Shoura OKs executive body to deal with family violence

The Shoura Council has approved the creation of an executive body which will plan and implement strategies to deal with cases of family violence.

In a meeting presided over by its Speaker Abdullah Al Asheikh on Monday, the council also called on the Ministry of Social Affairs to work out an early intervention program for children with special needs from birth to age 4.

The two issues were recommended by the Social Affairs, Family and Youth Committee based on the annual report submitted by the Ministry of Social Affairs for the year 2013/ 2014.

The Shoura also discussed a report of the Health Committee on the annual performance of the Saudi Food and Drugs Authority ( SFDA).

The committee recommended that the SFDA determine the requirements and standards for the import of medical supplies and products to cope with the needs of local markets and that the SFDA exert more efforts to complete its administrative and technical structure and attract qualified Saudi cadres required by the SFDA.

Council members asked the SFDA to activate its regulatory role and introduce a strict system that will deter food factories from working in defiance of the SFDA regulations as well as strict control over imported foodstuffs and drugs.

The council also heard a report of the Financial Committee on the old electricity fee of 2 percent which was decided by the Council of Ministers in 1957.

The committee suggested that the fee be canceled based on the recommendations made by the Supreme Economic Council in 2014.

The Shoura Council, meanwhile, approved a study of public utilities and infrastructure projects based on a report prepared by the Haj, Housing and Services Committee.

The project is meant to establish a ministry of public utilities and infrastructure to streamline, implement and operate public utilities and infrastructure projects.

Council member Abdullah Al-Jighaiman noted that 70 percent of government projects are stumbling with 40 percent contractors not committed to implementing the projects and 69 percent of municipalities assigning their projects to foreign companies.