KUWAIT: Following his appointment as prime minister, HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah has started consultations and contacts to form the new Cabinet, official sources said. The sources explained Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled wishes to select two lawmakers to join the Cabinet instead of only one as in the previous government. "The current minister MP Mohammed Al-Jabri will likely return to parliament," the sources said.
The sources said the first choice was made and it was agreed to appoint MP Rakan Al-Nisf as minister of commerce and industry and minster of state for youth affairs, while the second appointment is still in progress through contacts with several MPs including Bader Al-Mulla. The sources added that the head of the government communication center and the government's official spokesperson Tareq Al-Mezram would be appointed information minister, while former information minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah will be appointed as foreign minister. Head of the national security bureau Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali Al-Sabah will be appointed as interior minister, the sources speculate
Moreover, the sources said there is a lot of controversy concerning the defense portfolio. Although Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled offered it to deputy chief of joint staffs Lt Gen Abdullah Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, no decision has been made yet. "Hawally Governor Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah may be appointed defense minister if his brother declines the position," the sources underlined, noting that nomination of sheikhs for ministerial portfolios is usually discussed within the ruling family council first.
In addition, the sources said the current Minister of Awqaf Fahd Al-Shulah will remain in office and also handle the justice ministry instead of the ministry of state for municipal affairs. "The current Justice Minister Fahd Al-Afasi is so far out of the new Cabinet's formation," the sources underlined, adding Education Minister Hamed Al-Azmi may remain in office while Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan might be appointed finance minister. The sources explained that consultations are in progress to select one of public works ministry's previous officials to succeed resigned minister Jenan Bushehri.
Jailed citizen back home
Kuwaiti citizen Yasser Al-Bahri, who had been detained in US prisons for 15 years, arrived in Kuwait yesterday escorted by Kuwaiti Consul to New York Hamad Al-Hazeem and two US immigration officers.
Financial management
The parliamentary budgets committee yesterday discussed the final statement of the state's financial management for the fiscal year 2018-2019. Committee chairman Adnan Abdulsamad said the committee discussed problems including the weakness of financial departments within government bodies, staff turnover in various government positions and not using Oracle financial system in many government bodies. Abdulsamad called for training and qualifying government employees at the finance ministry and preparing a comprehensive study about maximum and minimum salaries, as they made up the largest portion of the government's spending of KD 11.4 billion out of the total budget of KD 21.8 billion in 2018-2019.
By A Saleh