KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior's relations and security information department said official working hours of the companies' department at Farwaniya residency affairs will be changed from evening to morning - from 7:00 am to 2:30 pm. All concerned parties should comply with the new times for speedy processing of transactions.

In other news, ASTM International organized a workshop in cooperation with Kuwait Municipality in the field of construction codes in the presence of president of the organization and several international organizations and GCC representatives at the Regency Hotel titled "sustainable standards and codes in construction." US Ambassador to Kuwait Lawrence Silverman thanked Kuwait Municipality, led by Director General Ahmad Al-Manfouhi for holding the event. He extended his greetings to the leaders as well as the speakers, who are experts in construction.

Silverman said the workshop is the result of coordination and cooperation since five years in the field of standards and sustainable codes in construction projects, adding that this project gives official status to coordination between trade departments in the US and the international trade management of ASTM International and the Word Codes Council.

Manfouhi welcomed the US ambassador and the participation of other officials. He said the establishment of a unified Gulf code became a reality due to the joint work and exchange of experiences between GCC countries. Manfouhi lauded ASTM for holding the workshop and allowing everyone to benefit from its experience by having model standards for construction rules, which reflects on the unified Gulf code.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun