KUWAIT CITY, May 16: MPs Riyadh Al-Adasani and Abdullah Al-Kandari submitted a proposal for the State Audit Bureau (SAB) to submit a report within two months about the procedures stipulated in the contracts and deals signed by the government and concerned ministries to procure facemasks from January 1, 2020 till date.

The lawmakers stressed the need for SAB to look into all aspects of the contracts, make sure the prices are fair and that the purchased facemasks are the same as the samples presented prior to signing the contracts.

They cited Article 25 of law number 30/1964 on the establishment of SAB, stating the National Assembly and Cabinet are allowed to assign certain tasks to SAB like the submission of reports on various issues as per the request of the relevant entity. Meanwhile, MP Abdullah Fahad and several other MPs submitted a bill on establishing a national shareholding company for promoting local agricultural products. According to the bill, the capital of the company is KD 50 million.

The government will own 51 percent of the company’s shares and the remaining 49 percent will be offered to citizens (public subscription). The shareholders are not allowed to sell their shares within five years of establishing the company. The bill also stipulates that the State shall allocate land and facilities for the company.

The first board of directors shall be elected to lay down the basic law and executive decree of the company within three months of implementing the bill. The bill mandates the company to promote local agricultural products and export the surplus in accordance with the law and after obtaining approval from the concerned institutions. Kuwaitis should constitute at least 80 percent of the company’s total workforce.

The company is exempted from paying fees and tax in the first five years, while the Cabinet shall specify the public institution that will supervise the company and call for the election of the first board of directors.

In another development, MP Nasser Al-Dousari wonders why Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Soud Al-Harbi has not taken a decision to end the academic year until now. He pointed out the students and their parents are confused, because of the vague position of the ministry. He warned that the delayed issuance of such a decision will negatively affect the ministry’s preparations for the next academic year, which will be different from the previous years.

On the other hand, MP Muhammad Al-Dallal said all indexes imply that the coronavirus crisis will not end soon; so other countries have started finding ways to “adapt or co-exist with the virus.” He asked if Kuwait has taken steps in this regard. Also, MP Muhammad Haif pointed out that the coronavirus crisis exposed the dangerous consequences of visa trading, such as the rising number of marginal laborers.

He called for demolishing Jleeb Al-Shuyokh and Hassawi which are considered coronavirus hotspots. In addition, MP Omar Al- Tabtaba’e disclosed that he urged Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education Abdulmuhsen Al-Hewailah to take action against the owners of many private schools, which did not hand over certificates to students who did not pay the fees for academic year 2020/2021. He confirmed the minister promised to address the issue.

By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff