KUWAIT CITY: Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment Khalifa Hamada said the number of institutional quarantine centers (hotels and local chalets) prepared by the state since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has reached 23 for a total capacity of 4,600 units, Al-Anba reports daily.

He revealed that contracts with these quarantine centers had been terminated except for the contract with the Kuwait International Fairs Ground Company for vaccination purposes.

In response to a parliamentary question submitted by MP Dr Abdulaziz Al-Saqabi, the Minister explained that the cost of contracts concluded by the Ministry of Finance with the 23 quarantine centers amounted to KD 13.5 million.

All contracts were signed after obtaining the approval of regulatory authorities, namely the Central Public Procurement Agency, the Fatwa and Legislation Department and the State Audit Office.

The exchange mechanism (documentary cycle) was provided by the companies mandated by the authorities concerned within the Ministry of Finance. Invoices are reviewed and matched against contract prices to ensure the company is meeting the terms of the contract.

Then a form is prepared for disbursing the contributions attached to the company invoice along with the expenditure supporting documents, which are copies of the contract and the approval of regulatory authorities on the contract.

Approval

Hamada said, “The form is sent with all attachments to the Financial Observers Authority’s office for review, approval of the form and its entry into the Oracle system. Once the Financial Observer Authority has approved the disbursement form and entered it into the Oracle system, the necessary actions are taken.

Relevant ministry authorities prepare the bank transfer to deduct the company’s contributions through the ministry’s account at the Central Bank of Kuwait, which notifies the commercial bank where the company’s account is opened to deposit those contributions.

Regarding the technical reasons and legal justifications for obliging all citizens coming from abroad to submit to an institutional quarantine at their expense in local hotels, especially since the State has allocated institutional quarantine centers to accommodate those coming from abroad, the decision rendered in this regard falls within the competence of the ministerial COVID-19 emergency committee.

It should be noted that there are no ongoing contracts to provide sanitary quarantine facilities at government expense, except for the contract with the Kuwait International Fairs Ground Company for vaccination purposes ”.

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