MPs slam govt over KD 6m deal with 'Saatchi'
KUWAIT CITY, July 28: The parliamentary Handicapped Committee discussed Thursday the reasons behind the executive authority's failure to implement the handicapped law, which was ratified by the legislature in February, says committee rapporteur MP Naji Abdulhadi.
Stating the panel will invite First Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah to its meeting on Aug 17, Abdulhadi said the minister is expected to shed light on the government's inability to enforce the handicapped law within the specified period. He affirmed the panel has revised some articles of the law, so there is no reason for the government to further delay its implementation.
Abdulhadi also asked the Cabinet to quickly form the board of directors for the Public Authority for Handicapped Affairs to prove that it is serious in implementing the law and to end disagreements over the issue. He asserted a number of names have been nominated for the board but no appointment has been made until now.
On the other hand, committee member MP Ali Al-Deqbasi has threatened to grill the government in case it fails to implement the law in the coming days. He accused the executive of straining relations with the Parliament, stressing that the delayed enforcement of the law has raised doubts on the government.
Al-Deqbasi wondered why the government did not take advantage of the summer holiday to apply the law to end the suffering of the handicapped and their families. He opined the government must implement the law before Ramadan to avoid any confrontation with the Parliament.
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KUWAIT CITY: Several lawmakers have slammed the government for signing a contract with Saatchi and Saatchi -- a global advertising agency -- to promote the state development plan at an estimated cost of over KD6 million, in addition to the alleged purchase of two civilian cargo aircraft for the Ministry of Defense, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
Lawmakers Musallam Al-Barrak and Adel Al-Saraawi have forwarded a number of questions to HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the first deputy premier and minister of defense, and three other ministers, seeking clarifications on the aforementioned issues.
Some informed sources had earlier revealed the beneficiaries of the Saatchi and Saatchi advertising contract include the brother of a certain minister. Sources claimed the contract, which clearly violates the law, is similar to the election billboard contract signed by the minister of interior during the 2009 National Assembly elections.
Sources confirmed the Audit Bureau has expressed its reservations over the contract due to several loopholes, such as the failure of the concerned authorities to consult the Central Tenders Committee (CTC). Sources stressed the law requires government institutions to refer contracts worth more than KD 5 million to the CTC.
On the alleged purchase of two civilian cargo planes for the Ministry of Defense, military sources said the contract has been cancelled because it is not beneficial to the ministry.
By Abubakar A. Ibrahim
© Arab Times 2010
