Many factory owners have ‘petitioned’ the Mi-nister of Commerce and Industry Dr Amani Burasli, asking her to re-issue a decision to ban the export of scrap iron - considered a national wealth — similar to what other GCC states have done, reports Al-Mustaqbal daily.
The daily added the letter has been sent through the Public Authority for Industry. The letter says this decision was taken because the available scrap iron does not exceed 250,000 tons while the annual consumption of scrap irons by local factories in 3 million tons.
The daily also said, companies send their representatives to Kuwait to buy this commodity and then resell it to neighboring countries at double the price.
The sources added lack of sufficient quantity of scrap iron has contributed to the rise in prices over the past five years.
The sources said the price has risen to 50 percent, adding the national factories compensate the shortage in scrap iron through imports from countries such as the UK and the USA.
His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah headed at Sief Palace the 11th ministerial committee meeting aimed at discussing the country’s development plan.
Minister of Commerce and Industry and State Minister for Development Affairs Dr Amani Bouresly said that the committee discussed progress made regarding draft laws for the state’s four-year development plan (2010-2014), as well as following up on establishing strategic projects (shareholding companies); also stipulated on in the plan.
The committee, according to Bouresly, is expected to receive reviewed drafts of these projects by Feb 20.
She added that the committee also reviewed obstacles facing the industrial sector, as well as discussing appropriate mechanisms needed to facilitate developmental projects.
HH the Prime Minister had urged, during the meeting, for easing the process to acquire industrial permits, as Feb 15 was set as deadline to launch the project “unified window” for the industrial sector, which aims at serving investors, she noted.