Kuwaiti MPs react during a parliament session at Kuwait's National Assembly in Kuwait City on March 6, 2018. Yasser Al Zayyat / AFP
Kuwaiti MPs react during a parliament session at Kuwait's National Assembly in Kuwait City on March 6, 2018. Yasser Al Zayyat / AFP
Kuwaiti MPs react during a parliament session at Kuwait's National Assembly in Kuwait City on March 6, 2018. Yasser Al Zayyat / AFP
Kuwaiti MPs react during a parliament session at Kuwait's National Assembly in Kuwait City on March 6, 2018. Yasser Al Zayyat / AFP

Kuwait MP: anti-corruption committee 'silly' in face of pressing problems


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The Kuwaiti government’s decision to remedy the country’s corruption problems by forming a review committee is "silly", opposition MPs have told local media.

Earlier this week, the government formed a committee to reinstate a local Corruption Transparency chapter, the international non-government body responsible for assessing 180 countries.

The organisation currently places Kuwait at a five-year low on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), a study published annually to assess countries’ mechanisms.

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Safaa Al Hashem, a populist MP and the only woman in parliament, said the government is complacent when it comes to the rampant issue of corruption.

“Your committee is silly, distasteful and without colour, if the prime minister wants to fight corruption he needs to get rid of the consultants that are making us lose the plot,” she said to Al Rai daily.

The committee was formed by the cabinet of ministers on Monday to implement reforms in sustainable development and transparency, and design mechanisms to promote Kuwait’s status on the CPI.

“It is ironic that the government fights MPs seeking to fight corruption, considering the regretful status of Kuwait in the CPI,” said MP Waleed Al Tabtabaie.

The government, however, has taken steps this week to indicate the committee is not just a scheme to delay a draft crackdown.

Kuwait’s minister of interior Sheikh Khaled Jarrah Al Sabah on Tuesday suspended seven senior employees until further investigation.

Local media reported the issue arose when reviewing the ministry’s hospitality budget, which in 2017 reportedly jumped from $3 million (Dh11 million) to $73 million - a suspect increase in the quota.

In 2015

The Kuwait Transparency Society (KTS), an organisation that serves as Transparency International’s local chapter was suspended in 2015.

According to Transparency International, the elected board of directors was dissolved and replaced with government appointees.

“In order to protect the staff and membership of KTS ... Transparency International’s board has passed a resolution suspending the organisation from the Transparency International movement until further notice,” said the organisation.

Kuwait accused KTS of interfering in political matters and launched an investigation after the society’s chairman allegedly insulted parliament.

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Long read

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T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures

Tuesday, October 29

Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE

Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman

Wednesday, October 30

Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one

Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two

Thursday, October 31

Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four

Friday, November 1

Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one

Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two

Saturday, November 2

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Final, 7.30pm

SPECS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENomad%20Homes%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHelen%20Chen%2C%20Damien%20Drap%2C%20and%20Dan%20Piehler%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20and%20Europe%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20PropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2444m%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Acrew%20Capital%2C%2001%20Advisors%2C%20HighSage%20Ventures%2C%20Abstract%20Ventures%2C%20Partech%2C%20Precursor%20Ventures%2C%20Potluck%20Ventures%2C%20Knollwood%20and%20several%20undisclosed%20hedge%20funds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
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Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

RESULT

Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3
Chelsea: Willian (40'), Batshuayi (42', 49')

The specs: 2018 Audi RS5

Price, base: Dh359,200

Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm

Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km

The biog

Name: Salem Alkarbi

Age: 32

Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira

First started supporting Al Wasl: 7

Biggest rival: Al Nasr

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.
RESULT

Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay:
 Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')

Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)

Sam Smith

Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi

When: Saturday November 24

Rating: 4/5

Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor