Manama: Kuwait’s Social Affairs and Labour Minister Hind Al Sabeeh has breezed through a no-confidence motion charging financial and administrative irregularities in her ministry.
MPs Al Hameedi Al Subai, Mubarak Al Hajraf and Khalid Al Otaibi had filed the motion to grill Al Sabeeh.
During a marathon questioning of the minister at the parliament on January 23, a no-confidence motion was endorsed by ten lawmakers.
Under the parliament bylaws, ten lawmakers are required to go ahead with the motion that would decide the fate of the minister.
However, the no-confidence motion must be approved by 25 lawmakers to become effective and remove the minister.
On Wednesday, out of the 45 lawmakers present at the session, only 13 MPs voted against the minister while 29 supported her and three abstained from voting in a resounding success for Al Sabeeh who was subsequently congratulated by the Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad, Speaker Marzooq Al Ghanim and supporters.
Al Sabeeh told reporters that she would continue treading on the path of reforms and would work to address all errors and imbalances in the agencies within her prerogatives.
“We are all humans and as such, we make mistakes, but we do recognize them and we try to ix them,” she said. “We are in a state of institutions and the future is brighter through the application of the law, the deterrence of corruption and the provision of better services.”
The minister said there was a bright aspect to the grilling.
“It was an opportunity to display the achievements accomplished by the employees in all the departments. It was also an eye-opener that helped identify deficiencies that had not been reported to me earlier. We will now work together to address them and ensure higher standards.”
Timetable:
• January 11: Three lawmakers file motion to grill Hind Al Sabeeh over alleged irregularities.
• January 23: Marathon grilling of Al Sabee at the parliament. Ten lawmakers vote for no-confidence motion.
• January 31: No-confidence motion is defeated 29 to 13. Al Sabeeh keeps her post.
