Amir accepts Sheikh Salman's resignation

KUWAIT: HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (left) presents HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah the resignation papers of Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday. — KUNA

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday issued a decree accepting the resignation of information and youth minister Sheikh Salman Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah, which he submitted on Monday ahead of a no-confidence vote session against him. The Amir also issued a second decree appointing State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah as acting information minister and Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan as acting youth minister.

Sheikh Salman's move came after a grilling last week by three opposition lawmakers, which was followed by a no-confidence motion that was supported by over 31 MPs. To pass, the no-confidence vote required the support of only 25 MPs. National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem said the session, scheduled for today, had been canceled after he was officially informed of the acceptance of the minister's resignation.

MPs said the new ministers must take whatever actions necessary to lift the 15-month international suspension against Kuwaiti sports. Sheikh Salman became the first victim of the new National Assembly elected in November, in which opposition groups and individuals won almost half of the 50 seats. Islamist opposition MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said the resignation of the minister does not solve the problem as the government must present a plan to lift the sports suspension.

Opposition lawmakers have been vocal against the government's perceived failure and inaction. Opposition MPs have already threatened to grill several ministers and the prime minister himself over a number of issues including revocations of citizenship, price hikes and others. The opposition is now targeting to force the government to withdraw the hike in petrol prices, which went into effect in September last year, and to abolish a law passed by the Assembly to increase by large margins the rates of electricity and water, which is due to take effect from May.

MP Riyadh Al-Adasani warned yesterday that he will hold the prime minister and the finance minister politically responsible for any increase in prices or decision to impose taxes. The warning means that he could file to grill them. The lawmaker warned the government against taking any decision that could overburden citizens or expatriates, adding that the merchants will not be affected in any way since they will increase the cost of their products or services. Adasani called for a comprehensive revision of the government's economic reforms charter which was presented to the previous Assembly.

Dallal called on the government to suspend all price hikes at present, adding that the government's economic reforms will be studied by the Assembly in its next session. He said that the government is required to submit a clear program for reducing expenses of government departments, including special expenditure. Dallal said that if the government succeeds in reducing expenditure, unnecessary projects, private travels and others, it will not need to raise prices of services and fuels.

Meanwhile, the court of cassation, the highest court in the country whose rulings are final, yesterday rejected a challenge by former MP Abdullah Al-Barghash, whose citizenship had been revoked by the government. The court supported the government's decision to revoke the citizenship of Barghash and 57 members of his extended family. The lower court had scrapped the government decision, but the appeals court said it was not competent to look into the case because it was a sovereign issue. The cassation court yesterday supported the appeals court view.

By B Izzak