Ahmed Abdullah Al-Manfouhi

KUWAIT: Director General of the Municipality Ahmad Al-Manfouhi issued an administrative decision forming a higher committee to prepare for the 2018 Municipal Council elections. The committee will take all steps related to the municipality's preparations for the elections and coordinate between the municipality and all other related departments, besides following the rules and regulations with regards to signs and advertisement licenses and election headquarters.

Guard delegation

A National Guard delegation, headed by Director of the Guidance Department Col Abdullah Saleh Nazzal, visited the National Bank of Kuwait Children Hospital to inspect and open the families' ward in the hospital, which the National Guard undertook to restore and refurbish. Saleh said the National Guard took this step on the instructions of the higher leadership of HH Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, the head of the National Guard, and his deputy Sheikh Meshaal Al-Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, with follow-up by National Guard Undersecretary Lt Gen Hashim Al-Rifae.

Providing care

Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Fahd Al-Afasi said the Ministry of Awqaf has never been neglectful in providing care to people with special needs. He also noted that all ministry sectors had been urged to provide such care starting with translating Friday prayer sermons into sign language in 2006 at the Grand Mosque, then by doing the same live on KTV in 2008. Afasi said the Islamic culture department has issued many publications for deaf people since 2011, in addition to hosting a number of deaf sheikhs and preachers in collaboration with Kuwait Sports Club for the Deaf to deliver sermons. He added that the secretariat general also produced an educational video to teach the deaf how to perform ablution and prayers, in addition to Quran memorization, which allowed them to take part in the Kuwait Quran Competition in the past three years.

E-communications

Director of the Central Agency for Information Technology Qossai Al-Shatti stressed that the agency links various government bodies through email with the aim of enhancing the efficiency of administrative work, cutting paperwork needed and using e-communications instead of regular correspondence. Speaking during a visit to the Diwan of Ali Mubarak Al-Shatti, Shatti explained that the agency also introduced e-signatures for various e-correspondences. "Kuwait is steadily digitalizing its various government systems and citizens' services," he added, noting that the agency also provides e-payment services through an online portal.

11th GCC PR forum

Kuwait PR Society Chairman Jamal Al-Nasrallah said as part of the society's strategy, it recently took part in the 11th GCC PR forum held in Bahrain, where it was honored by the forum secretary general and Bahrain PR Society Chairman Fahd Al-Shahabi and the head of the forum's jury panel Sultan Al-Bazee.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun, Meshaal Al-Enezi