ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2014 LOCAL 5 Several MPs lament ‘warning’ on declining oil prices by Al-Abdullah No crisis to frighten citizens: Al-Khorafi KUWAIT CITY, Nov 8: Several lawmakers lamented the recent warning by the State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah relating to the consequences of the declining oil prices, stressing the statement is unnecessary, exaggerated and causes much harm than good, reports Al-Seyassah daily. KUNA photo Officials from Arabian Institute for Planning seen with PAAET delegation PAAET delegation meet AIP officials KUWAIT CITY, Nov 8, (KUNA): Deputy Director General of Support Academic Services in Public Authority for Applied Education and Training Dr Issa Al-Meshai’e stated the authority keenness to reinforce collaboration with several scientific and research authorities in the country, among them Arabian Institute for Planning (AIP), to raise the level of services in PAAET. In a press statement, he said the authority seeks to resume communication with various authorities in the country to bridge collaboration to improve the services PAAET provides to teachers, students, trainees and the society as a whole. He added a delegation from PAAET met with officials from the Arabian Institute for Planning to coordinate on several issues of mutual concern such as holding specialized training courses, consultation services, and conferences. Expedition received by Oman minister and Kuwaiti envoy Kuwait’s ‘Journey of Hope’ arrives at Omani harbor MUSCAT, Nov 8, (KUNA): The “Journey of Hope,” a Kuwaiti sea expedition designed to drum up global support for the mentally challenged, reached Bander AlRoda port sailing from Salalah on Saturday. The expedition was received upon arrival at the Omani harbor by Minister of Social Development Mohammad Al-Kalbani and the Kuwaiti Ambassador Briefs PARKING: Kuwait Municipality rejected a request presented by Public Authority for Housing Welfare to allocate parking lots on top of the Olympic Village in Jaber Al-Ahmad City for people that frequent the place, reports Al-Shahed daily. The daily noted the request was refused due to proximity of the location to the road, adding the sector is looking for an alternative solution. ❑ ❑ ❑ APARTMENTS: The government has decided to build residential apartments on 400 square/meters area in the new residential cities, as there has been a low turnout of applicants, reports Al-Shahed daily. Sources added the distribution of plots at Abu Halifa and Sabahiya was a big mistake, adding it would have been a major success if the plots were used for apartment buildings. ❑ ❑ ❑ CONTRACTS: Ministry of Health is said to have signed nine contracts with a specific company to procure medical equipment at a cost of KD 387,000, reports AlShahed daily. By signing the contracts, the ministry has violated the recommendations of the Inquiry Committee formed by ministerial decree no. 154/2013 which suspended business with the company until investigations on the case involving the company which was referred to the Public Prosecution in 2013 is solved, but the ministry defied counsel and clearly showed lack of concern to public welfare. Fahad Hejer Al-Mutairi as well as a number of other local officials. Ambassador Al-Mutairi, speaking to KUNA, expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for his support for the mentally impaired. He also thanked His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait and Sultan Qaboos of Oman for their supportive role in this respect. The mission has crossed 13,000 nautical miles, stopping at a chain of harbors and town across the world. The Omani minister stated that such a “Kuwaiti initiative nudges everybody to exert greater efforts to aid people with impairments and aid them to integrate into the society.” The expedition arrived in Oman in May, as part of its global tour that covered 25 stopovers. Secretary-General of the Parliament Adel Al-Khorafi stated the minister was exaggerating when he said the ‘knife has reached the bones’, although the declining oil prices portend danger which requires certain procedures to confront the situation “but there’s no crisis to push the minister to make such a statement to frighten citizens”. He added the policy of cutting down consumption and spending is necessary but it should not be done in a way that will increase burdens on the ordinary citizen, indicating Kuwait earlier surmounted financial crises at a time when oil prices dropped to $7 per barrel. Meanwhile, MP Abdullah AlMayouf said “the government has to sit with the lawmakers to set its future plan in transparency by identifying the problems. at the same time, it is not appropriate to scare citizens because they ask for salary increments and better services”. He described the minister’s statement as vague; stressing, “it is not acceptable at all if the minister indirectly hints the lawmakers not to propose any financial increments on behalf of citizens”. He supports the idea of holding a special session with the government provided that the government will identify goals of the session. For his part, MP Faisal AlDuwaisan condemned the statement of Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah and wondered why the government is interested in putting fear in citizens in these hard times, but it did not remember to take any step to improve the standard of living of citizens when there were surpluses in the general budget. He added, “Kuwaitis are asking why the government forgot them when a barrel of oil was above $100 and the state treasury had surpluses”. KUNA photo Sheikh Sabah Khaleed Al-Hamad Al-Sabah seen with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled meets Saudi FM First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud AlFaisal Saturday on the GCC march and a host of issues of common interest. The meeting was attended by Director of Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled’s PAHW to evict violaters from rented housing KUWAIT CITY, Nov 8: Director of Rented Accommodations Unit at the Public Authority for Housing Welfare Mubarak Al-Shuweimi disclosed the authority has suspended all activities concerning the exchange or transfer of rented accommodations, reports Al-Jaridah daily. Al-Shuweimi informed a tripartite committee whose members were drafted from the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW), ministries of Interior and Justice, has been formed to evict violators from rented accommodations. He said the violations include illegal subletting or abandoning the property, asserting such practices are unreasonable because several families are waiting in line for housing allocations. He explained those entitled to rented accommodations include Kuwaiti women married to foreigners, widows, divorcees or any other members of Kuwaiti families. He revealed his department is in charge of the administration of rented government properties in Taima, Sulaibiya and Sabah Al-Salem. office Ambassador Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah and Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Sheikh Thamer Jaber Al-Ahmad AlSabah. Sheikh sheikh Al-Khaled arrived in Riyadh earlier today on a brief visit to the Saudi capital. (KUNA)
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