Cmte could hold contractor accountable over ‘flooding’

PAHW on verge of cancelling 3,000 housing applications

KUWAIT CITY, April 5: The disaster of flash floods witnessed in the country a fortnight ago continues to be a nightmare for the concerned contractor, as the investigation committee formed by Minister of Public Works Abdulrahman Al-Mutawa is on the verge of holding the contractor who executed Mangaf Bridge and Sabahiya projects responsible while relieving the concerned ministry officials from the blame, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting informed sources.

They explained that the committee will not dispute the slackness and negligence of the ministry officials in following up and supervising contractors as well as verifying the handover process. This affirms that officials of the ministry are not held accountable despite their clear negligence and incompetence in the eyes of the public.

The sources stressed that the flooding of streets witnessed every year including what transpired lately in the Mangaf Tunnel affirms the extent of large–scale corruption in the ministry and the powerful influence of the officials of Ministry of Public Works who have demonstrated that they are untouchable and above accountability.

Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) is on the verge of cancelling more than 3,000 housing applications after the concerned applicants failed to submit statements showing their exit/entry at border points as well as proving certificates of their children for the past three years, reports Al-Shahed daily. According to the relevant law, PAHW is obliged to inform those who will be excluded through a registered letter with acknowledgement of delivery so that the authority can exclude them and take necessary measures after the expiry of the period.

Parliament’s Interior and Defense Committee has been supervising the completion of the draft law for disbursement of the value of service medals to retired non-commissioned officers, reports Al-Anba daily quoting parliamentary sources.

They said the number of service medals for military officers are about 5-6 based on the service of each, revealing that the value of each medal is KD 25.

The sources disclosed that the Public Authority for Social Security has been deducting this value on a monthly basis from the salaries of military officers while they were in service, indicating that KD 150 will be added to the special pensions for military officers.