By KUNA,
Kuwait : Three candidates in the first constituency were reviewing their agendas, as were others, to convince would-be voters they were the right choice of representatives in the nation’s parliament and the one’s to address the great challenges ahead.
Bader Aqeel, Mubarak Al-Hreis, and Salem Al-Uthayna addressed at a joint seminar Saturday night issues including women affairs, harmony between the authorities, development in the state and better government performance.
Aqeel said Kuwaiti women are entitled to the same care and obliged to contribute to the state’s development as their male counterpart. However, due to their many roles in society and in the family setting, it makes sense they have the option of retirement after 15 years in service and that state institutions offer day-care services for employees. He also urged more care for Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis.
Al-Hreis said progress on any front requires both harmony between the executive and legislative authorities and choice of the right man for the right position to steer this process of development. This would mean a chance, finally, to execute mega-development projects so far kept in drawers over administrative corruption.
As for Al-Uthayna, he said government performance and level and quality of interaction with parliament could be improved through a joint committee that mediates and coordinates between the executive and the legislative powers at times of tension. He also noted there is need to act over the oil prices and prices of commodities and services issues. Though oil prices bring surplus when they hike, they also mean higher cost of commodities and food items the state imports.
The first constituency covers 19 residential areas of 65,741 voters, including 35,671 women.
In the second constituency, candidate Marzouq Al-Ghanem said no matter what the issue, optimism as we address it is vital for success. He noted the dissolved parliament failed in some aspects, but can not be said to have failed in all. He was addressing a seminar entitled “Do not despair.” While the negative points included over-stress and waste of time on marginal issues and cancellations of sessions over lack of quorum, the positive points included passing several laws of great benefit like the law on monopoly, on the BOT, on encroachments on state property, and tax laws, among others.
The candidate pointed out the parliament also contributed to solutions for the housing problem, adding the solution is hiking supply rather than bringing up housing loan.
Al-Ghanem also said there is need to act on the issue of the illegal residents, many of whom are illiterate and stand to cause many problems for the Kuwaiti society. He also called for upholding the constitution in terms of the government presenting a clear working program and being held accountable for its implementation.
The second constituency covers 13 residential areas of 41,365 voters, including 22,103 women.
In the third constituency, candidate Abdelkereem bin Haydar said representing the people in parliament is a great responsibility rather than privilege and a means to help ensure development, equal opportunities, social justice, and freedoms to benefit all Kuwaitis alike.
He said the Kuwaiti Constitution is the point of reference and a fitting one, as it relies on the principles stated in the Holy Quran and Islamic principles such as Shura (deliberation).
The candidate also stressed the importance of separating the prerogatives of the authorities to avoid friction and the need for specialists and men of law and adequate background among MPs.
Still in the third constituency, candidate Ghanima Al-Haydar noted the housing issue is a main concern for the Kuwaiti family and that the state has the resources to solve this problem, whether through construction of housing compounds or giving families housing loans.
She also pointed out the ambitious calls to render the state a regional financial center and said efforts toward such goal could benefit from the state’s stability, its strategic location, the free flow of capital, and should be supported by boosting local product and restraining the loans phenomenon.
She also said the dissolved parliament achieved several things, and the new one should strive to serve the public on the other issues that remain to be solved. Political reform, she stressed, remains a priority.
The third constituency covers 58,674 voters, including 33,056 women.