MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri

KUWAIT: Opposition MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri yesterday said he prepares to file to grill Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah over a variety of alleged violations, stressing that the grilling has become a "national and legal duty." The lawmaker named a number of what he described as violations for which the government is responsible which include the death of two cadets at the military academy, fake degrees, schools not ready for the start of the new academic year and others.

He said that one of the violations was threatening the chairman of a government company after referring a corrupt official to court in addition to illegal appointments of senior officials. Muwaizri said he will file the grilling but he gave no date for the submission. The National Assembly is currently in summer recess until the middle of next month when the new term opens. So far, several ministers have been threatened with grillings in the Assembly in the new term.

In a related development, MP Majed Al-Mutairi described the death of the cadets as a catastrophe and called for depriving the air force commander, who was dismissed because of the incident, from all financial benefits.

He called on the new commander to review all training programs at the military academy in order to avoid such fatal incidents. The National Assembly Human Rights Panel has decided to open an investigation into the incident and will summon senior officials linked to the case.

MP Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie yesterday sent a series of questions to Commerce and Industry Minister Khaled Al-Roudhan in what appears to be a preparation for grilling the minister. In his questions, the lawmaker asked for a list of names of employees who have been seconded or transferred to the Commerce Ministry and also demanded to know the salaries of employees working at the minister's office and any overtime received.

He inquired if the minister or one of his closed relatives has a commercial record (business activity) since the start of last year and if the minister and one of his next of kin are partners in a board of directors of a company. He also demanded to know if any employee at his office runs a private business. Subaie asked if a company in which the minister or any close relative or a member of his office staff are members in its board has won business undertaking by the ministry. The questions also inquired about the practices of the minister and exempting certain people from some legal requirements while dealing with the ministry.

By B Izzak