KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday sent a rare warning to the government for failure to apply legislations passed by the National Assembly in the past two years. MP Youssef Al-Zalzalah said after chairing a meeting of Assembly panels that MPs are prepared to go as far as sending a non-cooperation letter with the government, which means urging HH the Amir to change the government. Zalzalah told reporters that the government is obliged to prepare and issue bylaws for legislation approved by the Assembly in order to start implementing them, but the government has lagged behind.

He said that in case of facing difficulties to apply the laws, concerned ministers should come back to Assembly panels in a bid to find appropriate solutions to the obstacles. Zalzalah also criticized the government for failing to properly select its priority issues as failure to do so has confused assembly panels and hindered its work.

In another development, MP Abdulhameed Dashti yesterday urged changing of the name of a main road in Rumaithiya named after Hassan Al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. Dashti proposed to name the street after martyr Ahmad Qabazard, who was killed during the Iraqi invasion of 1990-91. He said Qabazard was a resident of the area and naming the street in his honor will please residents and all Kuwaitis.

Meanwhile, MP Mohammad Al-Hadiya yesterday totally rejected any government measures that target low income people as a means of narrowing the budget deficit due to the sharp fall of oil revenues. He said there are many solutions to meet the budget deficit away from placing any financial burdens on the people. Hadiya insisted that he and other MPs will stand against any government measure that could hurt the income of the people.

The lawmaker was commenting on reports that the finance ministry was planning to cancel food subsidies to citizens whose monthly income is over KD 1,300. The finance ministry has already denied the report, reiterating that no decision has been taken yet regarding subsidies on services and commodities, except on diesel and kerosene. The ministry said that the issue is still under consideration.

The Assembly will hold a new session today with the Dow report and the cancellation of the grilling of former public works minister Ahmad Al-Jassar high on the agenda. The grilling will be considered null and void after the resignation of Jassar was accepted on Sunday and after the appointment of former oil minister Ali Al-Omair in his place. Omair will take the oath as the minister of public works. Regarding the Dow report, MPs are scheduled to review why the government scrapped the multibillion-dollar joint venture with US' Dow Chemical and why it rushed the payment of the $2.2 penalty ordered by an international arbitrator.

By B Izzak