‘Kuwaiti authorities keep close eye on fundraising’
Details sought on NGOs modus operandi
KUWAIT CITY, July 28, (Agencies): Kuwaiti authorities’ measures and regulations for charitable work have proven largely effective and only a countable number of law violations have been recorded, the Social Affairs Minister Dr Hind Al-Sebeeh said on Thursday.
Minister Al-Sebeeh, also Minister of Labor, said in a statement that charitable proceeds have increased by 100 percent, explaining that the ministry’s steps has organized the sector, rather than trimming it.
Fifteen charities raised KD 32.701 million in the past fasting month of Ramadan, as compared to KD 18.232 million the same month in 2015 and KD 14.815 million in 2014, Minister Al-Sebeeh revealed, affirming that reports in her hands showed that law violations significantly dropped.
Inspection teams carried out 465 inspection missions at mosques and humanitarian associations, she said and disclosed that there were 25 breaches by 12 societies, indicating that some of the donation campaigns were executed without prior permission from the ministry.
Up to 17 kiosks set up to collect second-hand clothes for the needy were shut down. Up to 41 violations were registered for raising money, illegally, via the electronic social media, as well as 31 by individuals who did not obtain a license.
Meanwhile, the American Embassy in Kuwait sent a letter to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, requesting the latter for a meeting with the Director of the Non-Governmental Organizations Department for information on the new law related to the NGOs, reports Aljarida daily quoting sources from the ministry.
They said a political official in the embassy asked for the meeting in order to enhance cooperation with the NGOs and get a clear idea about the nature of the work of the NGOs.
Meanwhile, sources explained that the committee responsible for declaring, evaluating and dissolving NGOs will meet next Sunday to study the requests for declaration of new NGOs. The meeting will witness the declaration of three new NGOs. The committee will also review the seven complaints that were recently received from the rejected NGOs.
They indicated that the committee is inspecting all current NGOs and working on dissolving those that commit violations especially violation of the basic law of the NGOs.
They revealed that there are total 118 working NGOs and 22 charity organizations.
Acting Prime Minister and Minister Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received Thursday outgoing US Ambassador to Kuwait Douglas A. Silliman on the occasion of the end of his tenure. The Kuwaiti minister lauded Ambassador Silliman’s efforts in promoting ties, wishing him the best in his future ventures. Meanwhile, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled met separately with newly appointed Ambassadors of Germany and the Vatican to the
State of Kuwait. (KUNA)