Minister of Social Affairs: Kuwait’s interests and the protection of public funds are a red line... I will not tolerate courtesy in cooperatives

Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Dr. Amthal Al-Huwaili affirmed that the appointed member on the boards of cooperative societies represents the Ministry of Social Affairs, serving as a position of trust and responsibility. She emphasized that their presence on the board is not for prestige or visibility, but to fulfill a national duty that contributes to protecting public funds and shareholders’ assets, and enhancing the integrity of cooperative operations.

She stressed the necessity of strict adherence to integrity, neutrality, professionalism, and transparency in all decisions and practices, applying laws and regulations without any favoritism, selectivity, or leniency, as everyone is equal before the law. She called on members to reject any gifts, benefits, pressures, or intermediaries that could affect the independence of decision-making or lead to conflicts of interest, self-dealing, or suspicions of misappropriation of public funds. She also rejected any external interventions, regardless of the relationship of those involved, whether they are relatives, friends, or colleagues.

Al-Huwaili clarified that protecting the assets of cooperative societies, shareholders, and state properties, including investment branches, represents a national trust and responsibility, with their preservation being among the Ministry’s top priorities. She urged the appointed members to develop clear supervisory and corrective plans, monitor all observations and violations, and promptly report them to the Supervision Department and relevant authorities to address deficiencies before they escalate, emphasizing that the Ministry possesses the necessary tools to support reform.

This statement came during a meeting held by Minister Al-Huwaili with appointees in the cooperative sector, attended by supervisors and board members, both elected and appointed. She noted that a member’s role extends beyond attending board meetings to include field work, monitoring operations within cooperatives, ensuring service quality, branch integrity, facility conditions, maintenance levels, and compliance with municipal and environmental requirements, while reporting observations promptly.

The Minister stressed the importance of maintaining a high level of supervisory awareness and not overlooking any violation, irregularity, or suspicion of corruption, while promptly notifying the Ministry and relevant supervisory authorities and coordinating with them when necessary, as reporting violations is a national responsibility.

Al-Huwaili also highlighted the importance of preparing accurate, objective, and professional supervisory reports, free from personal considerations or individual disputes, as these reports underpin important decisions that may lead to the dissolution of boards of directors or legal actions, requiring the highest degrees of accuracy and neutrality. She explained that the objective of appointing members is to correct the course, address deficiencies, and resolve problems facing some cooperatives, rather than merely documenting violations without seeking to rectify them. She stressed the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of information and official documents, and not leaking or circulating any documents via social media, considering it an ethical and professional responsibility.

The Minister outlined several principles, including the necessity of treating all parties—employees, shareholders, consumers, and companies dealing with cooperatives—with respect, and complying with legal provisions in all procedures, while warning against oppressing any party. She urged members to refrain from issuing media statements or publishing on social media or cooperative-affiliated platforms regarding their supervisory activities, emphasizing that any violation of this directive may result in the cancellation of their appointment.

She clarified that compliance with regulations, bylaws, and directives is mandatory and allows for no leniency; any negligence in performing supervisory duties will subject the member to legal and administrative accountability and disciplinary sanctions, potentially leading to the termination of their appointment. She added that the Ministry is keen on enhancing governance principles, transparency, and the efficiency of cooperative work, noting that the current stage requires addressing existing observations in several cooperatives, and that the continuation of violations after the appointment of members necessitates intensified efforts and accelerated reform.

She mentioned that the meeting witnessed all appointees signing a declaration and commitment to comply with legal provisions, perform their duties with integrity and neutrality, and not misuse their positions for personal gain, thereby upholding the highest standards of governance and accountability, and binding them to laws, confidentiality, addressing violations, and reporting transgressions.

For his part, Dr. Sayed Eissa, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Financial and Administrative Affairs and Cooperative Sector at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said: “We thank the Minister for these recommendations and directives for board members and appointees in cooperatives. I hope everyone follows these recommendations. Indeed, when we were nominating them, we sought to protect shareholders’ funds, and we hope for diligence in safeguarding the cooperative’s assets and the services you provide.”

He added: “Any irregularity you find must be reported directly. We request that you submit monthly and periodic reports every three months on activities undertaken, and recommendations will be issued after the dissolution or dismissal of a board of directors regarding what was done, what was rectified, and what obstacles you face in addressing violations so we can remove them. You have noticed the issue of kiosks and booths inside markets; we resolved this quickly through direct intervention by the Minister, which significantly reduced violations in central markets. We spare no effort in removing obstacles, but you have a major role in implementing recommendations and addressing violations. If you fail in your duties, it will be immediately apparent to us, and we will hold you accountable.”