Kuwait's Mps Reject Austerity Measures Max
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SUBSCRIPTION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2014 THULHIJA 17, 1435 AH No: 16309 How French Pakistani teen, Crosby leads girls were Indian activist new-look lured to win Nobel Penguins jihad10 online Peace14 Prize past41 Ducks Kuwait’s MPs reject austerity measures Max 39º 150 Fils Min Lawmakers say ‘no’ to increase in electricity, fuel prices 21º By B Izzak KUWAIT: A number of MPs warned yesterday that a reported government plan to lift subsidies on electricity, water and fuel to increase their prices will not pass through the National Assembly and will be strongly rejected. MPs Saleh Ashour, Mohammad Al-Hadiya, Saadoun Hammad and Saif Al-Azemi also called on the government to issue an official statement over the report which was published in the Arabic press to clarify its position towards the report. The opposition to the reported decision has so far come mainly from pro-government MPs which means that the gov- ernment is expected to have tough time passing such austeri- ty measures through the National Assembly. MP Ashour said in a statement that the government cannot legally increase prices of public services because the National Assembly issued a law in 1992 banning such a measure without the pri- or approval of the National Assembly. MP Hammad said the National Assembly will not accept any plan to lift subsidies on public services because this will greatly harm low and middle-income families. MP Hadiya said that the planned raise of electricity from two fils a kilowatt to seven fils and petrol from 60 fils a liter to 110 fils as stated in the report is “a crime against citizen consumers who include many low income families”. He said that Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh had previously said that citizens and expatriates will not be affected by the planned increases in public services but it appears that the government has retracted its statements on the issue. Hadiya stressed that such an intention by the government MURSITPINAR: Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Ain Al-Arab, known as Kobane by the Kurds. — AFP is not correct and it will never pass through the National Assembly. MP Azemi said the National Assembly’s main job is to provide more financial stability for the Kuwaiti family and not to increase the burden on them and accordingly lawmak- Jihadists capture Kurdish ers will strongly reject any government plan to raise prices. A few months ago, the Council of Ministers decided in principle to end subsidies on diesel which is rarely used by the public headquarters in Kobane after a large number of MPs called for the measure following large-scale smuggling that cost the state hundreds of millions of dinars. UN warns of a looming ‘massacre’ The Cabinet action came on the basis of a report by a com- mittee formed a year ago to study the issue of subsidies which SURUC: Jihadists captured the headquar- have left 31 people dead. said. Two IS training facilities were have rapidly increased to around KD 2 billion annually mainly ters of Kurdish fighters defending the bat- The jihadists’ advance has brought the destroyed while several vehicles and a tank as a result of the sharp rise in oil prices. The Finance Minister tleground Syrian town of Kobane yester- front line to just 1.3 kilometers from the were hit in the raids, in which planes from has repeatedly said that any lifting of subsidies will not harm day as a UN envoy warned of a looming border. IS now controls 40 percent of the UAE and Saudi Arabia participated, it low and middle income sections of the society and any deci- “massacre” by the Islamic State group. Kobane, according to the Britain-based said. An AFP correspondent on the other sions will aim to ensure that subsidies go to people who actu- Outgunned Kurdish militia were struggling Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. “The side of the Turkish border saw a cloud of ally need it. The committee is expected to have completed its to prevent the jihadists closing off the last capture of the headquarters will allow the white smoke rising above Kobane after work and its recommendations are expected to be discussed escape route for the thousands of civilians jihadists to advance on the border post coalition strikes yesterday. at a joint meeting of the council of ministers and the higher still in or near the town, prompting an with Turkey to the north of the town,” its UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura planning council next week. It appears that the government appeal for urgent military assistance. director Rami Abdel Rahman said. “If they appealed to Turkey to take any action it wants to make the lifting of subsidies a key policy of the five US-led warplanes have intensified air achieve that, they will have the Kurdish could to protect the 12,000 or so civilians year plan for 2015/2016-2019/2020 which will