VAT? … Over my dead body: Al Hashem

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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 2: MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei has warned that he will grill Health Minister Jamal Al-Harbi if Jaber Hospital does not start operating within six months, indicating Education Minister Mohammed Al-Faris will face the same fate if he fails to push for the operation of Al-Shadadiya University within the specified period. On the other hand, Al-Tabtabaei urged State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Hamoud Al-Sabah to respond to the international demand to lift suspension on local sports.

He added, “We will give the ministers a grace period of six months before we submit interpellation motions against them in case they fail to address these issues.”

Meanwhile, Financial and Economic Affairs Committee Rapporteur MP Safa Al-Hashem expressed displeasure over the allocation of $7 million for cleaning contracts at the airport due to several questionable changes in these contracts.

Addressing HH the Prime Minister, Al-Hashem stressed the need to implement the rationalization policy in State institutions before asking for contributions from citizens.

She went on to say that allocating KD 150 million for the contract on consultation regarding human resources development raises a number of questions. She added the economic reform policy is unconstitutional while imposing value added tax (VAT) on citizens is unacceptable; stressing “everybody knows that the proposed VAT will not be passed. Over my dead body.”

On another issue, MP Saadoun Hammad Al-Otaibi presented a bill to amend Law No. 12/2011 on public assistance. According the bill, a new paragraph (c) will be added to Article Three of the law as follows: “A married Kuwaiti woman who reached 45 years old is entitled to assistance, unless she has a steady source of income.”

Furthermore, MP Saleh Ahmad Ashour proposed adding two articles, Number (1) repeated and Number (1) repeated (a) to Law No. 42/1978 on sports authorities.

The proposal states adding two new articles — Number (1) repeated and No. 1 repeated (a) — to the law as follows: Article (1) allows the establishment of stock companies for the purpose of forming sports clubs, allocation of 15 percent of capital for the founders, the rest of capital shall be for public subscription, the State must provide land for these clubs, their installations with nominal rent will be determined by the competent minister, and their properties on the allocated land shall be returned to the State once their activities stop.

Article 1 repeated (a) stipulates that the existing clubs, once approval is obtained from their general assemblies and the Public Authority for Youth and Sports, will be allowed to establish joint stock companies after evaluation of their assets.

They will pay the corresponding value to the Ministry of Finance through periodic premiums within a period not exceeding 15 years. These companies shall be given a grace period of five years before they start the periodic payment.

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff

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