MoI readies plan for smooth polls
KUWAIT CITY: The Ministry of Interior has prepared a comprehensive plan for the upcoming parliamentary elections to ensure smooth flow of the electoral process and to prevent any untoward incident, reports Al-Anba daily quoting sources.
Sources said a number of sectors in the ministry, including the media, traffic and administrative departments, are involved in the planning and implementation stages. Sources revealed acting Undersecretary Lieutenant General Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf had a meeting with the concerned ministry officials recently to finalize their roles and functions during the elections.
According to the sources, the Ministry Office is in charge of media campaigns through the Security Media and Public Relations Department, which has been calling on the eligible voters to participate in the elections. These campaigns are aimed at reminding the people of Kuwait about their national duties and the documents required for voting, sources added.
On the other hand, the State Security Department will monitor the security situation in general and follow up procedures as specified in the plan, while the Citizenship and Passport Affairs Department will ease procedures for international journalists and observers who will cover the event. Sources said each sector has a particular task which should be carried out in the most appropriate way to avoid misunderstandings, mistakes or confusion before and after the elections.
Meanwhile, instructions have been issued to remove the election posters of Nabil Al-Fadhel, who is contesting the National Assembly elections from the Third Constituency, reports Al-Rai daily.
The posters allegedly violate the law concerning hate speech and contained in a decree of necessity which was recently issued.
On the other hand, sources said the Ministry of Justice has addressed the Kuwait Municipality to withdraw the circular which was issued by its Director-General Engineer Ahmad Al-Subaih which allows display of election advertisements in all governorates on highways and bridges and so on by candidates contesting the elections in liaison with contracts signed between the Municipality and other private companies.
The ministry has warned the Municipality against violating Law No/2008 which bans the use off all transport means to make propaganda for certain candidates in front of the poll committee.
In another development, First Constituency Candidate for National Assembly Election 2012 Nawaf Al-Fuzai expressed his confidence that Kuwait would return as the "GCC pearl" and attain by that the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of converting the country into a financial and commercial center.
Al-Fuzai, a lawyer, told KUNA that running in elections was based on his conviction of the necessity to perform a role of in the reformation process, adding that he has his own vision, direction, and goal in which are embodied in implementing law.
He stressed his keenness in making the political practice in the country as curriculum and ethics, indicating importance of the non-absence of the ordinary citizen in this practice.
Furthermore, he noted he has convictions that he practiced before nominating himself, which is "reformation is an action, not a slogan." He stressed importance of his role in the democratic practice, and that criticism should be constructive, not destructive, which is his motive for running in this elections.
© Arab Times 2012
