KUWAIT CITY, 7 April 2005 — Kuwait’s prime minister put Parliament on notice yesterday after it forced the resignation of three ministers in less than two years and dragged its feet on economic reforms amid a political crisis in the country. MPs however blamed the government for the deadlock and called for fundamental reforms and the eradication of corruption and political irregularities.

The warning by Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah came two days after 10 MPs filed a motion for a no-confidence vote against the health minister which forced him to quit, triggering a political crisis.

“I express my dissatisfaction at the way the no-confidence motion was filed, which deviated from our democratic practice and risked harming cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities,” the premier said in a statement. “It could also negatively impact on our national unity.”

Parliamentary sources said Sheikh Sabah’s remarks could be a prelude to a dissolution of Parliament because of the tensions.

His media adviser Sami Al-Nesf said however he did not believe the statement was a threat to lawmakers, but “just to draw attention to a wrong practice.”

The motion against the minister was signed by 10 MPs including five Shiites and four from the Awazem, the largest tribe in Kuwait, both of whom were left out of the current Cabinet despite being represented in most governments since 1962.

By signing the motion, the two groups were reported to have attempted to send a message to the Kuwaiti premier of their displeasure.

“This government must be changed. It has not lived up to aspirations and responsibility. It has acted as a caretaker Cabinet and it’s time for it to go,” Shiite MP Yussef Al-Zalzala said.

The Cabinet, formed after July 2003 elections, has so far faced six grillings by the Parliament including four in the current term which began late October. Zalzala said several other grillings are in the pipeline if the current Cabinet remains in office. “The time is appropriate for a fundamental change in the government in order to form a strong, cohesive Cabinet ... otherwise we will move from one serious crisis to another,” he said.

High hopes were pinned on the current government to accelerate slow-paced reforms and deal with chronic problems, but with just under two years in office, its performance has been perceived as less than satisfactory.

“Citizens have been told there would be great achievements, but with two years gone, the outcome is almost nothing,” spokesman for the 13-MP Islamic Bloc Fahd Al-Khannah said.

With only three months to go for the current term, Parliament has not approved any of key political and economic reform laws but MPs blame the government for the delay.

“Politics in Kuwait has taken the front seat at the cost of economy. This has delayed a large number of economic reform plans and development,” said liberal MP Abdulwahab Al-Harun, head of the financial and economic committee.

Harun however said that Parliament is “vigorously” practicing its monitoring role in the face of reported corruption and irregularities by the government.

“There can be no development and economic reforms without eradicating corruption and curbing wrongdoings. The law should be implemented with transparency and fairness,” he said.

The assembly had been expected to debate and approve several economic bills, including privatization, taxation and anti-trust law, in addition to key political reform bills.

“I believe the solution to the crisis is through changing the course of forming the Cabinet and not just changing names” of ministers, Khannah said.