Parliament sketches anti-corruption procedures
Daily Star, Thursday, November 24, 2005
Compiled by Daily Star staff
KUWAIT: The National Assembly's Anti-Corruption Committee announced on Wednesday the outline of its conduct procedures after a sub-committee presented a report about the procedures.
In a press statement, committee convener MP Musallam Al-Barrak said the committee will ask the Cabinet to supply it with the reports of the Citizen Service and Governmental Bodies Assessment Apparatus regarding exposed corruption cases.
He added that the committee will examine the report closely and will constantly keep track of claims of corruption brought up by MPs in accordance with official procedures.
He explained that the committee is eager to counter the least hint of corruption within the Parliament after the claims that were made by Sheikh Meshaal Al-Jarrah, who will be dealt with according to hard evidence.
During a television interview last October, Sheikh Meshaal claimed that the Cabinet had paid some MPs seven million Kuwaiti dinars in the form of bribes to approve a bill that granted women their full political rights.
While the committee will meet once every two weeks and the sub-committee will convene once a week, Al-Barrak added that the committee will handle all corruption claims with absolute privacy after receiving them through an assigned fax number that will be announced in newspapers.
MP Nasser Al-Sane earlier stated that the government's recent efforts in combating corruption proved to be useless, as the government itself is involved in its own corruption.
Al-Sane said that corruption will damage the development process in the country. He added in that the interference of both the Cabinet and a number of legislators made combating corruption a difficult struggle.
"Corruption isn't only found in Kuwait; it is present in countries all over the world. Those who practice it use the most recent technologies to cover up their tracks. This makes it difficult to prove anything against them, so people end up feeling frustrated and just give up," Al-Sane said.
"Corruption is the main obstacle standing in the way of investments. People need to shed light on this issue either by using the media to expose it or by filing suits against those who practice it. I also think that non-governmental organizations should allocate more money to help fight this problem. I was surprised when I learned that one of the ministries spent 720,000 Kuwaiti dinars to buy ice. This proves that there is no type of monitoring system overlooking those who control the nation's wealth," he continued.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs Mohammed Dhaifallah Sharar had previously said that combating corruption within the government requires additional legislatives and developing administrative procedures to eradicate such phenomenon. He added that the government along with people must work together to end the routine.
"It is imperative to implement the concept of a 'comprehensive employee,' who should be capable of performing all work requirements without the need to compel applicants to take another trip to other governmental institutions, or the need for a superior's intervention in the work of the employee," affirmed Sharar.
Also, General Coordinator of the Labor Syndicate Blocs and Chairperson of Civil Workers at the Ministry of Interior Bader Al-Enezi affirmed that labor blocs have collaborated with each other to carry out a national popular campaign to combat corruption by fighting this phenomenon with all available and legal means.
Al-Enezi said, "The blocs have been preparing for this campaign for more than two months. The citizens' service personnel have also submitted two monthly reports that include corruption affairs, and extraordinary Cabinet sessions have treated the diffusion of this phenomenon in governmental bodies.
"After several meetings, the labor blocs have agreed to launch this campaign," added Al-Enezi, hoping that all societies and NGOs will contribute so as to achieve the desired goals.
Also, Al-Enezi asserted that all the nine labor blocs believe that social institutions should have an active role in society in the face of its deteriorating situation.
Meanwhile, Director of the National Anti-Corruption Campaign Khaled Al-Marjah said that NGOs should work hand-in-hand with public authorities regarding all issues related to
public goods; especially that the government has admitted to the existence of corruption in its different bodies.
"The campaign's program includes an advertisement and information promotion as well as symposiums given by the elite of the society, in order to stimulate citizens to interact with the campaign's call and get involved in the anti-corruption war by submitting their complaints and propositions," added Al-Marjah.
KUWAIT: The National Assembly's Anti-Corruption Committee announced on Wednesday the outline of its conduct procedures after a sub-committee presented a report about the procedures.
In a press statement, committee convener MP Musallam Al-Barrak said the committee will ask the Cabinet to supply it with the reports of the Citizen Service and Governmental Bodies Assessment Apparatus regarding exposed corruption cases.
He added that the committee will examine the report closely and will constantly keep track of claims of corruption brought up by MPs in accordance with official procedures.
He explained that the committee is eager to counter the least hint of corruption within the Parliament after the claims that were made by Sheikh Meshaal Al-Jarrah, who will be dealt with according to hard evidence.
During a television interview last October, Sheikh Meshaal claimed that the Cabinet had paid some MPs seven million Kuwaiti dinars in the form of bribes to approve a bill that granted women their full political rights.
While the committee will meet once every two weeks and the sub-committee will convene once a week, Al-Barrak added that the committee will handle all corruption claims with absolute privacy after receiving them through an assigned fax number that will be announced in newspapers.
MP Nasser Al-Sane earlier stated that the government's recent efforts in combating corruption proved to be useless, as the government itself is involved in its own corruption.
Al-Sane said that corruption will damage the development process in the country. He added in that the interference of both the Cabinet and a number of legislators made combating corruption a difficult struggle.
"Corruption isn't only found in Kuwait; it is present in countries all over the world. Those who practice it use the most recent technologies to cover up their tracks. This makes it difficult to prove anything against them, so people end up feeling frustrated and just give up," Al-Sane said.
"Corruption is the main obstacle standing in the way of investments. People need to shed light on this issue either by using the media to expose it or by filing suits against those who practice it. I also think that non-governmental organizations should allocate more money to help fight this problem. I was surprised when I learned that one of the ministries spent 720,000 Kuwaiti dinars to buy ice. This proves that there is no type of monitoring system overlooking those who control the nation's wealth," he continued.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs Mohammed Dhaifallah Sharar had previously said that combating corruption within the government requires additional legislatives and developing administrative procedures to eradicate such phenomenon. He added that the government along with people must work together to end the routine.
"It is imperative to implement the concept of a 'comprehensive employee,' who should be capable of performing all work requirements without the need to compel applicants to take another trip to other governmental institutions, or the need for a superior's intervention in the work of the employee," affirmed Sharar.
Also, General Coordinator of the Labor Syndicate Blocs and Chairperson of Civil Workers at the Ministry of Interior Bader Al-Enezi affirmed that labor blocs have collaborated with each other to carry out a national popular campaign to combat corruption by fighting this phenomenon with all available and legal means.
Al-Enezi said, "The blocs have been preparing for this campaign for more than two months. The citizens' service personnel have also submitted two monthly reports that include corruption affairs, and extraordinary Cabinet sessions have treated the diffusion of this phenomenon in governmental bodies.
"After several meetings, the labor blocs have agreed to launch this campaign," added Al-Enezi, hoping that all societies and NGOs will contribute so as to achieve the desired goals.
Also, Al-Enezi asserted that all the nine labor blocs believe that social institutions should have an active role in society in the face of its deteriorating situation.
Meanwhile, Director of the National Anti-Corruption Campaign Khaled Al-Marjah said that NGOs should work hand-in-hand with public authorities regarding all issues related to
public goods; especially that the government has admitted to the existence of corruption in its different bodies.
"The campaign's program includes an advertisement and information promotion as well as symposiums given by the elite of the society, in order to stimulate citizens to interact with the campaign's call and get involved in the anti-corruption war by submitting their complaints and propositions," added Al-Marjah.
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