(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY April 21: The Parliament on Tuesday agreed to refer a bill on the establishment of a stock company for the recruitment of domestic workers to the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee for further study instead of the Health Social Affairs and Labor Committee. This is in response to the request presented and supported by majority of the lawmakers. Last week Rapporteur of the Health Social Affairs and Labor Committee MP Sadoun Hammad Al-Otaibi told reporters that they rejected the bill due to some flaws in addition to the decision of Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) and Public Institution for Social Security (PISS) to reject it. During the debate on the bill Al-Otaibi argued that referring the bill to the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee is a violation of the Constitution and parliamentary bylaw. He reiterated his committee rejected the bill because the KIA and PISS refused to participate in the establishment of the company. He also claimed that Al-Awadhi owns the proposed company.
Bill
On the other hand Al-Awadhi stressed he does not own the company pointing out that he presented the bill in 2008 while he was working at the Ministry of Interior. He said the ministry and the Cabinet reached an agreement regarding the bill at the time. He asserted the cost for hiring a domestic worker was only KD 380 in the past but now it costs KD 1200 due to the presence of many domestic workers offices in the country. Meanwhile the Parliament approved the report of the Public Utilities Committee on the proposal to amend the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) Law in its second reading on Tuesday with 34 votes in favor and 12 against.
The revised law stipulates giving farm owners a period of not more than three years starting from the date of allocating the land to prove that he is serious in engaging in farming and other agricultural activities. It prohibits selling or renting out the allocated farm or agricultural land animal pens apiaries fisheries and others; unless five years have lapsed since the date of achieving the desired output. It also prohibits usage of land or properties beyond the allocated area for an individual or company.
The amended law gives the PAAAFR power to inspect allotted plots animal pens apiaries fisheries and other possessions. It shall revoke the allocation in case the owner violates the law and the latter must hand over the property within a month from the date of issuing the cancellation decision. It stipulates fine of not more than KD 10000 on anyone who uses the allotted land or property for activities other than the agreed purposes of allocation. Commenting on the amended law Minister of Oil and State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Ali Al-Omair asserted this guarantees food security and protection of the nation's resources. He cited the World Food Security Index released on May 30 2014 in which Kuwait was ranked first among Arab countries and 28th internationally in terms of ensuring food security for its citizens. He disclosed more steps will follow in this regard once the parliamentary investigative committee on farm land distribution completes its task.
Talking about the application of this law on the current farm owners Al- Omair explained the beneficiaries should use the allocated land only for the specified purposes while encouraging the farmers to continue their work to serve as role models for others. On another issue the Parliament approved the request of the Public Prosecution to lift the immunity of MP Nabil Al-Fadel on the press misdemeanor case filed by former MP Musallam Al- Barrak. However it rejected another request to lift the immunity of the same MP on a press misdemeanor case filed by former MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei citing conspiracy to disrupt the lawmaker's work.
By: Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff
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