KUWAIT: The National Council of Culture, Arts and Letters officials tour the Mubarakiya Market yesterday. - KUNA photos

KUWAIT: The National Council of Culture, Arts and Letters has overhauled some sections of Kuwait's Mubarakiya Market, with decorations depicting traditional Kuwaiti construction designs. Kamel Al-Abduljalil, the NCCAL Secretary General, said after touring the historical bazaar, located in the heart of the capital, that the face-lifting covered 23 stores, all licensed and ready for work.

Fifteen shops will be auctioned for businesses in line with the NCCAL terms, he said. The renovated and new stores will be ready to be invested by young citizens, Abduljalil affirmed, in line with the state's policy to support young entrepreneurs. He affirmed the council's responsibility to preserve the genuine Kuwaiti features of the bazaar, marked with the kiosk of the late Amir Sheikh Mubarak Al-Kabeer.

The Mubarakiya Market is a favorite leisure and recreational mecca for locals and foreign tourists in Kuwait. The vast popular market is marked with spices' aroma. Its alleys are lined with displayed various handicraft products, traditional dresses, popular restaurants and others. Merchants and vendors also trade in fish, vegetables and dates.

The refurbished parts of the market place display dates and animal feed; a section that is called 'Souk Al-Jet'. Meanwhile, Bader Al-Deweesh, the NCCAL Assistant Secretary General, affirmed that the works covered the dates and jet souks, noting that the location where the dates are traded has been one of the historic and favorite landmarks for many years. Deweesh has also affirmed that architects keenly preserved Kuwait's original and distinguished building designs while overhauling the stores and other adjacent structures. - KUNA