Judiciary members must submit financial statements by May 13
Over 9,647 roaming taxi permits in Kuwait
Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Assembly Affairs Faleh Al-Azeb stressed that both members of the judiciary and the board of trustees will have to file their financial statements by May 13 and those who fail to do so would be held legally accountable. Speaking at an open meeting held at the diwaniya of former vice president of the Municipal Council Jassar Al-Jassar, Azeb stressed that as the head of the Public Anti-Corruption Authority, he would never hesitate to refer violators to prosecution. Responding to a question about the extradition of fugitive Fahd Al-Rajaan from Britain to Kuwait, Azeb said that he will be handed over soon to face a fair trial, because he had violated public funds. Azeb also stressed that grilling motions should be filed against the concerned ministers and not against the Prime Minister, and if a motion is found to be constitutional, the government has nothing to fear or hide.
He also said that the courts’ notification representatives were not doing their jobs properly in terms of notifying prosecuted people about the hearings of cases filed against them. “Kuwait is a small country and it is not hard to reach any area,” he said, warning that representatives failing to do their jobs properly would be held accountable along with their supervisors.
Taxi permits
Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah said the total number of drivers holding valid roaming taxi permits was 9,647 as of March 28. In a response to an inquiry by MP Abdulkareem Al-Kandari, Sheikh Khaled explained that ministerial decision number 182/2004 set some conditions for roaming taxi permits including limiting the permit to Kuwaitis. He added that the decision authorized the traffic licenses director to exempt non-Kuwaitis working for roaming taxi companies provided that the permits expire whenever the driver quits and changes companies, and that at least 30 percent of the drivers should be Kuwaiti.
Sheikh Khaled added that the conditions included holding a general driving license, having a good reputation, not be convicted for disgraceful crimes or felonies, not being involved in serious accidents or driving under the effect of drugs, alcohol or mind-altering substances, passing a test on Kuwait’s geography, being able to speak both Arabic and English, work full time and renew the permit annually. Sheikh Khaled stressed that the interior ministry regularly inspects these companies. He added that the ministry followed some measures to help reduce traffic congestions, including suspending the issuance of further roaming taxi commercial licenses and limiting the maximum number of taxis owned by a company to 30.
Island development
Kuwait Municipality Director Ahmad AlManfouhi issued an administrative decision forming a special team to study the Failaka island development project head by his deputy Faisal Al-Jumaa. According to the decision, the team will study all data about ownership on the island in order to overcome all the project’s obstacles to help realize the development plan. The team will also include representatives from the ministries of defense, finance, electricity and water and public works, in addition to the housing, industries, and environment authorities as well as the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters.
Projects withdrawn
Minister of Public Works Abdulrahman AlMutawwa decided withdrawing the Wafra and Bidaa roundabout projects from a company contracted for it because it failed to meet the execution schedule. The minister also mandated the company to execute the projects at its own expense as stipulated in the penal clause agreed upon in the contracts signed with it.
Free Trade Zone
The Manpower Public Authority plans to legalize the statuses of commercial establishments located in blocks 1 and 3 of the Free Trade Zone and treat them as Kuwaiti private sector companies.