KUWAIT CITY, April 25: The Parliament postponed deliberations on two interpellation motions against HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah until May 10, 2017 in response to the request of the government.

Before the Parliament started discussions on the interpellation motions during its regular session on Tuesday, the prime minister requested for more time to study all aspects of the grilling in accordance with Article 135 of parliamentary bylaws.

State Minister for Cabinet Affairs and Information Minister Sheikh Mohamed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah explained that His Highness the Prime Minister asked for an extension of the period in accordance with Article 135. He added the premier is also busy due to the arrival of a State visitor on May 9, 2017.

MPs Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, Marzouq Al-Khalifa and Mohammed Al-Mutair submitted the first interpellation motion on April 12, 2017. The motion consists of the following points:

• Breaking the law and abuse of power due to government’s preference, vengeance or political motives in interpreting the law which is applied based on its decrees or decisions to cancel the citizenship of certain people.
• Violating international treaties and charters and abuse of power due to the government’s preference, vengeance or political motives in issuing legislation contrary to its obligations as stated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• Rampant corruption and appointment of unqualified or incompetent persons, disregarding those with the necessary skills or qualifications and vast experience.
• The government’s work program is no longer based on a strong foundation in addition to manipulating the State’s strategic assets.
• Adding burdens on the shoulders of citizens and failure to adhere to the principle of equality.

MPs Riyadh Al-Adsani and Shuaib Al-Muwaizri presented the second grilling motion on April 16, 2017, focusing on financial, administrative, technical and construction irregularities which continued due to the negligence of concerned authorities as well as the absence of an effective monitoring mechanism, coordination, and linking of tasks.

In another development, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh has confirmed that the Domestic Workers Recruitment Company will start operating in August 2017.

This was in response to the letter of MP Yousef Al-Fadal when the Parliament tackled incoming documents and letters on Tuesday. The lawmaker stressed in his letter that the Health, Social Affairs, and Labor Committee should look into reasons behind the non-application of Domestic Workers Law No. 68/2015. He said the committee must submit its report to the Parliament within a month after approval of the letter on Tuesday.

Al-Saleh went on to say that the chairman and representatives of the company attended the Parliamentary Priorities Committee meeting during which they discussed details and affirmed that the company will start operating in August after signing agreements with some companies specialized in recruiting domestic workers overseas.

The Parliament also approved the following:

• Request of some MPs to assign the Interior and Defense Affairs Committee to investigate the supposed forging of Kuwaiti nationality and submit its report at the start of the next legislative round.
• Proposal to form a temporary committee on the environment. MPs  Abdulkarim Al-Kandari, Adel Al-Damkhi and Abdullah Fahad Al-Anazi were elected as members.
• Two proposals on assigning the Public Utilities Committee to investigate the repercussions of heavy rains and submit its report within three months.
• Proposal to form a five-member commission of inquiry on the resignation of Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) Board Chairperson Rasha Al-Roumi. MPs Saleh Ashour, Askar Al-Anazi, Naif Al-Mirdas, Khalil Al-Saleh and Jaman Al-Hasbash were elected as members.
• Proposal to instruct the Public Funds Protection Committee to investigate financial and administrative irregularities in the Ministry of Information.

News Source: By Abubakar A. Ibrahim, Arab Times Staff