SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014 MUHARRAM 5, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Amir on Bahrain Macy’s heads Anelka makes brotherly bans main overseas with nightmarish visit to opposition branch in comeback Saudi Arabia3 group 7 Abu21 Dhabi in19 India Amir warns against oil Max 33º Min 21º dependence, terrorism High Tide 01:50 & 16:10 Low Tide PM calls to ‘tighten belts’ Speaker blasts opposition 09:25 & 21:25 40 PAGES NO: 16326 150 FILS • from the editor’s desk It’s time to get to work By Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan [email protected] is Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah opened the 14th Hsession of Kuwait’s National Assembly yes- terday, urging lawmakers and the government to control spending and diversify Kuwait’s economy in the face of falling oil prices. “Here again, we are witnessing another cycle of sliding oil prices as a result of economic and politi- cal factors hitting the global economy, which is negatively affecting the national economy,” the KUWAIT: (From left) HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem attend the opening session of the new parliamentary term yesterday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat and KUNA Amir said. “I call on you, government and Assembly, to shoulder your national responsibility to issue the required legislation and decisions to By B Izzak safeguard our oil and fiscal wealth which is not for KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- us alone but also for our future generations,” Ahmad Al-Sabah yesterday opened the new parliamen- Sheikh Sabah said. tary term by urging the government and MPs to take The Amir is right. It is time for Kuwait to think of actions to rationalize spending and stop squandering of her future. It is time to put differences aside. To wealth, especially in light of the drop in oil prices. The stop fiddling with the game of politics and look to Amir also warned against the violence sweeping many where we want to be in 10 years, in 20 years, in the countries in the region and called for national unity and next century. Unlike many of our Gulf neighbors, for combating terrorism that is crossing borders and Kuwait has become bogged down with the trivial destabilizing the region. and forgotten the fundamental. We have lost our The Amir recalled that he has repeatedly appealed vision and our drive. We have lost our place as the for economic development and for launching produc- pearl of the Gulf and it’s high time we reclaim it. tive economic activities to provide jobs for the youth Echoing the Amir, the honorable Prime Minister and to diversify the sources of income in order to Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah also noted that reduce the dependence of national economy on oil. the government needs “greater cooperation and “Here again, we are witnessing another cycle of sliding an adequate atmosphere so that the Assembly oil prices as a result of economic and political factors hitting the global economy, which is negatively affect- plays its legislative and supervisory role to be a full ing the national economy,” the Amir said. partner in shouldering the national responsibili- “I call on you, government and Assembly, to shoulder ties” for the development of Kuwait. your national responsibility to issue the required Continued on Page 13 Continued on Page 13 UAE builders face cash crunch DUBAI/ABU DHABI: Look at computer models for the Venice-like Arabian Canal proposed for central Dubai, or the plans for the world’s biggest shopping mall, and it seems as if the collapse of the United Arab Emirates real estate market six years ago never happened. Citibank estimated earlier this year that there were already two thirds of a tril- lion dollars worth of con- struction projects under- way in the UAE. That was before Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al- Maktoum unveiled models of the Mall of the World, a glassed-in city complete with an air-conditioned Times Square and Oxford Street and Earth’s biggest indoor theme park. But beneath the soaring cranes and the glass and steel domes, all is not well for builders, who have found massive amounts of work but profit margins squeezed and developers slow to pay bills. And that means some of the glam- orous new mega-projects may fall well behind schedule. The UAE is recov- ering strongly from the 2008-2009 financial crisis which battered its real estate market. Continued on Page 13 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014 LOCAL Amir departs for Saudi Arabia on brotherly visit KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah the National Guard Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al- Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the Director of the Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah departed Kuwait Jaber Al-Sabah, HH Sheikh Nasser Al- Office of HH the Amir Ahmad Al-Fahad, Amiri yesterday on his way to Saudi Arabia on a visit Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Minister of Chief of Protocols Sheikh Khaled Al-Abdullah Al- described as ‘brotherly.’ Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al- Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, Amiri Diwan Bidding farewell to HH the Amir was HH the Ahmad Al-Sabah and other ministers. Secretary for Media and Cultural Affairs Yousef Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- HH the Amir is being accompanied by an Al-Roumi and Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly official delegation including First Deputy Arabia Sheikh Thamer Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, Deputy Chief of Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah. — KUNA UK Home Office delegation visits Kuwait KUWAIT: A delegation from the British Home Office, led by the Chief Operating Officer for UK Border Force, Mr Philip Duffy, will be visiting Kuwait 29-30 October. Their objective is to further enhance the close coopera- tion between the UK and Kuwait in the areas of migra- tion and visas. This visit follows up from discussions on migration that took place during the UK-Kuwait Joint Steering Group in June 2014 and has been facilitated by Europe Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During their visit, the delegation will meet with a delegation from the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior, led by Major General Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, HE Mr Saleh KUWAIT: Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium Andy Detaille visited Kuwait Times and Al-Fadhala, Chairman of the Central Apparatus for the discussed matters of mutual concern with Editor-In-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan. Resolution of the Situation of Illegal Residents, civil — Photo by Joseph Shagra society groups, and pay a visit to Kuwait International Airport. The visit aims to further improve migration coopera- Chief Palestinian tion and exchange of information between the two his- toric allies ahead of the planned implementation of the Electronic Visa Waiver system for Kuwait in 2016. Mr negotiator meets envoys Duffy and his colleagues will also seek to address and respond to any questions or concerns from the Kuwaiti KUWAIT: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) side regarding the current visa issuing system in Kuwait Executive Committee Member, Head of the Women in attendence take “selfies” during yesterday’s session - which continues to process over 110,000 visas a year, Negotiation Affairs Department Dr Saeb Erekat and look to improve cooperation between the UK and met several accredited Arab ambassadors to Kuwait in countering illegal migration and document Kuwait, in addition to Palestinian community Speaker hopes for major fraud. representatives at the house of Palestine’s Ambassador to Kuwait Rami Tahboob. In their discussions, the delegation will touch on the Dr Erekat briefed the gathering with political issue of those entering the UK claiming to be stateless developments in the region in general and accomplishments Bidoon from Kuwait, and express the UK’s gratitude for Palestine in particular, as well as the blatant Israeli the improved exchange of information, which assists KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker ing units annually, in comparison to the attacks on Jerusalem. Dr Erekat is expected to the British authorities in correctly identifying these indi- meet with First Deputy Prime Minister and Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanim expressed confi- past 15 years when only 3,000 housing viduals. dence in the ability of the new term of the units were delivered, per year. Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad The UK maintains its position that the wider issue is Parliament to make positive achievements, Other achievements of the pervious Al-Sabah during his visit to Kuwait. best solved through swift implementation of the gov- noted some “files have remained unre- legislative term were setting up the Dr Erekat arrived in Kuwait Monday to deliver ernment’s plan to naturalise those individuals eligible solved” and criticized slow pace of execut- Constitutional Court to which people can a lecture as part of the Palestine Cultural Week ing mega development projects. file suits against challenging laws, approv- for Kuwaiti nationality and regularise the situation for which kicked off Sunday under the patronage of The Speaker, in his speech at the open- ing health insurance for retired citizens, the remainder through a fair and impartial process, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, ing ceremony of the National Assembly’s mandating equal pensions for all citizens without prejudice to any individual’s basic rights. in cooperation with the embassy of Palestine. Saeb Erekat third session of the 14th legislative term, and endorsing a law approving establish- expressed confidence that the new term’s ment of self-funded sports clubs.