KUWAIT: Civil service employees at the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) may see salary deductions if they fail to show up to work on time now that a new fingerprint timeclock system has been installed. The new system directly connects employees time clock check ins to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) tracking system, according to sources with knowledge of the system.

Meanwhile MP Dr Mohammed Al-Huwailah warned that the cancelation of special allowances for Kuwaiti engineers and technicians newly appointed at the MEW would have a negative effective. He noted that it would discourage nationals from applying to work in the ministry. Huwailah added that the allowance was approved in 2002 to encourage Kuwaiti engineers and technicians to work in distant work sites.

"Cancelling it now is completely against government plans to Kuwaitize the public sector employees," he warned, noting that talk about privatizing the water and electricity sector was unacceptable as it provides vital public services.

By A Saleh