استقلال القضاء واستقلال المحاماة

كتب لبيد عبدال :


يعد تأكيد السيد نائب رئيس محكمة التمييز عضو المجلس الأعلى للقضاء المستشار يوسف الرشيد أن استقلالية القضاء لا تتحقق بمعناها الصحيح إلا باستقلاله المادي المتمثل في موازنة مالية خاصة بالقضاء، إلى جانب الأمور الإدارية الأخرى التي يتاح للمجلس الأعلى للقضاء الإشراف الكامل عليها، المنشور في جريدة القبس بالعدد رقم 12730 يوم الخميس الموافق 6-11-2008، نقلة مهمة ونوعية تصب بشكل خالص ومباشر في مفهوم استقلال السلطات الثلاث، وعلى رأسها السلطة القضائية، حيث تنص المادة 50 من الدستور على ان:
«يقوم نظام الحكم على أساس فصل السلطات مع تعاونها وفقاً لأحكام الدستور، ولا يجوز لأي سلطة منها النزول عن كل أو بعض اختصاصها المنصوص عليه بالدستور».
وكذلك المادة 164 من الدستور التي تنص على ان «شرف القضاء، ونزاهة القضاة، وعدلهم أساس الملك وضمان للحقوق والحريات».
ثم جاءت المادة 163 من الدستور لتنص على ان «لا سلطان لأي جهة على القاضي في قضائه، ولا يجوز بحال التدخل في سير العدالة، ويكفل القانون استقلال القضاء، ويبين ضمانات القضاة والأحكام الخاصة بهم وأحوال عدم قابليتهم للعزل».
فهذا التأكيد المهم، وتلك النصوص الصريحة والمباشرة، تقطع بضرورة سرعة التعديل وضمان الاستقلال المادي للسلطة القضائية، وإيجاد موازنة مالية خاصة، بعيدة عن وزارة العدل باعتبارها من مكونات السلطة التنفيذية. ويضاف إلى ذلك وكنتيجة له ضمان الاستقلال الإداري من حيث نظام الترقية، أو التعيين، وتولي كافة الأجهزة الإدارية المساندة له، التي تخدم السلك القضائي، بحيث تكون خاضعة مباشرة للسلطة القضائية. ويضاف إلى ذلك الاختصاص الكامل لمسألة اختيار حجم ومواقع المحاكم بالتنسيق مع أجهزة الدولة ذات العلاقة. وبلا شك فإن استقلال القضاء هذا سينعكس حتماً، وبصورة إيجابية، على مفهوم استقلال المحاماة. فمع استقلال القاضي في أدائه، وتوفير كل المستلزمات المالية والإدارية لمجلس القضاء الأعلى، وكافة درجات المحاكم، سوف تتيسر أكثر مهمة القاضي، وبما يعود إيجابياً على أداء السلطة القضائية التي حمّلها الدستور عبء تزويد جميع السلطات والمواطنين والمقيمين كل ما يخدم حاجتهم للعدالة والإنصاف وممارسة حق التقاضي بشكل عام، ومتى تحقق ذلك تحقق مفهوم استقلال المحاماة، الذي سوف تتأكد معه كل صور الدفاع عن الحقوق أمام ساحات العدالة في البلاد.

labeed@lalaw.com.kw
www.labeedabdal.com
http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=458362&date=23122008

بيت القصيد

رغم أهمية الاقتراح بقانون المقدم من بعض أعضاء مجلس الأمة، بشأن إنشاء الأحزاب، الذي تضمن خطوات نحو تنظيم الأحزاب، وبيان أهميتها، وتحديد المبادئ العامة التي يجب أن تقوم عليها عند ممارسة دورها الحزبي، التي جاءت بمجملها في إطار حماية الدستور واحترام سيادة القانون، والمحافظة على استقلال الوطن والوحدة الوطنية، ونبذ العنف والتمييز، والالتزام بتكافؤ الفرص بين المواطنين، وغيرها من الأغراض، فإن الاقتراح المذكور، سيظل في غالب الأمر، انعكاساً للوضع الحالي في البلاد. إذ ان الكويت لم تخل من وجود الأحزاب غير المقننة بصورة تيارات وكتل، وتحمل صفات وصبغات متعددة، دينية وغيرها.
ويبقى بيت القصيد، وفي خضم تنظيم الأحزاب، هو تحديد نظام المسؤولية عن أعمال الحكومة أمام البرلمان، ومدى إمكان إقالة رئيس الحكومة، عند عدم النجاح في تنفيذ السياسة العامة، وتحقيق الطموحات المأمولة، إذ ستظل صور التأزمات نفسها تتكرر، مع استمرار عدم وجود رئيس حكومة قادم من حزب فائز بأغلبية داخل البرلمان، وعدم وجود حكومة مشكلة وفق نتاج تلك الأغلبية، وذلك حتى تستطيع أن تصل الى قدر من التوافق في التشكيل والأداء، وبالتالي تتحمل المسؤولية السياسية أمام البرلمان بشكل طبيعي، وذلك حسب قواعد النظم البرلمانية المستقرة.
وللخلاص من حال التأزم الحالية، لا بد من العمل باستعجال نحو تعديل أسلوب المسؤولية السياسية المهجنة الحالية، التي يتشوبها الكثير من المثالب الدستورية، خصوصا مسألة إعلان عدم التعاون، الذي ينتهي إلى احتمالين:
إما إقالة رئيس الحكومة أو حل المجلس، والاتجاه من قبل ومن بعد، إلى إيجاد حكومة قوية، تظل تتحمل مسؤولية أعمالها، ولا تنثني عن دوريها الدستوري والقانوني الصحيحين، مهما اشتدت الظروف والتحديات، أو ازدادت الفتن.

