KUWAIT CITY, July 26: Assistant Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs at the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) Jasim Al-Lengawi called on all consumers to cooperate and settle their bills in order to continue enjoying the services of the ministry, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.

He said bills can be settled at various consumer affairs centers or through Internet on www.mew.gov.kw.
He pointed out that the ministry has added a new article in the contracts signed with companies that read meters to ensure that the companies’ workers are paid their salaries on time. “No payments will be given to the contractor unless he presents a statement from the bank proving that he transferred monthly salaries of his employees,” he noted.

Al-Lengawi earlier received an Omani delegation which was visiting the ministry under an expertise exchange program between GCC distribution companies. The delegation visited the communication center and some emergency centers of the ministry and met assistant undersecretary for distribution networks and other officials.

Meanwhile, Assistant Undersecretary for Finance, Planning and Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Communications Dr Waleed Al-Najjar said the State Audit Bureau obligated the ministry to collect overdue bills amounting to around KD 80 million from citizens, companies, public institutions and some expatriates, reports Al-Anba daily.

The payments were due from the period before Saddam’s invasion, particularly from 1987 to 1990. Dr Al-Najjar declared they will hold a meeting to determine the mechanism of retrieving the unsettled amounts and revealed that installment system might be adopted so that citizens are not excessively burdened.