Panel rejects government’s offer to amend the Experts Law No. 40/1980

Request to lift immunity of MP Al-Shimiri rejected

KUWAIT CITY, May 22: The parliamentary Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee on Sunday rejected the government’s proposal to amend the Experts Law No. 40/1980.

Committee Rapporteur MP Ahmed Al-Qudaibi clarified that the version of the law, which was approved in the first reading, shall remain as it is since the panel has rejected the amendments suggested by the government.

He added the committee also rejected the request of the Public Prosecution to lift the immunity of MP Sultan Al-Shimiri in a misdemeanor case.

Moreover, he confirmed the committee agreed to amend some provisions of Law No. 112/2013 on the establishment of a public authority for Meanwhile, MP Hamdan Al-Azmi called for the intervention of First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid to rescind a decision on stopping the issuance of Saudi Arabian visas to Bedouns who hold Article 17 passports in order to allow them to perform Umrah and Hajj rites this year.

He said an official source from the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Kuwait confirmed the suspension of issuing Umrah visas for certain categories of pilgrims whose nationality is unidentified. He disclosed the source stressed that the decision is temporary and visa issuance for these categories will resume soon.

He explained the decision was taken in January and nearly five months have passed since then, so he pleaded for the intervention of Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid considering the holy month of Ramadan is fast approaching.

In another development, the Priorities Committee has postponed deliberations on the evaluation of the performance of government agencies in terms of the implementation of the development plan as it is still waiting for the report of the Supreme Council for Planning.

Rapporteur of the committee MP Ahmad Lari said they met Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Planning and Development Hind Al-Sabeeh and Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development Dr Khalid Al-Mahdi on Sunday. They talked about the development plan and evaluation of the performance of various government agencies.

He clarified the Council of Ministers on Monday will look into the report of the Supreme Council for Planning on the assessment of the performance of various institutions.