By Suleiman Rida KUWAIT, April 1 (KUNA) -- Representatives from the private sector launched on Monday an initiative to establish an advisory assembly to support small projects aimed at helping the vision of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah succeed in supporting the Kuwaiti youth to launch their initiatives in the private sector.

"The idea behind the revival of this initiative is to accomplish the noble desire of HH the Amir in helping young ambitious Kuwaitis through the success of the government's efforts in the application of the integrated program to support small enterprises," Kuwaiti Gulf Group for Economic and Administration Consulting Chairman Dr. Mustafa Behbehani told KUNA.

Behbehani added that this assembly includes a group of national administrative elites in both the public and private sectors as the executive committee will include the Minister of Public Works and former Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Dr. Fadhel Safar, economic expert Dr. Amer Al-Tamimi, Nabila Al-Anjari, Dr. Jassem Al-Fahad, Nader Al-Obeid and Khaled Al-Damkhi, in addition to himself.

"Our efforts will be concentrated at the current stage to identify basic problems that lead to the obstruction and failure of small works projects in Kuwait and try to find professional and practical solutions to help the Kuwaiti youth succeed," he noted.

He said that the executive committee will contact and visit all those officials entrusted responsible for achieving this initiative in order to fulfill the works of the small and medium enterprises fund, recently passed by the National Assembly.

The chairman said that the assembly contains competencies and expertise in both the public and private sectors, "which we hope they help the entrepreneurs in finding appropriate ways of funding and establishing the commercial projects needed in the market." He also stressed the significance of benefiting from the successful experiences in other countries in the field of small businesses "as we will establish special incubators to sponsor the initiator in the first years in order to be able to overcome any possible obstacles." The assembly will offer suggestions and views that lead to the development and simplification of working mechanisms and regulations of small businesses in order to achieve the maximum benefit from the government's national fund, he noted.

"We welcome all constructive efforts in this regard so that this national project is complete and comprehensive for all categories of the Kuwaiti society," said Behebehani, indicating that the assembly has another goal, that is to highlight the national fund by carrying out media campaigns and holding specialized conferences at the local and regional levels.

"We hope that there will be constructive cooperation between the consultative assembly and the national fund for the development of small and medium enterprises," he added.

There is a serious tendency to cooperate with all administrations and institutions working in the field of small project management, such as the Industrial Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait Small Projects Company, the program to restructure Kuwait workforce and executive apparatus and the department of small projects in the ministries of Commerce and Industry and Information, he noted.

He stressed "It is the time to help Kuwaiti youth, without delay or procrastination, to be able to realize their dreams and HH the Amir's vision to succeed in this great project, which leads to the growth of Kuwait's economy." The assembly stressed the need to support small and medium enterprises by qualified local cadres, capable of supporting the youth's aspirations "away from favoritism, nepotism and red tape," Behbehani stated.

He added that the main goal of this initiative is to bring back the role of Kuwait as a brooder for creative ideas.

Kuwait's National Assembly has approved last February the government's proposal to establish a USD-two-billion national fund to support small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), aiming to encourage national energies to engage in business in the private sector.