SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 JAMADA ALTHANI 3, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Kuwait, Chileans Qatar emir Real overwhelm NATO to return homes visits Sudan Dortmund as strengthen after huge at time of Ronaldo equals cooperation5 quake kills7 6 Gulf15 tensions scoring20 record Commercial Bank votes to Max 22º become sharia-compliant Min 16º High Tide 02:27 & 13:46 Most shareholders approve conversion to Islamic banking Low Tide 08:16 & 20:53 40 PAGES NO: 16124 150 FILS KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait (also known Basel III,” Mousa disclosed. conspiracy theories as Al-Tijari) announced yesterday it will convert On the financial results of 2013, Mousa affirmed from a conventional bank to a sharia-compliant the bank’s commitment to the principles of corpo- one. The decision was approved by a majority of 85 rate governance in all its policies and activities that It’s not a percent of the shareholders who attended ordi- are subject to constant revision. “The shareholders’ nary and extraordinary meetings of the general equity in the bank grew by 1.8 percent to KD 562 one-man show assembly, Board Chairman Ali Mousa Al-Mousa million compared to the previous year, the third announced. largest in Kuwait. The total value of assets grew by “Although the majority of the shareholders vot- 7.1 percent year on year to KD 3.9 billion, the fifth ed for the move which was on the top of the agen- largest in the country’s banking sector,” Mousa said. da of the ordinary meeting, the decision does not The bank’s operating and net profits hit KD 102 take effect immediately - it is just a first step in a million and KD 23.5 million respectively in 2013, By Badrya Darwish legal process involving several studies and he added. The general assembly also approved approvals that will need time to implement before the recommendation of the board of directors to the shift,” he noted. “The general assembly also distribute cash dividends of 7 fils per share and approved the issuance of subordinate bonds with a bonus shares amounting to 11 percent for each KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait Board Chairman Ali Mousa total value of KD 120 million, keeping with the 100 shares. — KUNA (See Page 21 for chairman’s Al-Mousa speaks at a press conference yesterday. — Photo by [email protected] bank’s plans for expansion and the provisions of message) Yasser Al-Zayyat raffic! We talk about traffic in the morning, in the afternoon and midday. Some people living Why is Kuwait falling behind? There say that they even dream about traffic. It has been very bad on our streets and everybody has KUWAIT: With a youthful, well-educated ing the people of a country once seen as taken the problem lightly. population, strong relationships with a Middle East trailblazer. I have noticed that various government depart- both neighbors and world powers and This frustration is especially evident ments do not work in coordination with each other. If consecutive years of record budget sur- among young Kuwaitis, cosmopolitan this continues, there will be no serious solution to the pluses, major oil producer Kuwait should and often educated abroad, who com- traffic problem in Kuwait except trivial and silly be as dynamic a hub for the region as plain of bureaucratic red tape and dys- remarks attributing the traffic problem to expats. As if Dubai or Doha. But while others in the functional politics, but also acknowledge an expat is going to drive two cars at the same time. Gulf have powered ahead, attracting for- complacency among their fellow citi- Or the latest news from parliament, which was less eign investment and developing infra- zens. discriminatory - to fine Kuwaitis who have more than one car or driver. I have an answer to this: If I have structure, Kuwait has stagnated, frustrat- Continued on Page 15 two cars, I am not going to drive them at the same time. I say we stop suggesting such ideas and stop the Free wi-fi at airport animosity. I have said it many times before: It is not up to Abdulfattah Al-Ali (Assistant Undersecretary for KUWAIT: The Civil Aviation Authority agreement with a specialized company. Traffic at the Ministry of Interior) alone to solve the announced yesterday free wireless The wi-fi service is currently avail- problem. It is not a one-man show. Internet is now available at Kuwait able at the passengers’ entrance, lug- Abdulfattah has been panicking about the traffic KUWAIT: MPs are seen during a session of the Assembly yesterday. — KUNA International Airport (from April 1). The gage zones, transit section, departure too. I do not blame him for this. I blame him for inter- wi-fi service provided is of very high