Date : 31/03/2010
KUWAIT, March 31 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti members of parliament were divided over
who is to blame for the delay of national development projects in the country.
The divisions took place during a National Assembly (parliament) session on
Wednesday over the discussion of a report compiled by a parliamentary
committee on responding to the Amiri address.
A team of deputies opined that the current volatile situation between both
legislative and executive authorities is mainly to blame for faltering
development projects over the last years.
They complained that the fact that many interpellations were filed by some
deputies against ministers over the recent years had led to the strained
relationship and reluctance of cooperation between both authorities.
Another team ascribed governmental failure to go ahead with planned
development projects to the incompetence and abysmal performance of officials
at ministries and state departments and authorities.
Therefore, they called on ministers to ensure the principles and criteria
of equal opportunities, integrity, punishment and rewarding, and to appoint
efficient staff who can help in the application of the state development plan.
Relevant discussions are to resume on April 13.
Meanwhile, Minister of Communications and Minister of State for National
Assembly Affairs Mohammad Al-Busairi said: "The state of frustration that
prevailed over the last years as a result of crises and interpellations is to
blame for the delay of development projects."
He urged everybody in the country to "turn this chapter and start a new one
by working together for the future of Kuwait".
He said the government's annual development plan had been referred to the
parliamentary financial and economic committee for further deliberations and
reporting to the National Assembly.
The minister reiterated governmental earnestness in putting development
plans in place by saying: "The plans are not just ink on paper as the
government is following up on a mechanism for implementing them."
He vowed that the government would bring any official who may fail to play
his role properly to accountability.
He added that the government is working with the National Assembly for
fighting corruption, noting that 90 percent of the KD 60 billion spent out of
the state budgets over the past four years had gone to salaries and pays.
Regarding arms deals, he said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Defense Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah "has opened all the doors of the
Ministry of Defense to the State Audit Bureau to play its role of inspection
and auditing for the ministry's accounts."
He reaffirmed the government's readiness for responding to any
interpellations, grilling, queries for information or grievances against
ministers.
But, he said: "In case of conflicts, the government trusts our just
judiciary, which can decide among disputing parties."
Rebuffing deputies' reports blasting some academics, Minister of Education
and Higher Education Moudhi Al-Humoud called on MPs to come up with concluding
evidence, if there.
She even rejected unverified accusations and allegations against
educational and academic leaders who were appointed and promoted "as per Amiri
decrees and educated many generations of this nation".
Meanwhile, Kuwaiti members of parliament stressed the necessity of
attaching much attention to the dossier of national unity, which they
considered a red line that cannot be overstepped.
In this respect, some members suggested that Kuwaiti TV and Radio present
fruitful talk shows aiming to buttress the concept of national unity and
combats racial and sectarian extremism and intolerance.
Also during the session, the parliament gave the thumbs up to a request
from the Public Prosecutor to lift the parliamentary immunity of three members
of parliament. (end)
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