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) jy.rf.mt KUNA 312044 Mar 10NNNN