KUWAIT: The Cabinet is expected to make a decision on whether to retire public sector employees with over 30 years of service, reported Al-Watan. The decision would exclude those whose services are needed by their respective ministries as they would be allowed to stay as long as a request from the minister is made on their behalf. The meeting, to be held today, will feature a demonstration by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ahmad Al-Haroun, on the weekly report of the activities against the manipulation of consumer product prices.

On a separate note, the Cabinet is said to be considering assigning the Savings and Credit Bank (SCB) the role of supervising the female citizens housing project. The Cabinet would amend the housing care law in order to allow women to benefit from government support, which would be offered in two options. The first offer would be a home in a special apartment building owned by SCB while the other would be a simplified loan, between KD 40 to 50 thousand, to buy an apartment or house.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Works Undersecretary Abdullaziz Al-Kulaib announced the official launch of a direct deposit payment system for contractors and consultation offices. The method has been used since July and has allowed ministry officials easier access to financial information. In other news, official sources suggest that twelve MPs have gathered and agreed on forming a new parliamentary bloc. The new political group will focus on following up on issues concerning citizens and create draft l
aws on behalf citizens and their economic status.

The 'National Independent Bloc' will be comprised of a collection of independent MPs; MPs Dulaihi Al-Hajri, Khalid Al-Adwa, Husain Meziyad, Saadoun Hammad, Saleh Aashour, Khalaf Dumaitheer, Saad Al-Khanfour, Mubarak Al-Khurainej, Salem Al-Namlan, Askar Al-Enizy, Shuwaib Al-Muqwaizri and Ghanem Al-Miea. The topics they will focus on include a draft law to write off insolvent citizens' loans, a draft law allowing citizens to build diwaniyas on state property in exchange for limited fees, a solution for the bedoon situation, a co-operative societies law, a price control law and a law to protect women's civil and social rights.

Meanwhile, MP Daifullah Buramia submitted a series of inquisitions to the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Roudhan Al-Roudhan. He questioned the minister's decision to appoint seven undersecretaries for the Fatwa and Legislation Department as a step toward restructuring the management and improve the department's quality of work. The MP asked why the department's chairman refused to implement the decision and questioned the minister's authority to make such a decision.

On a separate note, the Cabinet's official spokesman, the Minister of Communications and Parliament Affairs Dr Mohammad Al-Busairi, said that the cabinet is keen on finishing the development plan's final vision. He noted that no companies have bid on the low cost homes tender. He mentioned that the lack of bids was most likely caused by the companies' desire to wait and see how the government will support the projects. - Kuwait Times