‘End teach-hires from sub-par states’
Government reviews Leadership Conditions bill
KUWAIT CITY, Oct 2: MP Faisal Al-Kandari submitted a proposal to stop the recruitment of teachers from countries whose education index ranking is lower than Kuwait.
He explained, “We should not recruit teachers from other countries if there are Kuwaitis who are more than qualified for these positions. The ministry should recruit from outside only if the subject is a rare field of specialization and no one among the local manpower is qualified to teach the subject.”
On the other hand, MP Omar Al-Tabtabaei said there are numerous violations in the method of granting tenders at the Ministry of Public Works, while commending the efforts exerted by Minister Hussam Al-Roumi in combating corruption in his ministry.
In a press conference at the National Assembly Media Center, the MP stressed the need to extend a helping hand to the minister as he is being attacked by some officials as a result of his reform initiatives.
He highlighted the issue of contractors being granted a couple of tenders although they are unqualified as per the conditions booklet given to applicants or based on conditions which are not even mentioned in the booklet.
He said the State Audit Bureau (SAB) issued a memo on the cancellation of the tender immediately after uncovering the violations, but some highranking officials and MPs are keen on keeping these tenders afloat and valid.
He revealed he had earlier submitted a number of queries on the subject and received a response with details which do not make sense, such as the expected date of completion being two years before the project even started.
He also touched on the incident Monday morning when an assistant undersecretary in the ministry barged into the office of the minister while the latter was in a meeting with him, another undersecretary and a contractor; during which they discussed issues concerning the ministry.
He witnessed the incident first hand as the man disregarded and disrespected the people in the office by insulting and threatening the contractor. He added this individual is not fit to be a leader and for this reason, the National Assembly submitted the Leadership Conditions bill which is still being reviewed by the government.
He affirmed there are individuals in high-ranking positions that do not deserve to lead as they do nothing but create complications which hinder progress.
Agencies add:
Members of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday presented the aspects of the National Program for Economic and Financial Sustainability in front of the Finance and Economic Affairs Committee of the National Assembly.
This comes in response to the committee’s invitation to discuss the foundations of the National Program for Economic and Financial Sustainability. This is the second time the government has made a presentation on the program to members of the National Assembly that reviewed the program in full at a session in March 6, 2018.
Concerning the intention of a number of MPs to present a bill concerning public amnesty based on article 75 of the Constitution of Kuwait, MP Ahmed Al-Fadhl said amnesty is not a constitutional right that MPs can present.
He revealed that he will seek the referral of any law on amnesty to the Constitutional court if discussions on such law begin.
Al-Fadhl indicated that he will ask the Constitutional Court to explain the extent of legality in terms of MPs presenting bills on amnesty.
He stressed that most countries do not resort to amnesty except when they are faced
with disasters and coups, insisting that amnesty is not supposed to be enforced in Kuwait at the current time.
The lawmaker called on the MPs, who intend to present the bill, to admit that the actions they are calling for is related to a revolution based on which they are demanding for the leaders of that revolution to be given amnesty.
He asked why amnesty is demanded only for those convicted in the case of storming of the National Assembly building, as there are other lawsuits of political nature for which amnesty could be applied such as the storming of AlWatan TV channel building, blocking of streets and the attempt to climb the wall of Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad’s house.
MP Al-Fadhl stressed the importance of focusing on pending issues and those deemed most urgent in the upcoming parliamentary term in order to achieve the level of accomplishment recorded by the 2013 Parliament.