KUWAIT CITY, Jan 11:  HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah confirmed Monday that a draft bill on waiving off interest on consumer loans and rescheduling payment, which was approved by the Parliament last week, will not be referred back to the legislature until the government presents a new vision to address the issue, sources told Al-Seyassah Arabic daily. The Amir made the announcement in a meeting with 12 MPs Monday.  Clarifying the Amir informed the MPs that the interest waive-off proposal is unacceptable under the Islamic Sharia Law or the Constitution, sources said the Amir stressed the importance of facilitating procedures and removing obstacles concerning the conditions for the beneficiaries of the Fund for the Needy.  He also asked the MPs not to deceive the citizens in order not to lose an opportunity to relieve their suffering.

Affirming there will be a solution that satisfies the citizens before satisfying the MPs, sources disclosed the Amir supports proposals to grant KD 10,000 to each household head and increase the capital of the Fund for the Needy, considering the possibility of adding one of the recommended modifications to the law.
Talking about the Bedoun issue, sources said the Amir also confirmed there is a government proposal aimed at handling the issue and granting citizenship to deserving applicants, which was referred to the National Assembly.
Sources added the Amir expressed his satisfaction over the support of a parliamentary majority to the government.  He also urged the MPs to cooperate with the government to implement the development plan and modify it without suspending the development process in the country.  He also advised them to set aside conflicts which impede movement of the development wheels forward, referring to the Dow Chemical and fourth refinery projects.

Instruct
Parliamentary sources told Al-Seyassah the Amir will instruct Deputy Premier for Economic Affairs and State Minister for Housing and Development Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahd, Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali and Central Bank Governor Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah to lay down appropriate solutions to this issue to satisfy all parties.
Sources quoted the Amir as saying that the Dow Chemical project would have yielded high profits for the country, considering its cost increase four times the estimated amount as Kuwait was still in negotiations with Dow.  The Amir also pointed out that the National Assembly has greatly contributed in the loss of this opportunity, asserting the project should not have been cancelled quickly.
Stating the Amir also underscored the need to strengthen nationalism and end conflicts that might instigate chaos in the country, sources revealed the Amir urged the lawmakers to put these issues on top of their priority lists.  Sources said the Amir also called for strong coordination between the legislative and executive authorities to fortify the Future Generations Fund and support national manpower development by investing financial resources wisely, especially in the educational and health sectors.
On the other hand, a source close to Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahd affirmed the deputy premier has to focus on the loan issue, since the Amir has entrusted it to him to manage it economically.  The source added the issue now lies in the hands of the Cabinet and it cannot be withdrawn except through a text that satisfies all parties.

Meanwhile, other sources said the MPs presented several alternatives to handle the loan issue during the meeting.
MP Khalaf Dumaitheer suggested granting KD 10,000 to each household head or drop 30-35 percent from the original loan amount.
MP Saleh Ashour recommended requiring debtors to pay the remaining amount after the Fund for the Needy pays 50 percent of the loan. MP Hussein Mizyed asserted the Amir has reaffirmed his commitment to protect the interests of citizens as he underlined the need to remove obstacles to the development process.
In a related development, MP Khalid Sultan admitted he is not worried about the ‘fatwas’ (edicts) issued by the professors and religious scholars at the Sharia Faculty to legalize the cancellation of interests.

Fatwa
Commenting on the fatwa issued by the Islamic Heritage Revival Society concerning the interests, Sultan clarified the document distributed to the MPs during Wednesday’s session was just a memo, which was not approved by the society’s office; hence, it is not for publication.
In the meantime, the National Assembly will hold a special session on Tuesday to discuss the report of the Finance Affairs Committee about a draft bill forwarded by the government concerning its five-year development plan.  It is widely expected that the bill will be approved in its first reading, while the second discussion will focus on the modifications.
Moreover, sources close to the committee refuted reports about a conflict but they admitted there are disagreements over certain articles of the bill.