Kuwait PM: Government won't stand against citizens interests

The government of Kuwait "has no objection" to take any step in the interest of citizens "and will never stand against it," His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah has said. "Some (people) might be confused over the government's position over the writing off of loans. This position is of two parts, and the government, which can never be against its people, has no objection to take any step in the interest of the Kuwaiti people," Sheikh Jaber said during a meeting with a number of Kuwaiti journalists. The government, he affirmed, would never undermine Kuwaiti banks "and the writing off of loans is an issue with technical and social dimensions, and both should be balanced." "Any decision we take should aim at preserving reputation of our banking sector at the regional and international level," he added. Sheikh Jaber said the issue was not about money to be paid to buy the interests of loans. "I think things are being solved ... without damaging our banks and citizens' interests." Speaking about housing, Sheikh Jaber said the government planned to build new cities, and that the minister of state for housing had invited international companies to build integrated cities. "The money has been allocated and the land is there, and what remains is to call the companies capable of building these cities," he said. Sheikh Jaber said he would work with the parliament to issue legislations to exempt housing projects from routine procedures, noting that construction companies might bring around 100,000 workers to the country and the red tape would derail this. Minister of state for cabinet affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah, meanwhile, said the government and parliament agreed to put as priority the insurance against unemployment. Sheikh Mohammad, also minister of state for municipal affairs, said other laws were the private sector bill, the small size enterprises, the BOT and the food authority. Other laws over the telecommunication authority, cooperative societies, uniform media, amending the nationality act and the use of open-space lands, he noted. Sheikh Mohammad added that laws of education, health, housing and retirees did not need changes. Minister of information Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, commenting, said the government would table the uniform media bill to the parliament once finished. Sheikh Salman, also minister of state for youth affairs, said there were legislative shortcomings in the press law was implemented, so the government amended the law and included the e-publishing and social media networks. This law, he added, would facilitate job of journalists. The government, he explained, replaced prison sentences with fines "which will boost Kuwait's media image." His Highness the Prime Minister, commenting on the government's image in media, said government projects were not properly displayed in media, contrary to other countries where "officials concentrate on marketing their development projects in media." Sheikh Salman, in the same vein, said the government formed a committee, which would write domestic and external media policies. The government, he added, was about to establish media offices in every state institution to interact with the public. The Prime Minister is keen on boosting role of media to ultimatley activate role of government's spokesman, said the information minister. Reacting to interaction with public, His Highness the Prime Minister said he would receive citizens once a week to hear their complaints against government bodies. Sheikh Jaber said he would punish any government official who fail to serve citizens properly. He added that the government was considering to give governorates more authorities, which would, for example, reduce traffic congestions. The private sector can play a role too, he said. Shifting to the parliament, Sheikh Jaber said the government believed MPs were free to state their views. He, however, denied allegations that so-called "Iraqi Mahdi Army" exist in Kuwait. Asked about some members of Al-Sabah family using media for personal agenda, Sheikh Jaber said "political ambitious among (ruling) family members is legitimate if it falls in interest of Kuwait. "Me and others were a source of anxiety ... to attract attention of the political leadership over our ambitions and vision to work and reform ... I am ready to listen to any member of the family," he said. On the composition of the population in Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber said the government planned to cut "unnecessary foreign workers" and to attract the "productive" expatriate with his family, and cracking down on expatriates living illegally in Kuwait. Sheikh Jaber said the government was sending under-cover persons to ministries and government departments to watch first-hand performance of employees. On relations with Iraq after a group of Iraqis hampered a UN team from carrying out maintenance of border signs and damaging a border fence, Sheikh Jaber said: "we have overcome this border problem, and agreed (with the Iraqi side) to remove (Iraqi) houses in the (border) area." He said His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met with Iraqi deputy prime minister during the Arab summit in Doha, Qatar, recently, and discussed the prime minister's visit to Baghdad. He added he was awaiting the Iraqis to offer the invitation. He said the visit would be important to iron out all sticky issues. Sheikh Jaber, on the other hand, dismissed allegations that Kuwaiti citizens were involved in a cell captured in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and accused of attemtping to topple the ruling regime. On how the government would spend surplus and reserve of future generations, Sheikh Jaber said the future generations should benefit from this reserve because "the country's oil production will stop during their live time. " He asserted that the reserve was in "safe condition and was not affected by the economic crisis." Sheikh Jaber denied he branded as "traitor" every Kuwaiti citizen who remained in the country during the 1990-91 Iraqi invasion and occupation of the country. This is nonesense, he said. "I have stayed for eight days during the invasion, following the situation on streets until they (legitimate) government and told me to leave the country to run Kuwait radio which was broadcasting from the Saudi city of Khafji."