‘Solution to financial, economic crises should start from top’
Correcting population structure aims at helping expats: Al-Tamimi
“IN light of the rapid and continuous oil price decline, the government believes that solutions to the financial and economic problems must come from the pockets of citizens. This is a wrong decision because the government wants to siphon off the pockets of citizens and harm them.
“On the other hand, we believe that flaws, wastage of public money and ineffective policy on the implementation of economic reforms caused the economic and financial crises. We made it clear that the solution should start from the top – officials and government institutions, not from the bottom –ordinary citizens,” says newlyelected National Assembly Observer MP Abdullah Al-Tamimi.
In his interview with the Arab Times, Al-Tamimi talked about his new post and expressed his views on pressing issues like economic reforms, austerity measures, lifting of subsidies, demographic structure and terrorism, among others.
Question: First of all, we congratulate you on your new post as Observer of the Parliament. Kindly explain your functions in the Parliament?
Answer: The Parliament Office consists of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Secretary, Observer and Secretary-General. They prepare the agenda or programs for Parliament sessions and discuss reports of parliamentary committees.
As a member of the Parliament Office, the Observer acts as Speaker in the absence of the latter or the Deputy Speaker and Secretary, when they step down as acting speakers or when they are involved in the discussion of bills or proposals.
Q: With your new post, do you think you contribute to the Parliament or vice versa?
A: I regard this new post as a duty. Whether as an MP or Parliament Observer, I am doing my duty towards my country. Anybody who represents the people in the Parliament must fulfill his oath in front of God and HH the Amir. This Parliament has done a great job, considering its ability to resolve many political crises and legislative flaws created by its predecessors. In addition, it came at a time the countries in the region are facing serious security and economic crises, made worse by the continuous oil price decline.
Q: Common people on the street may not know how bills are turned into a law. Can you please explain this briefly?
A: Bills and proposals are presented by MPs while draft laws are presented by the government. Draft laws, government decrees, bills and proposals are referred to the concerned committees. Each of these committees prepares reports and votes on the bills which are then submitted to the Parliament Office. After this, the Office, through the Parliamentary Priorities Committee, will include these bills in the agenda in accordance with the list of priorities, followed by discussions among parliamentarians and then vote on them.
Q: All committees, especially the permanent ones have consultants. What is the role of these consultants in the parliamentary work?
A: Consultants are part of committee offices and they are involved in decision-making as they look into the legal aspects of proposals, bills and draft laws.
Q: This Parliament passed many important laws a long time ago but the government has yet to implement them. What is your comment on this issue?
A: Yes, many bills have been ratified but the executive bylaws have not been issued until now. Undoubtedly, the government has delayed the implementation of these laws so this raises doubt on its sincerity. The government had earlier issued executive bylaws for other laws passed by the Parliament and these laws are being enforced now. However, it must implement the remaining important laws to prove its sincerity.
Q: His Highness the Amir has expressed desire to transform Kuwait into a commercial and financial hub. Is this feasible?
A: HH the Amir expressed this desire when he took the reins of the government and became the ruler of this country. He inspired Kuwaitis and other people who love this country, making them believe the country will become a commercial and economic hub. However, the global political, local, regional realities and what happened in previous years impeded the realization of many dreams. This is in addition to the lack of credibility of the previous parliaments and governments, as well as their inability to deal with this matter seriously and put it on top of their priorities. Nevertheless, the incumbent Parliament and government are working closely so they are in a better position in terms of realizing the vision of the Amir.
Q: In Kuwait, inequality between men and women is still an issue. Kuwaiti widows and divorcees are not equal to women married to non-Kuwaitis. Also, Kuwaiti men are granted KD 100,000 housing loan while married Kuwaiti women get KD 70,000 but the divorcees and widows take only KD 45,000. As a member of the Women and Family Affairs Committee, how does your committee address the issue?
A: The committee plays a leading role in granting women their political, social, housing care and civil rights; in addition to allowing Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis to pass on their nationality to their children. We hold meetings with several ministries like the Social Affairs and Labor, Interior, Education and Health in a bid to solve many problems. Thank God, everything is moving in the right direction in this Parliament.
Q: In your opinion, is it necessary for all Kuwaitis to unite and have one nationality, given that the existing Nationality Law categorizes citizens into various classes?
A: Anyone included in the 1965 Census and before this period must have one nationality degree. Law number 15/1959 stipulates the degrees or articles of nationality, but I think this law can be amended, such that anybody included in the 1965 Census and before this period should have one degree of nationality and those excluded from the 1965 Census and beyond should have second degree or second article nationality. In this manner, we will have only two degrees of nationality or citizenship such that everyone is given their rights.
Q: It has been reported that 400,000 people were stripped of their nationality for holding dual citizenship. Now, they have no citizenship. Please comment on this issue.
A: I don’t have facts about this, but I think that anybody who violates the Nationality Law must be arrested because dual citizenship is prohibited here. If the Interior Ministry has solid information on those who have dual citizenship, it should apply the law and revoke their citizenship.
