MPs finalize more budgets

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KUWAIT CITY, June 21: The Parliament, in its special session on Tuesday, approved the budgets and final accounts of four government institutions for fiscal 2016/2017 as follows: Public Authority for Youths (PAY), Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN), Kuwait National Petroleum Corporation (KNPC) and Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA).

In its report, the Budgets and Final Accounts Committee stated that the expenditures of KNPC are estimated at KD 9,501,212,000 with revenues of KD 9,737,384,000; KIA’s projected expenditures amounted to KD 60,255,000 with revenues of KD 120,000; the estimated expenses of PAFN amounted to KD 2,572,000 with revenues of KD 2,000; and the estimated expenses of PAY reached KD 5,145,000 with revenues of KD 1,000. During the session, MP Yusuf Al-Zalzalah disclosed the recorded comments about KNPC have increased from 250 to 320; hence, the need to appoint financial controllers for oil companies. On the alleged violations in Petrochemical Industries Company, Al- Zalzalah said the value of special freight contracts reached more than a million Kuwaiti dinars although the actual cost is only KD 100,000.

Talking about KIA, Al-Zalzalah claimed this authority is laden with fi nancial irregularities estimated at $4 billion as per the State Audit Bureau’s comments. Meanwhile on the Public Authority for Youths, MP Faisal Duwaisan pointed out a portion in the budget of the authority which overlaps with the Ministry of Social Affairs. He suggested inclusion of the authority in the ministry to reduce expenses. On the other hand, MP Khalil Saleh praised the authority for encouraging a lot of young volunteers to work in various sectors, hoping the efforts exerted by officials in the authority will bear fruit before their tenure ends.

Commenting on the strike of oil sector employees, Saleh asserted this is the natural right of employees but some undeserving people came amongst the deserving ones. He also stressed the importance of maintaining stability in the oil sector to prevent repetition of the Dow Chemical fine.

MP Adnan AbdulSamad, in his capacity as Chairman of the Budgets and Final Accounts Committee, called for a thorough review of the State’s investment sector. He unveiled a plan to present a bill on the establishment of an authority for the assessment of investments.

On the oil and financial sectors, Abdul- Samad asserted these sectors need ministers who are experts in such fields while suggesting that the Public Authority for Youths should be merged with the State Ministry for Youth Affairs considering the two institutions have separate budgets.

Moreover, Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah explained that after the liberation war, there was a five-year vacuum in terms of services for young people. Because of this, the State Ministry for Youth Affairs was formed in line with the vision of HH the Amir, he added.

He revealed 110 playgrounds have been established and more than 400 youth matches have been organized for the young people. He clarified there are no overlapping functions with the Ministry of Social Affairs and other government bodies, adding the United Nations praised the experience of Kuwait in youth development while lauding the role of Undersecretary Zain Al-Sabah in this regard.

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff

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