KUWAIT: MP urges govt to tax expats for the ‘air they breathe’


kuwaittimes, 31-10-2018 21:06:59


Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print


MP Safa Al-Hashem

MP urges govt to tax expats for the ‘air they breathe’

Panel votes to keep membership of jailed MPs

KUWAIT: Just back from an International Parliamentary Conference where she was elected as a deputy committee chairman, MP Safa Al-Hashem didn’t waste much time in calling again for taxing expatriates for the air they breathe in the country. Hashem, the only female member in the 50-seat Assembly, said that “expatriates must be charged for everything, for medical services, infrastructure and again I say for the air they breathe here”.

The lawmaker was objecting to a proposal by the government to study a taxation law as part of the government development plan. “It will be applied on Kuwaitis only on my dead body” screamed Hashem at a press conference in the National Assembly after attending a meeting for the committee entrusted to find jobs for Kuwaitis by replacing expatriate jobs.

She insisted that no taxation or charges will be imposed on Kuwaitis before the government amends the highly demographic structure which is highly in favor of expatriates, saying there are just under 1.4 million Kuwaitis for as many as 3.2 million expatriates. She said that the government must first find jobs for the 14,000 unemployed Kuwaitis and tackle the problem of over 110,000 illiterate expatriates in the country, asking “why are they here in the first place”.

In the meantime, the National Assembly Legal and Legislative Committee voted yesterday to maintain the membership of two lawmakers despite receiving final jail sentences triggering a constitutional and political controversy. The Cassation Court in July sentenced MPs Waleed Al-Tabtabai and Jamaan Al-Harbash to jail along with 13 former MPs and opposition activists for entering the National Assembly building during a protest in November 2011.

MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said the committee’s decision, taken by five votes against two, was based on articles in the constitution, the election law and the internal charter of the National Assembly. He said these articles clearly give the National Assembly the right to debate whether to revoke the membership of lawmakers or not, adding that the Assembly used the same articles to keep the membership of MP Khalaf Dumaither after he was convicted in a final court order.

Chairman of the committee MP Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie said the panel discussed two opinions: one saying the Assembly can discuss the issue and take decision while the other stressed the membership of the two lawmakers has been lost automatically after they were handed the jail term.

He said the panel however supported the first opinion and its report will be sent to the national assembly for a vote tomorrow when the assembly opens its new term. The two lawmakers who opposed the decision Ahmad Al-Fadhl and Khaled Al-Shatti cried foul insisting that it is a clear breach of the constitution and Kuwaiti laws. MP Shatti even claimed that the government has instructed “its lawmakers” to vote in favor of the decision. The final decision will be taken by all MPs including the cabinet ministers and to survive the Tabtabai and Harbash need a simple majority of the house.

In the meantime, opposition MP Abdulwahab Al-Babtain said yesterday that 12 MPs met yesterday and decided to form a bloc to support the two lawmakers to maintain their seats in the assembly. Tabtabai and Harbash, who have been living in Turkey since the verdict was issued, thanked the committee for its decision on their respective Twitter accounts. If the assembly agrees to keep their membership, they will enjoy parliamentary immunity and can return to Kuwait and participate in the works of the Assembly.


Comments on this Article
Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai Fri, November-2-2018, 11:33
Fekugiri has now gone Global ...
Agree[1]
Write your Comments on this Article
Your Name
Native Place / Place of Residence
Your E-mail
Your Comment   You have characters left.
Security Validation
Enter the characters in the image above
    
Disclaimer: Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Kemmannu.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.
Please note that under 66A of the IT Act, sending offensive or menacing messages through electronic communication service and sending false messages to cheat, mislead or deceive people or to cause annoyance to them is punishable. It is obligatory on kemmannu.com to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request. Hence, sending offensive comments using kemmannu.com will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Kemmannu.com be held responsible.
Similarly, Kemmannu.com reserves the right to edit / block / delete the messages without notice any content received from readers.




Symphony98 Releases Soul-Stirring Rendition of Len
View More

Way Of Cross on Good Friday 2024 | Live From | St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu, Udupi | LIVEWay Of Cross on Good Friday 2024 | Live From | St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu, Udupi | LIVE
Good Friday 2024 | St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu | LIVE | UdupiWay Of Cross on Good Friday 2024 | Live From | St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu, Udupi | LIVE
2 BHK Flat for sale on the 6th floor of Eden Heritage, Santhekatte, Kallianpur, Udupi2 BHK Flat for sale on the 6th floor of Eden Heritage,  Santhekatte, Kallianpur, Udupi.
Maundy Thursday 2024 | LIVE From St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu | Udupi |Maundy Thursday 2024 | LIVE From St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu | Udupi |
Kemmennu for sale 1 BHK 628 sqft, Air Conditioned flatKemmennu for sale 1 BHK 628 sqft, Air Conditioned  flat
Symphony98 Releases Soul-Stirring Rendition of Lenten Hymn "Khursa Thain"Symphony98 Releases Soul-Stirring Rendition of Lenten Hymn
Palm Sunday 2024 at St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu | LIVEPalm Sunday 2024 at St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu | LIVE
Final Journey of Patrick Oliveira (83 years) || LIVE From KemmannuFinal Journey of Patrick Oliveira (83 years) || LIVE From Kemmannu
Carmel School Science Exhibition Day || Kmmannu ChannelCarmel School Science Exhibition Day || Kmmannu Channel
Final Journey of Prakash Crasta | LIVE From Kemmannu || Kemmannu ChannelFinal Journey of Prakash Crasta | LIVE From Kemmannu || Kemmannu Channel
ಪ್ರಗತಿ ಮಹಿಳಾ ಮಹಾ ಸಂಘ | ಸ್ತ್ರೀಯಾಂಚ್ಯಾ ದಿಸಾಚೊ ಸಂಭ್ರಮ್ 2024 || ಸಾಸ್ತಾನ್ ಘಟಕ್ಪ್ರಗತಿ ಮಹಿಳಾ ಮಹಾ ಸಂಘ | ಸ್ತ್ರೀಯಾಂಚ್ಯಾ ದಿಸಾಚೊ ಸಂಭ್ರಮ್ 2024 || ಸಾಸ್ತಾನ್ ಘಟಕ್
Valentine’s Day Special❤️||Multi-lingual Covers || Symphony98 From KemmannuValentine’s Day Special❤️||Multi-lingual Covers || Symphony98 From Kemmannu
Final Journey of Lionel John Lewis (74 years) | LIVE from Milagres Cathedral | Kallianpur | UdupiFinal Journey of Lionel John Lewis (74 years) | LIVE from Milagres Cathedral | Kallianpur | Udupi
Rozaricho Gaanch December 2023 issue, Mount Rosary Church Santhekatte Kallianpur, UdupiRozaricho Gaanch December 2023 issue, Mount Rosary Church Santhekatte Kallianpur, Udupi
An Ernest Appeal From Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, Diocese of UdupiAn Ernest Appeal From Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, Diocese of Udupi
Diocese of Udupi - Uzvd Decennial Special IssueDiocese of Udupi - Uzvd Decennial Special Issue
Final Journey Of Canute Pinto (52 years) | LIVE From Mount Rosary Church | Kallianpura | UdupiFinal Journey Of Canute Pinto (52 years) | LIVE From Mount Rosary Church | Kallianpura | Udupi
Earth Angels Anniversary | Comedy Show 2024 | Live From St. Theresa’s Church | Kemmannu | UdupiEarth Angels Anniversary | Comedy Show 2024 | Live From St. Theresa’s Church | Kemmannu | Udupi
Vespers 2024 | St. Theresa’s Church, KemmannuVespers 2024 | St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu
Annual Church Feast 2024 | St. Theresa’s Church, KemmannuAnnual Church Feast 2024 | St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu
Confraternity Sunday | St. Theresa’s Church, KemmannuConfraternity Sunday | St. Theresa’s Church, Kemmannu
Kemmannu Cricket Match 2024 | LIVE from KemmannuKemmannu Cricket Match 2024 | LIVE from Kemmannu
CHRISTMAS MASS-2023 | St. Theresa’s Church | Live from Kemmannu | UdupiCHRISTMAS MASS-2023 | St. Theresa’s Church | Live from Kemmannu | Udupi
Annual Day 2023 | Carmel English School, Live From KemmannuAnnual Day 2023 | Carmel English School, Live From Kemmannu
Naturya - Taste of Namma Udupi - Order NOWNaturya - Taste of Namma Udupi - Order NOW
New Management takes over Bannur Mutton, Santhekatte, Kallianpur. Visit us and feel the difference.New Management takes over Bannur Mutton, Santhekatte, Kallianpur. Visit us and feel the difference.
Easter 2023 - Milrachi Lara From Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, UdupiEaster 2023 - Milrachi Lara From Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur, Udupi
Focus Studio, Near Hotel Kidiyoor, UdupiFocus Studio, Near Hotel Kidiyoor, Udupi