KUWAIT CITY, Sept 13: The parliamentary Values Enhancement Committee met with Minister of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research Adel Al-Mane and the representatives of Kuwait University on Tuesday during which they discussed cross-gender and segregation issues.

Meanwhile, MP Dawoud Ma’arafif forwarded queries to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Talal Khalid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah about the institution tasked to nationalize jobs in cooperative societies. He wants to know the number of Kuwaitis who applied for supervisory positions in the cooperatives; the reasons for the nationalization of jobs since it was announced in February 2023; the number of vacancies; procedures followed in filling up vacancies; number of days that the Fakhruna platform functioned after its launching as per the decision issued by the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) on July 25, 2023 to receive the applications of citizens looking for jobs in cooperatives through this platform; reasons for closing the platform; and legal basis for authorizing PAM to conduct interviews and exams for the applicants.

MP Abdullah Fehad asked Minister of Commerce and Industry and State Minister for Youth Affairs Muhammad Othman Al-Aiban about the collection of fees for citizens’ shipments valued at less than KD100 by the company that signed a contract with Kuwait General Administration for Customs (KGAC). He pointed out this is a violation of KGAC decision number 94/2020, which is based on law number 42/2013. He requested a copy of the contract between KGAC and the company, including the tasks of the company and the average completion rate. He wants to know the number of complaints filed by citizens against the company, the measures that KGAC took to address these complaints, and if the penalties stipulated in the contract were imposed on the company.

MP Hassan Jawhar asked HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah about the regulations stated in the decision of the Council of Ministers to organize coordination among ministries and public institutions as per Article Three of Law number 116/1992; and if the Council of Ministers issued a decision on Sept 4, 2023, to put Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) and Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) under the Ministry of Finance. If yes, he inquired about changes in the government‘s strategy that led to such a decision.

Jawhar forwarded queries to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Sabah about the headline of Al-Jarida Daily published on Sept 3, 2023: “Britain to Kuwait: Why not ask for your money?” He confirmed that there is money belonging to Kuwait in British banks due to court decisions against some Kuwaiti citizens. He demanded copies of all correspondences between British and Kuwaiti authorities, including the amounts that belong to Kuwait; all correspondences between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kuwaiti public institutions urging them to collect the money; and all correspondences between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other countries regarding the money, if any.

He also asked the minister about the impact of the decision of the Federal Iraqi Court regarding the constitutionality of the Kuwaiti-Iraqi treaty on marine borders and sailing at Abdullah Bay, and if the minister submitted a request to the Council of Ministers to discuss the consequences of the decision as per the decree mandating the council to decide on sovereign issues. If yes, he demanded a copy of the request, and if no, he wanted to know the reasons for not taking this step.