BY B Izzak

KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works Amani Bugammaz resigned on Sunday, apparently to avoid two grillings filed by two MPs over alleged mismanagement and delays in major projects, especially road repairs. The two grillings, filed separately by MPs Mubarak Al-Tasha and Dawood Maarafi, were listed for debate during the National Assembly’s opening session on Tuesday. The resignation means the two grillings will not be debated.

But Tasha said in a statement that he will ask the National Assembly to form a committee to investigate the works of the minister since she was appointed to the post and called on MPs to approve the request. Tasha said the minister’s resignation is not acceptable, because she escapes from answering the grilling.

The Assembly is scheduled to start its new term on Tuesday with a key speech by HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, followed by Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah. MP Mohammad Al-Raqeeb called for sending the two grillings to the special ministers’ tribunal for a judicial probe.

Meanwhile, MP Abdulkarim Al-Kandari reiterated on Sunday that he will grill Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah if he accepts the credentials of new US Ambassador to Kuwait Karen Sasahara. Kandari last week threatened to grill the minister if he accepted ambassador-designate Sasahara because she worked as consul-general in the Zionist entity.

The foreign minister said on Sunday after meeting with the Assembly’s foreign relations panel that Sasahara had been approved by HH the Amir and that if she arrives in the country, he will introduce her to the political leadership and then accept her credentials. The minister also said that there is an agreement in principle over a draft law calling to ban any dealing with the Zionist state. The bill was not given the final approval by the panel.