KUWAIT CITY, Aug 26: Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative Planning and Development Affairs at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Awatif Al-Qattan has lauded the efforts of cooperative societies to offer food products at low prices by holding marketing festivals. Speaking to the Arab Times after the inauguration of the Stationery and Ramadan Foodstuffs Festival at Hadiya Cooperative Society, Al-Qattan said decisions issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently, in coordination with the Cooperative Societies Union (CSU), are aimed at reducing the prices of goods to help citizens overcome their financial burdens, especially during Ramadan which coincides with the opening of the new school year.

Earned
On the other hand, Chairman of Hadiya Cooperative Society Mohammed Al-Sakaran revealed the society earned KD 20,000 on the first day of the festival compared to only KD 8,000 during ordinary days.  He also refuted allegations that the cooperative societies are involved in the recent hikes in the prices of food products.  He said coops are just ‘showrooms’ where traders display their merchandise for the consumers. Al-Sakaran also proposed the issuance of coop cards to expatriates to encourage them to take part in pushing the cooperative societies’ movement forward.  He also lamented the fact that the ‘Ramadan gift’ program fell short of the citizens’ expectations. 

He believes it is better to distribute coupons valued at KD 100 or more to allow citizens to purchase whatever they deem necessary. On another issue, Al-Sakaran asked CSU to establish a laboratory for testing imported food products.  He added Hadiya Cooperative Society will start the establishment of the new central market after Ramadan in addition to opening its branches in some blocks and Adan Hospital.

By Al-Sayed Al-Qassas
Special to the Arab Times