(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY Feb 22: MP Hamoud Al-Hamdan has accused some fish traders of illegally importing their products into the country. Al-Hamdan claimed these traders have been importing their products without submitting the required documents affirming he has been closely following up this issue as it negatively affects the fish industry - one of the major sources of food in Kuwait. He urged the Imported Food Department in Kuwait Municipality and General Customs Department to be strict in demanding for all the required documents for any consignment passing through the borders. He wondered why the department has remained silent over the report of one of its supervisors considering the report mentioned flaws in the mechanism for importing fish and shrimp through the sea borders; particularly at Doha Port. He said the report disclosed that some Iranian fish and shrimp traders have manipulated the procedures because they did not provide original documents receipts certificates of origin and health and veterinary certificates.
Products
He pointed out all GCC countries strictly implement procedures for importing food products in order to protect their citizens from infectious diseases. He said ''It is unfortunate that the Municipality in cooperation with the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) agreed to postpone until June the presentation of a veterinary health certificate which proves the product is free of diseases or epidemics. He asked ''Why postpone submission of the certificate for several months although it is being used in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states? Whose interest is being served for taking such a step?'' He asserted this is an unstudied decision which resulted in the entry of tons of rotten fish into the Kuwaiti market.
He alleged cartons of spoilt fish and shrimps that were imported into the country without the necessary paperwork are being sold at dawn in Mubarakiya Market. He lamented the concerned officials decided to postpone submission of the veterinary health certificate; instead of establishing border laboratories to determine biological chemical and radiological contaminants in imported food products. He warned that consumption of rotten and contaminated fish could lead to hepatitis and cancer; as well as kidney stomach or intestinal diseases. He said chemical contamination causes total disability and death expressing regret for the lenient approach adopted by concerned authorities in dealing with traders of spoilt food. He stressed the health of Kuwait''s people is a red line which nobody should cross adding the lawmakers will continue to monitor procedures for the appointment of officials in the Food and Drug Department in a bid to prevent the appointment of anyone accused of corruption. Meanwhile Financial and Economic Affairs Committee Chairman MP Faisal Al-Shaya said the panel will complete its report on the proposed amendments to the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) Law before the March 10 session if it receives the government''s comments on time; otherwise the amendments will be adopted by the end of March. He added the committee will discuss amendments to the Public Tenders Law after completing its work on the CMA Law. He explained the committee discussed this law several times earlier but the government asked for a grace period to submit its comments.
He said the amendments to the Public Tenders Law are significant as they are related to the development plan; hence the need for the government to submit its comments immediately in order to approve the proposal within the current legislative round.
Furthermore MP Abdulhameed Dashti criticized the minister of commerce and industry for what he calls ''parachute recruitments'' at the ministry. He argued it is unacceptable for the minister to recruit individuals from outside the ministry and appoint them to high ranking positions because this is unfair to the existing employees who has been working hard to climb the career ladder. He pointed out articles seven and eight of the Constitution clearly stipulate that the country guarantees justice and freedom for everyone. He accused the minister of violating these articles by employing individuals from outside the ministry; without giving the existing employees who deserve promotions a chance to prove their ability to occupy leadership posts. Addressing the minister the MP asserted ''The days of helping your friends are over.'' He also asked the minister to address the issue and rectify errors; or else it will be one of the points in the grilling motion he intends to submit against the latter.
Tenure
In another development MP Hamdan Al-Azmi said the financial and administrative irregularities in the Ministry of Health under the tenure of Minister Ali Al-Obeidi should not be tolerated considering the negative impact on public money and patients. He cited as an example the contract signed by Al-Razi Hospital with a university hospital in Stuttgart Germany in February last year and came into effect in May of the same year to receive German consultants and specialists in orthopedic surgery. He claimed complaints from patients have been increasing since the arrival of the German team. He added the country spent millions to provide the best medical services to citizens but the move turned out to be a failure. He disclosed the contract includes stipulations on vocational and medical development in the field of bone treatment but these items seem to be only on paper as none of them were implemented except the financial commitment of the ministry to the German team which cost the State millions without any positive result. He warned the ministry about the dire consequences of moving forward with this contract indicating the comments of patients must be taken into consideration. He then asked the health minister to provide him with a copy of the contract its value number of cases that the team supervised since the contract took effect authority tasked to evaluate the team justifications for choosing the university hospital for this project and many other aspects of the agreement.
Meanwhile in an unrelated story in 2014 the Ministry of Information referred 384 cases which were filed against newspaper and television stations to the Public Prosecution says the deputy head of the media and publishing prosecution department Faisal Al Harbi according Al-Jaridah daily. Al-Harbi said these cases are part of the 488 complaints about violation the prosecution received last year. The other 104 cases against the media were filed by individuals and various parties. The Public Prosecution is said to have rejected 29 but found sufficient evidence to proceed with the 400 cases and is believed to be still looking into 42 cases and referred 17 to other parties after it discovered these cases did not fall under its jurisdiction said Harbi.
By: Abubakar A. Ibrahim and Ahmad Al-Naqeeb Arab Times Staff
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