Al-Saadoun vows to grill PM over investments

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KUWAIT: The final parliamentary session before the summer break ended with a threat from MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun to grill His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad over investments in Arab countries worth millions of dinars. The final session of the first term of the 13th legislative chapter of parliament focused on the importance of ensuring more cooperation between the two authorities by the time the parliament reopens in September. There was widespread agreement with National Assembly Speake
r Jassem Al-Khorafi's call to implement the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and the visions of the Cabinet for its work plan.

He also emphasized the importance of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed's assertion of the need to plan for national work during the summer break.

At a private session, MPs reportedly discussed the country's current financial status in order to submit a report to the budget committee to enable it to present its annual report in December. The general budget for 2009/2010 was approved by a majority during the public session, with 40 votes in support, 12 opposing it and two abstaining.

Al-Saadoun reportedly vowed to grill the PM during the private session, with MP Musallam Al-Barrak, who recently grilled the interior minister, questioning the Cabinet's allocation of KD 21 million for investment in other Arab nations, claiming that this money was intended "to benefit the relatives of a number of officials in these countries.

Meanwhile, MP Dr. Walid Al-Tabtabae raised a number of issues during the private session, including the issue of the Kuwait Investment Authority selling its shares in Boubyan Bank. He asserted that this step was being taken to benefit certain parties, indicating that the current state of the stock market should prevent this deal from taking place.

17 MPs had agreed to turn the session into a private one to discuss the country's financial status, with seven MPs objecting to this. During the session, finance minister Mustafa Al-Shamali first reviewed the volume of foreign investment in the country, the general savings budget and the Future Generations Fund, reported Al-Rai.

Al-Saadoun was the first MP to comment, criticizing the Cabinet's failure to account for the reasons behind the fall in foreign investments and questioning the KD 21 billion invested in Arab countries.

He was followed by Al-Barrak, who also criticized the Cabinet for losses estimated at KD 5 billion with the 'Citigroup' and 'Merrill Lynch' firms, saying that there had been no justification for this.

Eight MPs were stripped of their parliamentary immunity during the session to allow them to be tried in court on charges related to the May parliamentary elections. The MPs in question are Saadoun Hammad, Mohammad Hayef, Mubarak Al-Waalan, Husain Mizyed, Mubarak Al-Khurainij, Shuaib Al-Muwaizri, Saad Al-Khanfour and Ali Al-Deqbasi.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Development and Housing, emphasized the cabinet's seriousness in addressing its work plan for the benefit of the Kuwaiti citizens. He added that the work plan will be drawn up in accordance with the five-year plan in order to achieve the maximum number of objectives. In addition, Al-Fahad announced that the cabinet is taking prompt measures in order to address the issue of Kuwaiti workers being dismiss
ed from private sector jobs.

© Kuwait Times 2009