KUWAIT: A number of Kuwaiti farmers urged His Highness the Prime Minister, ministers (namely Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Sabeeh), the speaker of the house and lawmakers to support Kuwaiti farmers because of the critical role they play in maintaining food security of the country.

Speaking at a press conference held in response to reports about forming a committee to run the farmers' union elections, the farmers stressed that the current union leader Hadi Al-Watri is the legal representative of all farmers and that he had been appointed by a general assembly and a court order.

"We do not know what is going on at MSAL," they added. Former deputy manager of Credit Bank Sayed Sandouh urged the parliament to show more concern for farmers and protect them. Rakan bin Hethleen, a farmer, said that the farmers' union is made up of volunteers who only work to serve farmers. He also called for exempting Kuwaiti farmers from the new electricity tariffs due to take effect next April, noting that increasing the rates from 2 to 10 fils would be too much for farmers, who work day and night to provide produce for consumers. "I am afraid that over 90 percent of farmers might sell their farms as a result," he warned.

Also speaking at the conference, farmer Abdullah Mordhi Al-Shemmari stressed that it would be impossible for Kuwaiti farmers to work under such circumstances. Another farmer, Mutlaq Khaled Al-Masoud, said that his late father was the oldest farmer in Abdaly and that the family farm is only two kilometers away from the borders with Iraq. "I was born in Abdaly and we have been working on the farm for half a century," he said, urging the premier to look into the matter.

Riyadh meeting

Undersecretary of the ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Fareed Emadi and his accompanying delegation took part in the 9th GCC endowments and Islamic affairs' permanent committee meeting at the GCC headquarters in Riyadh. Emadi explained that the meeting's agenda included discussing the progress of previous recommendations and a special proposal made by Qatar on endowments.

Special ceremony

MoE's assistant undersecretary for educational development and activities Faial Maqseed said that the ministry would hold a special ceremony to celebrate World Teachers Day on October 5 in the presence of Minister Bader Al-Essa. He added that this year's ceremony would include big surprises for educators.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi