Development projects to cost KD8b in '15: official

(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT Dec 28 (KUNA): Head of the technical apparatus for the study of developmental projects and initiatives Adel Al-Roumi said here on Sunday that the cost associated with the development plan projects stands at eight billion Kuwaiti dinars (kd) for the next year. Al-Roumi said in an interview with the daily Annahar newspaper published in today's edition that there are large projects which have added value to the economy of Kuwait included in the apparatus' plan for 2015 chiefly the solid waste project which is the largest project of this kind in the Middle East an ambitious project that provides a permanent solution to the problems of the environment. He stated that there is also Omm Al-Haiman liquid waste project with a total value of kd 350 million to be floated through next year

in addition to Al-Zour and Al-Kheeran power generation projects. He pointed out that Al-Zour plant project will start producing electricity middle of next year pointing out that the project was accomplished rapidly in an unprecedented manner in Kuwait and reached a completion rate of 70 percent in a year and a half. He unveiled that the year 2014 saw a number of achievements including the commencement of the construction work of Jaber bridge which will connect the north of Kuwait with its south by sea. Al-Roumi said that the drop in oil prices associated with market price fluctuations will not affect the development projects carried out through tenders noting that this decline poses a new strategic option that is to activate the participation of the private sector in development. He added that the priority for his apparatus is to provide projects in which the private sector could highly contribute and be economically feasible such as power generation and waste recycling noting that fast delivery is the standard of success for the private sector.