KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, ministers and lawmakers attend a key meeting of the National Assembly’s financial affairs committee yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: The government will submit a detailed program of economic reforms including proposed cuts to subsidies on petrol and electricity to the National Assembly on Saturday, Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem said yesterday. Ghanem said that the government will commit to a specific program with specific dates of implementation and the prime minister warned that ministers who fail to deliver should leave.

The announcements came following a key meeting held by the Assembly's financial affairs committee and attended by the prime minister, the speaker, several ministers and a large number of lawmakers. Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah warned during the meeting to dismiss any official who cannot apply rationalization in spending, "regardless of how senior he is", according to KUNA. "Anyone who cannot achieve our policy of rationalization will have no place amongst us and should leave," the premier said.

"We can't have reforms as long as there is a government body failing to achieve the government's policy," Sheikh Jaber added, urging all officials to begin taking steps in this regard without affecting the rights of citizens and future generations. He called on all MPs to take the country's interest into consideration, saying "we only want to implement spending rationalization".

The meeting took place although the Assembly failed to vote on recommendations following a two-day debate on the issue last week, but still forwarded the matter to its financial affairs committee. Ghanem told reporters that the government's plan is not only about cuts to subsidies but a comprehensive economic program to tackle imbalances in the Kuwaiti economy which heavily relies on oil as the only source of income.

Ghanem reiterated that the solutions will not be at the expense of the people but insisted that the continuity of the current situation will certainly harm them more. He said the meeting discussed a roadmap of technical and economic plans which will eventually be debated by the Assembly. The plan consists of a comprehensive package to deal with economic imbalances and rationalizing spending, Ghanem said, adding that if things continued without corrective measures, it would result in a catastrophe.

Ghanem said the meeting on Saturday will be held at 10 in the morning and all MPs will be invited to attend, adding that the measures will not be approved before the participation of civil society organizations. The results of the meetings and consultations will be taken to the Assembly session on March 1, the speaker said.

During the meeting, MPs asked the government to provide details about various types of subsidies worth KD 2.9 billion included in the next year's budget, which include around KD 1.3 billion in energy subsidies. MP Faisal Al-Kandari said the meeting discussed the broad outlines of the government proposals and the details will be discussed on Saturday. He added that the government and MPs are in agreement that any measures should not harm citizens.

Meanwhile, the Assembly's legal and legislative committee discussed yesterday draft laws for the independence of the judiciary submitted by the government and MPs. Rapporteur of the committee MP Ahmad Al-Qudhaibi said the ministry of justice informed them that the government will submit amendments to its proposed draft law next week after consulting the Supreme Judicial Council.

By B Izzak