KUWAIT: Newministers appointed in the Cabinet on Monday in a limited reshuffle took theconstitutional oath in the National Assembly yesterday after they were sworn inby HH the Amir. The ministers were welcomed by MPs with warnings to quicklytake the necessary measures to rectify violations made by previous Cabinetministers and threatened they will be grilled if they fail to initiate reforms.
Opposition MPAl-Humaidi Al-Subaei gave the new ministers and the entire Cabinet two monthsto carry out the needed reforms before filing to grill them. He said OilMinister Khaled Al-Fadhel in particular will be grilled after two months if hefails to take swift actions in the oil sector. The lawmaker stressed the needfor actions by the new minister regarding violations in projects and contractsin the oil sector, adding that MPs will assist the minister and cooperate withhim if he takes the necessary reforms. The same applies to other new ministers,Subaie added.
MP Saleh Ashouralso threatened to grill the new Minister of Social Affairs and Labor SaadAl-Kharraz if he fails to take action against illegal charity societies, sayingthat the former minister had said that she ordered the closure of 34 illegalcharity organizations, but another 85 were still operating illegally.
Foreign MinisterSheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah said Kuwait has been hailed for itsorganization of charity work in the country, adding that the Cabinet has takena decision to shut down all charities operating without a proper license. Theminister said the government is following up the delay in the implementation ofthe decision, adding that the United States and several European countries haveconsidered Kuwait a good example in regulating fundraising operations. SheikhSabah said the government has succeeded in safeguarding charity work in thecountry by regulating it and linking charity organizations with the ministriesof foreign affairs, interior and social affairs and labor.
MP OmarAl-Tabtabaei criticized what he described as laws that are not favorable forforeign companies and capital in the country. Minister of Commerce and IndustryKhaled Al-Roudhan said the government is taking remarks by lawmakers seriouslyand noted that following the recent upgrade of the Kuwaiti bourse, it attractedaround $1 billion in new investments.
Finance MinisterNayef Al-Hajraf said a contract by an entertainment company was sent to thepublic prosecution over suspicions, adding that the Entertainment City wasclosed because it posed a danger to visitors and its refurbishment is veryexpensive. But MP Safa Al-Hashem objected to this, saying that it needs aroundKD 20 million and called on the minister to make the decisions to invest in theamusement park.
Speaking on theplight of bedoons or stateless people, MP Subaei said they constitute a timebomb and called for swiftly resolving their problem. The lawmaker inquired whyauthorities have not naturalized the 34,000 bedoons the government hadrepeatedly said deserve Kuwaiti citizenship. MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri urged thenew ministers to change their attitude, adding that Kuwait "did notdie" by the Iraqi invasion, but it appears now it is "going todie" by corruption.
By B Izzak