Kuwait- KD350 monthly grant eyed to 'unemployed' Bedouns 

(MENAFN - Arab Times) The Rapporteur of Human Rights and Foreign Affairs Committees of the Parliament MP Khalid Al-Failakawi announced the possibility of granting unemployed Bedouns each monthly grant of up to KD 350, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

He said Bait Al-Zakat would provide this monthly grant after increasing their annual budget from KD 2 million to KD 4 million.

He indicated that the Human Rights Committee had submitted a proposal to the Parliamentary Financial Affairs Committee in which it obligates private companies to deposit 1 percent of their interests to Bait Al-Zakat, as such a fund transfer is optional currently, adding that Bait Al-Zakat can then pay KD 300 or KD 350 to each unemployed Bedoun.

He revealed that the committee's meeting on Sunday will focus on the latest developments regarding the Kuwaiti detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Bedoun issue and the government's role in providing solutions for these issues.

He further revealed that the meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee was allotted to discuss the international convention and the opinion of Ministry of Justice over some items.

Meanwhile, MP Yaqoub Al-Sane' sees the proposal of dropping the interests on citizens' loans as suspicious and unconstitutional, stressing the idea defies social justice among citizens, reports Al-Rai daily.

Al-Sane' added he rejected the proposal to write-off the interests on loans because the state revenue is only KD 18.8 billion, whereas expenditures are beyond KD 21 billion.

At a recent interview, Al-Sane' said the Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali may face grilling. He also said a number of lawmakers do not support the idea of dropping the interests on loans, so contrary opinions in this regard may lead to dropping of the proposal as the largest part of these loans until 2008 were paid.

As regards government's performance, Al-Sane' noted he does not want get involved in the statements alleging the current parliament is a puppet in the hand of government. He assessed the level of deterioration in the relationship between the two authorities, which he stressed, must be based on collaboration in the constitutional aspect. He noted that government's cooperation is still humble.
Meanwhile, he regretted the approval of draft law privatizing the Kuwaiti Airways Corporation after reaching a deal to refer the draft law to the Utilities Committee, indicating the government did not fulfill its promise.

He urged those who boycotted the last parliamentary elections to hold dialogue and cast their viewpoints in transparency. He reiterated the political opposition movement is losing support.