KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) is not responsible for the increase in sheep prices in local markets, deputy director for livestock resources Yousif Al-Najem stressed. He also highlighted that it was the responsibility of the ministry of commerce and industry and the municipality to control prices. "Many people are blaming PAAAFR for price increases before Eid Al-Adha, which is not true, because we have been fully supporting herders all year long," he underlined. Najem said that the authority is open for all companies and individuals wishing to import sheep from any country provided that country is free of epidemics and contagious diseases.

Mohammad Boshehri

Public houses exempted from energy fees’ hike

Ministry of Electricity and Water's (MEW) Undersecretary Mohammad Boshehri stressed that according to law number 20/2016, all private residence areas including public housing units (traditional Arab-style houses) in Sulaibiya and Taima would be exempted from the new electricity and water tariffs. "The increase will apply for all sectors except residential areas," he stressed, referring to areas were houses are built. Apartment buildings are located in areas officially classified as 'commercial residence areas,' and those will be affected by the energy fees' hike, along with shops, markets and industrial areas. Boshehri also expressed amazement at campaigns launched on social media networks circulating inaccurate information that the government intends lifting subsidies on electricity and water for citizens. "This is absolutely untrue," he emphasized, adding that law number 20/2016 was published in the official gazette Al-Kuwait Al-Youm on May 22 and will be effective and imposed one year later only on the commercial sector. He added that the new prices would be imposed on the investment sector on May 22, 2017.

Staff training

Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor's Undersecretary Mutar Al-Mutairi announced launching the ministry's annual employees training season that aims at developing the ministry's human resources, as part of a strategy to automate the ministry's various sectors. Speaking on the sidelines of opening the first training course organized by the human resources development department under the title of 'Drafting and Offering Tenders and Construction Works', Mutairi said that the training would include all specialized technical, administrative and leading position courses. He also noted that these courses does not cost the state budget anything because all lecturers are ministry staff members.

Health insurance

The Ministry of Health (MoH) named 39 clinics through which retires would get their health insurance cards after the Eid Al-Adha break, said informed sources, noting that the ministry coordinated with the Gulf Insurance Company which is responsible for the project on that regard. Nine clinics in Jahra, nine in Ahamdi, seven in Farwaniya, eight in the capital and six in Hawalli would distribute the cards, the sources added.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi and A Saleh