MPW begins study to privatize quality control, sanitary engineering centers

61pc damaged roads due to rains paved

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 17: Ministry of Public Works has begun a study on the privatization of the Government Center for Quality Control, and the Sanitary Engineering Center, reports Al-Qabas daily.

Minister of Public Works and State Minister for Housing Affairs Dr Jinan Boushehri, in a letter sent on Oct 9 to State Minister for Economic Affairs and Head of Supreme Council for Privatization Mariam Al-Aqeel, stated that Ministry of Public Works will not object to the privatization of the aforementioned centers.

She stressed that there are projects ongoing through coordination between the ministry and Public Authority for Partnership Projects that enhance the idea of privatizing the sectors.

Dr Boushahri revealed that these projects include the desalination plant in Umm AlHaiman and North Kabd area and the relevant networks to be established as per the PPP system, and the project of extending the Sulaibiya desalination plant to be established as per the BOT system.

She said State Ministry for Economic Affairs was informed about the list of departments in Ministry of Public Works, details about the number of Kuwaiti employees in each department, and the gained revenues of each department as well as the operational cost and the provided services.

Meanwhile, sources warned about the low rate of execution of some projects included in the agenda of Ministry of Public Works for dealing with rains.

They stressed that a video presented recently by the team assigned for dealing with rains showed that the execution rate of some projects is only 20 percent, while 90 percent of other projects have been accomplished.

The sources expect Sabahiya to face big problems if heavy rains is witnessed this winter due to the ongoing infrastructural projects including sanitary engineering.

On its official website, the Center for Government Communication said 61 percent of the roads that sustained damages due to the rains last winter have already been paved.

The center affirmed that the plan was executed six months ago with the participation of 20 factories and 230 engineers and technicians in addition to 86 other engineers and technicians working on quality control, adding that all works were included in a total of 32 contracts.