Labeed@lalaw.com.kw

http://www.Lalaw.com.kw

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=455037&date=10102008

الكويت وأبعاد الحوار الديني

كتب لبيد عبدال :


تعد مبادرة الملك عبدالله للحوار الديني في العالم، التي تم اطلاقها في منتدى حوار الاديان في الامم المتحدة اخيرا، خطوة مهمة نحو تعزيز مبادئ القبول والتسامح المتبادل بين الديانات.
ويبقى انه لا يمكن ابقاء تلك المبادرة في اطار الملتقيات والصالونات السياسية، ومن الضروري بمكان تتبع جذور تلك الخلافات الدينية، واجتثاثها من على ارض الواقع، اذ لا يمكن ابتداء، الحديث عن حوار بين الاديان، اذا لم توجد ارضية حقيقية خصبة لمبدأ التسامح داخل الدين، باعتبار ان هذه الخطوة، انطلاقة للحوار مع الاديان الاخرى، التي لا يمكن ان تقبل أي حوار، مع وجود مظاهر التشدد والاقتتال الديني والطائفي داخل الدين الواحد.
ومن دون ادنى شك، فهذا الامر، يتطلب جهدا حكوميا واهليا، يؤكد الاخوة في الدين الواحد، في اطار الاسرة، والمدرسة، والمسجد والاعلام، مهما تعددت الطوائف، خاصة عند وحدة الاصول، والجذور، والركائز، التي تتطلب دائما، احتراما وفهما مشتركا للآخر وعدم الغائه، واحترام حقوق من نتفق معهم أو نختلف، كسبب للبقاء الانساني المشترك، والإعمار بالارض والاوطان، مع رص الصفوف والتقدم بها، حفاظا على وحدة الموقف، وقوة المنقلب.
ونحن في الكويت، لا ننعزل عن هذا العام وما يمر به من تحديات، نؤثر ونتأثر بها، وعلى الاخص، موضوع الحوار الديني، باعتباره اساسا مهما لاستقرار المجتمعات، وسبيلا لإشاعة السلام الاجتماعي داخلها، وبحاجة منا بحق الى تأكيد المبادئ التي وردت في المادة 35 من الدستور الكويتي، من حيث ان حرية الاعتقاد مطلقة، وتكون ممارستها في حدود النظام العام والآداب، مما يؤكد الاعتبار للاديان والطوائف، سواء المعمول بها كمذهب رسمي للدولة، او غيرها من اصحاب الديانات او المعتقدات المعتبرة، وحدود ممارستها لمعتقداتها، التي يجب ألا تبعد عن قواعد الاعلان العالمي لمناهضة جميع صور التعصب والتمييز ضد الاديان والمعتقدات الصادر من الجمعية العامة للامم المتحدة عام 1981، بحيث تستقر القواعد القانونية والادارية المعمول بها على ارض الواقع، على ما لا يتعارض مع الدستور والمواثيق الدولية، وبحيث تقوم على احترام الحرية الدينية والطائفية، ولا تجمح أي مجموعة على كيان الدولة، او تتطاول على دستورها، او تعصف بأتباع دين آخر، او ممارسات الطوائف الاخرى، وهي تمارس طقوسها الدينية، باعتبار انها جميعا تعيش داخل دولة قانون.
واكثر من ذلك، لا بد من البعد عن الاتهامات والاساءات المتبادلة في شأن المعتقدات او الرموز الدينية، او الدخول في تحقيقات، او محاكمات، او احكام الادانة التاريخية، من غير ذوي الاختصاص، او الاهلية، او حتى الشأن، والتي لا طائل منها الآن عدا زرع بذور الفرقة، والشتات، والضعف، وبالتالي نكون، في واقع الأمر وحقيقته، امام حالة من حالات التعطيل الممجوج والمفجع، لأي جهود خيرة للعيش المشترك بسلام على ارض الله الواسعة.

لبيد عبدال
labeed@lalaw.com.kw
www.labeedabdal.com

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=453783&date=03122008

No chance for Assembly dissolution: legal expert

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 25: The Constitution of Kuwait does not have any provision for the suspension of parliament, says a constitutional expert. Attorney Labeed Abdal was taking stock of the tense political situation after some parliamentarians threatened to grill the prime minister and the Cabinet resigned Tuesday. Quoting Article 107, Labeed said, in light of dissolution of the parliament, elections for the new Assembly are held within a period not exceeding two months from the date of dissolution. “If elections are not held within the said period, the dissolved Assembly is restored to its full constitutional authority and meets immediately as if the dissolution had not taken place. The Assembly then continues to function until the new Assembly is elected.” Article 197, he said, states that the Amir may dissolve the National Assembly by a decree in which reasons for dissolution are explicitly enumerated. However, dissolution of the Assembly may not be repeated for the same reasons.

Replying to a question whether he was anticipating dissolution of the parliament, Labeed said: “I do not expect dissolution of the parliament as I think the present situation must be handled in a prudent manner and by this I mean rightful application of articles. Another thing is that we should have a strong prime minster and strong government capable of overcoming any political tsunamis.” He said that the parliamentary life in Kuwait was suspended in 1985 during the rule of the late Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al-Sabah in wake of the Iran-Iraq war, even as democratic life was restored soon after the liberation of Kuwait. Expressing his views on the proposed grilling of the prime minister, Labeed noted that grilling is a constitutional right of parliamentarians with regards to monitoring performance of the government in larger interests of public education, public health and development of the country.
“The Constitution of Kuwait is considered one of the most advanced Constitutions, especially in relation to maintaining the main pillars of the society such as justice, liberty, and equality,” he noted.

By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo
Arab Times Staff


http://www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pagesdetails.asp?nid=25289&ccid=9

Kuwait Stock Exchange trading to resume today

Ghenwah Jabouri
and agencies

KUWAIT: Trading at the Kuwait Stock Exchange will resume on Monday, after a court accepted an appeal against a court ruling that suspended dealings last week, a lawyer said on Sunday.
A court had ordered the bourse to suspend trading until Nov. 17 on Thursday after a group of investors filed a lawsuit to halt trading to prevent further declines on the sagging bourse. "The court accepted the appeal... Trading will resume tomorrow (Monday)," Abdullah AlـKandari, one of the lawyers representing the investors told Reuters by telephone.
Reacting to the decision, legal advisor at the Fatwa and legislation Department Ahmad AlـKhadar, applauded the ruling. He said that the court sentence is an administrative correction of what took place on November 13 when the court halted the stock market."
Attorney Labeed Abdal spoke to AlWatan Daily about the decision and said, "After today''s court order to stay the previous court judgment which suspended the dealings in Kuwait Stock Exchange, there will be two options: Oneـthe plaintiffs will have to appeal today''s (Sundays) court order in the Court of the Appeals to try to get an order to reـenforce the the judgment which suspended KSE dealings or try to speed up serious measures to rescue the investment sector from extra melt downs and go back swiftly to a balanced yet regulated free market."
AlـAbdel further said: "The major factor in the KSE crisis was the lack of regulations which crushed small investors."
The ruling comes a day before the administrative court is due to discuss its decision, which was issued on Nov. 13, which halted trading at the bourse.
On Thursday the market had dipped 1.81 percent at 8,691 points.
Also reacting to the decision on Thursday Minister of Finance Mustafa AlـShamali said Kuwait will uphold a court ruling to suspend trading on the sagging bourse, but he criticized the measure as "dangerous", the official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.
"We respect the court ruling and as a government we only have to implement it," KUNA quoted AlـShamali as saying. "The consequences of this ruling would be dire ... How will those who filed the suit shoulder the consequences?"

Last updated on Monday 17/11/2008


http://www2.alwatan.com.kw/Default.aspx?MgDid=694762&pageId=476

Lawmakers alarmed by bourse closure

Attorney lauds court order, says action was necessary

Ghenwah Jabouri
and agencies

KUWAIT: A number of MPs have criticized a Court of First Instance order to halt trading on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), saying that the court''s move is "the most dangerous decision" ever taken in relation to Kuwait''s economy and bourse.
They explained that closing the bourse has cemented a lack of confidence and will drive the index down further once trading resumes, while rhetorically asking who would bear the consequences of such an eventuality.
They also stressed the need to benefit from the experiences of other countries to strengthen the Kuwaiti stock market.
The MPs also called on the government to take measures to limit damages resulting from the closure of the KSE.
In an exclusive statement to Al Watan Daily, attorney Labid AlـAbdal said the global financial crisis is finding its effects on many strong markets around the globe and that the situation requires Kuwait and other GCC countries to draw up a serious plan to protect its markets.
"Kuwait should choose safe investments and strengthen its reserves of gold at the Central Bank of Kuwait," he added.
He stressed that most of Kuwait''s active financial and commercial companies are directly and indirectly linked to the international economy and that they will need well supported banking systems to maintain safe credit transactions and protected debt recovery.
"Given the mentioned circumstances, closing the local stock market in Kuwait is a necessity to prevent further losses by registered companies and to protect the citizens from losing any more assets," he explained.
Kuwait must select very protective measures, especially after the fall of the oil price and the lack of trust in the international financial system," AlـAbdal concluded.

http://www2.alwatan.com.kw/Default.aspx?MgDid=693760&pageId=471

حمية للعقل

كتب لبيد عبدال :


نسمع كثيراً عن ابتكارات عديدة لأنواع لا حصر لها من الحمية الغذائية، لمحاولة تجنب السمنة والحفاظ على قوام ممشوق، أو لتجنب أمراض عديدة كالسكر، أو الضغط، أو أمراض القولون وغيرها، والتي قد يكون مرجعها صعوبات العمل، أو اضطرابات وتقلبات الحياة.
ومنذ ان يولد الإنسان ويبقى عقله جهاز استقبال عبرالسمع، والبصر، وغيرهما من الحواس الاساسية، فيقوم باختيار الأنسب من الطعام لضمان أداء الجسم بشكل صحي.
ويبدو ان هنالك عبئاً أكبر في مجال عمل حمية للعقل، من حيث ما يصل إليه، أو يزال عنه، من أفكار، أو أحداث، أو تجارب، وذلك لضمان حسن أداء العقل، وبالتالي ضمان صحة أفضل، وأداء متميز في مجال تطوير الذات، والأسرة، والوطن.
وأمام حالة الخصام الدائم التي تمر بها السلطتان التشريعية والتنفيذية، والتراشق المستمر بفصول من الاتهامات، تسبب تعطيل تنمية البلاد، وجنوح الطرفين إلى تبادل صفات الضعف، وعدم التجانس، فإننا لا نجد مخرجا عدا ضرورة العمل الاجتماعي والجماعي، لإضافة وجبات تقوية فكرية ووجدانية، تدعم الوحدة الوطنية وتعيد رص الصفوف، وتذكر بعدم الرغبة بإعادة تجارب الماضي، ومآسيه عند فقدان الوطن، أو ضياع الحياة النيابية، بحل دستوري، أو غير دستوري، والعمل على إزالة أي آثار أو شوائب، تعطل أو تعيق التجربة الديموقراطية الكويتية.
اننا لسنا مع قرار هجرة أهل الكويت إلى دول أخرى، لأسباب اقتصادية أو اجتماعية، أو انتظار وفاة الأشخاص ثم تقدير أدوارهم الوطنية بعد ذهابهم، بتسمية المدارس، أو الشوارع بأسمائهم، وبانتظار تغييرات وحلول عاجلة جذرية، تحقق الأمان والرضا الآن لجموع الناس، كوجود حكومة قوية تتحمل مسؤولية مستقبل هذا الوطن، وتقوم على الأقوياء والأمناء الذين لايخشون في الله لومة لائم، ومع مجلس يقيم الحق ويزهق الباطل، ويعمل بعيداً عن اهدار المصلحة الوطنية، التي يجب ان تقف دائما في مقدمة كل الأولويات.

لبيد عبدال
labeed@lalaw.com.kw
labeedabdal.com
http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=447157&date=13112008

بسبب جهلهم بالقوانين وإهمالهم للإجراءات وأخطائهم الإدارية

بسبب جهلهم بالقوانين وإهمالهم للإجراءات وأخطائهم الإدارية!
محامون.. ينتهون بموكليهم إلى غياهب السجون


حق الدفاع
اما المحامي لبيد عبدال فأوضح ان مبدأ حق الدفاع كفله الدستور والقانون، وهو من المبادئ الاساسية للحق في التقاضي، ويعتبر سمة اساسية من اهم سمات قانون المرافعات، ويماثل في الاهمية قاعدة العقد شريعة المتعاقدين في القانون المدني، وقاعدة لا جريمة ولا عقوبة الا بنص في القانون الجنائي، حيث يهدف الى تحقيق المساواة بين مراكز الخصوم في الدعوى.
وقال: يقصد بحق الدفاع حق الخصم في ان يسمع القاضي وجهة نظره وتمكينه مما يقدمه الخصم الآخر من دفاع في الخصومة، توصلا لدحضه ولإقناع القاضي بما قدمه من حجج، فالدفاع في القضية هو ابداء الخصم لوجهة نظره امام المحكمة في ما قدمه هو او قدمه خصمه من ادعاءات.
وأكمل: وقد عنى المشرع هذا الحق الى المحامي، حيث اصبح هو الملجأ والملاذ عند تضارب المصالح، وضياع الحقوق، وتهدد العدالة، فيقع عليه وفق تلك المسؤوليات العظام عبء مواجهة الصعاب والمعضلات القانونية، وتوفير الثقة اللازمة لاداء ما اوكل اليه بكل امانة ومصداقية ونزاهة، وذلك مع التقيد الكامل بالانظمة والقوانين التي تنظم الممارسة المهنية، خصوصا مع تنوع سبل الحياة، وازدياد حاجة الناس للوصول الى حقوقهم المهدرة، وحسن تطبيق القانون، من ذوي الاختصاص، سواء بشأن القوانين الجديدة التي تصدر عن سلطة التشريع، او الاحكام القضائية التي تأتي بقواعد متطورة دائما، وتحتاج الى تفسير ودقة في التطبيق.
وتابع: تتجلى تلك المسؤولية بشكل خاص عند بدء ممارسة المهنة، حيث يقوم المحامون بحلف اليمين على اداء اعمالهم بالامانة والشرف مع المحافظة على سر المهنة واحترام قوانينها وتقاليدها، وهذا اليمين دون شك يخلق ميثاقا عظيما بين المحامي والتزامه بحسن اداء مهنته، مما يستوجب منه، طوال فترة ممارسته المهنية، الحفاظ على التزاماتها الاساسية ورسالتها النبيلة، الخاصة بالدفاع عن الحق وتنكب طريق العدالة.
وأوضح ان ذلك بصورة قاطعة يستلزم دائما الاستعداد لتولي مهنة الدفاع عن موكله، سواء امام المحاكم الجنائية التي تتطلب المذكرات المكتوبة والمرافعة الشفوية، او المحاكم التجارية والمهنية، التي تتطلب اعداد الدفاع والمذكرات والمستندات التي تعتمد على القواعد والسوابق القضائية.

