Nod to Higher Power Tariffs for Expatriates, Businesses
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SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2016 RAJAB 7, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Empower Jordan security Bill Gates Atletico in semis women by services shut predicts as Griezmann abolishing Brotherhood end of double knocks outdated3 laws headquarters8 polio13 soon out20 Barcelona Nod to higher power tariffs Min 22º Max 33º for expatriates, businesses High Tide 05:52 & 16:10 Low Tide Lawmakers exempt citizens from proposed raises 10:53 40 PAGES NO: 16844 150 FILS By B Izzak conspiracy theories KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday voted in the first round to allow the government to raise electricity This is apartheid and water charges on apartment buildings - mostly used by expatriates - and businesses, but exempted citi- zens. Thirty-one MPs voted in favor and 17 members against the bill. The second and final round of voting will take place after two weeks, and MPs said they will introduce amendments to the bill. If given the final clearance, it will be the first time in 50 years that Kuwait By Badrya Darwish will raise power charges. According to the bill, those living in apartments will pay 5 fils per kilowatt for the first 1,000 kilowatts, 10 fils per kilowatt for between 1,000 and 2,000 kW and as much as 15 fils a kilowatt for consumption above 2,000 [email protected] kW. Water prices will also be more than doubled. Citizens and those staying in private houses have been exempted and will continue to pay just 2 fils per kilo- fter many sessions since the government watt regardless of consumption. MPs are expected to started suggesting increasing the prices of also exempt tens of thousands of Kuwaiti families living petrol and water for the nation and took it to A in apartments while waiting for their turn to receive a the parliament for debate of course due to the drop government house. in the price of oil - this is what the great parliament It was not immediately clear when the new charges came out with yesterday. will be applied, but indications are that it will be applied The question of lifting subsidies was justified due only after installing smart power meters and could take to collapsing oil prices, with Kuwaiti crude hitting a up to one year. Initially, MPs rejected the draft law for low of around $20, but very recently we’ve seen including private houses, but then passed it when pri- prices rise as high as $36, and there is lots of opti- KUWAIT: Finance Minister and acting oil minister Anas Al-Saleh gestures as Electricity and Water Minister Ahmad vate houses were excluded. mism that oil prices will recover. On the other hand, Al-Jassar looks on during a parliament session at the National Assembly yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Continued on Page 13 Kuwait does not have a deficit if you include all of its revenue streams. So the big drama that the govern- ment is making by increasing prices, cutting budgets, tightening belts, or whatever you call it, is not totally National guard to be deployed at oil sites based on real numbers. These are the government’s justification which KUWAIT: Kuwait was to deploy national ers. KPC spokesman Sheikh Talal Khaled was to be considered by the parliament. guard units yesterday to run and protect Al-Sabah said the ministry had scheduled Unfortunately it was sad to see the parliament’s ver- MoI: No ‘amnesty’ some oil facilities after workers negotiations with the oil workers for dict on the issue yesterday. It approved increased announced a major strike for this week- today, and that the KPC would attend. electricity and water charges for businesses and end, a newspaper said. The units would Sheikh Talal said that under Kuwaiti laws, expats. for visa violators start working at facilities in the state’s oil- no strike can take place while negotia- This is impossible for businesses. It’s illogical to rich southern region, Al-Rai said, citing tions are under way, urging workers and increase any price more than 100 percent. As you can unnamed sources. The report could not KPC and its subsidiaries not to “heed calls see, it used to be 2 fils per kilowatt and now it will be Crackdown to continue be confirmed. Kuwait’s oil workers’ union to obstruct work”. A spokesman for the 25 fils per kilowatt for businesses. And for flats rented decided to begin an open-ended strike workers told AFP that the union was by expats, tariffs will jump from 2 fils per kilowatt to By A Saleh to pursue every lawbreaker every- from Sunday after a dispute with the gov- meeting to study the ministry request 15 fils per kilowatt. Kuwaitis living in apartments and where,” he added. ernment over proposed pay cuts. and whether