THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAITEstablished in 1977 / www.arabtimesonline.com

MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020 / JUMADA AL AWWAL 13, 1442 AH emergency number 112 NO. 17573 16 PAGES 150 FILS

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Interior details arrest of 2 DAESH-leaning minors, adultKUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: The Di-rectorate-General of Public Rela-tions and Security Media Depart-ment of the Interior Ministry stated that as part of the relentless efforts of various sectors of the Ministry of Interior to address crime, track down criminals and confront them with firmness, the security services have arrested two juveniles, ages 15 and 16, and an adult for pos-sessing unlicensed weapons and ammunition and promoting what the security authorities called ex-tremist ideology, reports Al-Anba daily.

A statement by the Ministry of Interior giving details, said the cooperation between the security agencies one of the suspects was arrested, who during interroga-tions admitted to meeting a per-son on the social media and their discussions centered on extremist ideology which both of them hap-pened to share.

The administration said further investigations and an intensified search and investigation opera-tions and collecting information, two other persons were arrested, one of them a juvenile embracing

the same extremist ideology, and after taking permission from the prosecution, their homes were searched and unlicensed weap-ons and ammunition, ISIS logos and photographic devices were found.

The administration when those arrested were confronted them with what was attributed to them, they acknowledged and confessed to possessing weapons and ammu-nition.

Following the arrest, verbal in-structions were issued last Thurs-day evening to most security sec-

tors to deploy in the vicinity of vital installations, whether they are places of worship, oil instal-lations or commercial complex-es, in addition to the deployment of the Special Forces personnel, security patrols and security men in their military uniform.

However, a security source said that these precautionary measures have nothing to do with the issue of the two minors, adding that they are security measures taken by the higher leadership in the ministry.

Panel dusts off pendingbills on Assembly shelf

HIGH TURNOUT FOR VACCINATION ... NO SIDE EFFECTS YET

AstraZeneca shot effective on variant204 new cases

By Saeed Mahmoud SalehArab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: National Assembly Speaker Mar-zouq Al-Ghanim on Sunday confirmed the conclusion of the election of chairpersons and rapporteurs of all committees.

Al-Ghanim then unveiled his plan to invite members of the Assembly Office to a meeting on Monday in order to specify the agenda for the upcoming legislative sessions.

He also confirmed meeting the representatives of lecturers at Kuwait University, during which he listened to their com-plaints such as the delayed payment for the summer course. He promised that most of their demands will be met in coordina-tion with Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Ali Fahd Al-Mudaf.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the parliamentary Legal and Leg-islative Affairs Committee MP Khalid Ayed affirmed the pres-ence of panel members in the meeting on Sunday except MP Hamad Al-Harshani who apologized for his absence due to certain circumstances.

He revealed the committee looked into the bills in its agen-da, indicating the government submitted some of these bills to the previous legislature while others were submitted in 1994. He said the committee will ask the concerned ministries if they intend to push through with the submission of these bills or not.

He added several bills were referred to the concerned pan-els, clarifying his committee will continue presenting its con-stitutional opinions and prepare reports on these proposals. He disclosed the committee will meet on Jan 4, 2021 to follow up the bills.

AgreementRapporteur of the Public Funds Protection Committee MP

Hassan Jawhar said the committee discussed its work program and an agreement has been reached to meet twice a week in order to tackle issues concerning public funds including those raised by the 2016 Assembly.

On the other hand, MP Badr Al-Mullah was elected chair-man of the Budgets and Final Accounts Committee while MP Dr Badr Al-Dahoum was elected rapporteur.

Al-Mullah explained that the duties of the committee are different this year in view of the unprecedented budget deficit. He also thanked former chairman of the committee MP Adnan Abdulsamad.

MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji forwarded queries to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmed Nasser Al-Muhammad about the Malaysian sovereign fund issue. He requested for copies of the case that the ministry submitted to the Public Prosecution, resignation of the former chairman of Kuwait Financial Investigations Unit, and correspondences between the ministry and Malaysian government about the issue.

MP Farz Al-Daihani submitted a bill on the establishment of a sports club in Jahra, which will be financed by the Public Authority for Sports. He suggested that the club should be of-fer various sports, social and entertainment activities.

He also forwarded queries to Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh about the incentive for workers on the frontline of the fight against coronavirus. He wants to know the number of beneficia-ries, amount allocated for this purpose, if this amount is included in the public budget or not, if those excluded from the list of beneficiaries will be given a chance to complain, and reasons for suspending the distribution of free protec-tive equipment to the employees of the interior and health ministries.

MP Saleh Zeiab Al-Mutairi forwarded queries to Minister of Commerce and Industry Faisal Abdulrahman Al-Medlej about the closure of some shops, cooperative societies and pharmacies. He asked if the owners of these establishments, which were shut down for manipulating prices and cheating, were referred to the Public Prosecution.

LONDON, Dec 27, (Agencies): The head of drugmaker Astra-Zeneca, which is developing a coronavirus vaccine widely expected to be approved by U.K. authorities this week, said Sunday that researchers believe the shot will be effec-tive against a new variant of the virus driving a rapid surge in infections in Britain.

AstraZeneca chief executive Pas-cal Soriot also told the Sunday Times that researchers developing its vac-cine have figured out a “winning for-mula” making the jab as effective as rival candidates.

Some have raised concern that the Astra-Zeneca vaccine, which is being developed with Oxford University, may not be as good as the one made by Pfizer already being distributed in the U.K. and other countries. Partial results suggest that the AstraZeneca shot is about 70% effective for preventing illness from coronavirus infection, com-pared to the 95% efficacy reported by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.

“We think we have figured out the win-ning formula and how to get efficacy that, after two doses, is up there with every-body else,” Soriot said. “I can’t tell you more because we will publish at some point.”

Britain’s government says its medi-cines regulator is reviewing the final data from AstraZeneca’s phase three clinical trials. The Times and others have re-ported that the green light could come by Thursday, and the vaccines can start to be rolled out for the U.K. public in the first week of January.

Asked about the vaccine’s efficacy against the new variant of coronavirus spreading in the U.K., Soriot said: “So far, we think the vaccine should remain effective. But we can’t be sure, so we’re going to test that.”

British authorities have blamed the new virus variant for soaring infection rates across the country. They said the variant is much more transmittable, but stress there is no evidence it makes peo-ple more ill.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson sounded an urgent alarm about the variant days be-fore Christmas, saying the new version of the virus was spreading rapidly and that plans to travel and gather must be canceled for millions. Authorities have since put increasing areas of the country - affecting about 24 million people, or 43% of the pop-ulation - in the strictest level of restrictions.

Many countries swiftly barred travel from the U.K., but cases of the new vari-ant have since also been reported in a dozen locations around the world.

Public health officials said on Dec. 24 that more than 600,000 people had received the first of two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Jab takersMinister of Health Sheikh Dr. Bas-

sel Al-Sabah on Sunday lauded the high turnout of medical personnel and frontline workers at Kuwait Vaccination Center since the campaign kick-off earlier today.

Today began actual inoculation cam-paign after its inauguration on Thursday, the minister said in a statement to jour-nalists while inspecting the center at the International Fair Grounds in the district of Mishref.

First to take the jab against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) throughout the week are the medical personnel, minister Al-Sabah affirmed.

A shipment of doses will arrive in Ku-wait every month and they will be pro-vided to willing citizens and expatriates throughout 2021, he added.

The minister called on everybody to register their names and other required data on the assigned website to get a date for the immunization against COVID-19.

He reiterated the appeal to all to con-tinue to abide by precautionary measures against the germ regardless of the assur-ing dwindling figures of the cases.

Sheikh Bassel also revealed that none of the persons who had taken the jab suf-fered from side-effects.

Kuwait listed 204 new coronavirus infections on Sunday to raise the total 149,653 and two virus-related deaths in the past 24 hours as the death toll rose to 931, the health ministry said.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus currently stands at 3,143, with 49 of them in intensive care units, accord-ing to ministry spokesman Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad, who revealed that some 2,158 swab tests were conducted over the last day out of a total of 1,243,422.

The ministry had earlier reported that some 199 more people had been cured from the virus over the past day, raising the total of those to have overcome the disease to 145,579.

He went on to urge nationals and expa-triates alike that abiding by health precau-tions, mainly, following social distancing rules, is the only way to halt the spread of the virus.

According to senior government sourc-es, the reward for front-line COVID-19 workers is now subject to updating the data of the beneficiaries with the aim of achieving fairness and giving all those covered by the financial compensation their due reward, reports Al-Anba daily.

Photo by Bassam Abu ShanabVaccination against coronavirus began for all, including expatriates those who had booked appointments with the Ministry of Health, on Dec 27. Above: People sitting in the Hall No. 5 at the

International Mishref Fairground waiting their turn to get vaccinated. — See Page 5

Opinion

Fluffy politics, Ankaraand a Tehran template

By Ahmed Al-JarallahEditor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

THE definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and ex-pecting a different result - these words are credited to the acclaimed genius Albert Einstein, and they perfectly ap-ply to the fluffy politics of Ankara and Tehran in the region.

These two regimes continue to re-peat the same method of expansion-ism and hegemony, instead of utilizing the opportunity they have to establish strong relations with the regional coun-tries and the world through the princi-ples of good and neighborly diplomacy, and adherence to international treaties and laws.

41 years after the establishment of the Mullah regime in Iran, and 17 years after the rule of the Justice and Development Party in Turkey, nothing has been achieved other than isolation, chaos and economic losses.

Regarding Iran, it had a regime led by an enlightened king “Muham-mad Reza Pahlavi”. He, within a few years, was able to build the core of an industrial and economic system that, had it continued to develop, could have turned Iran into a large regional economic pole. Unfortunately, all that evaporated with Khomeini’s arrival to power through a revolution.

Khomeini’s revolution came with il-luminating slogans that captivated the minds of the Iranians who rallied to overthrow the Shah, hoping that there would be a just Islamic rule. However, this rule quickly turned into a source of concern for the people of Iran, before the neighbors and the surrounding re-gion, because instead of being open to the world particularly the region, and its people enjoying peace and comfort, it pursued the state terror policy of the Mullahs.

This system of rule led to the iso-lation of Iran, and sectarian strife that ignited in the region, as well as the drug smuggling networks sponsored by the Revolutionary Guards that are working to poison youth in various countries of the world.

If the Mullah regime worked accord-ing to the correct Islamic approach, it would have established the best rela-tions with the world by respecting the sovereignty of states, and not interfer-

ing in their affairs. Instead of seeking expansion on the basis of sectarian and religious politics, it had the opportunity to transform Iran into the Japan of the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Turkey, until 2003, was one of the most powerful countries ec-onomically and industrially. It did not interfere in the internal affairs of any neighboring country.

However, when it fell into the clutches of the Turkish Brotherhood’s Justice and Development Party, it aban-doned the “no interference” policy, and went on to interfere in Syria, and then Iraq, Yemen, and Libya. It established military bases in Somalia and some Gulf countries, at a time when the Ot-toman Erdogan’s rhetoric rose about the empire that ruled large areas of the world.

Turkey today suffers from the boy-cott of the Gulf markets for its products, as well as the US sanctions that burden its economy and reduce the purchasing power of its Lira. The unemployment rate has risen to about 15 percent, and its foreign debt has reached $ 431 bil-lion.

The Justice and Development party did not act according to its name. It did not uphold principles of justice when it began to fabricate files against its oppo-sitions. As for the development part, it turned it into a war abroad with the help of the mother organization “The Mus-lim Brotherhood Group”, which for the last eight decades adopted a policy of assassination, bombing, murder, and inciting sectarian and religious strife, let alone being an essential partner of the Mullahs regime since 1979.

Today, in light of the international changes that the world is witnessing, both Iran and Turkey have become out-casts. Their people suffer from choking living crises. Despite this, the regimes continue to follow the same crazy poli-cies that neither achieved the dream of a Persian empire, nor the Ottoman Sultanate. Rather, the two regimes are dying while increasing internal popular resentment against them.

Email: ahmed@aljarallah.com

Follow me on:

ahmedaljarallah@gmail.com

Day by Day

NATIONS have spent trillions of dollars during the Corona pan-demic to support their citizens, and all of them were given loans, and some of them will continue to pay until the Day of Judgment as we in Kuwait be-lieve.

However, we spent a few millions on buying face masks, medicines and building quar-antines, some of which were twice their real cost, meaning we spent nothing.

All the Gulf countries spent a lot to spare their people the re-percussions of the disaster and solve their financial problems. These solutions did not affect their financial status. Rather, it was a move to recycle mon-ey and return it to its natural source, while at the same time stopping its flow. The scarcity will destroy the country and its stability. Money is a means not a goal.

… Yet tomorrow is another day.

Zahed Matar

Newswatch

KUWAIT CITY: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has sent a cable of condolences to Egyptian President Abdulfattah el-Sisi on a deadly fi re that happened at a medical unit for treating COVID-19 cases in Cairo.

His Highness the Amir prayed for souls of the deceased, wished the injured recovery and wellbeing and their families endurance and patience.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable of identical content to President el-Sisi.

For his part, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also addressed el-Sisi with a similar ca-ble.

National Assembly Speaker Mar-zouq Ali Al-Ghanim has sent a ca-ble of condolences to his Egyptian counterpart Dr. Ali Abdulal on vic-tims of the fi re that happened at med-ical facility for treating COVID-19 cases on Cairo’s outskirts. (KUNA)

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KUWAIT CITY: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received a cable of condolences on Sunday from the Moroccan King Mohammad VI, expressing his sorrow over the de-mise of late Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Defense.

In turn, His Highness the Amir thanked the Moroccan King for his kind words and sincere sentiments.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf received a cable of condo-lences on Sunday from the Tunisian President Qais Saeed, expressing his sorrow over the demise of late Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Defense.

In turn, His Highness the Amir thanked the Tunisian president for his kind words and sincere sentiments.

His Highness the Amir also re-ceived a cable of condolences on Sunday from the Spanish King Fe-lipe VI, expressing his sorrow over the demise of late Sheikh Nasser Sa-bah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Defense. (KUNA)

LOCALARAB TIMES, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020

2

PAM keen to support nat’l workforce, says Al-Mazyad

‘Authority to help overcome all obstacles’

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Director of the Public Re-lations Depart-ment and Offi cial Spokesperson of the Public Author-ity for Manpower (PAM) Aseel Al-Mazyad affi rmed PAM’s keenness to support the nation-al workforce and overcome all the obstacles it faces, without prejudice to the conditions of disbursing national labor support and the decisions of the Cabinet organizing this matter, reports Al-Anba daily.

In a press statement, Al-Mazyad indicated that PAM does not mind combining work and study for those who have reached the age of 25, and spent three years in non-governmental bod-ies as long as the condi-tions are met.

She explained that all eligibility conditions stipulated in Cabinet resolution No. 391/2001 and its amendments must be met. The financial aid will not be disbursed if any of these conditions are not fulfilled.

StipulatesThe fourth item in Arti-

cle 5 of the decision stip-ulates that the applicant, for the disbursement of support, must not be en-rolled in any of the stages of education or regis-tered in any of the train-ing courses organized by the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET).

Those who have reached the age of 25, and have completed three years are excluded from the condition of the num-ber of years of working for a non-governmental entity.

Article 9 of the deci-sion stipulated the sus-pension of the disburse-ment of fi nancial aid in the event that the practice of the profession or trade was stopped or the work relationship with non-governmental agencies ended.

According to the deci-sion, the payment will be suspended for those who are proven to be outside the country, either for studies or other purposes, provided that they contin-ue practicing work in im-plementation of the text of Article 9 of Cabinet resolution No. 391/2001.

Al-Mazyad affi rmed that PAM will continue to disburse support to work-ers in the private sector who are enrolled in edu-cational institutions with-in the State of Kuwait and who continue to practice their work, as well as meet the age requirement of 25 years and have three years of experience.

KUNA photosLeft: HH the PM Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid, and (right) Deputy PM and Defense Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al Ali.

Audiences of HH the Crown Prince

PAM’s Al-Mousa issues decision to form FECOC

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, received at the Bayan Palace on Sunday, His Highness the Prime Minis-

ter Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. His Highness the Crown Prince also received Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-

Ali Al-Sabah. His Highness the Crown Prince then received Dep-uty Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Khalid Al Saleh. (KUNA)

By Ahmed FathiAl-Seyassah Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Director-General of the Public Authority for Manpower, Ahmed Al-Mousa, is-sued an administrative decision No. 930 of 2020 on the declaration of the Federation of Exhibitions and Conferences Organizing Companies (FECOC).

The decision clarifi es that the Con-stituent General Assembly was held on October 12, 2020, and it was agreed between the founders to establish the

Federation of Exhibitions and Confer-ences Organizing Companies.

According to the decision the arti-cles of the association say every Ku-waiti company licensed to engage in one of the activities of organizing and managing exhibitions and conferences, establishing camps and organizing var-ious events, whether for individuals, institutions or companies, is included in the union’s membership as ‘ordi-nary’ member.

The Federation’s Board of Directors consists of 5 members elected by the General Assembly by secret ballot for

a period of two fi scal years, and the members of the Board of Directors are elected from among them in their fi rst meeting and consists of a president, a vice-president, a treasurer, a secretary, a secretary of public relations and me-dia, and chairman.