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=446146&date=10112008

لحظات مصيرية..

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بعد تكرار اللجوء إلى حل البرلمان، وآخرها الحل السابق للمجلس الحالي، ووجود مشاريع تأزمات دائمة في العلاقة بين السلطتين التنفيذية والتشريعية، تولدت علامة بارزة تستوجب دراسة الأوضاع ومحاولة منع تكرار تلك الأزمات.
ويبدو ان أبرز مسببات هذا التأزم هو التراشق المتبادل بالاتهامات، وفقدان الرؤية والثقة بين كفتي العمل في المجلس، حيث تقوم انتقادات أعضاء مجلس الأمة على أساس عدم التجانس، وعدم الانسجام، والضعف في الحكومة، ووجود تجاوزات مستمرة لحدود العمل القانونية والدستورية من داخل مجلس الوزراء وخارجه، وفي المقابل تقوم انتقادات الحكومة على أساس استمرار التجاذب، والصدام، واستمرار الشحن، والإثارة الدائمة للمصالح الشخصية نفسها، والخروج عن اللائحة والدستور من قبل النواب في المجلس.
ويبقى بين هؤلاء وأولئك، برنامج عمل الحكومة، الذي يجب أن يكون مشبعاً لحاجات الناس ويشكل أجندة وخطة عمل حقيقية عالية الشفافية والوضوح، تلتزم الحكومة معها بأن تدافع عن السياسة والمصلحة العامة، وتسعى إلى تحقيقها على أرض الواقع، مع ضرورة الأخذ بملاحظات النواب، والمثابرة لخلق وفاق بين أولوياتها وأولويات المجلس ككل، وخلق التوافق المطلوب.
ونحن في الكويت، على ما يبدو، لا توجد لدينا أجندة، فمسيرة المجلس ضمن الفصل التشريعي الواحد تسير حسب الأحداث المفاجئة أو العارضة، حيث تسود ردود الأفعال قبل الأفعال، ويبقى مستقبل التشريع ومصير الأمة يسير على حسب الأزمات التي تستجد، وعلى حسبها فقط تتحقق المسائل أو تتعطل.
ولقد حان الوقت لإعادة التأصيل والتوعية بالدور الحقيقي لمجلس الأمة، كمؤسسة رقابة برلمانية وتشريع، وإنشاء لجنة دراسة الظواهر السلبية بالتجربة البرلمانية الكويتية، التي خلط فيها الدور السياسي مع الأدوار الاجتماعية والدينية، وتحول المجلس إلى مؤسسة إصلاح اجتماعي، بالمخالفة لدوره الأساسي، والعمل مجدداً على الدفاع عن المكتسبات الدستورية الأصيلة التي تقوم على احترام مبادئ الديموقراطية واحترام حقوق الإنسان، وإعادة الروح بركائز العدل والحرية والمساواة، وصون الحقوق والحريات العامة، كحرية الرأي والتعبير، وممارسة الشعائر الدينية، والدفاع عن أولويات وحاجات الناس اليومية بشفافية ومسؤولية، وخصوصاً مسائل الصحة العامة، والتعليم، والعمران، والتنمية الاقتصادية، والعمل على الخروج من الأزمة المالية الوشيكة وتداعياتها المحلية والدولية، بدلاً من شل دور المجلس وجر أولوياته، إلى أقل القضايا أهمية، والخروج عن الاختصاصات والواجبات الدستورية، والتدخل بالوصاية والتعقيب، على صلب قرارات الناس واختياراتهم، التي تعد في واقع الأمر من اختصاص مؤسسات المجتمع المدني، التي من حقها ألا تغرق في دياجير التخلف الاجتماعي والحضاري.

لبيد عبدال
Labeed@lalaw.com.kw
www.labeedabdal.com




http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=443260&date=10102008

Many falling prey to illegal practice of ‘loan sharking’

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 29: Loan sharking is widespread in Kuwait and a lot of low income people are increasingly falling prey to the illegal practice, says a Kuwaiti lawyer. Labeed Abdal told the Arab Times that low income people who are unable to secure loans from banks or other financial institutions turn to loan sharks who reportedly exploit the lot, thereby leaving them high and dry. “Taking money from a loan shark is like signing one’s own death warrant as life will never be the same again. It’s a vicious circle. The lender usually charges between thirty and forty per cent interest on the loan. Some unscrupulous elements keep inflating the interest rate and often refuse to surrender the promissory note, thus sealing the fate of the borrower,” he added. “The loan sharks subject their clients to harassment, blackmail etc. Loan sharking is a serious crime in Kuwait and those convicted can be jailed up to three years with fine.”

Citing an example, he said that a Pakistani man recently was duped by a lender after the former took a loan of KD 2,000 from his compatriot. Abdal observed that the Pakistani man was given the loan with an interest rate of 50 per cent even as he was made to sign several promissory notes. “Each time the victim paid a portion of the principal amount, the promissory note to the tune of that particular amount was left uncancelled. Moreover, the loan shark told the victim in no uncertain terms that he would cancel all the promissory notes once he is through with the entire amount. The victim sensed trouble, and sought our legal assistance,” he added.

Abdal added that he advised the Pakistani man to take a friend along to make a payment and that the latter was to serve as a witness in a case that was to follow. Based on the statement of the witness, he said a complaint was filed at a police station even as a report was obtained from the CID against the accused who had a police record.

Abdal noted that the Pakistani man was arrested and was later convicted by the Court which jailed him for two years. He added that many loan sharks keep passports and bank cards as guarantees even as he warned that people should stay clear from loan sharks and only seek loans from banks or financial institutions. In another case, he said his client had taken KD 20,000 from a loan shark who used to harass him and his family if he delayed the payment. He added that his client was made to sign checks by the accused and due to some reason the victim could not repay the loan. He added that the accused threatened to sue the victim if he did not return the money within a month’s time. Abdal went on to say that he quickly filed a case against the accused at a police station and that the accused had a criminal record. “This bolstered our case and we got a CID report as the accused was immediately arrested and the case proceedings are ongoing,” he concluded.

