Bill allows Kuwait government to tap reserve fund

PHOTO

MPs Adel Al- Damkhi, Abdulhadi Al-Ajmi, Hamad Al- Medlej, Bader Nashmi Al-Anzi and Fahd Al-Masoud have submitted a bill on amending law number 3/2016, which allows the government to take money from the public reserve fund. The bill adds a new clause to Article One of the law, stating that the budget allocated for fortifying the defense sector should be included in the relevant fiscal year budget of the Defense Ministry, other ministries and public institutions.

The explanatory memorandum of the bill states that Article Two of this law mandates the Higher Defense Council to specify the required amount and follow up the implementation of contracts. Since the Higher Defense Council is not part of the public institutions covered by law number 31/1978 on budgets under the monitoring of the State Audit Bureau (SAB), Bureau of Financial Controllers (BFC), and the Legal Advice and Legislation Department; there have been legislative and financial problems related to the budget for fortifying the defense sector.

Meanwhile, MP Hassan Jawhar asked Minister of Commerce and Industry and State Minister for Youth Affairs Muhammad Othman Al-Aiban if the government is still keen on ratifying the bill on extending the exclusive authority term of Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Company (KFMBC) for another 50 years. He said the government submitted the bill in 2014 and it is still in the National Assembly‘s agenda. The lawmaker demanded for the list of companies that were granted licenses to import and distribute wheat and fl our since the exclusive authority term of KFMBC ended till date, including the number of violations and complaints about the quality and price of fl our against these companies, as well as quantities of wheat and fl our that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry purchased from these companies to cover the shortage of these commodities in the strategic food reserve of the country.

MP Saad Al-Khanfour forwarded queries to Minister of Public Works Amani Bugamaz about the obstacles to the infrastructure works in Mutlaa residential area. He requested for facts regarding the allegation that land in the area is lower than other areas; hence, the possibility of fl ooding during heavy rains as it happened in Sabah Al- Ahmad Housing City earlier. He requested for a copy of the timetable for Mutla’a housing project, including the period of each phase.

Al-Khanfour also asked Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy and acting Minister of Education Jassem Al- Ostad regarding the date of connecting electricity to Mutla’a residential area; pointing out that many citizens already moved to their new houses but the area is still dark.

Moreover, Assembly Speaker Ahmed Al- Saadoun sent a cable to Parliament Speaker of Moldova Igor Grosu to greet him on the National Day of his country. Al-Saadoun also met Ambassador of Oman to Kuwait Saleh bin Amer Al-Khrousi, with First Secretary at the Embassy of Oman Yahya Al Rahbi in attendance. They discussed issues of mutual concern.