Cabinet supports ‘fake university degrees’ probe
Global operator sought to run airport’s ‘Terminal 2’
The cabinet yesterday approved the Education Ministry’s efforts to investigate recent reports which suggested that a number of public sector employees, including high ranking officials, had obtained forged university degrees that qualified them for their jobs. Minister of Education and Higher Education Mohammad AlFares briefed the cabinet on the recent media reports on ‘fake university degrees.’
Fares said that the issue is being thoroughly investigated by a neutral specialized committee at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET). The cabinet lauded steps taken to handle the issue, and voiced support to the minister in his efforts to counter whatever that targets the education process.
Operating airports
During its weekly meeting yesterday chaired by Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the cabinet reviewed recommendations by the parliament’s economic affairs committee on operating airports in Kuwait. It entrusted the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) with coordination with relevant bodies on a feasibility study for qualifying some of the best global operators, as well as the offering of the project for managing and operating Terminal 2 of Kuwait International Airport. As part of government efforts to rationalize expenditures, the cabinet approved, in principle, a recommendation on merging the Public Authority for Youth (PAY) in the office of the State Minister for Youth Affairs. The ministers ordered all government bodies to be committed to duration of procedures and the necessary measures to activate estamps, in line with the relevant instructions.
Negative developments
At the onset of the meeting, Sheikh Sabah AlKhaled offered the ministers an account on the ongoing efforts by the State of Kuwait led by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah to contain the negative developments on the Gulf scene, seeking to remedy the situation and maintain the unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States and their peoples.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled pointed to the recent visits to Kuwait by the Omani Minister in Charge of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Bin Alawi, the UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Germany’s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and the UN Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman. The latest developments relevant to the situation in the Gulf, featured high on the agenda of the talks held during these visits that also addressed the political situation in the region.
Afterwards, the meeting reviewed political developments on the Arab and international scenes, lauding the final statement of the G20 summit recently held in Hamburg, Germany, where world leaders restated opposition to protectionism, and reaffirmed support to the rapid implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Also in the statement, the G20 leaders strongly condemned terrorist attacks worldwide, vowing to stand united and firm in the fight against terrorism and its financing. It was announced that Saudi Arabia would host the 2020 edition of the G20 summit.
Cowardly attacks
The cabinet condemned the cowardly terror attack that recently hit the district of Al-Masoura in Al-Qatif Province, east of Saudi Arabia, killing a security man and injuring several others. The ministers reiterated Kuwait’s unwavering stance in rejection of all forms of terrorism, regardless of its sources or motivation, saying it targets all people with no discrimination of religion or ethnicity, said Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. The meeting reaffirmed Kuwait’s solidarity with the Kingdom, urging the international community to join forces and fight terrorism, which forms a threat to the world’s security and stability.
Also yesterday, the cabinet strongly condemned the terror attack that recently hit posts of the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula, killing and wounding many servicemen. It reaffirmed Kuwait’s stance that rejects all forms and goals of terror, as well as the country’s support to all measures Egypt might take to combat such acts that threaten its security and stability, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah added. —KUNA