By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo
Arab Times Staff

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/pagesdetails.asp?nid=24154&ccid=9

Keeping up appearances: Superficiality and materialism in Kuwaiti society

Ghenwah Jabouri
Al Watan staff

KUWAIT: The state of Kuwait has been blessed with natural resources that have allowed for society to live in a relative state of affluence. Driving down the highway on any random day, one glimpses numerous sports cars and luxury vehicles that most people living in other countries around the world could only dream of owning. Most would argue that such affluence simply improves one''s standard of living and life style. Who wouldn''t want to look their best, be dressed in Armani suits and Christian Dior sunglasses, drive an expensive sports car and be a member at an elite health club? However one sometimes suspects that these luxuries have also become a distraction and that we are beginning to lose sight of what is truly important.
Investigating this issue Al Watan Daily took to the streets and spoke to Kuwaitis about materialism and whether the luxury products they purchase are items that they feel they need and they can afford, or whether they spend money on such items simply to impress others.
Entesar, a single Kuwaiti woman in her early forties, explained that once one gets used to a certain lifestyle it is hard to reprioritize, even if one cannot afford to maintain the same standard of living. "I retired from my job with the government about five years ago and therefore my salary is not as large as it used to be. Even though I struggle to make ends meet, I cannot let go of certain things. My friends are still working and so they make more money than I do and we go out every Wednesday for lunch and every Monday for dinner. They choose the most expensive restaurants to dine in and I tag along even though the bulky receipt is something I cannot afford. I still choose to join them. In the end I manage, but I borrow money from my family or I live for the remainder of the month without money in my pocket," she said.
"It''s all about image and maintaining a certain lifestyle. Over the years this is how society has developed and it''s hard to change it. I have taken a hefty loan from the bank which is going to take me fifteen years to pay off. I intend to take another loan from the bank so that I can travel soon. Unfortunately, we (Kuwaitis) are constantly competing with each other over materialistic things; who is able to travel to Europe, who can drive the coolest car and so on," she added.
However, according to Entesar, this constant race for the bigger, the better and the most expensive has had a toll on society and the constant pressure to maintain a certain lifestyle has increased as the cost of living continues to soar. "The economical situation in Kuwait has changed. Life is becoming too demanding with all the prices soaring and the rich getting richer while the average Kuwaiti is isolated from finding better financial opportunities. And so we end up taking loans from the bank so that we can do the things that we are socially habituated to," she explained.
OmـDhari, a Kuwaiti business woman who enjoys a certain lifestyle, explained to Al Watan Daily that Kuwaitis do not perceive themselves as being materialistic but rather as being able to afford to live a luxurious life. "Kuwait is an oilـrich country, we are a wealthy society and there is no harm in indulging in expensive commodities. I earn good money, why shouldn''t I buy Chanel sunglasses, and a Louis Vuitton bag? If you can afford it than why not. We only get one chance in this life, no one has the right to stop us from buying what we can afford," she stated.
"However, I disagree with those who cannot afford to live luxuriously but endeavor to do so. This is where superficiality comes in. If you can''t afford to drive a Jaguar, then don''t drive a Jaguar. I''ve seen people who would rather borrow money from the bank to drive a Jaguar than pay cash for a Toyota Camry for example. This is wrong and many people are doing it. This is why we have been branded by some as being a superficial society. It''s a difficult and complicated topic though, some Kuwaitis have it all while some don''t and Kuwaitis who are not financially capable feel that it is not just for them to not be able to live like those who are financially privileged. The competition has grown vastly in Kuwait, and when someone in a neighborhood purchases a Rolex watch, the rest of the neighborhood will go and buy one just to satisfy their pride and send a public message that no is better than any one else," she added.
Sara is a university student who argued that it will take a great deal of discipline for society to change its ways and avoid the pitfalls of superficiality and materialism. "This is a delicate topic and I''m sure people are not going to admit that they are superficial even if they are," she said. "Most Kuwaitis can be superficial and sometimes even narcissistic, because we have everything and we seldom struggle financially in the way that other societies must. We were born into this world in which domestic workers prepare our food, iron our clothes, make our bed and so on. An eighteenـyearـold teenager may drive a Ferrari and have seen half of Europe before he has even turned twenty," she added.
"Of course I have no right to accuse anyone of vanity but the truth is that even a Kuwaiti who is not financially privileged has grown up with at least one maid attending to his or her needs. I believe that compassion and tolerance can only be learnt through suffering; by struggling to pay the rent at the end of the month, working hard all year around with humility, standing in the kitchen for hours to prepare food for your family and so on. These are the things that help humans feel gratitude for what they have and that stop feelings of superiority and dominance from taking charge of our lives," Sara stressed.
"As a society we have become too consumed with expensive commodities such as driving the latest cars and dressing up in designer clothing. We are taking for granted what God has bestowed on us and we seem to think that we are invincible. Life does not only revolve around going to elite health clubs and dressing up in expensive clothes. We decorate our lives with beautiful cars, furniture, clothes, sophisticated devices and so on, but we have forgotten that these things are just temporary and that once they are outdated they are thrown into the trash. It is only real happiness that last a lifetime and this can only be felt when one gives and not when one takes," Sara concluded.
Dr. Heyam Mohammed, an educationalist, also discussed this topic with Al Watan Daily. "The new Kuwaiti generation has learned to be superficial, very shallow, and careless... They have learned to take not to give; they want to show off, they never think about the consequence of anything," he explained, adding: "We all should know that I do not mean all Kuwaitis in Kuwait!"