to attend new negotiations. in residential areas will be exempted. KUWAIT: Kuwait has no plans to give an The minister confirmed that his min- Hit by the sharp drop in crude prices, However, a labor union leader said Why the discrimination in the nation? We are all amnesty to visa violators because law- istry’s new strategy aims to conduct full Kuwait is introducing a new payroll plans for the strike by thousands of work- living under the same roof. I’m lucky I’m Kuwaiti and breakers in recent years have used the and comprehensive security inspection scheme for all public employees and ers at state-owned oil, gas and petro- this will not affect me, but in all fairness, it’s not just amnesty period to exit the country tours in all governorates due to its effec- wants to include the country’s 20,000 oil chemical companies were in place, deny- and not Islamic at all to treat people who are living without paying fines, a senior govern- tiveness in apprehending wanted sus- workers, which would mean an automat- ing reports that negotiations were under with us in the same country in the same conditions in ment official said yesterday. pects in the country. About 42,000 ic cut in wages and incentives. The union way. “There are no negotiations between this apartheid manner. “It has become a habit that every expats living illegally in Kuwait had ben- decision for the strike at all production the unions and the government over the This is completely wrong and I hope the honor- now and then, visa violators look for- efited from a four-month amnesty peri- units and other facilities was taken on strike,” Farhan Al-Ajmi, head of the able gentlemen in the parliament will reconsider. I ward for an amnesty period so that they od which ended on June 30, 2011 - the Monday, a day after talks with acting oil Petrochemicals Industries Company know they plan to have one more reading in two can travel and escape without paying last time an amnesty was given. In minister Anas Al-Saleh broke down. Saleh workers union, told Reuters. He said the weeks to finalize this harsh verdict on businesses and their fines,” Deputy Prime Minister and January, the ministry allowed residency told parliament yesterday that negotia- door for negotiations had been closed expats. Kuwait has always been known as the freest Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al- violators to pay their fines and either tions with unions were still ongoing. since the last meeting with Saleh earlier and fairest nation in the Middle East. Don’t ruin its Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said during legalize their status or leave the country National oil conglomerate Kuwait this week. “The strike will not be can- reputation. Hopefully, in two weeks’ time, we will a parliament session yesterday. “We at without being blacklisted. This will Petroleum Corp said it had accepted a celled or suspended until all the hear more fair and reasonable ideas that abide by the the interior ministry saw that there is mean they can return on a new visa in request by the ministry of social affairs demands are met,” he said. laws of our religion and our humanity. no need for an amnesty, as we continue the future. and labor for negotiations with the work- Continued on Page 13 Saudi cabinet Sisi on defensive over curbs powers isles, student’s killing of vice police CAIRO: Egypt’s president yesterday sought to defuse a storm stirred up by his RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has stripped its frequently government’s declared intention to hand criticized religious police of their powers to arrest, over control of two strategic Red Sea urging them to act “kindly and gently” in enforcing islands to Saudi Arabia, arguing that he Islamic rules. Some Saudis called the move long did not surrender Egyptian territory. overdue. Under changes approved by the cabinet, President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi also reiterat- religious officers will no longer be allowed to detain ed Cairo’s position that Egyptian security people and instead must report violators to police forces had nothing to do with the torture or drug squad officers, the official Saudi Press and killing of an Italian doctoral student Agency said late Tuesday. Officers of the Haia force, RIYADH: A Saudi municipal worker cleans a flooded street after heavy rainfall abducted in Cairo, an incident that has also known as the Mutawaa, must “carry out the across the Saudi capital yesterday. — AFP poisoned ties with Italy. Rome recalled its duties of encouraging virtue and forbidding vice by ambassador to Cairo in protest of what it advising kindly and gently” under the new rules, called a lack of cooperation by Egyptian Traffic chaos, schools SPA reported. authorities in the investigation.