Govt-Assembly coop yields positive result: Dashti
KUWAIT CITY: The Parliament on Wednesday approved only one request from the Public Prosecution to lift the immunity of MP Nabil Al-Fadhel and turned down four other similar requests related to press misdemeanor.
The Parliament also rejected to lift the immunity of MP Hussein Al-Qallaf on a similar case and another of MP Abdul-Hameed Dashti on a dud cheque issue.
However, the Parliament has unanimously approved in its second reading the draft bill of joining the Undersecretary of Higher Education to the membership of the Higher Council of Higher Education, Board of Trustee of Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research and Board of Directors of Public Authority for Applied
Education and Training. The bill has been referred to the government for approval.
The National Assembly has also unanimously approved to amend some provisions of draft law of Law No 11/1995 on judicial arbitration in the civil and commercial articles in its first and second readings and the law has been referred to the government for approval.
The Parliament, meanwhile, agreed to hold a special session to discuss issues pertaining to housing care. It also agreed to postpone discussions on the 'Golden Triangle' together with the housing issue during Thursday's special session.
The Parliament then agreed to refer the report of the committee on Dow Chemical and other oil-related issues to the Public Funds Protection Committee.
In the meantime, State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and State Minister for Planning and Development Affairs, Dr Rola Dashti has stated within two months of the first round of the 14th Legislative Term the Parliament and the government have accomplished "unprecedented quality and quantity" legislative achievements to reach 110 legislations which comprise 90 laws on international agreements and 20 laws and law decrees.
Speaking to reporters after the session, Dashti explained the credit for these achievements go to the positive cooperation between the legislative and the executive authorities following the aftermath of political crisis and tense atmospheres that continued for a long period."
She said in addition to the cooperation between the authorities another reason for these achievements is the commitment of both authorities to practical implementation of Article 50 of the Constitution which stipulates separation of powers and cooperation among the authorities.
In another development, the so-called majority opposition bloc has elected members who will represent the Opposition Coalition that was recently formed. The elected members are former MPs Musallam Al-Barrak, Adel Al-Damkhi, Faisal Al-Muslim, Mubarak Al-Walan and Bader Al-Dahoum. This came during a meeting which was held at the Diwaniya of former MP and ex-Speaker of Parliament Ahmed Saadoun.
The Opposition Coalition is a newly-formed alliance that brings under one umbrella almost all opposition political groups, including Islamists, Liberals, nationalists, trade and student unions, youth activists and civil society groups.
Following the formation the Coalition has issued a statement announcing some of its main objectives which include "fighting for a full parliamentary system based on legalizing political parties and democratic rotation of power."
It also called for the dissolution of current Parliament which it regards as pro-government and unconstitutional because it was elected after amending the Election Law which gave one-man one-vote through an emergency decree. It also demanded fresh elections under the old Election Law -- four votes per eligible voter and five constituencies.
© Arab Times 2013
