KUWAIT CITY, Jan 10: The parliamentary Women and Family Affairs Committee on Sunday discussed with representatives of the Justice Ministry the registration of real estate properties which Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis pass on to their children. Committee Chairman MP Saleh Ashour explained the law stipulates that the right to own real estate properties is exclusive to Kuwaitis. He said non-Kuwaitis are not allowed to register real estate properties in their names, except under certain circumstances and this is done through a decree allowing an Arab who holds the nationality of an Arab country to own just one property not exceeding 1,000 square meters. He disclosed the committee is trying to fi nd a way for the children of Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis to register properties they inherited from their mothers in their names. He added they are now waiting for the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee to fi nalize the bills in this regard.

RevealedIn another development, Ashour revealed the committee will meet next week with the Interior Ministry offi cials to tackle the proposal on allowing Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis to sponsor their children who will then be granted permanent residence permits under their mothers.

Meanwhile, the Priorities Committee discussed Sunday various issues related to the work program of the government for the 14th legislative term in the presence of Health Minister Dr Ali Al-Obeidi and Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Bader Al-Essa. Committee Rapporteur MP Ahmed Lari said they compared the work program of the Health Ministry with its development plan, describing the completion rate as good in terms of the projects included in the 2015/2016 annual plan. He confi rmed Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital will be handed over to the ministry in September 2016 while the expansion works at Amiri Hospital will be completed in the latter part of 2017 and this includes 464 beds. He said Al-Razi hospital was opened with 240 additional beds and the expansion of Jahra Hospital will include 1,171 beds; in addition to Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital with 140 new beds for children.

SupportOn the other hand, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and member of the Arab Parliament MP Mubarak Al-Khurainej has expressed full support for the statement issued during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign affairs ministers meeting recently, affi rming solidarity with Saudi Arabia’s move against the provocative and irresponsible acts of Iran in dealing with the interests of Gulf countries.

He expressed satisfaction over the strength of the tone of the statement and the emphasis on measures which will be taken to prevent Iran from repeating its provocative acts. He added Kuwaiti Ambassador to Tehran Majdi Al-Zufairi should not return to Iran unless the latter’s diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia becomes normal again.

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff