Manama: Kuwait’s electricity and water minister has denied reports that the government was looking into increasing tariffs.
The media reported that a recommendation to make consumers pay more for water and electricity was being studied by the cabinet ahead of making a final decision.
However, Abdul Aziz Al Ebrahim dismissed the reports as untrue and lacking credibility.
“There is nothing true about the allegations about increasing the fees that consumers pay for their electricity and water,” he said in a statement carried by the local media on Monday.
“The ministry is keen on serving all people and on providing adequate services to all.”
The ministry’s undersecretary Ahmad Al Jassar also denied the allegations.
“The reports claiming the hike in the fees are groundless and the ministry has no intention to increase them,” he said.
“Even though the ministry is spending huge amounts of money to support and subsidise electricity and water, the idea of increasing fees has not been discussed or considered, especially during these times,” he said.
All consumers must nevertheless be careful and avoid abusing services for which the ministry is spending huge amounts of money, he said.
Kuwait, one of the world’s richest countries, provides a host of public services free of charge for its citizens and residents.
Kuwaitis represent 31.3 per cent of the total population of 3.9 million people, according to official figures released this month.
They are outnumbered by the Asian community that makes up 37.8 per cent of the total population.
By December 31, Arab communities made up 27.9 per cent of the foreign population with 1.1 million Arabs living in the northern Arabian Gulf state, made up of 391,578 women and 715,027 men.
