Ministers calling for a postponement of the issue justified their stance, citing candidates contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections will definitely try to propagate the issue for electoral gains. They speculate the issue could be ignited beyond limits. The Cabinet however, has not officially reached a final decision over the demolitions in its latest session. Instead, it changed the term ‘Diwaniya demolitions’ to ‘Demolitions of unlicensed installations.’
Officials however speculate that the change of term was only meant to disguise the actual intent of the government. They said the government actually expects people to believe that their campaign was against illegal structures and not diwaniyas. The campaign in all its forms is definitely set to get rid of all violations eventually, they added. Other rumors are also doing the rounds that HH the PM Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah instructed the Municipal and Public Works Minister Moussa Al-Sarraf to free
ze the decision indefinitely. He also ordered him to persist in the demolitions of all other encroachments except diwaniyas.
In another development a delegation comprising chiefs of tribes called on HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and requested him to freeze the decision. The crown prince assured them that he will look into the issue. Member of the demolition squad committee Mohammad Al-Musawi meanwhile affirmed that the committee will go ahead with the demolitions of diwaniyas effective today. He said the committee had not received any instructions contrary to the demolition orders as yet, reported Al-Watan.
All demolition teams involved in the operations are on standby and ready to go about executing their duties at any given time, he added.
Meanwhile, in its latest session, Cabinet discussed the preparations being made for the May 17 elections. 126 judges, prosecutors and advisors have been assigned the task of supervising the polls. During the session, Minister of Education Nouriya Al-Sabeeh presented a report about schools that will be allocated for the purpose. The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and the Minister of Justice Jamal Shihab presented a list that contained the names of judges, prosecutors and advisors. The report stated th
at they will be divided into electoral committees, reported Al-Watan.
In a related development, two ministers Abdulwahid Al-Awadhi and Falah Al- Hajri have tendered their resignations because they plan to run for office. The Minister of Health Abdullah Al-Taweel and Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shammali were appointed as acting ministers.