The administration is the legal rep-resentative of the federation in front of all agencies, the fiscal year of the federation starts from January 1 to the end of December of each year, and the membership fee is 200 di-nars, to be paid once upon becoming the member.

HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad.

KUNA photosNational Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim.

‘Legislative reform program launched’

Ex-minister highlights MoCI’swork in view of corona crisis

Audiences of HH the Amir

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Former min-ister of commerce and industry Khaled Al-Roudhan revealed the launch of a national support program to address the repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis, which resulted in enhancing food se-curity through logistical support with more than 90 flights for the import of approximately 2.3 million tons of frozen meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, reports Al-Rai daily.

Reviewing the achievements of the ministry during the ministerial forum, Al-Roudhan explained that 279,000 live sheep were imported. A shopping appointment reservation system for co-operative societies and parallel markets was launched, which resulted in nearly 4.5 million appointments. It was chosen by the company (Amazon) as the best in-novative program during the COVID-19 period.

The daily production capacity of masks has been raised to fi ve million, and the daily production of sanitizers increased to 150,000.

ReformingHe indicated that reforming the com-

mercial environment requires developing the legislative environment governing and regulating commercial business.

Al-Roudhan said his ministry launched a legislative reform program that could help in development, and it sponsored 11 laws, most notably the bankruptcy law, the competition protection law, the insurance regulation law and the auditors’ law, and

upon these, any future economic reform will be built.

He stressed that the Ministry of Com-merce and Industry launched an integrated program to automate services for trans-forming Kuwait into an attractive com-mercial environment in light of traditional government work, combating administra-tive corruption, preserving the time of ini-tiators and employers, and restructuring the requirements for each service or mak-ing the required conditions, the time spent and the fees to be paid.

IndicatedAl-Roudhan indicated that the results

achieved from mechanization are rep-resented in providing approximately 400,000 personal visits to the ministry annually, automating 78 percent of the ministry’s services, reducing the duration of the transactions, and linking with 19 government agencies.

He stressed that the ministry worked on entering Kuwait for the fi rst time among the top ten most reformative countries in the world out of 190 countries, adding that Kuwait jumped 51 places in the index of starting commercial activity, and rose 21 places in the index of protecting minority investors.

Al-Roudhan affi rmed that the Kuwait Stock Exchange was classifi ed into an emerging market, which resulted in an infl ux of foreign capital exceeding $8 bil-lion, and an increase in liquidity of 30 per-cent from last year, including 20 percent of foreign investments.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Seif Palace Sunday His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Amir also received National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim and His Highness the Prime

Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Ham-ad Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Amir later received Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh. (KUNA)

‘MoH keen on providing all types of meds for chronic, infectious & other diseases’

KD 1.5 mln allocated to import medicines for asthma patientsKUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: The Minis-try of Health has allocated about KD 1.5 million to import medicines for asthma patients in health centers and public hospitals, reports Al-Qabas dai-ly quoting reliable sources.

Sources confirmed the ministry is keen on providing all types of medicines for chronic, infectious and other diseases, especially during the

corona crisis. Sources warned that patients suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases might ex-perience certain health conditions if they get infected with coronavirus as well. Sources stressed the need to closely monitor the health conditions of these patients, indicating these pa-tients should not leave their homes unless it is extremely necessary.

Sources pointed out such measures will greatly contribute to the ongoing efforts to curb the spread of corona-virus, seasonal influenza, pneumonia and other illnesses.

Sources added the ministry is also in the process of importing medicines for hepatitis, materials needed for the ther-apeutic feeding of children and elderly who have allergies, and treatment for

genetic metabolic diseases at a cost of KD 473,000.

Sources said the ministry will also procure injections for rheumatoid pa-tients in public hospitals at a cost of around KD 491,000. Sources clarifi ed there are different causes of rheuma-toid diseases such as obesity, smoking, family history and age.

Sources affi rmed the process of im-

porting medicines and medical sup-plies did not stop during the corona crisis despite the diffi culties related to shipping and supply. Sources disclosed the ministry succeeded in securing ample supply of medicines to cover a longer period of emergency, in view of the estimated time for the virus to recede and for life to return to normal.

Sources said the ministry conducts

periodic follow-up in the pharma-cies at public hospitals, as well as the health and specialized centers, to guarantee ample supply of medi-cines. Sources added the ministry replenishes medical supplies as soon as the quantity decreases or provides alternatives to ensure that the quality of health care provided to the public is not affected.

Al-Mazyad

LOCALARAB TIMES, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020

3

KUNA photoHH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled

Al- Hamad Al-Sabah in his office on Sunday, Dec 27. Various issues were discussed.

Other Voices

‘Status quo remains undisturbed’“I HAD earlier mentioned that I am not optimis-tic about the results of the recent elections because the current MPs will not be able to bring us out of our sufferings and I say this even if the nation had changed all faces of the 2016 MPs and the reason be-ing we continue to consecrate tribalism, sectarianism and factionalism in its ugliest forms and oblige the deputy to bow down to their desires and kill orga-nized teamwork,” columnist Mohammad Al-Ruwai-hel wrote for Al-Jarida daily.

“The joy that accompanied the election results was not because of the outcome but rather because of the fall of those who disappointed the voters and failed to keep their promises; therefore I do not see a way out or a solu-tion to our problems without concerted sincere efforts to end this political absurdity.

“The strange thing is that some described the gather-ing of 42 MPs as opposition just because they announced their tendency to choose Badr Al-Humaidi as the Parliament Speaker and I previously mentioned that no real opposition can be formed un-der the current electoral system, and it is diffi cult for a number of MPs of this size to agree to all pro-grams that the citizen aspires to.

“Each MP is subject to the agenda of his constituents, and he knows the number by which he can succeed, and he knows how to sat-isfy them.

“The other issue was the bias the government showed in voting for MP Marzouq Al-Ghanim during the elec-tion of the President of the National Assembly. Marzouq has an organized infl uential and strong team and that in-cludes the media and money, and if the government does not do this there can be no cohesion.

“After the election results, passing through the battle for the President, the Assembly’s offi ce and after the elections of the parliamentary committees, it became clear that change was not in the offi ng and that we are back to square one, and that what we see is an extension of the state of continuous political tampering.

“It is not possible in such a way to fi x the situation even if the authority wanted it. It would not succeed eas-ily without cooperating with the national reformers and working out a successful program to end this era.

“As for the situation, we shall not realize any reform even if the people change all the parliament’s represen-tatives.”

Also:“It is unfortunate our political actors talk and analyze

issues but in reality everything is far from reality. Their readings and analyses are imaginary and has nothing to do with Kuwait’s reality – a majority of them are incom-plete and those which are complete are wrong,” colum-nist Za’ar Al-Rashidi wrote for Al-Anba daily.

“These and their ilk are considered by the oppo-sition as their theorists and this, unfortunately, is a major reason why the opposition often commits fatal mistakes.

“Of course, I mean the political actors who are profi -cient in talking about politics, whether through individ-ual videos or through seminars, wearing the opposition cloak often speaking with excessive idealism.

“Their simplest mistakes are that they build their analyzes or comments on the assumption that we are a constitutional monarchy, even though our political system is not, for example, they talk about our po-litical differences by projecting the British case to the Kuwaiti political reality, so it is natural for their comments to be extremist and depict our country as a country mired in corruption, and thus spread a state of darkness and pessimism even about the future of our country among the people.

“Rather, they go further and compare the old democ-racies to our democracy, so you fi nd their explanations for what is happening to us as if it is a disaster and the end of the world, and you fi nd someone saying ‘This would not happen if we lived in Britain, it is true that we are not in Britain, we are not like this, and it is a naivety if we build our political analyzes on the British legal system, for example, or any legal system for any other country.

“Their readings lack the basics of simple logic, and they fail to provide a realistic explanation for any event going on in the region, for their conversations is fi lled with devilish opposition to all our political surround-ings, and their discourse is populist so they always por-tray that there is a conspiracy hatched against the people by allied commercial-political elites.

“Yes there are political elite and there is convergence of interests and there are groups of economic pressure and the interests of companies, but this matter exists in Washington and London, capitals of democracies in the world, in the same way and in the same manner that we have and perhaps they are more organized, so these people should stop exporting the image of Kuwait as the capital of corruption in the world.

“The speeches of these political stars are suitable for media consumption only like any other entertainment show, but they do not offer solutions not because they do not properly analyze our problems, but they lack the minimum elements of political analysis and good only in the verbal attack against the other, they attack the gov-ernment without presenting one solution.

