Local News

MP slams govt over disorganized food distribution for Kuwaitis

Published Date: September 15, 2008
By A Saleh, Staff Writer



KUWAIT: MP Abdulaziz Al-Shayje has criticized the government for not being ready to distribute ration card food items or Ramadan gifts to Kuwaiti citizens. He said that distribution centers have witnessed scenes of disorganization and long queues of people, many of them unable to obtain their food items as per their ration cards, while the centers appeared to be in clear confusion.

The MP said that it was unnatural for Kuwaitis to have to visit distribution centers two or three times simply in order to get hold of basic foodstuffs and asked whether citizens were receiving enough from other government organizations. He also complained about the poor distribution of ration cards.
Al-Shayje asserted, "We do not accept Kuwaitis becoming similar to those in the communist countries of the previous century.

He said the price increase, along with the month of Ramadan and the start of the school term have all have contributed to creating a new situation, adding that the demand for basic foodstuffs has increased and the government should have prepared for this in a far better way.

The MP continued, saying, "A large percentage of people who were unable to get their ration cards were obliged to proceed to cooperative societies and other supermarkets to buy the necessary items for the month of Ramadan and of course they had to pay the difference in the price.

He suggested that in the short term, the government should increase the number of workers at the food distribution centers of and increase their staff members' working hours, at least while dealing with this season.

Al-Shayje said that cooperative societies are also demanding that the distribution centers receive more government support to enable them to offer at the very least a basic, acceptable service. He said that, whilst the increase of the number of food items per ration card was a step in the right direction which would encourage many Kuwaitis to use the cards more, the government should introduce a new system enabling the citizen to obtain his food items in minutes rather than hours.