Amir accepts government resignation
Some MPs seek comprehensive national reform
KUWAIT CITY, Nov 14: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah approved the resignation of the government immediately after HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak submitted it on Thursday.
The government resigned after receiving two no-confidence motions – one against Interior Minister Lieutenant General Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah and the other against Minister of Public
Works and State Minister for Housing Affairs Jinan Mohsin Ramadan Boushehri as a result of their interpellation.
Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim said he has yet to receive an official announcement on the government’s resignation. The Speaker and several MPs believe the government lacks conformity; hence, it is unable to pursue progress. The Speaker stressed this is their personal opinion that the political leadership heard it in numerous occasions. “In order to prevent the ship from sinking, there must be a strong and coherent team at the helm of the government,” noted the Speaker while affirming it is possible for the government to reform and come out with a more conforming Cabinet. When asked about the possibility of dissolving the Parliament, the Speaker said this is the prerogative of HH the Amir; but based on what the Amir told him, the latter does not believe such a directive is on the table as the situation simply requires restructuring the Cabinet.
Moreover, MP Shu’aib AlMuwaizri stressed that restructuring the Cabinet is fruitless if the current ministers remain because the failed directive in dealing with the people and State projects will continue. Therefore, he called for exclusion of ministers who caused problems from the new government formation such as State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh among others proven to have failed in their ministries.
MP Khaled Al-Otaibi disclosed his conviction that the government cares only about itself grew stronger after the recent interpellations, so he opted for non-cooperation. He asserted that transparency is the number one principle he has been upholding throughout his political career and his constituents can vouch for him.
He called on HH the Amir saying that matters have reached their limits, “as the captain of the ship, we ask you to set matters back on course.” He added if the government is restructured correctly, 80 percent of the issues that the country is facing will be solved.
On the other hand, MP Abdulwahaab Al-Babtain stressed the resignation of the government is a political obligation which should have been done sooner. He is of the view that the country needs a comprehensive national reform, along with a call for early parliamentary election.
He thinks the prime minister should be covered by the restructuring plan and called for his replacement in order to ensure change in governmental policies which will pave way for genuine reform. He warned that the return of the prime minister with the new governmental formation will lead to an interpellation against him.
Many other MPs voiced their opinions on the resignation of the government. Some think it is better late than never while others believe the timing could not have been better considering the current situation of the country. Nevertheless, all of them agreed on the need for a new government formation in order to replace poorly performing ministers with more politically and technically inclined personalities. While some are pessimistic about the outcome, they said the cooperative hand of the Parliament is guaranteed.
The following is a chronology of resignations submitted by the Kuwaiti Cabinet after MPs filed non-confidence motions against the Premier or Ministers:
In January 2001, the Cabinet of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah resigned two days after MP Hussein AlQallaf requested the interpellation of Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr Saad Al-Hashel.
In March 2007, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah submitted the resignation of his Cabinet, a day before a no-confidence session that followed interpellation of Minister of Health Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah.
In November 2008, His Highness the Premier Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad AlSabah’s Cabinet resigned after three MPs filed a grilling motion against the Prime Minister. An Amiri decree was issued on Dec 14, 2008 accepting the resignation.
The government, led by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, resigned in March, 2009, two weeks after three grilling motions filed by MPs against the Premier. Two days after the resignation was accepted, an Amiri Decree dissolved the National Assembly, constitutionally.