In an extensive interview with the Arabic-language daily newspaper, "Al-Rai, " Sheikh Nasser affirmed that the recently-approved pay raise of 120 Kuwaiti dinars would cost the state KD 1.3 billion, and that despite the endorsement of the salary hike, members of the National Assembly campaigned for an additional KD 50 raise that would add to the burden of the budget and cost some KD 465 million.
"Regretfully, we have tried to dissuade our brothers in the assembly and our stance is clear, we have told them this issue is hard and we reject it, we reject, it, we reject it, because we are responsible for the next generations, for we have deducted from their (reserve) fund … We have tried year after another to re-finance the fund but we could not," Sheikh Nasser said.
His Highness the prime minister noted that the decision makers, either executives or legislators, should think about the prospected age of the country’s basic wealth, the oil. "How many years remain of the age of the oil, 20, 30 or 200 years, this is not the issue, neither is the price of the oil .. the price may drop to four dollars per barrel .. we must think about the promotion of investments and be ready for the day when the oil dries up." Sheikh Nasser, whose cabinet tendered resignation before the recent dissolution of the parliament, reiterated his dismay at recurring interpellations by the members of the assembly of the executives. "I had always tried to resolve the crisis, but we were embroiled in a problem after another and we tried in vain to resolve them," he added, reflecting on the strained atmosphere between the legislative and executive authorities before the dissolution of the assembly.
"In 20 or 30 years, there will be alternatives to all resources, so we have to be ready, for the oil alternatives have started appearing .. Such innovations start in simple forms but they certainly develop later .. We need to think how we will be able to live in 100 years, we need to have a long-term policy for the future, these are matters that we must ponder," HH the prime minister added in his urge on the country’s decision makers to adopt a more strategic approach in addressing the basic issues of the state.
The prime minister re-affirmed that the authorities were determined to apply laws firmly with regard of the illegal construction of properties on state lands and the primary polls.