“These stars have to land on the surface of the earth from the fi ctional political world in which they live, and start talking about the fact that we are a special and distinctive democracy from others, and that we are not Britain.

“I tell these political actors, ‘In order to get respect, present your analysis according to the Kuwaiti equation data, at least, so that we can understand.

“It is not conceivable to bring an actor to investigate a murder case only because he once played the role of

a police investigator, and it is wrong to seek the help of a political entertainer to plan your way to confront the government.”

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“Some citizens wonder about the reason behind the deterioration of previous assemblies. Why some outputs did not match the ambitions. Why did they forget all their promises, succumb to pressure, and change their convictions and decisions once they reached their goal? Why did some of them engage in corruption and become incompetent in representing the aspiration of the citizen in a new and developed Kuwait at all levels?” columnist Abdulaziz Saoud Al-Essa wrote for Al-Rai daily.

“Most of the voters want change, as we saw on poll-ing day. Kuwaitis rushed to the ballot boxes to express their opinions and deliver goodness. Let us diagnose the problem and define it accurately, such that we find two types of citizens.

“First is the one who trusts the candidate and recom-mends him in accordance with the promises that the latter made including the solutions he promised. This citizen believes the promises of the candidate, so he chooses the latter as his representative in the National Assembly only for the candidate to let him down later.

“Second is the citizen who focuses on the interest of his group at the expense of the interest of his country. Therefore, he is proud of the success of a candidate from his family, sect or tribe. He forgets the interests of the country that should not be related to a family, sect or tribe.”

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“May God forgive Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad whose passing afflicted the hearts and souls of most people in Kuwait as they mourned him for more than three consecutive days through the media such that the hashtag #Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad became the first un-challenged trend,” columnist Dr Ali Al-Zuabi wrote for Al-Shahid daily.

“Personal accounts displayed his pictures and many echoed his quotes that have become immortal these days. Yes, all these happened even if ‘Nasser Al-Ku-wait’ was not among those who poured money into writ-ers, media, intellectuals and influential people in society.

“‘Nasser Al-Kuwait’ did not own newspapers, news channels and news programs to highlight his image among the people. ‘Nasser Al-Kuwait’ did not take ad-vantage of the positions he occupied to buy the loyalty of politicians, MPs and others.

“‘Nasser Al-Kuwait’ never owned the above. He did not use his money and influence to do the above. Also, he had the courage to fight against corruption. He used his charisma with all his strength and without hesita-tion, so he loved and appreciated the people of Kuwait. When he left, they cried and made him a symbol.”

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“Until now all the people had no issues to discuss oth-er than the issue of who would be the National Assembly Speaker. We hear some people saying - this is treachery, that is disguised by his group, and the other has been to perform his responsibility”, columnist Yousef Al-Hajji wrote for Annahar daily.

“All are mere talks, cutting and pasting pictures of voting papers on social media sites. This is not permis-sible, neither from the perspective of Sharia nor legally, for us to create a bad impression about fellow humans and their morals without clear evidence. Since the an-nouncement of the results of elections of the National Assembly speakership, we have been overwhelmed ev-ery day with how many names were removed and all sorts of allegations.

“This is a matter that it is not permissible. God forbids the attitude of maligning the morals of human beings. If there are papers that were photographed and given ac-cording to your words, from where did the papers come, and who distributed them? Who is responsible for these papers? The National Assembly is not only about pre-siding, because people brought the MPs into this parlia-ment for legislation and oversight.

“The speaker is one, and there are 49 MPs who legis-late, monitor, work and accomplish. They are the deci-sion-makers, and the completion of the parliament will not stop with the leadership. For the sake of participation and change, which has been achieved, you should not waste time with the issue of the speakership since there is a lot of work awaiting you.”

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“The recent trends of the accelerated government and parliamentary events require us to broadcast brief messages to the stakeholders to express our bitter reality,” Waleed Ibrahim Al-Ahmad wrote for Al-Rai daily.

“Our government has not yet understood the outcome of the recent election results, in revolt against the coun-try’s economic, political and social conditions, when it reconstituted a routine government with nothing new or renewed!

“Let us go beyond the speakership that MP Marzouq Al-Ghanim won for another four years after a fierce competition with MP Bader Al-Humaidi (33-28).

“The parliamentary opposition did not succeed in uniting it after clear “betrayals” were evident in the secret vote compared to what was announced pub-licly!

“An investigation must be opened into the events of the opening session, the pandemonium that accompa-nied the voting papers, the photography, seals, and the audience, by placing dots on the letters!

“The opposition must overcome its loss in the speak-ership battle, and start logical thinking about how to push the wheel of development forward, stop corrup-tion, and expose the manipulators of the future genera-tions’ fund, the negligent and the weak.”

— Compiled by Ahmad Al-Shazli

Minister meets top MoE officials,wants end to hitches facing work

Call to fill vacant supervisory positions

By Abdulrahman Al-ShammariAl-Seyassah Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Educa-tion Dr. Ali Al-Mudhaf be-gins a series of individual meetings with senior offi-cials in the Ministry of Ed-ucation including directors of departments to get first-hand information about the most important obstacles and problems facing the work and impeding its sta-bility within the framework of the minister’s endeavor to solve problems, remove obstacles and address them in a manner that is reflect-ed in the development of

the educational process. Educational sources indicated

the first meeting was with public education sector in the presence

of his deputy, Osama Al-Sultan and the directors of the six educational districts, the acting director of the Coordi-nation Depart-ment.

The minister was briefed on all the mechanisms

and procedures in the educational ar-eas with regard to distance education and the preparations made by the pub-lic education sector at the end of the fi rst semester which is about to be completed, the results of the weekly evaluation of students and their level of academic achievement and the ex-tent to which the curricula keep pace

with the time factor of the academic session to be completed, even if it was adapted to suit the distance education system.

The sources explained the direc-tors have emphasized on fi lling vacant supervisory jobs in the regions and schools as well as the problems of con-tracts since many schools hire workers including cleaning workers who are not sponsored by the company they are working for and it constitutes a legal and security responsibility for school principals if a problem occurs.

The sources stated that the minister will be informed of the alternatives provided by the ministry in the event that paper-based tests are not approved by the health authorities, and it has be-come certain to continue with distance education, which requires fi nding alter-natives for evaluation for students that include conducting electronic tests, as is the case in many educational insti-tutions until the return of traditional education to its normal condition after the virus receded and the students were vaccinated.

Dr Al-Mudhaf

DGCA to ink KD 9.2 mn contract for new control towerKUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: The Di-rectorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will soon sign a contract worth about KD 9.2 million to de-sign, manufacture, supply, install, operate and provide training, main-tenance, technical support and guar-antee services of the new control tower equipment and its integration with Kuwait International Airport, reports Al-Anba daily quoting in-formed sources.

They explained that the estab-lishment of a new air control tower at Kuwait International Airport is aimed to raise the level of air traf-fi c safety at the airport. The infra-structure development project for Kuwait International Airport will contribute to linking new projects to each other, operating them, and pro-viding their systems with the latest international systems.

The sources said, “The air control

tower project at Kuwait Internation-al Airport is distinguished from the current tower by its height, which is not less than 70 meters, and its stra-tegic location, which enhances the visibility of the air traffi c controller to the current runway, in addition to the new third runway.”

Earlier, DGCA had revealed that the new air control tower will be equipped with four major new sys-tems. They include a very advanced radar system - the fi rst of its kind in the Middle East, an automated air-craft control system, an advanced communication system between the air traffi c controller and the plane’s crew, and an indicative lighting sys-tem for aircraft.

Meanwhile , Acting Undersec-retary of the Ministry of Education Faisal Al-Maqsid called on the Pub-lic Education Sector to issue a direc-tive to the educational districts and

Religious Education Department to submit the list of outstanding teach-ers and schools to honor them on the occasion of their International Day for academic year 2019/2020, reports Al-Anba daily.

Al-Maqsid stressed the need to submit the list no later than the end of December for the ministry to complete the necessary procedures on time.

In a related development, reli-able sources from the educational sector affi rmed to the daily that the ministry neither ignored nor forget the outstanding teachers who were chosen in the last academic year. Sources explained the prevailing health situation and exceptional circumstances that the country has been going through made it impos-sible for the ministry to honor these teachers.

Adnan Sayyed AbdulsamadFirst Constituency

ADNAN SAYYED ABDULSA-MAD is a Shiite. He was born in 1950 and holds a Bach-elor’s Degree in Politics and Economics.

He is a member Ku-wait Economics Society, Kuwait Human Rights Society, Kuwait Cultural and Social Society, and Kuwait Public Fund Pro-tection Society.

He was a member of the 1981, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2016 parliaments. In the 2013 Parliament, he did not belong to any political bloc.

In the 2020 parliamentary elec-tions, he ranked seventh in his constituency with 3,052 votes.

Voting Record

2013 Parliament■ Cancellation of items in the

grilling motion against Minister of Finance Muhammad Al-Abdullah – abstained

■ Formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the bank deposits of MPs – ap-

proved■ No confidence mo-

tion against Health Minis-ter and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Muhammad Al-Abdullah – rejected

■ Cancellation of the grilling motion against HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak in 2014 – rejected

■ Amendment of Con-stitutional Court Law in 2014 – abstained

■ Partnership Enterprises Law in 2014 – approved

■ Cybercrimes Law in 2015 – rejected

■ DNA Law in 2015 – rejected ■ Law on disqualifying those

convicted in offending crimes in 2016 – rejected

December 2012 Parliament■ Referral of the grilling mo-

tion against Minister of Interior Ahmed Al-Homoud to the Consti-tutional Court – approved

■ First deliberation on writing off the loan interest in 2013 – ap-proved

■ Law on combating money laundering and financing terror-ism in 2013 – absent

■ Postponing the grilling mo-tion against Minister of Oil Hani Husain – rejected

■ Postponing the grilling mo-tion against Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali in 2013 – re-jected

■ Postponing the grilling mo-tion of State Minister for Housing and Municipal Affairs Salem Al-Ozaina in 2013 – rejected

■ Postponing the grilling of Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmed Al-Homoud in 2013 – rejected

■ One-man, one-vote in 2013 – approved

February 2012 Parliament ■ Death penalty for those

convicted of offending God – re-jected

Abdulsamad

Jobs turnout in MoE slowKUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Only 212 out of 1,146 citizens included in the last batch of applicants who were nominated by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to work at the Min-istry of Education visited the ministry to complete cer-tain procedures for their employment – a manifestation of the citizens’ reluc-tance to work in the ministry which cur-rently has around 116,000 employees assigned in its head office, schools and educational districts, reports Al-Rai daily quoting a reliable source from the edu-cational sector.

Al-Ruwaihel

News in Brief

Over 49,000 warnings: The gov-ernment issued 49,250 warnings to complexes, markets and shops after following up the implementation of health regulations in the past six months, reports Al-Jarida daily.

Through its official social media account, the Government Commu-nication Center announced that the executive authority arranged 118,439 inspection visits to the abovemen-tioned places for six months starting from the end of June; registered 8,815 violations and issued 497 closure or-ders to those who violated the health regulations on curbing the spread of coronavirus.

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‘Provide legal cover’: To deter

those who infringe on the rights of the elderly, and to provide legal cover for the parking spaces reserved for their vehicles, the Ministry of Social Af-fairs will request the General Traffic Department of the Ministry of Interi-or, to amend the Traffic Law to allow for harsher penalties for those who park their vehicles in spaces reserved for the elderly at the government in-stitutions and commercial complexes, similar to the disabled, says Al-Seyas-sah.

Informed sources told the Al-Seyassah daily that the Social Care Sector of the Ministry of Social Af-fairs will demand, during a meeting with the traffic sector officials, to make amendments because the cur-rent law does not punish the viola-

tors enough, because according to the current law the citation can be appealed and then dropped because there are no legal articles to support the action.

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Bonus for workers: The Acting Director of the Finance Department at the Ministry of Education, Matrouk Al-Mutairi, said 80,000 male and fe-male employees of the ministry have been shortlisted to receive ‘excellent work’ bonuses, says Al-Seyassah .

He said the total amount to be disbursed is 58.3 million dinars. Al-Mutairi told Al-Seyassah daily the Department has submitted the names along with the details to the Financial Supervision Office for approval.

LOCALARAB TIMES, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020

4

Egypt sentences man to ‘death’ for killing Kuwaiti woman, Saudi mom

Plan to create chaos by two juveniles thwarted

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Egypt sentences to death by hanging the Egyptian who was found guilty of murder-ing a Kuwaiti woman and her Saudi mother in October 2015, reports Al-Anba daily

The media reports said that the accused, Abd Al-Tawab Sayed Youssef (54 years old), the prime accused in the murder has been sen-tenced to death by hanging.

The Egyptian court has also sentenced his two brothers-in-law to life in prison and released his wife after ruling her innocent after the main accused admitted to planning and premeditatedly murdering the victim with the help of his two brothers-in-law to rob their money.

The main accused had claimed the elder woman slipped and fell in the well while inspecting to buy it and that when the daughter learned of her mother’s death she tried to kill him with a knife, which prompted him to hit her with a spanner.

However, the investigations discovered he was lying and that he deliberately killed and threw her body also in the well.

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Terror plan thwarted: A security source said that the security services thwarted a plan by two juveniles to target one of the places of worship of an Asian community in a suburb of Ardhiya, which has already been shut down, reports Al-Anba daily.

The source said the two Kuwaiti minors were lured by ISIS through elec-tronic games by elements believed to be affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS.

The source explained a few days ago, the Operations Room of the Ministry of Interior had received a report that one of the two juveniles had dumped a Kalashnikov rifle in front of a house belonging to a security officer in Al-Firdous area after an altercation with the other.

The source pointed out the incident received special atten-tion from the security services, especially the State Security Agency adding that the security men found that it was a juvenile who threw the firearm, and he was referred for interrogation.

The juvenile, a ‘fellow’ living Fahaheel had contacted him and asked him to carry out a terrorist act on one of the temples of an Asian community. He explained that he thought it was a joke, but he was surprised that the ‘fellow’ actually came to him and handed him the firearm and asked him to accompany him to the temple site in Ardhiya.

The source continued by say-ing the case was immediately followed up by the state security apparatus, and the house of the juvenile in Fahaheel was raided and another firearm was found ISIS written on black bags.

The Al-Qabas daily gave more details of the investigations say-ing the two teenagers who were lured and recruited by the terror-ist organization ‘ISIS to target places of worship, commercial complexes and other facilities, in an attempt to create panic in Kuwait during the New Year holidays.

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Supervisor probed: Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) recently referred a for-mer supervisor at the Ministry of Education to the Public Prosecution on charges of wast-ing public money as part of con-tinuous efforts to combat corrup-tion, ward off its dangers and effects, prosecute perpetrators, and receive and verify serious reports on corruption, reports Al-Qabas daily.

In a press statement, Nazaha confirmed its intention to con-tinue exerting efforts and imple-menting procedures related to examining and conducting inves-tigations into serious corruption reports. It expressed appreciation to those making such reports for effectively playing their role to help the authority gain access to the necessary information on incidents of corruption, while affirming its commitment to pro-vide them with utmost protection and maintain confidentiality as per the law and executive regula-tions.

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Parents dumped: A Kuwaiti has been arrested and put behind bars at the Salwa Police Station for expelling his parents and the family servant from their home, despite the harsh cold weather, reports Al-Anba daily.

The arrest came when the father, who is believed to be in his 60s, called the Operations Room of the Ministry of Interior and complained his son had put him, his wife and servant out of the house.

When police went to the house and arrested the man, they dis-covered he was under the influ-ence of drugs.

A report by the Forensics will determine what drugs he has consuming. The father stated the reason for his son’s actions was his refusal to give money to buy narcotics.

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Crime sees rise: During the past three months, the country witnessed an increasing number of vehicle break-ins, imperson-ation and looting pedestrians, particularly Asian expatriates, and theft of vehicles which ulti-mately ended up being burned or parts dismantled and sold at the scrap market, says Al-Seyassah .

The CCTV cameras and the traffic cameras installed by the General Traffic Department (GTD) of the Ministry of Interior at vital traffic lights and high-ways have greatly contributed to identifying criminals or putting an end to mad road races and reckless driving.

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Officer insulted: A young Kuwaiti has been detained at a police station in the Capital gov-ernorate for insulting a public employee who also turned out to be abnormal and a debtor, reports Al-Anba daily.

. Al-Rai photoThe half-lorry totally disintegrated after falling off the bridge

Happy to be volunteer: Al-Matar

Two cheat death as half-lorry falls off bridge

Father dead, son missing at sea

MP takes part in campaign to remove waste

Two men were injured after the half-lorry they were rid-ing in fell off the bridge on King Fahd Road, reports Al-Rai daily.

Acting on information fi remen from the Nuwaiseeb

Fire Station rushed to the spot and dealt with the ac-cident. The daily did not say what cause the accident. The security authorities are investigating. The injuries to the two men are believed to be not life threatening.

Firefi ghters and maritime rescue teams have recovered the body of a 47-year-old man, while attempts are being exerted to fi nd the body of his son, reports Al-Rai daily.

Both men went missing after the

boat they were sailing in sank off Ku-wait Towers at dawn Saturday. The cause of the death is not known and it is also not known how far the boat was from the shore or if an SOS was received by the concerned authorities.

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: The Trahame Volunteer Team, an affi liate of the International Is-lamic Charitable Organization recently organized a national campaign to remove waste from Kuwait Bay, in coopera-tion with the Jahra branch of the Kuwait Municipality, with the participation of a large number of volunteers, commu-nity fi gures and senior offi cials of the charity organization, re-ports Al-Anba daily.

The team also organized a campaign to clean Al-Subbi-ya beach at the end of Jaber Bridge in cooperation with the Jahra Municipality and more than 200 volunteers.

At the beginning, the head of the Environmental Committee in the National Assembly, MP Dr Hamad Al-Matar said the

Parliament and the members of the committee are ready to contribute and serve volunteers in preserving the environment,

w h e t h e r t h r o u g h legislation or monitor-ing.

He in-d i c a t e d the many b e n e f i t s of the air and marine e n v i r o n -

ment, also in light of reports on pollution and the frightening atmosphere that the Kuwaiti people have heard of. He said, unfortunately this is real, and “we will play our role to fi ght-ing this menace in Abdullah Al-Salem Hall, with legislation

and oversight.”Al-Matar told the daily, dur-

ing his participation in the campaign which Islamic char-ity organization undertakes with its activities refl ects the civilized face of Kuwait and expressed his happiness to be a part of volunteer activities that Kuwait needs in light of the environmental problems that we suffer, especially that volunteer activities create a generation that cares about the environment.

He explained, the environ-ment, is not a luxury, but rather a necessity, and “we support any activity that contributes to preserving our environment and protects it in cooperation with the private, government, voluntary and legislative work institutions.”

Disabled gets right: The Adminis-trative Court canceled the decision of the Specialized Medical Committee of the Public Authority for Disabled People to reduce the degree of disability of a Kuwaiti woman and the conse-quences thereof, most notably the granting of a certifi cate stating she suffers from a severe and per-manent physical disability, reports Al-Anba daily.

During the court session, the plaintiff counsel Law-yer Hawra Al-Habib affi rmed that her client had a severe and permanent mo-bility disability since her birth. There are several medical reports confi rming her illness. Her condition in 2007 was classifi ed as severe and permanent mobility disability since birth and was included in the provisions of the law regarding the care for the disabled. After the issuance of law No. 8/2010, her client was surprised to fi nd that her disability had been changed to a minor one, even though her health condition had not improved. This violated her le-gal status.

The court stated in its justifi cations that it is not permissible for the con-cerned committee to reassess the dis-ability of those affected based on the criteria brought about by the new legis-lation, due to the waste of their legal po-sitions acquired under the previous law. This is in addition to depriving them of the rights that the provisions of the current law have created in terms of ful-fi lling the provisions of the constitution without justifi cation. The law, espe-cially since the last Law No. 8/2010, the texts of which came in its commanding form, was devoid of a provision that includes the retroactive enforcement of its provisions regarding the description of disability and the determination of its type and degree on those who were affected by the previous law, and they acquired this description in accordance with its provisions.

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KD 4 stolen from teen: Personnel from the Jaber Al-Ahmad Police Station are looking for three un-known persons for robbing four di-nars, cellphone, civil ID and a bank card from a 17-year-old, reports Al-Anba daily.

However, what exactly happened is not known since the ‘victim’ was allegedly driving a vehicle without a licence.

According to a security source, a Kuwait born in 1974, said his son asked to borrow his car because someone had invited him for dinner nearby and after returning from din-ner he told his father that he had been robbed.

‘We feel insecure’

‘Strangers in area’KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area has been suffering for many years, mostly due to the large presence of bachelors, wide-spread crime of thefts, and dilapi-dated infrastructure of roads and sanitation among others, reaching the extent of importing problems from nearby areas such as Ab-basiya and Al-Hassawi, reports Al-Anba daily.

Wanting to shed light on the most important challenges in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area, the daily met with a number of citizens liv-ing there to hear their opinions and convey their complaints and de-mands to the competent authori-ties. The Kuwaiti residents of the area affi rmed the lack of security and stability due to the large dis-placement of expatriates to the area. They demanded the need to withdraw government homes from those who rent or use them as shops and stores, and give them to deserving citizens.

The residents said the area in-cludes only 550 houses and its streets are crowded with vehicles for its location near the garages, indicating that they feel like they are strangers in their area.

They called on the concerned authorities to expedite in saving the situation before it is too late.

News in Brief

Al-Habib

Other Voices

Dr Shafi qa and piety claimantBy Ahmad alsarraf

There is no act more arbitrary than a deputy exploiting the National Assembly platforms to attack the weak citizens and state employees for not responding to his peculiar requests, or to pass transactions that may be illegal, a phenomenon that is not new but is increasing.

MP Osama Al-Munawer, whose military activ-ity in Syria is we l l -known, has used his parliamentary seat to attack the director of the disability authority, Dr. Shafi qa Al-Awadhi and accused her of bad man-nerism at the authority and that she did not respect him and turned down his request to grant a license to Dr. AS to open a private school for the handicapped inside a residential area saying the authority had issued such licenses to others.

All attempts made by Dr. Shafi qa to explain to the MP that the license for that school was issued four years ago, followed by a law banning the opening of private schools for the handicapped in residential areas was futile and said the aggrieved party has the right to resort to the judiciary.

The MP did not like the director’s insistence to stand with her stance, so he acted in a strange manner -- as a former minister told me -- and threat-ened her, after insulting her in front of her superiors.

It is also said that he followed the same method with another doctor working in the Ministry of Health, and threatened to complain to the minister, and to question him if no ac-tion was taken against her. It appears from all of this that the deputy is in a hurry to prove his presence, and to make use of the parliamentary seat as much as he is able to!

I am not defending Dr. Shafi qa Al-

Awadhi or others and I do not think that she is an ideal director, as we are all human beings, and only those who deal with her as the guardian of a disabled person knows the truth about the work of the disability authority.

I have gone through several experi-ences with more than one director of the authority, over a period of thirty years, and I witnessed the administra-tive and psychological pressures that a number of them were subjected to, including representatives and senior executives to pass illegal transactions.

Add to this the rampant corruption in the authority, and the strange sto-ries of citizens and employees within the authority and their violation of the law by forging disability certifi cates bearing the signatures and seals of doctors, former and current, in the Ministry of Health, and causing the theft of state funds.

Such manipulation prompted those with conscience to act in an offi cial and resolute manner with everyone, knowing that otherwise means either that they suffer a nervous breakdown, as a result of the large number of demands, pressures and infringe-ments, or wasting time in meeting the satisfaction of every applicant, and accepting the illegal transactions as happened in the past, in order to satisfy a deputy and others, especially since the number of visitors to the are hundreds per day, and the demand for salaries, benefi ts and bonuses for the disabled is large, and the numbers of the disabled continues to rise.

In his speech in which he attacked Dr. Shafi qa, the MP revealed that opening a school for the disabled is fi -nancially rewarding, as the State pays 7,000 dinars annually for every disa-bled person, in addition to what is col-lected from parents, therefore the is-sue may be a desire to achieve wealth at the expense of the law, not a claim to a right and this – if true – is some-thing that a person of conscience will not accept, especially when pressure comes from those who claim piety.

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e-mail: a.alsarraf@alqabas.com.kw

Marine rescuers looking for the missing ‘son’.

Al-Matar

alsarraf

LOCALARAB TIMES, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020

5

Project a brainchild of late Sheikh Nasser Sabah

Political leadership to keep ‘Al-Harir’ ball rollingBy Salem Al-WawanAl-Seyassah Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: High-level political sources have put hopes in realizing the dream of implementing the Northern Economic Zone project, the brainchild of former First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of De-fense late Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad, may God have mercy on him.

The same sources said the political leader-ship is interested in the project, and the new gov-ernment recom-mended that the general plan of the Madinat Al-Harir (Silk City)

that was concluded be quickly im-plemented — the plan that was un-der the supervision and follow-up of Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah.

The sources emphasized a deci-sion is expected to be issued shortly to assign one of the sons of the rul-ing family to continue the march of the late First Deputy Prime Minis-ter to implement the project and to follow up the issuance of necessary

laws and legislation and distribution of the roles and responsibilities be-tween the legislative and executive authorities. The sources said the as-signee had earlier participated in the work of Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah.

The sources also talked about the vision about the dimensions of the project, its economic feasibility, and its legal and fi nancial requirements, and the problems and complications

that faced its implementation and hindered the march.