Labeed Abdal, an attorney and human rights activist argued that the government and the media are partly to blame for this problem. "The matter can be related to culture and it is essential for families to play a greater role in minimizing these habits. Happiness in life is not related to consuming unnecessary things and being a weak target for giant companies and strong advertisers... The educational system must also increase its efforts to promoting awareness and establish more self confidence through a well organized and balanced syllabus that gives students the right values. There should be a greater effort from the government to protect society from these social diseases by establishing very specialized bodies that work to strike a balance between companies'' rights to advertise and solving the problem of consumerism. The waves of shallowness are high and we must all stand tall to over come this by being more realistic and responsible," Abdal concluded.

http://www2.alwatan.com.kw/Default.aspx?MgDid=686357&pageId=473

قتل غير مبرر

نظرت محكمة جالفستون في ولاية تكساس الدعوى المرفوعة ضد المتهم جيمس ستيفنستون بتهمة القسوة على الحيوانات، حيث ان المذكور قد اتهم باطلاق النار على القط المدعو «بغ ماما» واسقطه مضرجا بدمائه، ذلك انه من محبي الطيور، وكان القط قد عرّض احد الطيور للخطر، وهو يواجه تهمة جنائية تصل عقوبتها الى الحبس لمدة سنتين وغرامة تبلغ 10 آلاف دولار اميركي.
وقد قدم المتهم في دفاعه امام المحكمة أن القط لم يكن قطا منزليا، وانما كان قطا برياً.
لكن الادعاء قدم شهودا يؤكدون انهم كانوا يقدمون للقط الطعام، والالعاب، وملجأ مؤقتا، مما يخرجه من عداد القطط السائبة، الى فئة القطط شبه المنزلية.
وقد طرحت وقائع الدعوى في صحف دولية ومدونات عديدة على الانترنت للمدافعين عن حقوق الحيوان، الذين وصفوا المتهم ستيفنسون بأنه قاتل غير انساني، وانه وحش كاسر باعتدائه بالقتل على القط.
وقد قدم الشرطي شهادته، بانه شاهد القط مرميا بالرصاص، وآثار الدماء تسيل من جوانبه، وما زالت القضية منظورة امام المحكمة.
هذه القضية تذكرنا بما نفاجأ به من فوارق تظهر في بعض الصحف المحلية عند نشر صورة لسيارة دورية او اطفاء يقف بجانبها رجال المرور او المطافئ، وكان ضمن الصورة احد الحيوانات السائبة، ملقى على الارض وهو مضرج بالدماء بعد اصابته بطلق ناري او اصابته بجانب السيارة.
لا شك في أن وجود حيوان سائب في المناطق الصناعية وما تعج به من السيارات ووسائل النقل العام الاخرى، وما قد تسببه من فوضى وذعر، تستدعي التدخل لحفظ الامن والنظام.
لكننا نعتقد بضرورة ان تكون تلك المشاهد سببا لوزارة الداخلية وادارة الاطفاء لاستخدام الطلق المخدر بدلا من اطلاق النار للقتل، مع تحميل الشركات والمسالخ المسؤولية الجزائية والمدنية عن كل الاثار المترتبة على ذلك الحدث، بما في ذلك اي حوادث مرورية او اصابات، او اضرار مادية تصيب سيارات المرور والاطفاء او تسبب تلف الاموال العامة.
ففي الحالتين يبقى القتل غير مبرر ويشكل صورة من صور استعمال القسوة، خصوصا ان الامر يتطلب الاشارة الى ان قانون الجزاء الكويتي ينص على ان «كل من استعمل القسوة بغير مقتض تجاه حيوان اليف او مأسور، سواء بقتله او بضربه او بجرحه او بجعله يعمل عملا لا يطيقه او حبسه على نحو يسبب له آلاما، يعاقب بالحبس مدة لا تتجاوز سنة وبغرامة لا تتجاوز الف روبية او باحدى هاتين العقوبتين.
ويجوز للمحكمة ان تأمر بوضع الحيوان في محل علاج او صيانة، او ان تأمر باعدامه اذا كان يعاني مرضا لا شفاء منه او اذى عضالا».

لبيد عبدال
Labeed@Lalaw.com.kw
www.Labeedabdal.com


http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=440332&date=10102008

MoE’s decision affecting many students: lawyer

MoE’s decision affecting many students: lawyer

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 21: The Ministry of Education’s decision not to recognize university degrees from certain countries has affected many students, including Kuwaitis and expats, says a Kuwaiti lawyer. Talking to the Arab Times on Tuesday, Labeed Abdal noted that the Educational Attaches at the Kuwaiti embassies abroad should coordinate with the Education Ministry in order to tide over the problems facing Kuwaiti students. Elaborating the point further, he added: “Several of my clients are suing the ministry for failing to recognize their degrees even though these students had checked with the ministry about the credibility of their colleges and the ministry had given them the go-ahead. In other words, I think these students are being victimized and their future is at stake. The ministry should look into the matter and take corrective measures as soon as possible.” “I have been following up the issue with members of Parliament and they have promised me that they will look into the matter on a priority basis.”
FailHe added that students who fail to secure admission in Kuwait go overseas for studies and that the ministry should render them the required assistance. Abdal urged students, who wish to study abroad, to contact the Educational Section at the Kuwait embassy to ensure that the college is recognized by Kuwaiti authorities. “Just imagine the trauma these young graduates have to endure when they are told that their degrees are not being recognized. And this has happened to students who hold degrees from universities in various countries such as Egypt, Bahrain, Lebanon, the US, among others.” Citing an example, he said one of his clients upon obtaining a degree from a university in the US got a job at the Ministry of Information, even as the latter told him to get his credentials attested from the concerned ministry. “My client has a specialized degree in a rare subject and as such the ministry asked him to join work forthwith while his degree was being verified. What followed was utter disappointment for him as he was told that two of his subjects were not recognized by the ministry and as a result he lost his job even as the student has filed a case against the ministry.”
AttestedIn another case, he said a Kuwaiti secured a degree in law from a university in Lebanon and the same was attested by the Education Department of the Kuwaiti embassy in Lebanon but the ministry refused to validate the same degree. Referring to the validation process, he said the ministry should hire competent officials with regards to the attestation of the degrees and unless that happens problems will continue to plague professionals. Abdal went on to explain that this has been one of the main reasons why professionals were staying away from Kuwait, even as the ministry was taking far too long to validate their certificates without citing any reasons. “In some cases it has taken as long as three years when it should have not taken more than three months. And here the role of the Education wing at the Kuwaiti embassies abroad comes into play. They need to coordinate with the respective universities to speed up the degree validation process,” he concluded.