be submitted strikes against IS fighters who have been forces inside Kobane completely surround- still in or near the town, warning they “will to the National Assembly at the start of the new term at the attacking Kobane for three weeks but the ed.” As fighting raged in the strategic be most likely massacred” if captured by IS end of this month. Pentagon has warned that, without a force town, an IS militant yesterday carried out a fighters. Kobane was “literally surrounded” on the ground to work with, there are lim- suicide car bomb attack to the west of the except for one narrow entry and exit point PAGE its to what can be done. Neighboring Kurdish headquarters, the Observatory to the Turkish border, de Mistura said. The Turkey has so far held back from any action said. envoy called on Turkey, “if they can, to sup- In oil war, Kuwait is against the jihadists on its doorstep, There were no immediate details on port the deterrent actions of the coalition despite four straight nights of protests casualties. US planes conducted nine new through whatever means from their own Saudi’s biggest rival among its own large Kurdish minority that airstrikes in Syria yesterday, the US military territory.” — AFP LOCAL SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2014 MENA region needs new productive companies to create jobs WASHINGTON: A new study issued by ed workforce “but this can be turned example in Egypt where employment non-connected firms. The study highlights the World Bank Group (WBG) yesterday around”. growth declines by about 1.4 percent a number of economic policy reforms said that the Middle East and North Africa It highlighted the central role of pro- annually when connected firms enter across the region such as reducing the (MENA) region’s governments “can make moting competition to stimulate private new, previously competitive sectors. And scope of privilege which will require a significant strides in job creation by sector growth and establishes that young according to it, 71 percent of connected strong public administration, hired on the reforming policies used to protect politi- and productive firms generate employ- firms in Egypt, compared to only 4 per- basis of merit, to implement the policy cally connected companies”. The study ment in the region’s economies yet poli- cent of all firms, sell products that are pro- changes and build open markets that are (Jobs or Privileges: unleashing the cies that protect privileged insiders con- tected by at least three technical import resilient to the risk of capture. It recom- employment potential of the Middle East strains competition, and stifled the barriers. mends that these reforms be implement- and North Africa) that was launched yes- growth and productivity of these firms. While in Tunisia, 64 percent of political- ed in a transparent and open policymak- terday claimed that the region has long The study offers an analysis of the ly connected firms operate in sectors sub- ing environment that keeps citizens aware struggled to generate enough quality harm to competition caused by privileges ject to restrictions on Foreign Direct of government action and allows them to jobs for its large and increasingly educat- to politically connected firms giving an Investment relative to only 36 percent of provide inputs into policy. — KUNA KUWAIT: Deputy PM, Acting Minister of Awqaf and Minister of Interior Sheikh Mohamemd Al-Khaled recently visited the criminal evidence and the criminal investigation depart- ments. He was received by top officials and staff members working during the Eid holidays. The minister also opened a new DNA lab and was briefed on the latest technologies used in fighting crime. Violations detected Muslims urged to support in the MOE budget the Aqsa Mosque campaign KUWAIT: According to a recent report spending. made available by the audit bureau, a Furthermore, the report showed that lot of financial violations have been the Ministry had spent KD 8.6 million on Kuwaitis can visit without Israeli stamps detected in the Ministry of Education’s a tender to provide security guards at budget (2013-2014). The report four educational zones, which was justi- KUWAIT: Palestine’s Ambassador to Kuwait Rami Muslims used to face towards it in prayer before explained that the violations included fied by the Ministry by the high cost and Tahboub welcomed Kuwaiti parliamentarians’ calls they were ordered to face to the Ka’ba as their KD 3 million spent on educating selection of good quality agents. The to find a suitable legal mechanism to allow Kuwaiti Qiblah. bedoons and the needy students with- report also indicated that the Ministry citizens visit the Holy Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. He Concerning fears of legal procedures and having out being documented and with no had sold used furniture, spare parts, cars urged Muslims across the globe to support the Aqsa citizens’ passports stamped by Israeli stamps, proper receipts.