The project aims to put Kuwait on the map of global tourism, by estab-lishing an economic zone to establish development projects in all areas of investment and contribute to mak-ing Kuwait a global fi nancial center, achieving sustainable comprehensive development and attracting industrial, commercial, service and tourism in-

vestments and fi nancial activities.The government had referred a

draft law in this regard to the pre-vious National Assembly last Sep-tember, and had requested that it be given urgency.

The draft presented at the time in-cluded radical changes compared to the previous draft, which had to be withdrawn after widespread parlia-mentary objections.Sheikh Nasser

GCC ministers discuss railwaysand maritime transport issues

Amendment of name of Int’l Land Transport Law in GCC eyed

By Muhammad GhanemAl-Seyassah Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: Minister of State for Housing Affairs and Minister of State for Services Affairs Dr Abdullah Ma’arafi took part in the twenty-second meeting of the transport and commu-nications ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which dis-cussed the recommen-dations and proposals that were submitted by the undersecretaries of the Gulf ministries of transport and commu-nications during their virtual meeting last week.

Ma’arafi said in a press statement the meeting which was held last Thurs-day is complementary to the previous meetings of GCC ministers of Trans-port and Communications to look at the latest agreed recommendations and pro-posals of interest to the GCC countries to imple-ment the wishes of GCC leaders to promote joint co-operation and adopt related projects of joint benefi ts.

Regarding the establish-ment of the Gulf Railways Authority, Ma’arafi indicat-ed that it was recommended to approve the contents of the fi nal study report and give nod for the proposed body which is to be called the ‘Gulf Railways Agency’ as well as the organizational structure and headquarters of the agency, in addition to discussing many topics such as the project’s operational plan and schedule.

He added many issues re-lated to maritime transport were discussed and approved, such as the unifi ed conditions and controls for granting small marine driving licenses, the unifi ed model for the driver’s license, the approval of up-dates to the rules and instruc-tions for ports, in addition to updates to the list of safety of ships with small tonnage which are not covered by in-ternational maritime treaties.

Also discussed were sev-eral issues of land transport between countries, the most important of which is the amendment of the name of the International Land Trans-port Law among the GCC countries.

Photos by Bassam Abu ShanabKuwaitis and expatriates line up to get themselves vaccinated against the new coronavirus at the Mishref Interna-

tional Fairgrounds. (Inset) an elderly citizen being helped inside the facility.

Photo by Rizk Taufi qGarbage dumped around one of the abandoned houses.

Concerned authorities faulted

Northern Shuwaikh ghost town ... a hotbed for stray dogs, catsKUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: The headquarters of public benefi t associations and civil soci-ety institutions in the Shuwaikh area, which was evacuated in mid-2013, at the request of the Kuwait Municipality, has been trans-formed into a dumpsite and become a hot-bed for stray dogs, cats and rodents.

To add insult to injury the demolition of these buildings and turning them into dis-mal ruins distort the cultural landscape of the area, and nobody seems to be interested in paying attention to this fact.

The story began in 2000 when the Mu-nicipality set out to remove some public benefi t associations from that area based on a decision No 23/452/14/2000 which was issued on Sept 20, 2000, which stipulated in the fi rst clause approval of organizing the northern Shuwaikh area and creating 65 plots of land with an area of 32,500 square meters, in addition to a request to terminate the contracts signed with the public benefi t associations located in this area.

The public benefi t societies in that area were given more than one deadline to evacu-ate, the last of which was in 2013, but some of these societies continued to operate until the electricity was cut off about 4 years ago, and the Municipality based its decision on the fact that there are public benefi t organi-zations and associations that exploit sites in the Shuwaikh area while they already have permanent headquarters in other regions.

The international human rights advi-sor, Anwar Al-Rasheed, says the northern Shuwaikh region has become deserted and ugly, and it is indeed a city of ghosts — the region that housed Human Rights Associa-tion and some public benefi t associations.

The former vice-president of the Associ-ation of Accountants and Auditors, Abdul-latif Al-Ahmad, indicated that the associa-tion was evacuated years ago, and until now the association’s meetings are taking place in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry until the building of the association is com-

pleted in Salmiya.Al-Ahmad stated that the history of

building the Kuwaiti Association of Ac-countants and Auditors dates back to the beginning of the 1970s and with great regret the historical aspect of construction was not taken into consideration and a decision was issued to evacuate the public benefi t soci-eties from the northern Shuwaikh area de-spite the costs incurred by these societies in establishing and these societies.

He indicate the public benefi t associa-tions were supposed to continue the activi-ties in North Shuwaikh until each associa-tion received a new headquarters, but what happened is that electricity to the associa-tions was cut off years ago.

He stressed on the state’s failure to ex-ploit the northern Shuwaikh area until now because the area is still in ruins once again confi rming the clear failure from the con-cerned authorities to pay attention to the cultural appearance of Kuwait.

‘Renew residency before the year ends or pay fi ne’KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: The Public Authority for Manpower has warned those whose residency will expire before January 12 not to fall into problems and end up paying fi nes. The PAM sources said those who fall in this category must renew or extend their residence permits during the few remaining days of this week.

The sources pointed out next Thursday is the last date for complet-ing transactions — renewal or transfer — because the automated system will then be suspended for two weeks in preparation to launch a new system.

New website: MoJKUWAIT CITY, Dec 27: The offi cial spokesperson of the Ministry of Justice and Director of the Public Relations and Media De-partment Issa Al-Bishir an-nounced that the ministry has launched the new website of the Kuwait Institute for Ju-dicial and Legal Studies, re-ports Al-Anba daily.

In a press statement, Al-Bishir explained that this new website has been launched after several modi-fi cations that conform to recent developments in the technological fi eld to view its contents and news.

The site contains news, studies and publications of the institute in addition to its various activities at the local, regional and interna-tional levels. It will serve as a bridge for communication among the institute, research-ers, scholars and those inter-ested in the legal and judicial fi elds, especially in light of the epidemiological circum-stance that imposes social distancing on everyone as a method of prevention, which strengthens and consecrates its content and reinforces the procedures used as a method for remote access.

LOCAL/GULFARAB TIMES, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020

6

Gulf confronts COVID-19, witnessed major events in 2020Saudi suspends air traffic following discovery of mutated virus

By Sara Al-Mukhaizeem

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 27, (KUNA): The Arab Gulf region has experienced many crucial events throughout 2020, foremost the novel coronavirus pan-demic which brought the whole world to a standstill.

Following are major events in the Gulf area, showing how Gulf countries confronted the pandem-ic, which affected life in general.

The GCC:Feb 19: GCC health ministers

declared precautionary measures at border exits of the six GCC states to cope with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) during an extraordinary meeting.

May 15: GCC ministerial commit-tee imposed anti-dumping fees on all kinds of hydraulic cement imports from Iran for five years.

June 11: GCC education ministers hold an exceptional online meeting for the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (ABEGS).

Saudi Arabia:Jan 3: Saudi Arabia declared hold-

ers of US, British, or Schengen visas could enter Saudi Arabia after obtain-ing a visa at one of the airports or border exits.

Jan 4: Dakar Rally 2020 was inau-gurated for the first time at the Asian level in Jeddah. Up to 556 racers from 62 countries had taken part in the rally.

Jan 7: Saudi security personnel detained a top notorious terrorist in Al-Qatif. He was charged with killing a judge, looting, and shooting security men.

Feb 5: The Saudi Mobile Telecommunications Company Saudi Arabia (Zain KSA) posted USD-129-million-worth of net profits in the fis-cal year that ended in late December 2019, at a growth rate of 46 percent.

Feb 22: Saudi Arabia suspended travels to Iran as a precaution against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Feb 25: A Royal Order dismissed Minister of Civil Service Suleiman Al-Hamdan and Information Minister Rurki Al-Shabanah. It also merged the ministry of civil service with the min-istry of justice and social development and named it the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. Moreover, the Ministry of Commerce and Investment was named as the Ministry of Commerce.

Feb 25: A Royal Order named the Public Investment Authority as the Ministry of Investments and the Public Sports Authority as the Ministry of Sports. Moreover, the Public Tourism Authority and National Heritage was renamed the Ministry of Tourism.

Feb 25: A Royal Order named Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki as bin Faisal as Minister of Sports and Ahmad Al-Khatib as Minister of Tourism and Khaled Al-Faleh as Minister of Investments.

Feb 28: Saudi Arabia suspended entry of GCC countries’ citizens to

Makkah and Madina.March 2: Saudi Arabia declared the

first infection case of the novel coro-navirus (COVID-19). It was of an incoming Iranian national.

March 4: In a temporarily measure, Saudi Arabia suspended Umra for citi-zens and residents in line with a rec-ommendation by the supreme commis-sion for follow-up on the novel coro-navirus (COVID-19).

March 7: Saudi Ministry of Health called on arrivals from Italy, South Korea, Egypt, and Lebanon to isolate themselves at home for two weeks as of the date of their arrival in the coun-try.

