KUWAIT: MP Adel Al-Sarawi accused Minister of Commerce and Industry Falah Al-Hajeri of failing to control excesses at the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) market. Meanwhile, parliamentary sources warned that if the Minister did not take the initiative to put the bourse in order, a grilling request against him will be submitted next month and it will include violations at the Public Authority for Industry (PAI) in addition to the situation at the stock market. "Al-Hajeri would mount the grilling stage after the Eid al-Adha if he did not institute serious reforms in the establishments under his jurisdictions," added sources. Speaking to the press, Al-Sarawi wondered at the Minister's 'concept of transparency' when he is refusing to answer four questions directed to him by a member of the bourse committee. The member inquired whether it is legal for a member of the bourse committee to sign contracts with the stock market administration, in his capacity as a partner in one of the companies.
When the Minister was asked why he refused to answer that question, he reportedly said he did not have details of the matter. Al-Sar'awi added that he will continue to follow-up the issue until the situation is rectified. Meanwhile, MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei accused Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health Dr Essa Al-Khalifa of "trying to bargain with him through one of the ministry's department managers," reports Al-Rai daily. Allegedly, Al-Khalifa offered to facilitate Al-Tabtabaei's overseas treatment documents "in return of the MP's silence." Al-Tabtabaei denied that he has sectarian biases saying "many Shiite officials are working in the public and nobody criticizes them." Speaking about the relation between Islamic MPs and the People Bloc, Al-Tabtabaei said, "sometimes the relationship is good and sometimes it is not" but added that government is scared of People Bloc members and hence accepts many of its demands.
He claimed that the Islamic bloc submitted the largest number of questions and submitted the highest number of legislations. Al-Tabtabei spoke highly of the former Minister of Justice and Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr Abdullah Al-Matouq. "But the minister made some mistakes and my conscience does not accept wrong things," he noted. In another development MP Dr Jaman Al-Harbash has called on the Minister of Commerce and Industry Falah Al-Hajri. They discussed issues pertaining to several cabinet decisions and the current increase in the price of goods and the ration card reports Al-Seyassah daily.
According to the MP, he has submitted a draft to change the current ration card system. He also appeal to the minister to increase the quantity of goods receive by the card users and also the goods are not of good quality. He suggested to the government to establish a Livestock and Meat Company to break the monopoly in the system to make the cost of these product affordable to the people.
By Ayed Al-Enezi
© Arab Times 2007
