Clear the ambiguity over Dow
Things have got mixed up between the government, some of whose ministers have made mistakes and should be held accountable, and the N A Council which feels that its constitutional position is not secure.
The ministers have tendered their resignation to the Prime Minister, in support of their beleaguered colleagues - the minister of interior and the oil minister - who are facing questioning over various issues. The ministers’ move should not be held against them, because their standing together on the issue does not mean that they support their colleagues’ alleged mistakes.
The grilling of the interior minister is neither due nor is a priority now; the important thing to do would be to focus on those who lost public money and had to pay a financial penalty, without the N A Council being consulted.
The council of ministers was vague and ambiguous when it declared its intention to hold those accountable who caused this catastrophe. Does the council mean to hold responsible the ones who paid the fines or the ones who approved the study for which $200 million was paid?
The council has three choices, picked up from previous members who used to compete during grilling sessions in order to appear before their voters as being keen to protect public funds and fight corruption.
The first choice: The constitutional court issues its verdict on June 16, declaring the decree for oneman vote unconstitutional - which would mean that the N A Council will be called off and its members will get no privileges.
The second choice: Speed up the questioning process and do so before the constitutional court’s decision so that the government can send a no-cooperation letter to His Highness the Amir, after which the council will be dissolved and the current members will become former members if they fail to participate in the next sessions.
The third choice: The government and council should work together to resolve the crisis in the government through grilling sessions or by making minor ministerial amendments. The Dow Chemical case should be sent to the public prosecutor and oil officials should be stopped from working until the case is over, which will be after the constitutional court passes it verdict in favor of or against the decree. — Al-Anbaa