March 7: Saudi Ministry of Education declared suspension of studies in the eastern Al-Qatif region for two weeks.

March 7: The general chairman of Al-Masjid Al-Haram and Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi, Dr. Abdurahman Al-Sodais, declared a Royal Order allowing worshippers who were not performing Umra to circle Al-Kaaba.

March 7: Saudi Ministry of Sports declared suspending indefinitely fans’ attendance of all sports activities.

March 8: Saudi Ministry of Education indefinitely suspended teaching in all regions and provinces as part of the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

March 9: Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz donated USD 10 million for the World Health Organization for combating the novel coronavirus.

March 11: Saudi Ministry of Health declared the first recovery cases from the novel coronavirus.

March 12: Saudi Arabia declared suspending travels by citizens and residents in addition to halting flights to countries where the novel coronavi-rus spread.

March 14: Saudi Arabia declared suspending air flights for two weeks; exempting extraordinary cases.

March 15: Saudi Arabia suspended in a temporary manner marine voyages to a number of countries, exempting shipping, in a measure against the pan-demic.

March 15: Saudi Arabia declared civil servants’ show up at workplaces for 16 days, excluding health, security, military, and e-security.

March 20: Saudi Arabia suspended internal air flights, impounded buses, taxicabs, and trains for 14 days to stem the spread of the contagion.

March 23: Saudi Ministry of Interior imposed a USD 27,000 fine on violators of a curfew. The fine could be doubled if the offense repeated.

March 24: Saudi Arabia declared the first death with the pandemic. It was of an Afghan resident.

March 30: Saudi Ministry of Interior declared enforcement of addi-tional precautionary measures, extend-ing the curfew in some residential dis-tricts in Makkah.

April 2: Saudi Interior Ministry announces a complete curfew in all parts of the two holy cities of Makkah and Madina until further notice.

April 3: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman ordered payment of SAR nine billion in financial support to over 1.2 million citizens working in the private

sector facilities, which are hit by the rapid spread of coronavirus.

April 6: Saudi Interior Ministry announced a complete curfew Jeddah, Taif, Qatif, Khobar, Riyadh, Tabook, Dammam, Dhahran, and Al-Hafof until further notice.

April 11: Saudi Arabia announced USD 25 million to support the Yamani government’s efforts to confront the new Coronavirus pandemic.

April 15: suspended air trafic for a week following discovery of a mutated Covid-19 virus approved a package of additional initiatives to mitigate impacts of Coronavirus on economic activities and the private sector.

April 16: Saudi Minister of Education issued a decision to transfer all male and female students of general education to the grades that follow their current classes.

April 16: Saudi Arabia announces a USD-500-million contribution to sup-port international efforts to face Coronavirus.

April 21: Saudi Interior Ministry announced curfew hours change dur-ing the holy month of Ramadan between 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

April 22: The General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques approved the performance of the Tahajjud and Taraweeh prayers with the suspension of attendance of worshipers to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

April 26: Saudi Arabia signed a USD-265.3-million contract with China to conduct nine million tests for COVID-19.

April 26: Saudi Arabia partially lifted coronavirus curfew nationwide, with the exception of Makkah and previously isolated neighborhoods.

May 7: Saudi Interior Ministry approved a list of rules on limiting gatherings, and classify violations as part of the government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus nationwide.

May 23: A complete curfew starts in all cities and provinces of the Kingdom until May 27.

May 28: Saudi government changes hours of the curfew in the entire Kingdom’s cities starting from 06:00 a.m. to 03:00 p.m. until May 30.

May 31: All government agencies and their affiliates resumed work remotely with 50 percent of its employees.

May 31: General Authority for Civil Aviation resumed domestic flights through national airlines.

June 2: An online Yemen Pledging Conference -- co-organized by Saudi Arabia -- collected USD 1.350 billion to support the Yemeni people.

June 4: Foreign Ministry allocated USD 150 million for the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) to contribute to the global response to the coronavirus pandemic.

June 17: Saudi Arabia’s giant Aramco bought 70 percent of SABIC in a USD-69.1-billion in mega-deal.

June 21: Saudi Arabia lifted its nationwide curfew resumed economic and commercial activities.

June 23: Saudi lifted the suspension of sports activities, allowing all clubs to resume practices.

June 23: Saudi Arabia to hold Hajj

with limit the number of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia only for those under 65 years old, who do not suffer from any chronic diseases.

July 29: Saudi Arabia offered a new mechanism for the Yemeni govern-ment and the southern transitional council to accelerate the implementa-tion of the Riyadh Agreement, includ-ing the extension of the ceasefire that entered force on June 22.

July 30: King Salman bin Abdulaziz was discharged from King Faisal Hospital after undergoing surgery to remove the bladder.

Aug 4: Saudi Arabia allowed entry of trucks coming from GCC countries.

Aug 30: The Kingdom began a sev-en-week online public education.

Aug 30: Saudi Arabia announced the discovery of oil and gas fields in the north.

Sept 13: Riyadh said citizens could travel starting January 1, 2021.

Sept 23: Saudi Arabia allowed Muslims to perform Umra starting October 4 within precautionary health measures.

Sept 27: ARAMCO exported the first high-quality Blue Ammonia to Japan.

Oct 15: Arab coalition said 19 coalition prisoners -- 15 Saudis and four Sudanese -- returned to King Salman Airbase as part of the first phase of prisoners’ exchange between the Yemeni government and Houthi militias.

Oct 18: Saudi authorities allowed the public inside the Kingdom to pray in the holy mosque in Makkah ending a seven-month suspension due to the coronavirus.

Nov 12: Saudi Embassy in the Netherlands said the mission in the Hague was attacked but no one was injured.

Nov 22: G20 leaders, meeting under Saudi presidency called for coordina-tion of international efforts and soli-darity to confront challenges.

Nov 23: Saudi Arabia said Houthis attacked a fuel distribution center in northern Jeddah causing fire in one of the tanks. No one was hurt.

Dec 14: Ministry of Energy said an oil tanker docked in Jeddah was attacked by a booby-trapped boat causing limited fire. No one was hurt.

Dec 15: King Salman announced projected spending in 2021 budget would be 900 billion riyals (USD 264 billion) and revenues at 849 billion riyals (USD 226.4 billion), with an estimated deficit of 141 billion riyals (USD 37.6 billion), or 4.9 percent of GDP.

Dec 20: Ministry of Interior sus-pended air traffic for a week following discovery of a mutated Covid-19 virus.

The Kingdom of Bahrain:Jan 2: King Hamad bin Isa

Al-Khalifa appointed Dr. Abdulatif Al-Zayani as Minister of Foreign Affairs upon the end of his tenure as GCC Secretary-General.

Feb 24: Bahrain declared the first infection case with the novel coronavi-rus. It was of an incoming Iranian.

Feb 25: Ministry of Education sus-pended teaching for two weeks as a precaution against COVID-19.

March 16: Bahrain declared the first death with the pandemic. It was of a female citizen, aged 65. The deceased has suffered from chronic diseases.

March 17: Bahrain declared the extension of studies’ suspension indef-initely after a two-week halt as of the 25th of the past month.

March 23: Bahrain indefinitely stopped group prayers and Friday prayers at mosques.

April 20: Bahraini government reduc-es the spending of ministries and govern-ment agencies by 30 percent as part of the measures to help confront the impact of the new Coronavirus pandemic.

Aug 20: Bahrain cancels home quarantine condition for travelers but said would continue testing.

Sept 29: The Kingdom announced three-day mourning and flags to be flown at half-mast following the pass-ing away of Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Nov 11: The Royal Court announced the passing away of Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, and King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa appointed Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa as Prime Minister.

Nov 29: Formula 1 Mercedes Team lead driver Lewis Hamilton won Bahrain’s race in 2020.

The State of Qatar:Jan 28: Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim

bin Hamad appointed Sheikh Khaled bin Khalifa as Prime Minister.

Feb 18: Qatar declared the first coronavirus infection case.

March 9: Qatar halted until further notice classes at schools and colleges as part of the fight against COVID-19.

March 9: Qatar banned the entry of citizens from a number of countries due to the coronavirus.

March 12: Qatar discharged the first batch of citizens from quaran-tines, after they were evacuated from Iran two weeks earlier due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

March 13: Qatari Amir ordered urgent aid for Iran to help in coping with the coronavirus spread.

March 14: Qatari Ministry of Health recovery of the first four coro-navirus cases.

March 15: Qatar halted all incom-ing air flights and studies of all levels for 14 days as a precaution against COVID-19.

March 28: Qatar declared its first death with the coronavirus. He was identified as a 57-year-old Bangladeshi.

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