KUWAIT CITY, Oct 17: Islamist MP Mohammad Hayef accused the  Minister of Public Works and Municipality Affairs, Dr Fadel Safar, of being responsible for the current noticeable increase in price of fish and vegetables.

“Municipality procedures have led to massive loss for the traders which in turn resulted in the increase of commodity prices and we had warned the minister two months ago where the situation was heading,” the MP stated in a press conference at the National Assembly on Sunday.

He revealed that the minister had stopped suppliers from storing their merchandise in a large part of the Fruits &  Vegetable Market and this resulted in the current crisis.

According to Hayef, suppliers have immigrated out of the country due to the loss of their businesses. They cannot store their commodities in the Fruits and Vegetable Market (Chabra), as the available spaces are booked by a limited number of traders. He added that the ministry has also closed the handling company that stores the traders’ goods in the he Chabra area among other discrepancies.

“The minister has promised a solution to this problem and made several promises but it seems they were merely for media coverage only. The prices of vegetables have increased again in the last couple of days and it is all the fault of the Municipality minister,” he claimed.

Hayef noted that the price of tomatoes has increased Sunday to KD 4 from KD 3 on Saturday, “it is not inconceivable that it will continue to increase tomorrow or the day after to KD 5 or 7.”

The MP also holds the Municipality minister responsible for the increase in the prices of fish that is the result of Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) policies against fishermen and fish market sponsors. He asserted that Dr Fadel Safar has been uncooperative in answering questions and providing a viable solution, instead blaming the current situation on the price increase of global commodities.