Arab Times

Cabinet’s panel discusses establishi­ng five labor cities

Ministry to carry out infrastruc­ture works

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KUWAIT CITY, May 3: The Public Services Committee in the Council of Ministers discussed, in its recent meeting, the decision mandating the Ministry of Public Works to establish five labor housing cities in order to expedite their completion; instead of implementi­ng these projects through the Public-Private Partnershi­p Projects Authority, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting a well-informed source.

According to the source, the ministry will also carry out the infrastruc­ture works in these cities; including power stations, water delivery and roads.

He disclosed the concerned ministry officials have informed some government­al agencies that the constructi­on of these cities will take about seven years; because of the designs, bidding and the need to obtain approval from regulatory authoritie­s.

He explained this is part of the State’s commitment to establish special integrated housing cities for lowincome workers. He said these cities shall consist of housing complexes, which will be built based on environmen­tal and civilizati­onal criteria. He believes this will prevent the emergence of inappropri­ate and unhealthy housing complexes in typical housing areas and solve the problem of bachelors residing in private housing areas.

On the other hand, the Municipal Legal Department rejected the request of the Public Utilities Management Company to work with the government in establishi­ng labor housing cities.

In a letter addressed to the Municipali­ty

Affairs Ministry, Director of the department Advisor Rujaan Al-Gharib said the Cabinet issued a decision on May 4, 2015 assigning the ministry and the Public-Private Partnershi­p Projects Authority to expedite the constructi­on of labor housing cities. The decision also mandated Kuwait Municipali­ty, in coordinati­on with all competent authoritie­s, to speed up the enforcemen­t of a decree prohibitin­g bachelors from residing in private residentia­l areas.

Al-Gharib added the Council of Ministers issued a decision on May 27, 2018 instructin­g all government agencies to include the terms of reference for their contracts in a clause requiring companies that will sign contracts with them to house their subsidiari­es in the labor housing cities.

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