KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti government has adopted the “open door” policy in line with guidelines by HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to further bolster confidence between state officials and citizens and improve public services. In addition to the removal of physical bureaucratic barriers, citizens can easily request meetings with top officials via the government’s Tawasul system available on the smart service Sahel app.

The Cabinet, during a session held on May 19, stressed the necessity “to open the doors for citizens seeking to work out transactions at ministries and other government authorities”. The digital service is designed to enable citizens to present queries and complaints quickly, boosting transparency and confidence between citizens and the government.

Amer Al-Ajmi, head of the local affairs sector and the government’s official spokesperson, said in a statement to KUNA that the open door policy is in line with instructions by HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah. Ajmi added that the government, through this mechanism, is seeking to bolster the confidence of the masses by creating a transparent medium for facilitating and speeding up solutions to diverse issues.

The smart service, available to deal with all ministries involved in utilities and public services, is helpful to cut red tape. Meetings can be requested with ministers, deputies or undersecretaries, Ajmi explained, indicating that the duration of the meeting and other relevant terms can be set by each department. Ministries have already declared that they are accessible via the online service, and a number of ministers have given instructions to tackle hurdles facing citizens while processing transactions at state departments. — KUNA