KUWAIT CITY, May 8: The Cabinet’s Legal Affairs Committee has made huge progress in studying amendments to the law concerning fees and costs related to the use of public utilities and services, reports Al-Seyassah daily. According to informed sources, the committee has completed a seven-article draft decree that covers all public utilities, including electricity, water, roads, postal and telegraph services, healthcare, municipalities, telecommunications, public communications, customs, and traffic services. The new law grants the state the authority to exert pressure on beneficiaries to ensure timely payment of their outstanding debts, specifically overdue usufruct fees.

Under the proposed law, government creditors are required to temporarily suspend services to the debtor if payment is not made within 30 days after receiving a warning notice. To encourage payment, the suspension will be automatically lifted once the debt is fully settled. The draft law also allows creditors to offer debt repayment in installments to debtors who cannot pay in full. Service will be suspended by the relevant authority if the installment request is approved. If the debtor fails to pay any installment, the creditor can cancel the plan and initiate legal action to recover the debt. In addition, the draft law stipulates that any lawsuit filed by the debtor regarding the temporary suspension of services or a dispute over the debt’s validity or amount will not be accepted unless the beneficiary first files a grievance with the relevant ministry, which must resolve it within 30 days of submission.