Grilling threat on Housing

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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 9: MP Riyadh Al-Adsani intends to submit next week a grilling request against Minister of Housing Affairs and State Minister for Service Affairs Yaser Aboul on the alleged irregularities in the ministry.

Al-Adsani pointed out the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) has 45 projects with an estimated total cost of KD4 billion but only 16 percent of this amount has been used. He said 11 projects are half-way towards completion which is good but nine projects have less than 50 percent completion and 14 projects have yet to be implemented despite the availability of funds. He urged the minister to address these irregularities, in addition to the purported failure to put up for bidding the management consultant services for South Mutla’a housing project with consultant contract number 2014/321- 2015.

He enumerated other irregularities including the poor quality of some public facilities which led to collapse of new construction projects like the houses in West Sulaibikhat, Jaber Al- Ahmed and Sabah Al-Ahmed. He added that despite his previous warning to the minister, the latter did not take action until a house in Sabah Al-Ahmed City collapsed and the case was forwarded to the Public Prosecution.

On the supposed mismanagement in PAHW particularly in the preparation of documents and specification of works needed from contractors as well as lack of monitoring, Al-Adsani asked the minister, “Is this not your responsibility?” He said he will reveal a number of other irregularities which will be included in the grilling motion. Meanwhile, the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee has agreed not to conduct re-election for the deputy speaker post as three of its members voted against, two voted in favor and one abstained.

The committee then concluded that results of the deputy speaker election in the opening session of the Parliament were correct. MP Jamaan Al- Harbash won over his rival MP Issah Al-Kandari with 32/31 votes in the first round. Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al- Ghanim decided to hold the second round of election because the winner did not get majority votes. This time Al-Kandari beat Al- Harbash with 32/31 as 63 members participated in the election compared to 64 in the first round. Committee Chairman MP Mohammed Al-Dalal confirmed they will submit a report to the Parliament soon to take a decision. In another development, Al-Dalal said the committee has completed nine draft laws on nationality which will be forwarded to the Interior and Defense Committee. He added they also discussed the DNA Law and referred it the competent committee in preparation for submission to the Parliament.

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff

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