Cabinet seeks collective effort to revamp corruption index

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah chairs the Cabinet’s weekly meeting yesterday.— KUNA

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Cabinet at its weekly session yesterday examined interpellation motions tabled by MPs against His Highness the Prime Minister and the ministers, urging the legislators to focus on crucial issues that affect citizens' interests.

The ministers examined the motions, addressed to His Highness the Prime Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Oil Minister and Minister of Electricity and Water Bakhit Al-Rashidi, Minister of Social Affairs, Labor and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh.

They studied their constitutional and legal aspects and axes, affirming the cabinet keenness on dealing with these interpellations like previous ones, according to the Constitution and the parliament by-laws. They also affirmed necessity of concentrating efforts on crucial national causes, genuine issues that affect citizens' preoccupations and interests for sake of finding optimal solutions and boost the process of development.

Corruption index

Meanwhile, the Cabinet underlined that all ministries and state agencies need to work together to overhaul Kuwait's international corruption perception index. It is also imperative to complete a holistic national strategy to fight corruption, promote and back the Public Anti-Corruption Authority's tasks and powers, draw investments, improve business atmosphere, streamline procedures and introduce more online services, the cabinet urged during its customary weekly meeting.

The Cabinet discussed a report produced by an ad hoc committee tasked with reviewing Kuwait's international corruption perception index, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh said in a statement following the meeting.

The report embraced a set of necessary policies and measures aiming at improving the country's corruption ranking by means of simplifying investment procedures, creating a congenial business environment, he said.

An international conference can be held in Kuwait, in cooperation with concerned regional and international organizations, on the country's anti-corruption efforts, the minister added. Some pieces of legislation also need to be revised in order to revamp Kuwait's standing and allow nongovernmental organizations to play a more active role in this regard.

Furthermore, a media plan should be adopted, using the help of local and world media organizations, with a view to promoting the country's legislative and supervisory policies which are purposed to combat corruption, the minister added.

Nuclear program

In the meantime, the Cabinet hailed North Korea's recent decision to suspend its nuclear and ballistic missiles' programs. According to a statement after the session, the ministers affirmed, during the meeting, that such a positive step by Pyongyang would help in building confidence and defusing tension worldwide for a long period of time. It will also contribute to bolstering security, stability and will be helpful for denuclearization in the Korean peninsula.

North Korea has announced suspending its nuclear and long-range missiles' programs, in anticipation of a crucial summit by top leaders of the two Koreas, as well as an encounter between the North Korean and American presidents.

Moreover, the cabinet condemned the deadly blast that targeted a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan, leaving scores of people dead or wounded. The cabinet denounced the suicidal attack, the latest of a chain of ugly terrorist crimes, and urged the international community to double efforts for ridding the world of this peril.

On recent martyrdom of four Saudi security offices due to hit-and-run shooting in Asir, the ministers condemned the attack asserting support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in its efforts to safeguard its security. - KUNA