gates and other parts of the main air- fering with the freedom of the press, after he ordered speed and requires no password or code, port building. In the second phase of journalists from Al-Rai TV (a local Kuwaiti TV channel) Ghanem denies threats said Fawaz Abdul-Aziz Al-Farah, the chair- the project, the free service will be to stop filming on the streets of Kuwait a story man of the authority in a statement to available at the affiliate commercial focused on traffic. First of all, the streets are a public to dissolve Assembly KUNA. Users can access the Internet via complex, he said, affirming that it will place, so why can’t journalists film there? They are not free.airport.wi-fi, he said, indicating that be eventually provided in all areas of filming in Bayan Palace or inside the Ministry of HRW: Probe bedoon torture the service is provided following an the airport. — KUNA Interior or any other area where a special permission is needed. They are simply doing a story on traffic in a By B Izzak because under the constitution, only public place where any social media user can take a the Amir has such powers,” Ghanem photo and post it on Instagram or forward it with KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker told reporters outside the Assembly. Whatsapp. Is Abdulfattah Al Ali going to order all Marzouk Al-Ghanem denied yesterday He also said that most leaks from the those who take pictures with their mobile phones to that threats to dissolve the National closed session were incorrect and inac- be arrested? Assembly were issued during Tuesday’s curate, adding that MPs are not But this is not my issue. Abdulafattah Al-Ali and his closed session, saying only HH the Amir allowed to leak information made dur- department should meet other ministries, represen- has the power to dissolve the Assembly ing the secret sessions. Ghanem said tatives from the municipality, the public works and under the constitution. The Assembly that the postponement of the chil- transport ministries, as well as ministries of education agreed following a secret debate dren’s allowance and other issues with and health, the oil sector, etc. It is not a decision to be taken only by Abdulafattah Al-Ali to solve it. Tuesday to delay until the next term in a financial cost was the right decision How to change the timings of different sectors like October a draft law to raise the chil- to give the government enough time schools and separate the timings of primary and sec- dren’s allowance, which prompted the to prepare its financial strategy regard- ondary schools? Government employees could come rumors. “No one dares to threaten to ing wages, subsidies and others. a bit earlier or later than the school timings. The oil dissolve the National Assembly Continued on Page 15 sector can also adjust their timings to help traffic. These suggestions are not going to solve the prob- lem 100 percent, but I am sure that if they all sit together, they will come up with a solution to cut Sahara desert dust down at least 50 percent of the traffic jams in Kuwait. These are only temporary measures to solve the problem till a serious solution is reached, which is a brings smog to UK good, efficient and reliable transportation system. By the way, guys. Traffic is not a Kuwait problem LONDON: European pollution and dust The smog was caused by pollution from only. Most of the big cities in the world face conges- swirling in from the Sahara created a Britain and industrialized areas of the tion and they find solutions. There is no need to trav- “perfect storm” of smog in Britain yester- continent - trapped in place because of el to London or Paris - just look at our neighbors day, prompting authorities to warn peo- light winds - mixing with dust blown up Dubai. They have an excellent metro system and bus- ple with heart or lung conditions to cut from a storm in the Sahara desert. es that are used by many residents. Dear municipality down on tough physical exercise out- Many motorists across England awoke people, MPs and traffic departments, take a trip to doors. Air pollution in some areas this week to find cars covered in a film of Dubai. I am sure you all like Dubai. Look at the trans- reached the top rung on its 10-point red dust left by overnight rain. port system there. Discuss it and study it nicely. If you scale, the environment department said. Continued on Page 15 give us a very efficient bus system, I assure you I will stop using my car. Many others will do so too. Have a good day and light traffic on the way to your homes! Kuwaiti student stabbed to death BOURNEMOUTH, England: A Kuwaiti woman found dead in a Bournemouth flat was stabbed to death, an inquest has heard, the BBC reported yesterday.