KUWAIT CITY, March 22: A number of lawmakers have turned down the recommendations which have been proposed by their colleagues to solve the traffic crisis, reports Al-Rai daily. The MPs have proposed increasing the price of petrol for expatriates and charges on all services. Some lawmakers say the expatriates alone are not responsible for the crisis.

They also say if the recommendations of their colleagues are taken into consideration Kuwait will be transformed into a country of bachelors since most men who can’t afford to live with their families would prefer to send them back home. This will have an adverse effect on the economy and social life. MP Adnan Abdulsamad has expressed reservations on some recommendations prepared by some lawmakers who portray expatriates as the key reason for the traffic crisis in the country. He affirmed the expatriates are part of the traffic problem, however, he added, the citizens are mostly responsible for traffic accidents and violations He said the Minister of Interior should impose strict penalties against those who violate the traffic laws including imprisonment for citizens who commit serious traffic offences.

However, the power to administratively deport expatriates who commit serious traffic violations lie in the hands of the minister too. He added the recommendations include allotting certain quota for citizens and senior expatriate employees. However, the marginal workers should not be granted driving licenses because most of them get them through bribe. Therefore, the rise in price of petrol should be confined only for this category of drivers. MP Ahmad Lari considers these recommendations insufficient to solve the traffic problem.

He indicated the solution lies in establishing a transportation authority affiliated directly to the Council of Ministers to supervise effectively the process of allotting root solutions for this problem