KUWAIT: MPs and ministers vote to drop the immunity of MP Abdulhameed Dashti during a parliament session at the National Assembly yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: The grilling of Commerce and Industry Minister Yousef Al-Ali by MPs Ahmad Al-Qudhaibi and Mubarak Al-Harees ended yesterday with only recommendations, like previous grillings. The grilling was based on allegations that the minister, appointed several months ago, violated the law in awarding state-owned industrial plots for the production of gravel and also failed to activate a national fund for small and medium enterprises for young Kuwaitis.

MP Qudhaibi showed documents indicating that the minister twisted the law to keep at least five large industrial plots in the hands of people who violated the law and failed to utilize the plots within the stipulated duration. The minister strongly denied the allegations, saying that on the contrary he regulated and organized the sector and stopped violations. He also insisted that he applied the law on the sector and safeguarded national interests. The minister also said that he organized the Public Industrial Authority, which supervises providing state-owned plots for industrial use.

MP Harees accused the minister of failing to activate the small and medium enterprises fund although it was established almost three years ago and its charter was issued last October. He said by leaving the fund inactive, the minister harmed the interests of young Kuwaitis who need financial assistance to start their own projects. The minister said that after issuing its by-laws, the fund needed time to appoint staff and start functioning after overcoming a number of hurdles.

Ali said that the fund has already awarded 59 projects worth over KD 2 million, but the minister insisted that he will refuse to use the fund merely as a vehicle to finance projects, but also encourage youth to establish and run their projects.

During the debate of the grilling, some MPs exchanged harsh words and traded accusations of stealing public funds. At the end of the grilling, the two lawmakers failed to gather the signature of 10 MPs to file a no-confidence motion, but presented a number of non-binding recommendations, which the Assembly accepted.

The recommendations called on the minister to apply the law regarding awarding industrial plots for the production of gravel and also for other purposes. The recommendations call on the minister to provide more industrial plots to young Kuwaitis to allow them to establish their projects and urge the minister to restructure the Public Industrial Authority. They also called for preparing a report on the issues in the grilling every six months.

Because the Assembly debated the grilling, it was decided to discuss proposals to raise electricity charges today amid strong opposition from a large number of lawmakers. Some lawmakers want that Kuwaiti citizens should not be harmed in any way, while others want Kuwaiti households that consume under 12,000 kilowatts per month to continue to pay the current price of 2 fils per kilowatt, while the increase should apply to higher consumers.

Meanwhile, the Assembly overwhelmingly agreed to lift the immunity of MP Abdulhameed Dashti for the public prosecution to interrogate him on charges of insulting GCC states. The immunity of Dashti, who is currently outside Kuwait, has been lifted several times for several court cases, mainly over insulting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The lawmaker has failed to attend four sessions and legal experts say the Assembly can revoke his membership if he does not attend five consecutive sessions.

By B Izzak