KUWAIT CITY, Nov 2: Parliament Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, in his capacity, has called for a special session to discuss a draft bill on the affairs of the handicapped. Clarifying he used his right to call for the session immediately after finding out that the date proposed by the Handicapped Affairs Committee is not included in the timetable for parliamentary sessions, Al-Khorafi said he received a request from the concerned committee to discuss the bill on Dec 3 and he discovered there was no session set for that day. “I used my right in accordance with Article 72 of the bylaw to set a special session to discuss the bill on Dec 3 - the International Handicapped Day,” he asserted, adding he received a similar request from 10 MPs recently. Al-Khorafi confirmed the Parliament will discuss the Amir’s speech and a number of proposals will be presented for voting on Tuesday.
Commenting on the statement of State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Roudhan Al-Roudhan that the prime minister’s response to the questions of MP Dr Faisal Al-Muslim regarding the expenses of his diwan has been referred to the Parliament but the MP did not receive it, Al-Khorafi explained the Parliament received it last Thursday but there was no time to forward it to the MP on the same day. He affirmed the response was referred to Al-Muslim Sunday.
In another parliamentary development, Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee MP Dr Yousef Al-Zalzalah disclosed the panel deliberated on several important issues during its second meeting Sunday. He said the panel has agreed to put the citizens’ loans on top of its priorities and it has asked its legislative and legal affairs counterpart to submit related draft bills for discussion in its meeting next Sunday. The committee invited the minister of finance, governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK), and experts involved in the Defaulters Fund to its next meeting as it is keen on completing its report, which will be referred to the Parliament before Nov 17, 2009.
Al-Zalzalah said the committee will discuss draft bills concerning the five-year development plan of the government, including bills on organizing programs and allocation processes, general tenders, establishment of Kuwait fund for social development, and those related to the oil sector. He revealed the committee has agreed to allocate the first half hour of every meeting to discuss the proposals included in its agenda and hold its regular meetings at 10:00 am every Sunday.
Meanwhile, MP Hussein Mizyed stressed “knowledge is the core of the educational process while the success of an educational policy depends on the teachers’ performance as studies conducted in this regard have stressed the need to take serious steps to enhance the skills of teachers, since they are the foundation of any development plan.”
Contending that national development is not possible without the teachers, Mizyed urged the government, particularly its head HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, to take the necessary measures to address issues concerning the teachers who greatly contribute to the stability of educational institutions.
He criticized the authorities’ lack of concern for the teachers as reflected in the non-approval of various proposals, such as salary increment, including teaching in the list of difficult professions, and amending civil service laws related to this profession.
Surprised at the exclusion of the difficult profession proposal from the priority lists of the legislative and executive authorities, Mizyed opined this bill is vital in stabilizing the condition of more than 80,000 teachers. He said the most important issues include the Teachers’ Protection Law and approval of new salary scales for school administrators and experts who play a crucial role in shaping the minds of the future generation. He hopes the two authorities will include issues related to the teachers in their priorities for the next stage and approve important bills aimed at stabilizing this profession.
By Abubakar A. Ibrahim
Arab Times Staff