Grillings Galore As Finance Minister Resigns

Finance Minister Barrak Al-Sheetan, who on Wednesday had denied tendering his resignation, confirmed in a statement on Thursday that he had forwarded a letter expressing his desire to resign from the Cabinet to His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The minister clarified that he had placed his resignation at the disposal of the prime minister as this was “a regular measure after the National Assembly renewed confidence in him.”

He indicated that he submitted the proposal to the prime minister to step down “to affirm that he is not dedicated to the post but to the public interest,” noting that it was up to His Highness the Prime Minister to accept or turn down his request to leave the ministry. The minister added that in the meantime he would be pursuing his duties in office.

It will be recalled that Minister Al-Sheetan had faced a grilling and subsequent no-confidence motion by 10 lawmakers who alleged that he proposed to raise public service fees and “overburdening” citizens with additional charges on government services as part of an austerity program.

The minister denied the charges and clarified the proposals were “merely drafts” and would not be implemented without approval of the National Assembly. The no-confidence motion that was put to vote on 12 August was resoundingly defeated with 32 members supporting the minister and 12 voting against him while three abstained.

Not done with grilling the finance minister and later the interior minister, in past weeks, lawmakers have once again requested several grilling motions that are slated for the upcoming parliamentary session on 1 September.

Lawmaker Mohammad Hayef has given notice of summoning Interior Minister Anas Al-Salah for a further grilling motion after the minister comfortably won a vote of confidence in parliament last week. Confirming the new grilling, the National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim said that MP Hayef had clarified that his grilling motion would mainly deal with allegations of “intruding into citizensآ’ private affairs. The MP is also accusing the minister of “covering up” crime targeting state security.

In the same parliamentary session, lawmakers Abdulkarim Al-Kanderi and Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie have also expressed their intention to grill His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, while a trio of parliamentarians have called for grilling the Education Minister Dr. Saud Al-Harbi.

According to Kuwaiti constitutional law, lawmakers have the right to question ministers over matters strictly related to their jurisdictions and grilling procedures in parliament can only take place at least eight days after the motion is tabled in the House.

The spate of grilling and no-confidence motions against ministers highlights how questioning a minister in parliament has gone from being an effective democratic tool, designed to hold those in power accountable, to becoming a frivolous instrument that is mostly wielded to make political points.

 

SOURCE : TIMES KUWAIT

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