Closing session for parliamentary recess will be held today: Speaker

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Wednesday’s session adjourned due to lack of quorum

KUWAIT CITY, June 7: Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim said the closing session for the parliamentary recess will be held on Thursday (June 8), confirming that the decree in this regard was signed Wednesday.

In a press statement, Al- Ghanim disclosed there will be a special session on Thursday to complete discussions on budgets of various institutions, the State budget and the State’s financial situation, followed by the closing session. On the adjournment of Wednesday’s session due to lack of quorum, Al-Ghanim pointed out this happens from time to time. He said they are honored to meet His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, adding that the MPs will attend the breaking of fast session at the Amir’s residence after the closing session.

Earlier on Wednesday, Parliament Observer MP Nayef Al-Mirdas adjourned the regular session due to lack of quorum. Items in the agenda for this session included reports of the Budgets and Final Accounts Committee on the budgets and final accounts of some government agencies such as the Public Authority for Social Security (PASS), Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC); as well as the Interior and Defense Committee’s report on the number of persons eligible for naturalization this year, request to speed up the enforcement of Domestic Workers Law, Abdullah Bay and unemployment. Another item in the agenda is the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee’s report on fees for using public facilities and services, in addition to the report on current oil prices.

Allowances
Meanwhile, MP Mohammed Al-Huwailah praised the approval of two draft laws on Tuesday – amendments to law number 28/2011 on granting allowances and bonuses to the teaching staff in the ministries of Education, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, as well as Private Sector Labor Law number 6/2010. He pointed out that granting allowances and bonuses to the teaching staff in the Education, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs ministries will ensure job security – the main concern of the educational sector. He believes this step will have a positive impact on the rights of teachers, particularly in raising their income and improving their status.

He said this will also lead to the realization of educational and national objectives to encourage citizens to work in the educational sector, fair treatment of teachers and protection of their rights. He hopes a similar step will be taken in favor of the support staff including psychologists, social workers, librarians and pedagogical technique developers. On the amendment of the Private Sector Labor Law, the lawmaker affirmed that this is in the interest of citizens employed in the private sector as the revised law allows a worker to go on paid annual leave for 30 days during the first year of service provided he completed six months under the employer. He also highlighted the stipulation stating that the worker is entitled to full end-of-service pay without deducting contributions to the Public Authority for Social Security.

On the other hand, MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei revealed that he and some other lawmakers intend to reject the closing session on Thursday if the Parliament does not discuss their demand to reduce fuel prices and retirees insurance interests. He stressed, “If this legislative round ends without approving these draft laws, the Parliament’s performance will be disappointing because this entails failure to address issues which are important to citizens.” He accused some of his colleagues of conniving with the government in preventing discussion of the aforementioned draft laws through lack of quorum. He asserted some people want the Parliament to approve the budgets only, not the important bills which are beneficial to citizens.

He said seven MPs have so far agreed to voice their objection to adjournment of the session, calling for postponement of the closing ceremony until next week. He intends to look into the issue in a constitutional manner after the official announcement of the parliamentary recess. He also threatened to grill HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah if the latter does not deal with important issues such as the Euro fighters jets, fuel, Jaber Hospital, Jaber University, electricity and water within the three-month summer break.

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff

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