‘Govt treasury denied huge revenues’
Some firms have made ‘commercial’ investments on Failaka without permit
KUWAIT CITY, April 19: In their exploitation and encroachment on government property, some companies have made commercial investments on Failaka Island spanning over 10 years without signing contract or obtaining security permit from concerned authorities, reports Al-Shahed daily.
The daily quoting a source said many of such projects encroaching on government property have denied government treasury huge revenues that should have been collected for using those locations, and the act violated decisions of the Council of Ministers concerning the approach toward improving revenues.
The supervisory authorities indicate that Failaka Island has been transferred from the control of State Property Protection Department at Kuwait Municipality to the Islands Development Unit at Ministry of Public Works since 2002.
Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the state, spent KD 70 million from 1994 and 1996 budgets to transfer ownership and acquired 377 property on Failaka Island, based on decision of the Ownership Transfer Committee dated 15th August 1993, while eight authorities have claimed ownership of 60 properties on the Island.
Meanwhile, preparations have begun in earnest at the headquarters of Kuwait Association of Sociologists in Adailiya area to open the annual Ramadan exhibition titled “handicrafts by Kuwaiti hands”, reports Al-Qabas daily.
The exhibition scheduled for April 25 will continue for six days under the patronage of Sheikha Hala Badr Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to support entrepreneurs (small project owners).
Coordinator of the exhibition and member of the association Fatma Al-Khalifa said the exhibition aims to encourage Kuwaiti craftsmen and owners of small enterprises to showcase their products. q q q The Court of Cassation chaired by Faisal Khuraibet dismissed an appeal filed by the Public Prosecution Department in opposition to a judgment that refrained from pronouncing punishment against a Kuwaiti man who forcefully molested a young lady.
According to the case file, the Public Prosecution Department accused the suspect of molesting the lady by touching her sensitive parts.
Earlier, the Court of First Instance sentenced the suspect to five years in prison with hard labor and the Court of Appeal later refrained from pronouncing punishment against the suspect, obliging him to sign an undertaking to be of good moral character for one year, in addition to KD 200 bail bond.
Lawyer Abdul-Mohsen Al-Qattan representing the accused urged the court to dismiss the case. He argued that the case could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, and inferences were insufficient. He affirmed that his client has never been convicted and would not fall into such a situation again.