ballot card to send to a candidate in the fourth electoral constituency.
'Drug user' acquitted
The criminal court yesterday acquitted a citizen who had been accused of drug abuse on grounds that the arrest officer had found the citizen unconscious in the street and some drugs besides him. The court explained that article 52 of the penal proceedings law states "a policeman has the right to stop any individual and ask for identification if this is needed for investigations he is conducting". The court added that article 44 of the same law states that policemen have no right to arrest or search people on the street without prior warrants. The citizen's attorney Howra Al-Habib hailed the verdict and stressed that it is a triumph for citizens' liberties.
Minister makes surprise check
Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Saad Al-Kharraz yesterday paid a sudden visit to the public authority for the disabled, during which he listened directly to citizens' remarks and complaints. Kharraz also reviewed the modern technology used in receiving and issuing various types of transactions and urged employees to make visits easier for all applicants without any exemptions.
By A Saleh and Meshaal Al-Enezi
