The Kuwaiti government presented its four-year plan of action to parliament, based on introducing major political, economic and social reforms a year after political tensions between the two bodies caused a delay in much-needed programmes.
Speaking to the National Assembly on Tuesday, Finance Minister Abdulwahab Al Rushaid said the government under Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al Sabah is building foundations to achieve the strategic goals of the state.
Mr Al Rushaid, however, emphasised to parliament that the success of any plan largely hinges on co-operation between ministers and legislators.
He said the plan involved “restructuring the government apparatus and transforming it from the operator of economic activities to the regulator and observer thereof, while empowering the private sector, which plays a major role and is a partner in promoting the development process and advancing the state’s foundations”.
Kuwait held early elections on September 29 after Crown Prince Sheikh Meshaal dissolved parliament to end a political stand-off between the government and the legislature that was hindering fiscal reforms.
Discussions on Tuesday included the passing of legislation that will provide homes to 40 per cent of housing applicants on the government’s waiting list, as well as the creation of more than 30,000 jobs and raising the country’s credit ratings.
The opposition won major gains in the previous parliamentary election with the hopes that they would work closely and not combatively with the government run by Sheikh Ahmed, a son of the ruling Emir Sheikh Nawaf.
Of the 50 seats up for election, 28 were won by opposition candidates as 20 former MPs were ousted, including three former ministers. Two women won seats, unlike the previous election when no women were elected.
The Financial and Economic Affairs Committee on Wednesday discussed proposals for draft laws in the presence of the relevant government agencies.
“The topics of the proposals are related to providing decent livelihoods for citizens and some other important issues. We hope that all these proposals will be approved for the benefit of the Kuwaiti people, so we look forward to working with the government in the coming week before next Thursday’s session,” said MP Shuaib Al Muwaizri, the parliament’s finance committee chairman.
MPs on Tuesday voted in favour of passing a law that would address conflict of interest and strip MPs of parliamentary immunity. The law passed on Tuesday stipulated jail terms and substantial fines for ministers, MPs and civil servants who misuse their positions to make personal gains.
Speaking on national television late on Tuesday night, former MP Ali Al Deqbasi said signs were positive between the current parliament and government in working together despite former feuds.
“There is much more awareness from the general public and the government and parliament that past feuding really hindered the process of reforms and we cannot allow political bickering to be placed above the interest of the Kuwaiti people,” Mr Al Deqbasi said.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
Sector: Tech
Size: 20 employees
Stage of funding: Seed
Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Arrogate's winning run
1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016
2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016
3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016
4. Travers Stakes, Saratoga, August 27, 2016
5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016
6. Pegasus World Cup, Gulfstream Park, January 28, 2017
7. Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, March 25, 2017
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
