KUWAIT CITY, March 10: When a group of lawmakers including the Speaker of the Parliament Ali Al-Rashed met Sunday HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah he stressed on the need for cooperation between the executive and the legislative authorities to ensure more achievements and true democracy.
The Amir also expressed his satisfaction at the achievements made by the Parliament in only two months since its formation as a result of cooperation between the two authorities. In this context, the Amir hopes the current Parliament would complete its four-year legislative term.
MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak said the MPs who accompanied the Speaker of the National Assembly on his Gulf tour and members of Response to the Amiri Address Committee met HH the Amir.
She added the Amir was presented with the committee’s report on the Amiri Address that contained observations made by the MPs. She added, the committee confirmed its commitment to the directives given by HH the Amir for the Parliament and the government on respect for the law.
She explained the lawmakers have confirmed their commitment to these principles and in return called upon the government to remain committed to play its role and cooperate with the Parliament.
She went on to say, “HH the Amir has stressed he will give his directives to the government to take into account all observations that are made in the Amiri address with the aim of ensuring more achievements and true democracy.”
She said the Amir also stressed on the importance of the Gulf dimension in Kuwaiti relations with the GCC countries and that Kuwait always seeks to develop these relations. She added the meeting with the Amir was aimed at supporting Kuwait-Gulf relationships especially between Parliaments and Gulf Shura (Consultative) Councils.
When asked if the issue of loans was discussed during the meeting, the MP said the issue was not part of the discussions. However, she added, “HH the Amir has stressed on the need for cooperation between the two authorities at this stage, especially between the Parliament and the government or among the MPs themselves instead of getting bogged down in tensions which were seen during the last two sessions.”
She also confirmed the meeting did not touch on the rumors about ‘mass resignation’ by some MPs. She stressed the MPs support the desire of His Highness the Amir for this Parliament to complete its four-year constitutional term.
Directives
On the same issue, MP Khaled Al-Adwa said HH the Amir has given his directives and advice to all members of the Parliament on strengthening cooperation and making more achievements, and taking advantage of the environment of cooperation which currently prevails between the two authorities.
He added the Amir has also expressed his contentment at the amount of achievements the have been made within two months.
Stressing the Parliament in just two months since its formation had touched on important issues which were collecting dust during the tenure of previous Parliament, Al-Adwa said he hopes this spirit prevails and contribute to the solution of issues which concern the citizens - issues such as housing and unemployment and push the development wheel forward. “This is what members of the National Assembly and the Cabinet are calling for, especially the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak,” he said.
He noted the Parliament is now moving in the direction of making more achievements on issues such as, “loan interests in which we have made a lot of achievements.” He stressed there will be an agreeable solution between the Parliament and the government.
MP Hamad Al-Harshani added the Amir has advised them not to pay attention to media statements that harm Gulf countries or people of these countries “especially since Kuwait is looking for friends not enemies.”
Meanwhile, the Independent Bloc Sunday submitted a number of proposals that aimed at developing the economy. One such proposal calls for the abolition of government subsidies of all goods which it provides for Kuwaiti families with sufficient electricity, water and fuel for free. This will save for the Treasury between KD 4 and KD 6 billion, the bloc stated.
The bloc said it has discovered huge public money is being wasted between KD 6 and KD 12 billion due to inflation of the general budget. This, it explained, is not due to the inflation of citizens salaries and the welfare given to them as the government claims, but due to government subsidies that benefit non-Kuwaitis and companies that do not contribute to the employment of nationals, community services and the state’s budget.
Twelve other draft bills have been submitted by the bloc and include proposals to allow the establishment of new banks in Kuwait and also allow foreign banks to exercise banking activities in full without restrictions and equal treatment like local banks.
The bloc also proposed that the government begin the privatization of existing and future public utilities and infrastructure.
It said, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) should not be allowed to export more than 50 percent of crude oil output and that the other 50 percent should be refined in Kuwait for the development of the country’s oil and petrochemical industries.