SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015 MUHARRAM 14, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Amir opens Intolerable, Gulf Bank posts Sheikh Salman new Assembly unimaginable healthy net profit joins race term with first heat forecast for of KD 29.6m for for FIFA grilling 2on agenda Arabian13 Gulf 921 months of 2015 president18 Kuwait, India ink accord Min 20º on recruitment of nurses Max 38º High Tide 11:44 & 23:33 Hiring will be done only through govt agencies Low Tide 05:31 & 17:50 40 PAGES NO: 16679 150 FILS United drops By Sajeev K Peter Powerful quake rocks South Asia KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Indian Kuwait flights Embassy yesterday signed an agreement finalizing the modalities of recruitment of nurses from India and By Sara Ahmed paving the way for hiring nurses only through three government agencies. Dr Mahmoud Al-Abdulhadi, KUWAIT: American carrier United Airlines will stop assistant undersecretary for legal affairs at the MoH, and providing flight services to Kuwait as of January. Dr Jamal Mansour Al-Harbi, assistant undersecretary for United will also stop services to Bahrain. The medical services affairs at the MoH, and Indian announcement comes only a few weeks after the US Ambassador Sunil Jain signed the agreement at a brief Department of Transportation found Kuwait Airways ceremony held at the MoH yesterday. guilty of discrimination for refusing to allow Israeli The agreement puts to rest uncertainty over the nationals to fly its New York to London route. issue that has been hanging ever since India banned A United Airlines spokesperson Luke Punzenberger overseas recruitment of nurses by private agencies from April 30, 2015. Several agents in India had even moved told the aviation blog View from the Wing that the to court to challenge the government decision. carrier would continue a “dialogue with the [Kuwait] After signing the agreement, the officials expressed government”. “We have taken steps to cease our serv- optimism that the agreement would put an end to ice to Kuwait and Bahrain, effective January 13, 2016. large-scale corruption and cheating by private recruit- We will continue to maintain an open dialogue with ing agents who used to recruit nurses from India to both governments and others who may be affected Kuwait after taking huge sums as bribes and commis- by this decision, and offer alternative travel plans or sion. “Both Kuwait and Indian authorities will work refunds to customers who could be impacted,” he was together to make recruitments of nurses corruption- quoted as saying. United told the blog that the “ser- free and transparent,” Jain told Kuwait Times. vice is not meeting our financial expectations”. The ministry of health plans to recruit nearly 3,000 United was the only US carrier to offer direct nurses within a year and the majority of them will be Kuwait to US services. Passengers can also choose from Kerala. The India government decided in March to national carrier Kuwait Airways for direct flights to route the recruitment of nurses through three govern- New York, though it’s unclear at this point if the recent ment agencies - Norka Roots, the field agency of the ruling will result in an interruption or halt in KAC BAJAUR, Pakistan: Residents gather next to the rubble of damaged houses following a powerful earth- Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department, Overseas flights to the US. quake that rocked parts of South Asia yesterday. — AFP (See Page 7) Continued on Page 13 LOCAL TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015 Parliament ‘embodying democratic process’ KUWAIT: The opening of every new par- liamentary session is an event that is National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim during eagerly awaited by citizens because a session of the National Assembly. they are building big hopes and aspira- tions on the parliament. The previous parliamentary sessions have constituted a unique political event embodying the Kuwaiti democratic experience under the dome of the parliament. — KUNA Former National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi The National Assembly - one of Kuwait’s landmark institutions Then National Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Sadoun Amir opens new Assembly term during a session. with first grilling on agenda MP Turaiji files graft case against customs chief Cabinet, parliament members meet in a cordial atmosphere KUWAIT: A number of Cabinet members have praised their ‘brotherly and cordial’ meeting with MPs during a dinner His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah pre- banquet hosted by National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al- sides over the inaugural session of the National Ghanim at his Diwan in the presence of His Highness the Assembly on Jan 20, 1962. Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Minister of Oil and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Dr Ali Al-Omair said the government outlined the pri- orities of the development plan in collaboration with the National Assembly. “There are some 37 draft legislations related to the pre- requisites of the development plan which will be discussed by the Assembly in the coming weeks,” he told reporters, voicing hope that the legislations will be passed at early dates. “These drafts, which are on the agenda of the Assembly, deal with issues such as juvenile delinquency, franchises and public tenders,” Dr Al-Omair revealed. Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Ya’qoub Al-Sane’ said the meeting between members of the legisla- tive and executive authorities opens new horizons for fruitful cooperation and amity. “The current Assembly was able to make a legislative rev- olution during its past three legislative terms,” he said in simi- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah pictured during the inauguration of the second lar press remarks. “The ongoing cooperation between the half of the Fourteenth Season of the National Assembly. — KUNA photos Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad two authorities brought Kuwait back to its joyfulness and Al-Sabah inaugurates the third official season of the leading role,” Al-Sane’ said. He noted that the current By B Izzak The new term should last for at least eight months. In anoth- National Assembly in this file photo. Assembly puts the constitutional frameworks above all con- er development, MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji said yesterday he has siderations and proved to be committed to the rules of cor- KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- filed a complaint at the newly-established Anti-Corruption rect parliamentary practices. Sabah today opens the new term of the National Assembly Authority against the director of the Customs Department Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of which is expected to start with a discussion of a grilling for allegedly covering up corruption cases, bribery and irreg- Planning and Development Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh said the against the Social Affairs and Labor Minister over alleged ularities in public funds. meeting with the MPs, part of an annual chain, reaffirmed irregularities. The Amir will address the lawmakers about the He said he has submitted documents to prove his accusa- commitment of members of both authorities to cooperation local, regional and international situation. The address will be tions of the customs chief and expected that the authority for the sake of the homeland. She thanked Al-Ghanim for this followed by the government statement to be delivered by will take legal measures in accordance with its law. The law- “kind gesture,” voicing hope that the fourth legislative term will add new achievements on all levels and meet the aspira- the Prime Minister in which he will outline the government maker said that he had repeatedly warned the finance minis- tions of the citizens. She added that the meeting did not projects over the next year. ter about rife corruption in the customs department and touch on the interpellations some MPs plan to raise. On the The session will witness the election of the Assembly urged him to take legal actions. plan for demographic restructuring, Al-Sabeeh said the secretary and the supervisor and immediately followed by He said that recently, detectives have busted a number of implementation will start within two or three years and the the discussion of a grilling filed by MP Mohammad Tana to employees at the customs department involved in corrup- plan could take three decades to complete. Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Sabeeh. The tion and bribery, a case that supports his accusations. Turaiji For his part, Minister of Information and Minister of State debate of the grilling however is unlikely to take place at called on the finance minister to dismiss a number of for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al- the opening session as the minister is expected to ask for a employees at the customs department including the director Sabah said the annual meeting at Al-Ghanim’s diwan has two-week delay. The submission of the grilling ahead of the because leaving them in their positions will send a wrong Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah inaugurates the become “a good tradition.” He highlighted the importance of term opening is a precedence in Kuwait’s parliamentary his- message for those who want to steal public funds. third season of the National Assembly. signing into law the draft bill on electronic media to bridge tory as MPs normally waited until after the term started. The the legislative gap of the country in this regard. “The tradi- grilling alleges the minister of committing a number of finan- tional media is controlled by law on publications and audio- cial and administrative violations at the ministry’s various visual content while the electronic media has yet to be regu- departments.