RABI ALAWWAL 2, 1439 AH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2017 Max 29º 32 Pages 150 Fils Established 1961 Min 16º ISSUE NO: 17386 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Kuwait producing 3.15m bpd, Sinn Fein’s divisive leader to Driverless, electric future just Tete makes history with 5 committed to output cut deal 6 step down after over 30 years 22 round the corner for urban cars 13 fastest world title KO MoI reinstates decision to seize vehicles of violators Buckle up!: MP threatens to grill interior minister By B Izzak and the like. Showai said the decision had immediate impact on traffic, as accidents dropped from 375 on KUWAIT: An opposition MP yesterday said he will Nov 14 to 264 the following day, and that citations for grill Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah no-parking and parking on pavements dropped from after he ordered the re-introduction of a controversial 4,000 to just 150. decision to impound vehicles for traffic offences. The But MP Riyadh Al-Adasani strongly criticized the decision yesterday came just two days after the interior ministry’s reversal of the suspension of the decision and ministry suspended the decision following strong warned that he will question the interior minister in the protests by lawmakers and motorists, who saw the National Assembly. He said if the interior minister is penalties as too harsh. retained in the new Cabinet, he will give him some time The ministry had decided to seize vehicles for up to to scrap the decision, and if not, he will file to grill him, two months along with fines if drivers were caught using warning: “Buckle up, interior minister!” mobiles or not wearing a seatbelt while driving. After it Adasani claimed that the application of the penalties was implemented for one day, the ministry suspended in this harsh way is meant to benefit a private company the decision, saying that the interior minister will take a which has a contract with the interior ministry to tow final decision on the issue when he returns to the coun- the impounded vehicles and hold them for the duration try from an overseas trip. of the seizure. He alleged that the awarding of the con- Interior ministry officials yesterday held a press con- tract is suspected of involving corruption, adding that ference to explain their position on the new measures, he has sent a series of questions to the minister about which they said aim to protect the lives of motorists and the issue, but he already knows the answers. pedestrians. Acting director of the traffic department But Showai defended the ministry’s contract, say- Maj Gen Fahd Al-Showai said the decision also applies ing it was given to the Kuwait Public Transport Co to vehicles parked on pedestrian lanes or on pavements, since 2009, but the company this year demanded that in addition to motorcyclists who do not wear helmets. the rates be raised sharply. As a result, a new tender KUWAIT: Acting director of the traffic department Maj Gen Fahd Al-Showai (center) holds a press confer- But he said that the rule will not apply in humanitari- was offered and the private company was awarded ence yesterday. — KUNA an cases involving senior citizens, women, sick people the contract. Sacked as party The memo demanded that no family residency permit be New curbs, higher given to children living in the country unless the father has a leader, Mugabe valid residency permit, while a mother cannot sponsor her children, except those with specialized skills needed in the fees, fines eyed to country. The memo also calls for not allowing the reentry of agrees to resign drivers, mandoubs or those with article 20 residencies - HARARE: Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe is who left the country or whose residencies were revoked cut expat numbers resigning after nearly four decades in power, according due to being out of the country for over six months - before to an official close to the talks on his departure, in an KUWAIT: The supreme committee on dealing with the two years have elapsed, unless it is for the same sponsor. extraordinary end for the world’s oldest head of state population structure imbalance has recommended several The memo said domestic helpers at embassies will be who had vowed to rule until death. The news came measures to achieve a higher growth rate of Kuwaitis, allowed to leave, and it was coordinated with the interior hours after the ruling party’s Central Committee yester- HARARE: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe according to reports in local dailies. It called to restrict ministry to give the domestic help department of the interi- day fired Mugabe as party leader and said if he didn’t meets defense forces generals at State House yes- bringing in domestic helpers by imposing higher fees, or ministry the authority to arrest violators who carry arti- resign as the country’s president by noon today, it terday. — AP reduce the number of visas issued per person per year cle 20 residencies and work in bogus domestic help offices. would start impeachment proceedings. from five to three, and toughen the punishment of residency Meanwhile, informed sources at the Civil Service Mugabe later addressed the nation on state-run tele- law violators by imposing a fine of KD 4 per day to a maxi- Commission said the reduction in the number of expats Mugabe speaking Clinging to his virtually powerless vision. The 93-year-old Mugabe has been under house mum of KD 1,000. working in ministries and government departments will not post, Mugabe earlier yesterday discussed his exit with arrest since the military moved in Tuesday, angered by The committee announced other steps, procedures and happen suddenly. Ministerial sources said the Cabinet has the army commander who put him under house arrest his firing of his longtime deputy and the positioning of executive mechanisms to limit the increase in expats, who given a green light to concerned authorities to reduce the days ago, in a second round of negotiations at the State unpopular first lady Grace Mugabe to succeed him. outnumber citizens three to one. Security measures result- number of expats in the public sector based on a recom- House building where Mugabe holds official functions, a Mugabe tried to buy time in negotiations with the ed in deporting 1,238 roaming vendors and suspending mendation by the supreme committee. The sources appre- symbol of the rule of the man who took power after military on a dignified exit but quickly found himself 1,529 files through intensified campaigns and inspection of ciated the efforts of the committee headed by Social Affairs independence from white minority rule in 1980. isolated. Tens of thousands of people poured into the residency and labor law violators. and Labor Minister Hind Al-Sabeeh. Meanwhile, members of the ZANU-PF party’s streets of the capital Saturday to demand that Mugabe, A memo issued by the social affairs ministry and sent to Sources said the committee has taken effective meas- Central Committee stood, cheered and sang as Mugabe one of Africa’s last remaining liberation leaders, step the National Assembly said the supreme committee told the ures to adjust the population structure without affecting the was recalled. Meeting chair Obert Mpofu referred to aside after overseeing the once-prosperous country’s interior ministry and the manpower authority to not marketplace and requirements of development projects, as him as “outgoing president” and called it a “sad day” for economic collapse. The deputy whom Mugabe fired, approve the transfer of a woman’s residency permit in case well as private sector needs. The sources added the man- Mugabe after his decades in power. “He has been our former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is of divorce to work in the private sector, and ensure workers power authority has written to government authorities to leader for a long time and we have all learned a great poised to be Zimbabwe’s next leader after the Central on temporary government contracts leave the country as reduce the number of expats in ministries by 25 percent in deal from him,” Mpofu said. But Mugabe “surrounded Committee made him its nominee to take over when soon as the contract period is over. the fields of security and cleaning. himself with a wicked cabal” that brought him down. Mugabe goes. Continued on Page 11 efforts, adding that no theory had yet Rescuers battle been ruled out at to what happened to Saudis, Bahrain the vessel. The calls revived hopes that the sub- waves, wind in marine has surfaced, but a powerful target Iran, Hezb storm that has whipped up waves reach- hunt for missing ing seven meters in height has made at Arab League geolocation difficult, officials said. There Argentine sub is a feeling of “cautious enthusiasm,” CAIRO: Saudi Arabia yesterday asked fellow naval expert Fernando Morales told C5N Arab nations to take a “serious and honest” BUENOS AIRES: A multinational television yesterday. He said the attempt stand against Iran, saying that showing armada of aircraft and vessels battled to use a satellite phone indicates that leniency toward Tehran would only encourage high winds and giant waves yesterday as “the submarine had to emerge to a depth it to press on with its “aggression” and “med- they intensified their search for a missing that allowed the call”. dling” in the internal affairs of Arab countries. Argentine submarine, after attempted The last regular communication with Addressing a meeting of Arab foreign minis- distress calls raised hopes the 44 crew the San Juan was at 1030 GMT on ters in Cairo, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al- members may still be alive.