KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works Hosam Al-Roumi said the decision to suspend new road tenders was made to protect public funds as well as to achieve transparency, equality and freedom of competition amongst bidders. Responding to an inquiry by MP Mohammed Al-Hadiya about the reasons behind the suspension, Roumi explained that the measure was taken to ensure neutrality and getting the best and least expensive bids. He added that the measure will also prevent any possible violation of public funds in case an unqualified company executes the tender according to the conditions published in the official gazette.

Furthermore, Roumi explained he ordered suspending tenders number 260 and 261 because some of the qualified bidders took part in the bidding according to 2010 qualification conditions that were amended in 2012. He also noted that some companies were qualified according to the 2015 conditions, of which the Central Tenders Committee (CTC) was not notified and they were not published in the official gazette.

Charity violations

Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor's (MSAL) assistant undersecretary for social development Hana Al-Hajri announced that ministry inspection teams had detected 13 violations committed by six charities during Ramadan. Hajri explained that the violations included unauthorized fundraising and collecting clothes and food. She added that two mosques were collecting cash donations and that a female staff member in one of the mosques prevented an inspector from entering the mosque.

Price control

Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalid Al-Roudhan said that the ministry is working on a system to monitor prices electronically and to provide consumers weekly with prices of around 500 items in various outlets, adding that the measure will be taken to prevent unjustified prices and to create competitiveness. Roudhan added that 30 inspection teams are inspecting various outlets in co-ops and supermarkets all over Kuwait, and said the teams had closed 63 stores for violating ministry laws.

Allowances

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is awaiting the Civil Service Commission's (CSC) approval to pay 1,750 employees working in the traffic control tower and the operation department 'noise allowance', said informed sources, noting that the approval is expected within two weeks. The sources added that once approved, the KD 100-250 allowances will be deposited in the employees' bank accounts.

In other news, CSC recently approved the employment of 215 non-Kuwaitis in nursing, pharmaceutical and other assisting medical positions at the Ministry of Health at a total cost of KD 1.82 million. The decision includes the appointment of 40 nurses, 98 lab technicians, 28 paramedics, 24 catering staff, eight pharmacists, seven physiotherapists, four radiologists, four hygiene inspectors and one in both the speech and hearing and dental departments.

Environmental violations

Environment Public Authority (EPA) Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah issued a decision concerning conciliation in environmental violations committed by individuals or institutes. The decision included the following conditions:

* Conciliation will be made upon an official request by stakeholders.

* The EPA general manager is entitled to accept or reject conciliation according to regulations or refer the request to the concerned committee.

* Conciliation requests will not be accepted until a violator has removed the violations and paid all the indemnifications specified in article 174 of the environment law.

* Relevant technical committees will make sure the violations have been removed and accordingly report to relevant authorities to order issuing the conciliation.

* Once the above conditions and procedures are met, a conciliation report will be made including an affidavit not to commit any further environmental violations and to respect the environment law.

By A Saleh