By KUNA,
Kuwait : Candidates contending for seats in the 50-member National Assembly have pursued the run-up electoral campaign emphasizing the vital necessity of commitment to democracy and upgrading heatlh services, with some regreting that the country remained heavily dependent on oil.
Abdullal Al-Yahiah, running in the second constituency of the parliamentary elections, due on May 17, told attendees of his last night’s seminar that he considered the health services in the country as “bad,” in shadow of the surplus of financial income.
These services have been short of the aspired level, in terms of skills and number of the medical staff, the hospitals and clinics that have not been upgraded since a long period of time, the nominee protested at his rally.
On housing, he called for shortening the period of waiting for housing applicants, allocating new land plots and reviewing the housing loans in light of the soaring inflation and high prices of necessities.
This constituency comprises 13 districts, with an electorate of 41,365, including 22,103 females.
Naji Al-Abdul Hadi, a candidate of the third constituency, called at his seminar for solid adherence to democracy.
He called for a government, practical development scheme, activation of the civil associations, protection of public funds and ensuring independence of the executive authority.
This constituency comprises 15 neighborhoods. The number of the voters stands at 58,674, with 33,056 women.
Meanwhile, the candidate of the first constituency, Dr. Mohammad Hassan Al-Kanderi praised women role in the electoral process and the five-constituency system hoping that it would “enhance the level of the awareness among the voters.” He expressed regret that Kuwait remained heavily dependent on oil as an income source and called for pressing ahead with plans of transforming it into a business hub.
Many candidates have regretted that the national debelopment process remained of slow pace, in shadow of high income resulting from soaring oil prices that have crossed the USD 100 per barrel.
Kuwait is a major crude producer with some 2.5 million barrels a day.
Authorities have set May 17 as the date for the parliamentary elections, to be held for the first time on the basis of five constituencies. The previous system that brought the former parliament that was dissolved by HH the Amir in March was based on 25 constituencies.