The Kuwaiti Cabinet convened its weekly meeting at Al-Saif Palace on Monday under the chairmanship of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
The Cabinet members reviewed the contents of the emotional address delivered by His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anas Al-Saleh said following the meeting. The fatherly speech reflects His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince’s care for the security, stability and status of the country.
The speech of His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince focuses on;
First, the need of protecting the citizens’ freedom and privacy against any encroachment or attempts to sow the seeds of sedition among the public,
Second, commending the public awareness and keenness on protection of the country’s stability and security,
Third, cautioning against the risks of chaotic deviations by some social networking websites, including the promulgation of sensational allegations and groundless accusations,
Fourth, asking the ministers to speed up the efforts to rout out all kinds of deviations of social media and protect the unity of the society,
Fifth, the urgency of legislative-executive cooperation to counter the risks facing the country and address the crucial issues, such as education, youth, administrative and economic reforms, Cabinet lauds address by Deputy Amir demographic restructuring and services,
Sixth, scaling up the combat against corruption and tasking the executive and legislative authorities to enforce the necessary measures to end all manifestations of corruption,
Seventh, upholding the rule of law and making sure that there is no immunity for any corrupt person whatever their positions might be,
Eighth, materializing the national unity and solidarity with the leadership in order to overcome any challenges, Ninth, making the public feel reassured about the prosperous future of the country.
The Cabinet, taking pride in the wise instructions of His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince, stated full commitment to their implementation with a view to protecting the national unity and development in all fields under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince, Al-Saleh revealed.
His Highness the Prime Minister urged the ministers to respond promptly to the instructions of His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince and adopt the necessary measures to realize their objectives. Consequently, the Cabinet adopted the following decisions;
■ Cooperation with the National Assembly The Cabinet will form a government team, led by His Highness the Prime Minister, to communicate with Speaker of the National Assembly and the competent parliamentary committees with a view to translating into action the instructions of His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince and speeding up the passing of necessary legislations.
■ The anti-graft effort The Cabinet will set up a higher committee, led by His Highness the Prime Minister, to promote the national strategy for transparency and anti-corruption combat.
The committee will work to activate the interagency cooperation to study the reports of irregularities at state bodies in collaboration with the State Audit Bureau (SAB). It will oversee the implementation of measures to retrieve the possible usurped state funds whether inside or outside the country.
■ The security leaks In the light of the great importance attached by His Highness the Deputy Amir to the leaked videos from the security institution, the Cabinet members heard a presentation by Al-Saleh on the issue and the administrative and legal measures adopted so far in this regard. The deputy prime minister and minister of interior noted that a fact-finding committee was promptly formed and finalized a report within less than a couple of days. Based on the report, the minister decided on Thursday, Aug 20, 2020, to suspend the director general of the state security service and seven officers. All persons involved in the case and the related information were referred to the Public Prosecution. Other measures were adopted to ensure non reoccurrence of such loopholes or any future infringement on the public freedoms and privacy or violation of the rules of work.
■ The economic reform A government team, led by Sheikh Dr Mishaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, has been mandated to scrutinize the impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the state financial revenues and of the oil prices. The team will also follow up the efficacy of measures to address the imbalances in the national economy, the economic document, and the draft measures to cut down the expenses. They will also work out an integrated plan of action for financial and economic reforms with emphasis on the anti-graft combat and the enhancement of economic growth.
■ The demographic restructuring A team, led by Ahmad Khaled Al-Kolaib, is mandated to identify the aspects of demographic imbalances and the legal loopholes that lead to excessive numbers of expatriates. The team will review the laws regulating the employment of foreign workers and the punitive measures set forth in the residency law for traders in residences.
■ The social networking websites The Cabinet has formed a team lead by Chairman of the Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) Eng Salim Muthib Al-Ozainah, to scrutinize the misuse of social media and the deviations of hoax accounts that aim to tarnish the reputation of some people or destabilize the country through groundless allegations. The team will also draw on the experiences of other countries in addressing the technical loopholes without infringing on the public freedoms in the framework of the rules of the constitution.
Source : Arab Times
