KUWAIT: Kuwaiti academics are calling for "strict application of the law” and the eradication of nepotism in a set of recommendations they released Tuesday. The Center for Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies at Kuwait University held a press conference on Tuesday to announce the results of a scientific forum it organized under the auspices of the Acting Director of Kuwait University under the slogan "New Kuwait, New Era?". The forum included four sessions and two closed panel discussions were held over two days.
"An exploratory study was conducted on a sample estimated at 1,400 members of society. It resulted in a set of good ideas. We hope that they will be implemented during the next stage,” Acting Director of the Center for Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Dr Yaqoub Al-Kandari said during the conference held at Al-Jawhara Building in Sabah Al-Salem University City. The center said it will prepare a set of academic recommendations, in preparation for submitting them to His Highness the Prime Minister and His Excellency the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Professor of Sociology at Kuwait University Dr Ali Ahmed Al-Tarrah said the four sessions focused on several topics, namely getting out of the political impasse in the next stage, facing constitutional challenges, as well as the social and cultural dimensions of democratic problems. He singled out the challenges presented by corruption and the need to confront them in the next stage. Jassim Qabazard stressed the need for strict application of the law as a means to achieve the principle of social justice and equality among members of society.
"A parallel council for the National Assembly must be established in order to reduce the burden on the National Assembly. It’s also important to seriously consider amending some articles of the constitution, given that the Kuwaiti constitution has not been amended nearly 61 years after its issuance,” he said.
Researcher in the field of governance and anti-corruption Salma Hamad Al-Issa pointed to the importance of consensus on constitutional reform through "the adoption of a set of laws and legislation that complement and comply with constitutional articles, as well as strengthening the principle of cooperation between the two authorities and resorting to the open negotiating table in the event of any dispute.” She stressed the need to fight all forms of corruption, specifically administrative corruption, and to fight wasta and nepotism and not to interfere in the completion of any popular transactions.