By B Izzak

KUWAIT: HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah on Tuesday handed the government's resignation letter to HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Tuesday. The government had said the resignation was due to a dispute with the National Assembly.

The Cabinet also did not attend a regular Assembly session on Tuesday, leading Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun to adjourn the session. Although 39 MPs attended, Saadoun halted the session after he was informed by the Cabinet that it was not attending. Under Kuwaiti law, the attendance of at least one minister is essential to convene the Assembly.

But MP Abdulkarim Al-Kandari said there is no article in the law that requires the attendance of ministers to convene Assembly sessions. He called on Saadoun to convene the sessions even if ministers do not attend. MPs had insisted on passing a number of populist draft legislation, including one calling to purchase billions of loans of Kuwaiti citizens, while the government rejected debating them because they were too costly for the state's finances.

MP Alia Al-Khaled said Kuwait is passing through its worst conditions as the budget and state finances are in a bad situation. She called on the prime minister to form a strong team of Cabinet ministers if he is renamed by HH the Amir to form the next government.

Meanwhile, the government's resignation will not hinder work being done to fulfill the promises officials have made regarding Kuwaitization of jobs and the reevaluation of residency affairs, government sources told Kuwait Times. The resigned government will remain in place to deal with urgent matters, sources said, as implementing decisions it previously made is still within its power.

The Cabinet has informed all ministries to proceed with their plans until the fate of the current government is settled, either by rejecting its resignation or accepting it and appointing a new government," sources revealed to Kuwait Times.

Sources added expat teachers and administrators on the education ministry's termination lists have been informed so that they can continue working in their positions until the end of the current academic year. The ministry, they said, has communicated with the finance ministry to secure the funds needed for the employees' severance packages, which will be paid in August.

Kuwait Municipality will also put in place its second phase of expat layoffs before the end of June, with plans to proceed with the third and final phase before the end of this year, sources added. The Public Authority for Housing Welfare is also expected to announce the dismissal of all its expat employees soon. The health ministry informed its expatriate employees regarding the bonus clause to lay them off, sources added, indicating that the decision of the ministry does not include employees who are bedoons or children of Kuwaiti women.