MPs eyeing comprehensive amnesty for some prisoners
Assembly stormers targetted
By Abubakar A. Ibrahim
Arab Times Staff
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 11: Due to lack of quorum some members of the Human Rights Committee of the National Assembly met Sunday to discuss the humanitarian issues contained in the grilling of the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Sabeeh concerning social assistance.
The head of the committee Adel Al-Dhamki said the meeting was attended by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Saad Al-Kharraz.
He added, “One of the recommendations of the committee was to reduce the number of labor strikes which often happen due to non-payment of salaries of workers due to various reasons.
Al-Damkhi also said a number of MPs are expected to present a bill on what he called the comprehensive amnesty for prisoners in the case of storming the National Assembly building. He said, it is unjust to put behind bars honest people who have resisted and repulsed corruption, deposits of millions of dinars in the accounts of certain people.
He stressed on the need to resolve the issue of storming the National Assembly. He added, “We have extended our hands of cooperation and it is time to turn the page and let bygones be bygones. We have also changed our attitude and are now contesting the National Assembly elections and this also must be taken into consideration.”
Asked about the statement issued by the National Assembly Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanim earlier that the amnesty is sought and not imposed, Al Dhamki responded saying: “We have nothing to do with who said what, but what governs us is the Constitution and its provisions, because we are in a state of institutions and law and the current phase requires a comprehensive amnesty so that we turn the page to protect the nation and the nation’s representatives.”
On another issue, the Health and Labor Committee of the National Assembly met Sunday to discuss the Kuwait Pharmacists Law according to which the owner of a pharmacy must be a Kuwaiti pharmacist. The law also mandates that the pharmacist must work in his pharmacy.
MP Osama Al-Shaheen said the committee asked the Ministry of Health to apply this law stressing on the importance of creating incentives for Kuwaitis to work in private pharmacies.
On the treatment of cancer patients, Shaheen said the government is weak in this regard for failing to raise cancer awareness among people since the treatment of one cancer patient costs the State KD 30 thousand annually.
The Housing Committee of the National Assembly also met Sunday in the presence of Housing Minister Jenan Boushahri. Also present during the meeting were senior officers of her ministry who are dealing with the State housing file and officers from the Public Authority for Housing Care.
The head of the committee, MP Faisal Al-Kandari said discussions were held to build 28,288 housing units in Al-Mutla’a. He pointed out a contract for the construction of 13,000 housing units has been signed this year. He disclosed, initially 509 homes will be distributed for those who have sold their homes.
Al-Kandari pointed out the beneficiaries of the South Al-Mutla’a housing units includes those who had filled applications until May 19, 2013.
He added the Jaber Al-Ahmad housing area will be completed in June 2019 where 740 apartments have been built on an area of 400 square meters.
Al-Kandari said Minister Boushahri has informed the Housing Committee that the Council of Ministers is determined to remove all obstacles facing the Saad Al-Abdullah residential area through the Services Committee of the Council of Ministers
He added, it has been decided that the apartments — measuring between 180 to 380 square meters — built in the Sabah Al-Ahmad residential housing area should be given for Kuwaiti women.