KUWAIT CITY, March 11, (KUNA): The Kuwaiti Cabinet convened an extraordinary meeting at the Seif Palace on Thursday, following up on executive steps for the middle-term development drive, and the annual development plan.
The meeting was presided over by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah.
During the meeting, detailed explanation on such executive steps was presented by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of State for Development and Housing Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, and Chairman of the Governmental Performance Follow-up Apparatus Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah and Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Planning Adel Al-Wuqian, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Roudhan Abdulaziz Al-Roudhan told reporters following the meeting.
They elaborated on the contents of projects enshrined in the country’s national development blueprint, reaching 798 in number at a total cost of KD 4. 7 billion, and including supportive and stereotypical projects, he said.
The cabinet was apprised of the Supreme Council for Planning (SCP) Secretariat’s visualizations for the embodiment of the contents of the plan law 9/2010, especially as for following up on implementation and ensuring good performance according to high transparency and clarity in all procedures and steps, and optimum coordination among state agencies concerned, leading up to the proper fulfillment of the development drive, the cabinet minister added.
HH the Premier stressed the paramount significance of this vital subject, pointing to efforts exerted to work out the plan and follow up on implementation.
Development
In this context, he urged all cabinet ministers to lend their hands to put the drive in place in order to push forward the country’s national development for the common good of the national and citizens.
Therefore, the cabinet instructed the Governmental Performance Follow-up Apparatus to coordinate with the SCP Secretariat for devising a holistic system for following up the implementation of the plan pursuant to basics and criteria set by Law No 9/2010 on the development drive.
It also instructed state agencies involved to compile technical documents containing detailed steps for projects enshrined in the plan; the Council of Undersecretaries to consider and remove obstacles scuttling execution; the SCP Secretariat to make up working teams to look into suggested projects; and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to set out a mechanism to assess how much senior officials would commit to, and follow up on, the application of the annual blueprint.
The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) has also been asked to work with ministries and state departments involved to take necessary steps for establishing companies that would carry out some development projects as per the sound legal framework.
The Ministry of Information will further coordinate with other parties involved to devise a media plan purposed to promote the contents and favorable reflections of the drive, while the SCP Secretariat will work with the Governmental Performance Follow-up Apparatus to report to the cabinet about the application of the drive every three months.
Achievements
The cabinet voiced hope that such decrees and instructions could contribute to the realization of the aspired achievements of development projects, the cabinet minister said.
Also during the extraordinary meeting, the Kuwaiti Cabinet reviewed recently reported threats by workers of some vital state departments to go on strike in a bid to exert pressure on certain quarters to meet their financial and functional demands.
Out of keenness on assuming responsibility for observing the law and considering national interests, the Cabinet voiced categorical opposition to all means of strike threats in a bid to impose the fait accompli, something which totally runs counter to the Kuwaiti society’s inherent commitment towards objective, aware and controlled dialogue within the framework of the constitution, law and requirements of public interest, not to mention concomitant harm to supreme interests and citizens’ interests.
Accordingly, the cabinet has instructed all state agencies to take appropriate legal action in the event of such unacceptable practices, and to bring anyone who may try to hamper the country’s vital interests to accountability in line with Article 26 of the Constitution, Article 24/2 and Article One of the Civil Service Law Decree, the minister noted.
However, the Cabinet expressed its understanding of several overtures tabled diverse state agencies over financial benefits or other demands, saying that the Civil Service Commission, which is in charge of such affairs, would look into such suggestions pursuant to sound legal channels and procedures that could ensure justice to everybody, and in line with the decided development programs and blueprints and within the framework of the public interest, the cabinet minister concluded.