Parliamentary panel rejects proposal to terminate PART

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Report on 2017 flooding finalised

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 25: The parliamentary Public Utilities Committee has finalized its report on the 2017 flooding and unanimously rejected the proposal to abolish the Public Authority for Roads and Transportation (PART). In its report, the committee held the Ministry of Public Works fully accountable for the floods on March 23 and 25, 2017; especially the Mangaf tunnel flooding as it has been proven the infrastructure was faulty and not equipped to sustain large amount of rainfall.

The committee stressed the need for serious action against the companies in charge of constructing the tunnel. Committee Rapporteur MP Majed Al- Mutairi disclosed that in addition to the faulty infrastructure, the committee found out the ministry failed to effectively collaborate with other concerned authorities on the construction of canals. He said the absence of canals put more pressure on the sand barriers and this resulted in water streaming down the highways.

Although no further reasons were disclosed, the committee abstained from voting on the ministry’s decision to install warning systems on road tunnels across the country in order to update motorists on the situation while driving through.

Additionally, the committee recommended that the ministry should stop building tunnels due to the high construction and maintenance cost as opposed to bridges, indicating the country does not really need tunnels. On the abolition of PART, the MP pointed out that four years have passed since the establishment of the authority; hence, its abolition will be a tall and costly order. He said the safest and most beneficial course of action is addressing issues individually or, at least, amending the law on its establishment.

In another development, MP Abdulwahab Al-Babtain submitted a bill on limiting the authority of the Central Agency for Public Tenders to accept adjustment orders to not more than 20 percent of the total amount stipulated in the contract.

In his explanatory note, the MP asserted that considering the general directive on monitoring investments and expenditures on major projects, the recurring issues due to meddling in tenders led to squandering of public funds and delays in the implementation of projects. He then emphasized the need to address the issue as it has started to cause tangible drawbacks in State plans and alteration of priorities.

He suggested the authority should accept adjustment orders only if the additional cost ranges from five to 20 percent of the tender value, given that a memorandum on the purpose of adjustment is submitted by the ordering party, supervising body (if available) and technical team of the authority to ensure viability of the adjustment.

Furthermore, based on news published by Al-Seyassah daily on Sept 24 that the Kuwait Municipality branch in Ahmadi is illegally selling impounded vehicles, MP Naif Al-Ajmi submitted queries to Minister of Public works and State Minister for Municipality Affairs Hussam Al- Roumi about the legal grounds for selling these vehicles at public auctions.

According to the news, the branch sold impounded vehicles which are still registered at the Ministry of Interior as awaiting legal action, the lawmaker added. He warned this could result in the Municipality paying compensation to the owners of said vehicles if the latter decide to take legal action, indicating this is reason why the law prohibits selling such vehicles.

By Ahmed Al-Naqeeb Arab Times Staff

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