Probe-panel completes its report

Issues tied to grilling of Al-Rasheedi

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 14: The committee formed by the Cabinet to probe into issues included in the interpellation of Minister of Oil, Electricity and Water Bakheet AlRasheedi has completed its report on these issues, reports Al-Qabas daily.

The daily obtained some parts of the committee’s report, which concluded with regard to eco-friendly fuel – upgrading refineries – that the headquarters of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has known about the project delay since 2016 but it did not inform the concerned authorities.

The headquarters of KNPC also misled the government, minister in charge, society and media by putting various schedules for completion of the project.

“The total additional cost and losses reached a billion Kuwaiti dinars while the public treasury bears certain obligations due to the delay and deviation from the endorsed plan,” the report pointed out.

According to the report, majority of the figures mentioned by KNPC officials are inaccurate such as the accomplishment rate and cost. This is tantamount to misleading, mismanagement and squandering of public funds, the report stressed.

In a bid to address deficiencies, the report recommended subjecting the oil minister, CEO of KNPC, his deputy and project manager to administrative probe due to their direct, legal, administration and financial responsibilities which led to huge losses.

The report also recommended upgrading the linking mechanism between the Secretariat-General of Planning Council and oil companies concerning the development and operation of the company’s projects.