Employers should subsidise their workers’ rent

What you need to know:

  • Firms now save a lot on rent

Rent subsidy • With working from home becoming the new norm, employers should subsidise their workers’ rent, argues university don X.N. Iraki. “Covid-19 has forced many employees to work from home. Firms now save a lot on rent. Can employers be generous enough to share the savings from office rent with employees by paying part of their house rent?” His contact is [email protected].

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School reopening • Amid plans to reopen schools, says Kamichore Mutindira, the Education authorities should get their priorities right. Nearly Sh2 billion was set aside for desks but he would have expected classrooms to be built first. And why should teachers be paid and not subordinate staff, who have been working throughout? His contact is [email protected].

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Security lapse • With the focus on the Covid-19 pandemic, Mwangi Karuga notes, security guards at buildings in Nairobi and other towns no longer frisk visitors for concealed weapons. They would rather check a visitor’s temperature as a precaution against the coronavirus. “Management should beware as terrorists can exploit this loophole,” he pleads. His contact is [email protected].

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Plastic ban • The hawker menace is back in Nairobi’s city centre, reports Willis O. Aguko, appalled at the flouting of the plastic bag ban. “Nearly everything is being sold, including food, and it is packed in polythene bags and wrapping paper. If this can happen in the heart of the capital, what really happens in Kisumu, Nakuru and other towns?” he poses. His contact is [email protected].

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Family planning • A balanced discussion on contraceptives, Carol Rotich says, is not possible without mention of their negative effects on women’s health. Says she: “Perhaps a more helpful approach would be to include natural family planning, which ensures the woman’s well-being, and secure the support of men. This is a shared responsibility.” Her contact is [email protected].

Have a comprehensive day, won’t you!