Did you know? … Give us names

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 19: MP Osama Al-Menawer has forwarded queries to Minister of Interior Sheikh Thamer Ali Al-Sabah regarding the recent report of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) at the United States Department of the Treasury, including Kuwaitis involved in providing financial assistance for Hezbollah by supporting the group’s companies. He asked for the list of Kuwaitis mentioned in the report and if these Kuwaitis were investigated about their membership to foreign organizations. He also submitted questions to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Muhammad on the same issue.

He inquired about the ways of coordination between the ministry and US Department of the Treasury in this regard; measures that will be taken against those mentioned in the report of OFAC; if Kuwait had earlier been informed about companies or citizens linked with Hezbollah, Al-Quds Failaq and Iranian Revolutionary Guard; and if the Financial Controllers Bureau (FCB) investigated those suspected of involvement in money laundering and smuggling of Iranian oil as per the reports sent to the ministry. MP Mehalhal Al-Mudaf forwarded queries to His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid about the criteria in forming the current government. He requested for copies of the academic certificates and experience of incumbent ministers; program or agenda of the government; bases of the government in electing the National Assembly speaker, deputy speaker, secretary, observer and members of parliamentary committees; and reasons behind the satisfaction that the government expressed immediately after the inaugural session of the Assembly on Dec 15, 2020 despite the violations observed during the session.

He also asked the interior minister about the cost of sending senior officials abroad to attend conferences and training courses from Jan 1, 2020 till date; including number of conferences and training courses that the officials attended within the same period. MP Hassan Jawhar forwarded queries to Minister of Education Ali Fahd Al- Mudaf about the institutions, councils and higher committees tasked to develop education, including the date and purpose of their establishment and their annual expenses. He asked for the names, qualification and experience of the members of these institutions and committees; number of meetings they held from Jan 1, 2010 till date; studies they conducted; their recommendations; and if the ministry considered these recommendations in laying down a strategy for developing education. He asked the interior minister about the number of individuals who have been granted Kuwaiti citizenship since the issuance of Law No. 100/2013; number of those granted citizenship when Law No. 23/2016 was implemented in 2016 -- the law limits the number of people naturalized annually to 4,000; and number of those granted citizenship in 2018 and 2019.

Meanwhile, MP Osama Al-Shaheen submitted a proposal to name a street or public building after the late mayor of Yarmouk -- Abdulaziz Thanian Al-Meshari. He highlighted the vital role that the latter played in releasing Kuwaiti war prisoners and establishing health centers, as well as the outstanding public service he rendered. MP Osama Al-Menawer also proposed naming an educational building in Hawally Educational district after Al- Meshari. MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri reiterated his call for his colleagues to sign his proposal to hold a special session on Sept 22 for deliberations on various issues like education, housing, traffic, corruption and decisions related to Covid-19. He said the proposal should be submitted before 10:00 am on Monday or 48 hours before the suggested date of the session. National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim sent cables to Chilean President of the Chamber of Deputies Diego Paulsen and President of the Senate Yasna Provoste greeting them on the National Day of Chile. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff