ShareKUWAIT: The Cabinet in its weekly meeting yesterday approved a new draft law for the Anti-Corruption Authority which was declared unconstitutional by the constitutional court on Sunday. The Cabinet sent the new bill to HH the Amir for his approval before sending it to the National Assembly urgently. The Assembly's legal and legislative committee was scheduled to discuss today the anti-corruption draft law but it delayed the discussion because the government did not send it quickly enough.
It was not clear however whether the committee will discuss the draft law today to be ready for the Assembly debate either today or tomorrow, or it could leave it until after the New Year break. The Cabinet also dissolved the Anti-Corruption Authority and scrapped all decisions and functions that were carried out by the authority after the cancellation of the decree forming it. A new setup is expected to be announced immediately after the Assembly approves the bill. Five MPs also submitted a draft law on the same issue.
The Cabinet also approved and referred to HH the Amir a draft bill that allows the government to withdraw KD 600 million from the monetary reserves to boost the capital of Kuwait Airways, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of Electricity and Water Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah said.
The Assembly today starts its two-day session, the last before the New Year break, and is scheduled to discuss a host of important issues including the grilling of the health minister, a government request for additional defense funding and the approval of the new anti-corruption law. It will be left for MPs to decide whether to debate the grilling today or tomorrow and then discuss the other two important issues. Health Minister Ali Al-Obaidi still has the right to request a two-week delay for the debate.
MPs Rakan Al-Nasef and Hamdan Al-Azemi have submitted the grilling claiming that the minister committed a number of financial and administrative violations including not taking any action against companies that were charging Indian nurses for jobs in Kuwait's hospitals. The Cabinet yesterday made no reference to the grilling, a normal practice on the eve of any grilling, which may be an indication that the grilling is not likely to be debated this week. In this case, the grilling will be delayed until after the New Year break.
The Assembly is scheduled to debate a government draft law requesting KD 6.2 billion in additional funding for arms purchases in light of the regional turmoil. Four committees met on Sunday and decided to cut the funds to KD 3.2 billion without any government objection, but still there were differences on whether the allocations should be included in the state budget or in a special budget.
A majority of MPs appear to be backing the government request aimed to strengthen the Kuwaiti army and security forces in light of major armed conflicts in the region. MP Ahmad Al-Azemi said there should be no questions about any government request to strengthen the armed forces.
By B Izzak
