Ten state departments included into civil defense committee

It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Kuwait Towers have lit up in support of a worthy cause or initiative. This comes as part of TEC’s commitment to its social responsibility and its efforts to promote social awareness across diverse segments within the local community

KUWAIT: Chairman of Kuwait Transparency Society (KTS) Majed Al-Mutairi said Kuwait is in dire need to establish a special ministry responsible for enhancing the concepts of transparency and fighting corruption, and act as the official front of executives. There is an urgent need to establish such a ministry, he said, adding that it matches international requirements, especially in view of the government's agenda that prioritizes fighting corruption.

Mutairi noted that the new ministry would complement the jurisdictions and liabilities of the Public Anti-Corruption Authority, also referred to as 'Nazahah' (integrity) in Arabic. "It will encourage Nazahah to do its job perfectly and provide it with the needed political status," he added, noting that administrative development and strategic planning should be part of the new ministry's duties in addition to highlighting the government's efforts in enhancing Nazahah and coordinating with various bodies to promote national and public awareness in this regard.

Mutairi added that KTS' new board of directors prioritizes effective participation in the national anti-corruption strategy that will improve Kuwait's ranking in the international Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which requires constant contact with the government and the parliament.

Civil defense

The Cabinet issued resolution number 962/2018 to include 10 government bodies into the civil defense committee. This includes assistant undersecretaries from the Finance Ministry, Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI), Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA), Public Authority for Industry (PAI), Public Authority for Roads and Transportation (PART), the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW), Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA), Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) and Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR).

Notably, the civil defense committee, headed by the interior minister, is responsible for coordinating civil defense plans' implementation amongst various bodies. The committee already includes representatives of the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), Defense Ministry, Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW), Ministry of Health (MoH), Oil Ministry, Ministry of Services, Information Ministry, Ministry of Public Works (MPW), Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL), Kuwait National Guard, the Environment Public Authority (EPA), the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR), Kuwait Municipality, Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD), the Customs General Department and Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS).

Kuwait's population

KUWAIT: The total number of Kuwait's population reached 4,588,148 as of the end of June 2018, including 1,385,960 citizens and 3,202,188 non-Kuwaitis, of which 680,000 are domestic helpers, according to Public Authority for Civil Information's database. Moreover, statistics issued last January showed that citizens represent only 31 percent of the total population, whereas citizens were 63 percent of the population in Saudi Arabia, 56 percent in Oman, 47 percent in Bahrain, 21 percent in Qatar and 19 percent in UAE. Meanwhile, citizens in all GCC states form only 52 percent of the total GCC population, Al-Anbaa reported, quoting the statistics.

Biometric access control

The Ministry of Education (MoE) decided to commit private school directors and their assistants to use the biometric access control systems after the related tender procedures to install fingerprint scanners are completed and the devices are installed by the beginning of the second term of the upcoming school year, said educational sources. Fingerprinting will be mandatory for all staff working in public schools and government employees working in private schools, the sources added. Notably, the private education general department appoints a director and assistant director in every private school to run them and follow up implementation of MoE regulations.

Labor dormitories

Minister of the Municipality Hosam Al-Roumi issued a decision amending ministerial resolution number 206/2009 pertaining with organizing construction of industrial facilities to allow building labor dormitories on no more than 10 percent of the industrial plot's total area.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi and A Saleh