KUWAIT CITY, Oct 23: Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali said the tax draft bill has been forwarded to the Consultative and Legislative Council for discussion and approval like the other proposals presented to the National Assembly, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.
Al-Shamali explained the proposed payment of tax is part of the development plan, so there should be a comprehensive tax collection system, indicating his ministry will prepare and implement the proposal. He pointed out the tax will greatly contribute to the revenues of the government and there is no reason to worry about the salary. He stressed the ministry will benefit from the experience of advanced countries in implementing the tax bill by sending the concerned employees to these nations to undergo training and fully understand how the system works. He added Kuwait will establish an independent authority for tax collection, similar to that of most countries he visited earlier.
Meanwhile, MP Naji Al-Abdulhadi has refuted allegations that the debt cancellation draft bill will be a source of dispute between the executive and legislative authorities in the next parliamentary round, reports Al-Rai daily.

However, Al-Abdulhadi derided the government for lack of coordination, claiming a minister had earlier supported an interpellation against another through some lawmakers.
Al-Abdulhadi also ruled out possible conflicts between the two authorities over the composition of the Defense, Interior and Finance committees in the Parliament. He said most of the temporary panels should become permanent because they play a vital role in legislation like the Handicapped Affairs and Housing panels. He hopes both committees will not be dissolved; otherwise, he would vie for membership of the Budget and Public Amenities panels.
The lawmaker also appealed to the incompetent ministers to submit their resignation to pave the way for those who have the ability to push for the implementation of the government’s agenda and maintain harmonious relations with the legislature.

In the meantime, MP Dr Salwa Al-Jassar has warned the Ministry of Education on the negative repercussions of its plan to distribute laptops to students, reports Al-Rai daily.
Alleging the ministry will only waste public funds if it implements the KD25 million project, Al-Jassar suggested the laptops should be distributed to the school managers and teachers to spearhead the electronic learning efforts. She believes providing the students with laptops will have a negative impact on the educational system as it might lead to the deterioration of values in the Kuwaiti society.
Al-Jassar urged the minister to set clear goals and strategies, as well as make proper arrangements and conduct a study on the electronic learning project prior to its implementation. She said any haphazard decision, such as the distribution of laptops to students, is not based on a comprehensive vision.
Meantime, the National Assembly Office already sent invitations for the opening ceremony of the third parliamentary term, Al-Seyassah daily quoted a Public Relations Department official Jamal Al-Degheshem as saying.

The ceremony will take place next Thursday and invitees are requested to be present at the venue before 8.30 am and to abide by all instructions mentioned in the invitation, he added.
Al-Degheshem praised the Speaker of the National Assembly Jassem Al-Khorafi and all other officials, mainly at the Amiri Diwan and the Diwan of Crown Prince, for making extensive preparations for the opening ceremony. “Citizens can attend the session after HH the Amir’s motorcade leaves the premises,” he added.