By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Head of a parliamentary panel probing alleged corruption in two major defense deals, MP Adel Al-Damkhi, said on Tuesday that acting Defense Minister Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah has ordered the temporary suspension of the delivery of Caracal helicopters from France. Kuwait has already taken delivery of most of the 30 Caracals it had ordered at the cost of over $1 billion, but MPs have repeatedly raised concerns about alleged manufacturing defects in the military helicopters and others claimed corruption in the deal.

Damkhi's statement came after the investigation committee met with the acting defense minister to discuss the allegations surrounding the Caracals and the $8-billion-dollar deal to acquire Eurofighter warplanes. The investigation was ordered by the National Assembly earlier this month in response to a request by several MPs.

Damkhi praised the cooperation of Sheikh Talal, who is acting for Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Sabah. MPs had threatened to grill the defense minister if he did not suspend the delivery of the Caracals and provide reports about the two deals. Damkhi said the committee will continue to investigate the accusations about the deals.

Meanwhile, a number of lawmakers proposed abolishing the roads authority because of conflict in duties between the authority and the ministry of public works, MP Khaled Al-Tammar said. The director general of the Public Authority for Roads and Transportation and his deputy resigned earlier this week, and their resignation was accepted by the minister of public works.

Also, five lawmakers submitted a draft law calling for the establishment of an employment authority to replace the Civil Service Commission and the Public Authority of Manpower with the duty of creating jobs for Kuwaitis.