KUWAIT CITY, Jan 12: MP Osama Al-Shaheen warned the government against responding to what he considers instructions from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which recently asked the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to provide financial support amounting to $24 billion and delay the withdrawal of bank deposits in some countries. He emphasized that protecting public funds is a priority and the IMF’s call for financial support contravenes the demand of Kuwaitis to recover the stolen public money.

The recent statement of the government included erroneous information as it tried to distort facts, while claiming that it was not given enough time to study the bills, says MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri. He affirmed the government was given a period of three weeks since the day it requested for postponement of the discussion on various bills.

He added the government did not provide the information that the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee needed to complete its report. He was quick to add that there is still time for the government to present alternative solutions, which it should have done in the sessions slated for Jan 10-11. He pointed out this government has adopted the arrogant approach of its predecessors even if it has been receiving full support from the National Assembly and citizens.

He revealed the government even asked the lawmakers to stop forwarding queries, for the parliamentary committees to stop inviting them to meetings and to withdraw the grilling motion against Minister of Finance Abdulwahab Al-Rashead. He said he had earlier warned against the return of Al-Rashead to the government, describing such move as a catastrophe.

Nevertheless, Al-Muwaizri affirmed the lawmakers are still willing to cooperate with the government, urging the latter to attend the session scheduled for Jan 28. He asserted the lawmakers are representatives of the nation, not workers in the government. He clarified that every authority has its own tasks, so the two authorities should not impose their vision on each other. He claimed some parties keep on disrupting legislative work as if the people of Kuwait are their slaves. He added that certain parties want to suspend the Assembly, similar to what happened after the climate crisis and the invasion of Kuwait. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff

He also revealed that Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) asked if it could attend the meetings of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee to present its recommendations regarding the relevant bills. He affirmed the committee will invite KCCI to its next meeting. On the other hand, the Public Funds Protection Committee discussed Thursday its assignment to investigate the contradictory responses of the Legal Advice and Legislation Department to the requests of various public institutions, while it did not respond to some public institutions.

Earlier, MP Abdullah Al-Mudaf submitted a request to the Assembly to assign the committee to conduct such investigation and submit its report within three months. The committee also deliberated on the money laundering and financing terrorism issues as per the request of MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri. Present at the meeting were representatives of the Legal Advice and Legislation Department, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Interior.

The Bedouns Affairs Committee met with representatives of the Ministry of Interior, Central Agency for Remedying the Status of Illegal Residents (CARSIR), Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) and Civil Service Commission (CSC). They deliberated on bills concerning Bedouns, including the proposal to grant them civil rights. The Disabled Affairs Committee talked about the proposal to amend Disabled Affairs Law No. 8/2010 with senior officials at the Public Authority for the Disabled Affairs (PADA). The Women and Children Affairs Committee tackled different issues concerning women and children, including the prevalence of violence against them and the need to provide a shelter for the victims of violence, in addition to the enforcement of laws on protecting women and children.

Moreover, Assembly Speaker Ahmed Al-Saadoun presided over the meeting of the Assembly Office on Thursday with Deputy Speaker Muhammad Al-Mutair, Secretary Osama Al-Shaheen, Observer Abdulkareem Al-Kandari, Financial and Economic Affairs Committee Chairman Shuaib Al-Muwaizri, Legal and Legislative Affairs Chairman Muhannad Al-Sayer, Parliamentary Priorities Committee Chairman Abdullah Fehad and Assembly Secretary General Adel Al-Lugani in attendance.