ShareKUWAIT: The finance ministry denied reports that the price of cooking gas cylinders were soon going to be raised six- or threefold above the current price, adding that a report published yesterday on that regard is incorrect. The ministry said that it has arrangements with regards to subsidies and redistributing them in a way that does not affect middle- and limited-income groups. The government had decided last month to reduce subsidization of gasoline starting from September 1.
Prices
Meanwhile, MP Faisal Al-Kandari demanded that Commerce Minister Yousuf Al-Ali cancel the decision of liberalizing prices immediately and operate according to the previous decision that froze prices of all products. Kandari said it is not realistic for the minister to reverse his initial decision he took in April by issuing a decision a few days ago to cancel the price-freeze decision, adding that it is strange to stop the decision at the time when the petrol price increase will come into effect at the start of next month.
Not retiring
Interior Ministry's Assistant Undersecretary for Nationality and Passports Major General Mazen Al-Jarrah denied rumors about moving him from his post as undersecretary for nationality and passports to the ministry diwan, confirming that he is still at work. "I am a uniformed person and serve in the Interior Ministry in any sector, and whenever they decide my time is up, then I will move aside, but so far I am still at work," he said.
Overhead power lines
Minister of Electricity and Water Ahmad Al-Jassar will visit today the site of the overhead power lines' project in Mutlaa near the kilo 18 (Al-Liyah), which covers the line connecting Rawdatain and Jahra. In other news, a Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) official denied reports claiming that the ministry's judicial jurisdiction team is ignoring commercial, farming, investment and industrial water wastage violations and concentrating on residential water consumption only. MEW Undersecretary Mohammad Bushehri said the team works hard with the same standards by citing violators regardless of whom they may be, adding that all are equal in front of the law. He said the team issues warnings and citations to all users without exception.
'Kout' crackdown
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said the commercial supervision and customer protection sector discovered violations at the vegetables and fish market in Al-Kout complex in Fahaheel. The ministry said the violations included increasing prices, cheating in weighing, not placing prices, changing the country of origin, declaring sales without a license from the ministry, and cheating by selling moldy meat and clearly spoiled fish. The ministry asked consumers to call the hotline 135 in case of any cheating, and the ministry will take necessary action.
Case adjourned
The criminal court adjourned its first hearing to try suspects of the Abdaly cell to call the rest of suspects. Only five suspects were present at yesterday's session, which was held behind closed doors, and they denied charges of being trained on the use of weapons outside the country. The rest of charges will be discussed at the cassation court, and the date of its session has not been announced yet.
By Meshaal Al-Enezi and A Saleh
