Alia Al Farsi demands clarity on implementing new cleanliness regulations across governorates

• Despite the Municipal Waste Management and Public Hygiene Regulations being in effect for a year and numerous recommendations from our council over the past two years, there has been no noticeable improvement in hygiene levels, nor have any fines been applied to violators,” said Engineer Alia Al Farsi, a member of the Municipal Council.

Engineer Alia Al Farsi, a member of the Municipal Council, raised concerns about public cleanliness across Kuwait’s governorates following the adoption of new Municipal Waste Management and Cleanliness Regulations, reported by Al Anba newspaper.

Engineer Alia Al Farsi stated in her inquiry, “After the approval of the Municipal Waste Management and Public Cleanliness Regulations and the issuance of Ministerial Resolution No. 354/2023 dated 10th August 2023, we have prepared a table listing the penalties for violations of these regulations. This table pairs each penalty with the corresponding article text, according to its arrangement in the regulations. Referring specifically to Chapter Five, which includes fines and violations, and considering the significant and direct impact of cleaning contracts and their clauses on the overall cleanliness system, we seek further clarification on this matter.”

She added, “After about a year has passed since the issuance of the Municipal Waste Management and Public Hygiene Regulations (the updated regulation), and after more than two years have passed since our current council, through which many recommendations were issued and approved regarding public hygiene and city hygiene, and the importance of enhancing the role of awareness on the subject, we have not noticed any significant change or progress in the level of hygiene, nor have we witnessed the application of fines on violators.”

Based on the above, Al Farsi addresses the following questions:

Regarding the municipality’s coordination with the consulting office and the Eco Environmental Consulting Foundation, the implementing body for Practice Contract No. 11/201/2021, Consulting Services for Performance Level Agreements for Public Hygiene and City Hygiene Works:

• What are the most important developments in the documents related to the performance level agreements for public hygiene works?
• Please provide an answer in the form of points for each development, whether qualitative or quantitative, or the introduction of a new development or method. For example, “The number of containers has been increased” or “The size of the containers has been increased.”
• Has the new regulation been implemented? What is the mechanism required to implement this regulation?
• Have new contracts for municipal waste management and public hygiene been introduced? What developments have occurred in these contracts (please provide details)? Can you provide the names of these contracts?
• What penalties and fines have been applied from the new regulations? If there are articles for which fines have not been applied, please mention them and provide reasons for the inability to apply them (please answer in the form of a table).
• What mechanism will the municipality follow to enhance the new level of supervision and control?