publish time

28/10/2020

author name Arab Times

publish time

28/10/2020

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 28: The registration of candidates for the 2020 parliamentary elections continued Wednesday with the strict implementation of health regulations to curb the spread of coronavirus. A total of 55 candidates, including four women and several former MPs – Adel Al-Damkhi, Saad Al-Khanfour, Ali Al-Daqbasi, Bader Al-Mullah and Ouda Al- Ruwai’e; in addition to former Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Affairs Muhammad Nasser Al-Jabri who resigned recently.

Thirteen citizens, two of whom are women, registered for the First Constituency; 10 each – all men – for the Second and Fourth Constituencies; 16 including one woman for the Third Constituency; and six including one woman for the Fifth Constituency. So far, the number of candidates who registered reached 193 including 19 women.

The Elections Registration Center will continue receiving the applications of candidates until Nov 4, 2020.

Meanwhile, a number of former MPs commented on the mass resignation that the Ministry of Finance undersecretary and five assistant undersecretaries have submitted to Minister of Finance Barrak Al-Sheetan recently. Former MP Riyadh Al-Adasni said this mass resignation proves that the policy adopted by Al- Sheetan is not on the right track.

Plan
He then called on HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- Khaled to accept the resignation that Al-Sheetan submitted earlier, because the latter has been proven unable to present a feasible financial plan. He added the institutions affiliated to the Ministry of Finance are suffering. He warned the mass resignation will lead to the collapse of the entire financial system.

MP Safaa Al-Hashem urged HH the Prime Minister to replace Al-Sheetan with someone capable of providing solutions and effective ideas. She added the resignation of such a number of senior officials at the Ministry of Finance will tarnish the reputation of Kuwait.

On the other hand, MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri asked Al-Sheetan to approve the resignation. He asserted that Kuwait is a constitutional State, not a private company. Al-Sheetan is said to have approved the resignation on Wednesday afternoon. Moreover, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) clarified a decision on the mass resignation cannot be taken unless investigations are conducted, especially since it comes with an accusation that the finance minister has violated the law.

The four expert teams, formed by the Cabinet to study and set proposals for tackling four of the most pressing dossiers in the country, submitted their reports to His Highness the Premier Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al- Hamad Al-Sabah in a meeting at Seif Palace on Tuesday.

His Highness the Premier met members of the four teams who briefed him about the contents of their reports which focused on the key issues of economic reforms, social media regulation, addressing demographic imbalance and education overhauling.

The economic reform team informed His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled about the coordination between relevant public and private institutions to assess the current economic situation, and its impact on the State resources, as well as their proposed practical solutions to boost the State economy and its financial situation. The social media team apprised His Highness the Prime Minister off their vision and recommendations to combat the negative aspects of social media in line with laws and without jeopardizing the constitutionally enshrined freedom of expression.

By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff and Agencies