Q: On the demographic structure of Kuwait, you always talk about the lopsided demographic structure and the current government intends to address this issue by reducing the number of expatriates. Can you shed light on this issue?
A: Correcting the population structure should not be misconstrued as harming the expatriates as it is rather aimed at helping them. However, it is illogical that two communities of expatriates outnumber citizens by more than 100,000 while the population of other communities is not that huge. The population of expatriate communities must be equal; hence, the necessity to trim down the excessive ones.
I must emphasize that Kuwait should not be a refuge for the jobless, beggars and unproductive people because anyone who comes here and does not find job will definitely become a criminal – either a thief or a killer.
Also, some expatriates are being exploited by visa traders who recruit people and dump them into this country without any job. This country needs well-trained expatriate workers, not the unskilled and illiterate.
Q: Terrorism is currently the top issue that everyone is talking about. Are the lawmakers taking steps to issue laws in this regard?
A: Yes, we have presented many bills on terrorism. But let me be frank with you, if there is no credibility and commitment in fighting terrorism amongst the regional countries especially those in the Gulf, terrorism will spread all over the world.
Q: It has been reported that Parliament employees, including con- sultants and the secretary-general, are receiving salaries higher than their counterparts in other government institutions. What is your comment on this?
A: As far as I know, even some statesmen are receiving exorbitant salaries which dry up the State’s treasury. The government must understand that these salaries will affect the economy and the income of ordinary citizens, but I have to admit that majority of the citizens earn low salaries, not the other way round.
Q: The government is planning to lift subsidies on fuel and electricity. Did you get assurance from the government that this will not affect citizens?
A: Due to the rapid and continuous oil price decline, the government believes that solutions to the financial and economic problems must come from the pockets of citizens. This is wrong as the government seems intent on emptying the pockets of citizens and inflicting harm on them. Meanwhile, we believe that flaws, wastage of public money and ineffective policy on the implementation of economic reforms resulted in economic and financial crises.
We the MPs, led by the Speaker, have presented a basket of solutions to the government such as reducing expenditures. We are ready to go to various directions with the government, such that no one touches the reserves in order to strengthen Kuwait’s economy and its currency. We can also agree with the government that austerity measures and prevention of public funds wastage should be a joint effort among citizens and residents. It is unacceptable for citizens to bear the consequences of the failures of previous government. We made it clear that the solution should start from top officials or the government institutions, not from the bottom – the ordinary citizens.
His Highness the Amir has instructed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh to reduce the budget of the Amiri Diwan; thus, it is unfair if citizens, who constitute only 25 percent of the entire population of Kuwait, are affected by the austerity measures. The government and the Parliament have agreed on the need to lessen expenditures, stop the wastage of public money and ensure that the pockets of citizens are untouched.
Q: Are there hidden blocs in this Parliament?
A: Definitely, there are hidden blocs in the Parliament but I prefer blocs which are out in the open for the people to know their objectives clearly and to interact with them.
Q: Recently, you discussed the Bedoun issue in the committee but the members merely issued statements without figures. Please comment on this.
A: I compare the Bedoun issue with a snowball. Whenever this issue is raised, people blow it out of proportion and create tension. Anybody who is contemplating on taking advantage of the issue for parliamentary or political gains is gearing towards the wrong direction.
Among Bedouns, there are those who deserve naturalization and law number 15/1959 stipulates many categories of Bedouns who have the right to citizenship, so why this delay in granting them citizenship?
Also, the Central System for Remedying the Status of Illegal Residents (CSRSIR) said it provides birth and marriage certificates and other documents to Bedouns but this is not the solution. Besides the required documents, Bedouns must be given their civil rights and citizenship.
Q: It has been confirmed that the Muslim Brotherhood financed and supplied weapons to groups fighting in Syria, Iraq and other countries but the government did not take any measures against them. As a lawmaker, what is your role in this regard?
A: The Muslim Brotherhood poses the most serious threat to GCC countries. This group offended rulers of GCC States and is keen on destabilizing these countries including Kuwait as their aim is to grab power from the existing governments.
Q: Do you think there is a secret agreement between this group and the government?
A: I am talking about a group that wears Islamic dress with the Brotherhood name. It is a movement which seeks to grab power from GCC and Arab States, so these countries must exhaust all means, especially the mass media, in combating the group. Biography Abdullah Al-Tamimi was born in 1965 and he holds a high school degree. He worked in Kuwait Oil Company ( KOC) and member of KOC’s labor union. He obtained Diploma in Journalism from the Soviet Union in 1989. He was a member of the annulled 2012 Parliament. In the 2013 elections, the independent Shiite MP won first place in the Fifth Constituency.
Currently, Al-Tamimi serves as the Parliament Observer, Chairman of Bedoun Affairs Committee and member of the Public Funds Protection and Public Utilities committees.
In the previous parliaments, he was a member of the Interior, Defense and Public Funds Protection committees, in addition to the Parliamentary Follow-up Team.