(MENAFN - Arab Times) The Committee on Food Safety in Kuwait Municipality issued on Wednesday four recommendations to lift ban on the import of vegetables from Spain and Germany, taking samples of drinking water for inspection to check for bromide and continuation of imposing ban on the import of poultry meat from the United States.
Committee Chairman Mohammad Al-Otaibi told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the committee held a meeting today during which it decided to to lifting the ban on the import of vegetables from the Kingdom of Spain.
He added that the second recommendation was based on the memo of the Ministry of Health on lifting the ban on import of vegetables from Germany due to the E.Coli pandemic, indicating that the committee commissioned representative of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to follow-up the ministerial decision to do so.
Al-Otaibi pointed out that the third recommendation was concerned with the withdrawal of samples of drinking water from many places to check for bromide, which came on the recommendation of the Director-General of the Municipality.
He said that based on statements from the concerned authorities, bromide was analyzed in the drinking water samples that are routinely brought in monthly from the different governorates of Kuwait, adding that the bromide was within the allowed limits.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Municipality Affairs Dr Fadhel Safar said on Wednesday that Kuwait Municipality is awaiting approval of new cleaning contracts by state authorities.
Safar told KUNA that the municipality is waiting approval of the Central Tenders Committee of the Council of Ministers or the State Audit Bureau and other third parties, expressing hope to see all these parties cooperate for the sake of Kuwait's interest.
He expressed thanks to the cleaning companies which had made the public interest a priority by agreeing to extend the cleaning contracts for a period of one year beginning at the end of the current contracts and end next November 25.
He added that there is a satisfaction for the level of hygiene in the country and such satisfaction was found through a questionnaire displayed on Kuwait Municipality's homepage.
And, Kuwait Municipality Director General Eng Ahmad Al-Subaih has refuted claims that 1,000 imported sheep have been taken out of the Nuwaiseeb Quarantine Center and butchered at the Capital Slaughterhouse, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.
Al-Subaih asserted the Municipality closely monitors the slaughterhouses and markets to ensure strict compliance with the regulations, which prohibit the killing of sheep outside the approved slaughterhouses. He said the workers at the slaughterhouses have health certificates, while the veterinarians examine the sheep and ascertain the sterilization of tools or equipment used to slaughter the animals. He added the Municipality will take the necessary legal action against the butchers who violate the regulations, not only during Ramadan and Eid holidays but also on ordinary days.
