BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

HIS Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, held meetings with high-ranking Kuwaiti officials yesterday during his five-day official visit to the country.

The officials comprised Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, who is also Minister of State for Planning and Development Affairs, Hind Subaih Barrak Al-Subaih, and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Yasser Hassan Abul.

A press statement from the Prime Minister’s Office last night said that upon the arrival at the Ministry of Planning and Development Affairs, His Royal Highness was welcomed by the two ministers.

Shortly afterwards, HRH received a pesambah from Hind Subaih, while HRH presented her with a souvenir of his visit.

This was followed by a briefing on Kuwait’s five-year Development Plan by General Secretary Dr Adel Al-Weqyan; a briefing on Statistical Data of Kuwait’s Development Plan by Dr Abdullah Sahar, the General Manager of the Central Statistical Bureau; and a briefing on the Housing Plan by Al-Nomas.

HRH also visited the Development Division of the Ministry of Planning and Development Affairs that is responsible for the implementation of the plan. HRH was also presented a pesambah by Dr Adel, and in return presented a gift to Dr Adel.

HRH then attended a luncheon hosted by Counsellor Nasser Abdullah Mishari Al-Rawdhwan, Chief of the Mission of Honour as Minister-In-Attendance in Al Boom Restaurant in the Radisson Blu Hotel.

After the luncheon, HRH visited Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah or the House of Islamic Antiquities.

Upon arrival, HRH was greeted by Osama Abdullhameed Al-Balhan, Director of Public Relations, after which he proceeded to view the varieties of antiquities on display.

Al-Sabah antiquities collection began in 1975 as a hobby of Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah and his wife Sheikha Hussah Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.

In 1983, the antiquities collection had outgrown its home and was transferred to its new location in the Kuwait National Museum. The building is now known as Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah.

The collection consists of more than 20,000 objects from different periods from across the Islamic world. Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah has gained worldwide recognition and is considered to be one of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic art in the world. After visiting the exhibition, HRH took part in a photo session and subsequently signed the visitor book.

Later in the afternoon, HRH gave met Marzouq Al-Ghanim, Speaker of the National Assembly, at the Diwaniya Room, Jahra 1 in Bayan Palace.

Marzouq Al-Ghanim was elected Speaker of the National Assembly in 2006. The Kuwait National Assembly, also known as the Majlis Al-Umma, has fifty Members of Parliament representing five electoral districts in the State of Kuwait and serves a four-year term. Accompanying HRH were Counsellor Nasser Abdullah Mishari Al-Rawdhwan; Dato Paduka Hj Ali Hj Apong, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; and Pg Hj Mustapha Pg Hj Aliuddin, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to Kuwait. –Sally Piri

The Brunei Times