5LOCALARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2016

‘Ministry unable to adjustcosts of Hajj, Umrah trips’

Survey shows Kuwait’s prices are cheapest

By Abdulnasser Al-AslamiAl-Seyassah Staff

KUWAIT CITY, June 9: Even though the Hajj season is fast approaching, the lead-ers of Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs have not been able to avoid the problems that have been repeatedly occurring every year, espe-cially the issues relating to allocation of quota of Kuwaiti and expatriate pilgrims and the costs of the pilgrimage.

According to an informed source from Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, the ministry is unable to adjust the costs of Hajj and Umra trips because “the market controls this issue”. He said the prices, which start from KD 1,800, include the cost of stay and visiting the holy places.

He revealed that the ministry conduct-ed a survey to compare Kuwait’s prices of Hajj pilgrimage with the international and Gulf prices, and it discovered that Kuwait’s prices are the cheapest

The source explained that, 7,400 Kuwaiti citizens, 500 expatriates and 500 Bedoun residents will be going on the Hajj pilgrimage this year, according to Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. Every caravan will have eight seats each for expatriates and Bedoun residents.

He indicated that meetings are being held to increase the number of seats for Bedoun pilgrims to 1,250.

The source stressed that the issuance of Hajj visa is not the sole responsibility of Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs but it is also shared by four authorities which are Ministry of Interior, Saudi Embassy in Kuwait, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the caravan owners.

He explained that the issuance of visas for Bedoun pilgrims depends on the com-pletion of lengthy procedures carried out for issuing passports by the Department of Passports and Residency Affairs. If these procedures are simplified, the issu-ance of visas for Bedoun pilgrims will become easier.

The source affirmed that Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has directed the managers of caravans and preachers to avoid political and sectarian talks and speeches and urged them to focus on talks and speeches related to unity.

He said there are 50 caravans for Hajj

Fifth time in a row

Kuwait included in 2015 QNIKUWAIT CITY, June 9: For the fifth year in a row, Kuwait was included in the 2015 Quality of Nationality Index (QNI) — an annual index issued by Henley & Partners International in cooperation with Professor Dr Dimitry Kochenov, a leading constitutional law professor with long-standing inter-est in European and comparative citi-zenship law, reports Al-Rai daily.

Although Kuwait got only 36 per-cent, which is 0.8 percent less than its score in 2014, the Kuwaiti citizenship maintains its position among the best citizenship in the Middle East, along with three others — United Arab Emirates, State of Qatar and Sultanate of Oman.

Kuwait gradually dropped from 57th in 2011 to 59th, 60th, 61st and then 63rd in 2015.

Those on the top ten are all European nationalities — Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland, Ireland and Austria, France, Holland and Belgium with percentages ranging between 83.1 and 80.2.

It is worth mentioning that Henley & Partners — Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index (QNI) provides a comprehensive ranking of the quality of nationalities worldwide. To gauge the opportunities and limitations that our nationalities impose on us, the QNI measures both the internal value of nationality, which refers to the qual-ity of life within a nationality’s country of origin, and the external value of nationality, which identifies the diver-sity and quality of opportunities that nationalities allow us to pursue out-side our countries of origin.

and Umra this year, adding that the allo-cated number of pilgrims can be changed if the quota is changed.

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Dominating the table during the Holy Month of Ramadan, traditional sweets such as “Al-Gubbait”, Cotton Candy, and others become the most common desserts enjoyed by Kuwaitis of all ages.

Shops selling these desserts flourish during Ramadan with many customers buying loads of these items to satisfy

their “sweet tooth”.“There are certain kinds of traditional

sweet prepared for the Holy Month of Ramadan and our shop takes care of attending to the needs of the masses,” Abdullah Ahmad Buftain, owner of Al-Kawakeb (planets) shop, told KUNA.

Carrying on a legacy which began in the mid-1940s, Buftain said that the shop, established by Rashed bin Jum’a Buftain, continued to serve Kuwaitis with the most delicious sweets since opening. (KUNA)

Al-Seyassah photoA file photo of the pilgrims.

Ahmad Al-Thuweini, Ahmed Al-Jarrallah, Fahad Al-Mi’ejel and Ambassador Al-Fayez.

Saleh Al-Humeidhi, Muhammad AbdulRahman Al-Bishr, Badar Al-Humeidhi and Muhammad Al-Mi’ejel.

Ahmed Al-Jarallah and Ambassador Dr AbdulAziz Al-Fayez.

Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Sunil Jain with Dr Al-Fayez.

Ali Abdullah Al-Khalaf while congratulating Dr Al-Fayez.

Dr Tareq Al-Kazemi and Ambassador Dr AbdulAziz Al-Fayez.

Ambassador of Saudi Arabia receives well-wishers

‘Removal from current location will not yield any success’

Issue of zoo transfer remains unresolvedBy Abdulnaser Al Aslami

Al Seyassah Staff

KUWAIT CITY, June 9: Amid incessant follow-up of complaints by Farwaniya Governor Sheikh Faisal Al-Hamoud on the location of Kuwait Zoo in Omariya area and assurance by the Director of Municipality Muhalhel Al-Khaled on the prospect of transferring the zoo from its current location in Farwaniya Governorate and discus-sion of related matters with con-cerned authorities, the issue remains unresolved—even as the current site and environment does not favor a zoo.

Director of Municipality Al-Khaled supports the idea of transferring the zoo to an alternate place in Al-Mutlaa area but sources revealed that the council has yet to discuss the situation of the zoo, although members have presented proposals supporting the idea.

According to the Director General of Public Authority for Agriculture Eng Faisal Al-Hasawi who rejected the request of Sheikh Faisal, “the issue remains unre-solved”.

Al-Hasawi insisted the proposal by the governor does not conform to the recreational, environmental and material returns of the zoo, and its removal from the current location will not yield any success. He stressed the zoo will not be

Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Kuwait Dr Abdulaziz bin Ibrahim Al-Fayez Tuesday received in the embassy’s diwaniya well-wishers on the occasion of the holy month of

Ramadan.A number of ruling family members,

members of the diplomatic corps, Kuwaiti personalities and Saudi resi-dents in Kuwait attended the event

and presented their congratulations. Editor-in-Chief of Arab Times and Al-Seyassah newspapers Ahmed Al-Jarallah was also present at the event.

Bid to give some school buildings to NG

MP warns MoE on ‘repercussions’By Abubakar A. Ibrahim

Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, June 9: MP Saleh Ashour has warned the Ministry of Education on the repercussions of its recent decision to give some school buildings to the National Guard and transfer the students to other schools, making it difficult for the parents.

He pointed out the officials of the ministry and National Guard should have utilized idle school buildings, not those being used by students. He said this move cre-ated more problems like the over-crowding of students in some schools.

Meanwhile, MP Adel Al-Kharafi stressed that the lawmakers must meet the expectations of the peo-ple and accomplish a lot for the benefit of the people before the

end of the current parliamentary term.

Al-Kharafi made the statement Wednesday when he received well-wishers on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan in his diwaniya in Shamiya. Several min-isters, members of the National Assembly and Municipal Council, as well as citizens were present at the event.

“We are fortunate in Kuwait as we celebrate this occasion which is close to our hearts. These are the days of goodness and happiness. The people of Kuwait are accus-tomed to this blessed gathering, which starts from HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah down to the ordinary citi-zens. The people of Kuwait are like one family united by love, brother-hood and compassion,” Al-Kharafi asserted.

transferred but transformed into an aviary (for birds), and denied that the authority has been receiving complaints from residents to remove it.

Member of the Municipality stated it will make the residents happy if the municipality transfers the zoo to another place, espe-cially as they have faced several problems due to nearness of the

zoo to their houses. He added the presence of the zoo has become a problem and a source of distur-bance to the residents, citing traf-fic jams observed during visiting hours. He reiterated “it was acceptable in the past but due to the growing population and prox-imity of residential buildings, it became necessary to move the zoo to a suitable place.