MP Faisal Al-Shaye, MP Faisal Al-Kandari and MP Saleh Ashour

KUWAIT: Chairman of the parliament's financial affairs committee MP Faisal Al-Shaye said that he supports stopping all 'wasteful official spending' including subsidies, provided it was done according to clear studies and setting binding prices. "The government must not consider making up for the budget deficit due to falling oil prices by increasing revenues collected from citizens," he underlined, pointing out that the government was about to refer a bill on increasing electricity prices to the committee soon. "We will ensure that consumers with normal consumption rates will get subsidized prices," he added.

Paying the price

Meanwhile, MP Faisal Al-Kandari stressed the price increase policy currently promoted by the finance ministry was "very strange" in view of the affluence achieved over previous years, when oil prices were over $100 per barrel. "Citizens must not pay the price when oil prices fall to $30 when they had not even benefited from the previous affluence," he said, reminding of His Highness the Amir's speech on launching the parliamentary term when he called for austerity without affecting citizens. "The government is ought to lift subsidies given to some companies and merchants instead of going after simple citizens," he added, reminding that the government had once increased fuel prices when oil dropped and never decreased them when oil prices rose again. Kandari stressed that all prices would skyrocket with increasing fuel prices just like when the government increased diesel prices and prices of various goods went out of the commerce ministry's control. "The government must be up to its political responsibilities if subsidies are lifted," he concluded.

Road maintenance

In the meantime, MP Saleh Ashour argued that while the government is mulling options to reduce subsidies, it should instead hold accountable contractors responsible for road maintenance projects. The lawmaker heavily criticized what he described is lack of maintenance which created holes in the ground and gravel in streets after recent rainfalls. He urged Minister of Public Works, State Minister of National Assembly Affairs Dr Ali Al-Omair to probe the case and "refer responsible contractors to the prosecution while make them pay the maintenance funds."

Not the time

On his part, former commerce minister Abdulwahab Al-Wazzan said that now is not the time to enforce taxes or increase prices in Kuwait "because it would not have any income for national funds at the present time."

"It is wrong to target citizens' pockets every time oil prices drop," said Wazzan, who is currently a member of the board of directors of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). "Instead, (the state) should create a comprehensive strategy connected to developing nonoil sources of income while reducing burdens on the state's budget."

Wazzan argued that Kuwait can save up to KD 1.5 billion each year by reducing unnecessary expenses "such as ministries' expenses, delegations' travel, rewards and committees."

Falling temperatures

Temperatures are expected to continue dropping in the next 48 hours as a result of north westerly winds that are affecting Kuwait, a veteran meteorologist said yesterday. The weather starting from today until the weekend is expected to be sunny and stable, said Essa Ramadan, a meteorologist at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). He explained that the cold wave currently affecting Kuwait coincides with the appearance of the Lambda Scorpii, or 'Shaula' star in the sky, noting that it is expected to last for 12 more days. Meanwhile, Ramadan said that there is a chance of rain next Saturday, while temperatures are expected to fall again on Sunday.

Educational building

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) made an objection to establishing a new building for the Farwaniya Educational District in Farwaniya. The DGCA said that the location of the 16-story building close to the Kuwait International Airport might pose risks to flights. As a result, the Education Ministry made a decision to allocate a piece of land in Riga'ie, which was previously allocated to build a new high school, for the new project.

Lawyer demands compensation

A lawyer filed a case against the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL) and the Kuwait Lawyers Association (KLA), demanding KD 30,000 in damages over the confusion surrounding the KLA status. The MSAL had approved turning the KLA into a labor union, before the court approved a challenge to the decision. The Court of First Instance's ruling was upheld by both the appeals and cassation courts. Lawyer Mohammad Taleb, who had filed and won the challenge, filed a case yesterday demanding financial compensation for damages he sustained when he was unable to resume his work as KLA's treasurer following the MSAL's decision to turn it into a labor union, according to his statements.

By A Saleh