By Francis A. Clifford CardozoArab Times Staff

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/pagesdetails.asp?nid=23781&ccid=9

وبعد.. ماذا للكويت؟

وبعد.. ماذا للكويت؟
كتب لبيد عبدال :
لا يمكن تجاهل الأزمة المالية الكبرى التي تمر بها الولايات المتحدة الاميركية، وتداعياتها العديدة على مستوى الساحة الدولية، خاصة مع الاطاحة بمستقبل آلاف من الشركات ذات الثقل في صنع قرارات اقتصادية وسياسية، والاطاحة بمستقبل ملايين الوظائف، داخل الولايات المتحدة، وامتداد الامر الى العديد من الدول الاوروبية، وقيام امم اخرى كالاتحاد الروسي للعمل على الاستفادة من تلك الازمة، واعادة امجادها، مع استمرار النمو الصيني الذي لا يزال يحافظ على زخمه، خاصة بعد اعادة وجوده الدولي بعد ألعاب الاولمبياد والصعود الى الفضاء، عبر جهوده المحلية ونتاج ابحاث مراكز الفضاء الخاصة به، ووجود شرخ اوروبي ــ اوروبي، حول الدعوة الفرنسية، لعمل رد أوروبي مشترك على الازمة المالية العالمية، التي تشمل دولا مثل فرنسا، وألمانيا، وبريطانيا، وايطاليا.هذه الاحداث المهمة والخطرة في الوقت نفسه، يجب ألا نمر عليها مرور الكرام، ونحن بحاجة في حقيقة الامر وواقعه إلى التوقف بشأنها وبدقة.فدول الخليج والكويت من ضمنها، تحقق اعلى العوائد المالية الآن امام الارتفاع غير المسبوق لأسعار النفط، ووجود فوائض مالية استثنائية مليارية بصورة يومية، تستدعي العودة بالاموال للداخل، واختيار اسواق اكثر امانا، خاصة مع سقوط العديد من المؤسسات المالية العالمية، وانهيار العديد من الاسواق الدولية، وذلك للحفاظ وبقدر كبير من الحكمة ومن دون هلع، على قوة السوق المحلي، وحماية البنوك المركزية والمحلية، ورفع ضمانات العملة من الذهب، لتجنب الاصابة بعدوى الكساد والانهيار الاقتصادي العالمي، وتحاشي ذروة الصراع والاحتراب الاقتصادي، الذي قد يأتي بنتائج قد لا ترحم، خاصة عند ضياع الحوار الاقتصادي العاقل والعادل بين الأمم.

لبيد عبدال

Iabeed@lalaw.com.k

wwww.labeedabdal.com

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=438427&date=10102008

جمعية المحامين: مطلوب آلية لإعلان الخصوم المتواجدين خارج البلاد

• لبيد عبدال
أعلن رئيس لجنة مراجعة القوانين المدنية في جمعية المحامين الكويتية المحامي لبيد عبدال عن تقديم اقتراح من قبل الجمعية الى اللجنة التشريعية في مجلس الامة بخصوص تعديل نص مادة في القانون رقم 38 لسنة 1980 بشأن المرافعات المدنية والتجارية لتكون كالتالي: «اذا كان للمعلن اليه موطن معلوم في الخارج تسلم الاوراق اليه بواسطة احدى شركات البريد المستعجل العالمية، وينتج الاعلان اثاره بوصول الصورة الى المعلن اليه ويضع وزير العدل ضوابط عمل تلك الشركات واذا لم يكن للمعلن اليه موطنا او محل عمل معلوم تسلم صورة من ورقة الاعلان الى النيابة العامة».واكد ان الاقتراح المقدم نابع من الصعوبات العملية العديدة التي يواجهها جموع العاملين في مهنة المحاماة برفع الدعاوى على الافراد والشركات الذين يقع موطنهم المعلوم خارج الكويت؟ بسبب الاعلان بالطرق الدبلوماسية الذي يستغرق وصول الاوراق المراد اعلانها وعودتها عبر الطرق الدبلوماسية سنوات في بعض الاحوال وما يسبق اجراءات التقاضي امام المحاكم ويهدر الحقوق المطالب بها.واضاف ان تعديل قانون المرافعات المدنية والتجارية يسهل اجراءات التقاضي امام المحاكم الكويتية من خلال اعلان الاوراق الخاصة بصحيفة الدعوى بواسطة احدى شركات الاعلان المستعجلة خلال ايام، والتي يمكن اعتمادها بقرار من وزير العدل وذلك لمتطلبات الحاجة العملية واسوة بالعديد من الدول التي سارت في الاتجاه نفسه كلبنان والاردن، مشددا على ضرورة ايجاد آلية لاعلان الخصوم المتواجدين خارج البلاد.

labeed@lalaw.com.kw

http://ww.labeedabdal.com/

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=437125&date=13102008

‘Human trafficking must be tackled’

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 12: The Kuwaiti Parliament should accord priority to getting the proposed anti-human trafficking law passed to put an end to the problems bedeviling the labour sector, says a Kuwaiti lawyer. Speaking to the Arab Times on Sunday, Labeed Abdal called upon the authorities to monitor companies which have been indulging in visa trafficking which has become a lucrative business for some unscrupulous firms.” “There are some anti-human trafficking laws in place but they are not being enforced. The recent labour unrest was an eye-opener and has given us a taste of things to come and that is why it is essential we no longer brush aside the problem of visa trafficking,” he affirmed.
“When exploitative companies bring in laborers and leave them at their own mercy, it spawns a number of social, criminal and security headaches. This is one of the main reasons the crime graph has been soaring for the past few years, and unless we tighten the screws on visa merchants, things will not continue to deteriorate,” he added. To a question whether visa merchants should be jailed as has been done in some Gulf countries, Abdal said that imprisonment should be the last resort and that the first and foremost measure should be imposition of huge fines on companies trading in visas followed by the cancellation of their commercial licenses and the ultimate step would be jail. Lauding the amnesty for illegals, he said that the amnesty was a move in the right direction and that the government should extend the deadline only in deserving cases, particularly those who face harassment at the hands of their greedy sponsors.
Noting that the government should establish a committee tasked with combating visa trafficking, Abdal went on to explain that the committee should be empowered to take action against those companies which are unable to give an account of their employees. Abdal went on to explain that the committee in question should ascertain the authenticity of certain projects even as some companies were allegedly hiring workers on false pretexts and that such practices should be stopped forthwith. Replying to a question on whether abrogation of the sponsorship system would help eliminating the practice of human trafficking, he said that abolition of sponsorship system should be studied at length as it has pros and cons. “I am of the view that the sponsorship system is required in certain cases.” Elaborating further, Abdal said that there are some expat businessmen, qualified professionals who are capable of sponsoring themselves. On the other hand, there are certain categories of workers for whom the sponsorship system is essential, he added without elaborating.

By Francis A. Clifford CardozoArab Times Staff

email :labeed@lalaw.com.kw

http://www.labeedabdal.com

الحلم الكويتي

الحلم الكويتي
كتب لبيد عبدال :
يبقى الحلم الاميركي ابرز احلام القرن العشرين، الذي يقوم على جعل الولايات المتحدة الاميركية، ارضا لتحقيق الاحلام والطموحات ايما كان الاصل، او التاريخ، او الفرص الاقتصادية في الوطن الام، بحيث يوفر النظام الاداري، والاقتصادي، والاجتماعي، في الوطن الجديد، المناخ المناسب لتحقيق ذلك، طالما تحققت القدرة، والكفاءة، والعزيمة.وفي فرنسا يبقى الحلم الفرنسي مرتبطاً بمبادئ الثورة الفرنسية، حيث مبادئ الحرية، والمساواة، والتآخي، ويقوم الحلم الكندي على بناء دولة من الموزاييك الكندي القائم على تعدد الجنسيات، والثقافات، والاديان، اما الحلم البريطاني، فيقوم على بناء وحماية التعددية الثقافية والدينية، تحت الهوية البريطانية.ويبدو اننا في الكويت، نحتاج إلى المزيد من التفكير، والتأصيل، واعادة النظر في شأن تحديد وصياغة هذا الحلم، اذ يبقى من الاهمية بمكان التركيز على المزيد من العيش للقصة الوطنية المشتركة، التي من دون شك، تبقى لا تنفصل عن التاريخ المشترك، وبدء تأسيس المجتمع، الذي ارتبطت تحدياته بركوب عباب البحر، التجارة والغوص من اجل اللؤلؤ، وكذلك العيش في الظروف الصعبة للصحراء، ومجابهتها بالتلاحم الاجتماعي، والتفكير الدائم بتأمين المستقبل.كما انه لا يمكن عزل تلك القصة الوطنية عن دور الشيخ مبارك، والتحديات الكبرى التي كانت محيطة به، كالتهديد العثماني، وتحديات ابن رشيد، ومن ثم ابرام اتفاقية الحماية للكويت مع الامبراطورية البريطانية عام 1899، ثم اتجاه اهل الكويت إلى عرض مسودة الوثيقة الدستورية الاولى على الشيخ احمد الجابر عام 1921، واكتشاف النفط في الاربعينات، وبروز الاتجاه الايجابي الذي قام على الدفع نحو مجتمع اكثر بحبوحة عبر التثمين، ومن خلال التطور التدريجي في مجال التعليم، والصحة، والبلدية، ثم اعلان الاستقلال وصدور دستور 1962، وانشاء مجتمع اكثر تنظيما ومدنية، ونشوء العديد من مؤسسات الدولة ووزاراتها، ثم تعرض الكويت إلى محاولة الاعتداء على الحدود من عبدالكريم قاسم، ثم حربي 67 و73 كتحديات عربية لم تكن الكويت بعيدة عنها.ثم جاءت الثمانينات كمرحلة الحرب العراقية ــ الايرانية، وآثارها المباشرة على الكويت، وامنها، واقتصادها، ولحق بذلك الغزو الغاشم للكويت عام 1990، ومتابعة اعادة بناء الكويت بعد تحريرها، ثم سقوط رئيس النظام الصدامي في 2003، وتحقيق تغيير كبير بالنسبة للكويت بشأن الهاجس الامني، ثم تحقق ارتفاع كبير في سعر برميل النفط، والوصول الى عوائد عالية لايرادات النفط، ثم انطلاق مشروع الكويت كمركز مالي وتجاري.وعلى ما يبدو، وعبر ذلك الموجز التاريخي، كان التحدي دائما، وجود الدولة، وامنها، وبقاؤها على الخريطة العالمية، امام المخاطر والاطماع الخارجية والدولية المحيطة بها، وبالتالي كان مشروع وهاجس الدولة اكبر من أي أمر آخر.ونعتقد وبصورة جازمة، أنه قد آن الاوان ودقت ساعة التحول الى المزيد من التركيز على الداخل، واستمرار مواجهة جميع شهوات التدمير للكويت، خصوصا مع النجاح الباهر للقيادة، في بلورة اهمية التحالفات الناجحة مع الامبراطورية البريطانية في القرن 19، ثم الولايات المتحدة، بشكل اكثر دقة، في السبعينات، والثمانينات، ثم مع تحرير الكويت عام 1991، واعادة الشرعية، واعلان الكويت حليفا استراتيجيا في 2004، ودعم الكويت اعمال تحرير العراق واعادة امنه، وازالة نظام دكتاتوري ودموي، كلف العراق والمنطقة الكثير من الدماء والدموع، وأرواح الابرياء.هذا النجاح يسجل للقيادة، خصوصا في اطار المستقبل الاستراتيجي للكويت كموقع، وكإحدى اهم الدول المصدرة للنفط على مدى المائة عام المقبلة، والتي تستوجب بحق، تحقيق خطة وطنية شاملة، تتوافق مع الرؤية الاميرية بجعل الكويت مركزا ماليا، مع وجود التحالفات الدولية، وانشاء مدينة الكويت الحديثة، والقائمة على مبادئ المساواة، وتكافؤ الفرص للجميع، مع رفع زخم المشاريع التنموية التي تجعلها واحة وارفة الظلال، ودولة رفاه، حسب ما ورد في الدستور، ترمز، للنماء، والامان، والاستقرار، وترعى وتحفظ مبادئ احترام القانون والمساواة امامه، لكل من فيها، حكاما ومحكومين، من جبلة، وشرق، والمرقاب، والجهراء، داخل حدود السور وخارجه، قرى الفنطاس وابو حليفة، السنة والشيعة، مواطنين واجانب، وجموع الناس، محققا بذلك، الحلم الكويتي المنتظر والاصيل.

لبيد عبدال

labeed@lalaw.com.kw

www.labeedabdal.com

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=436277&date=10102008

أزمة المناخ الأميركية

أزمة المناخ الأميركية
كتب لبيد عبدال :
يبدو انه رغم بدء عنونة الحرب على الارهاب، بصورة الحرب بين الحضارات والاديان، فان المراقب للازمة المالية الاميركية، يلحظ الآثار العكسية المترتبة، في الاقتصاد الاميركي لجزء من تداعيات تلك الحرب، والتوسع في كيفية ادارتها وتقدير عواقبها، وشمولها اعمال محاربة الارهاب في العراق وافغانستان، وفتح اسواق مرتبطة بمكينة الحرب العسكرية، خاصة حيث يقوم الاقتصاد الاميركي، كأصل على سوق الرأسمالية الحرة، التي تعتمد على حرية رأس المال وعدم تدخل الدولة.والملاحظ ان الحرب على الارهاب، تزامنت معها العديد من التغيرات العكسية، لهذه الازمة المتطورة، حيث الاجراءات الاستثنائية، في الاجراءات الجزائية، والآن تدخل الدولة لدعم القطاع المصرفي، وهي تلك الحلول التي وضعت لترقيع وضع القطاع المصرفي، وازمته الائتمانية، والتي اشبه ما تكون بازمة المناخ الكويتية، حيث ظلت البنوك تقدم القروض دون الضمانات الكافية، مع عدم دقة الرقابة على قطاع البنوك في مجال الاقراض، وتزامن ذلك مع ارتفاع اسعار برميل النفط، وما صاحبه من تضخم في الاسعار، وانهيار سوق العقار الذي فقد قيمته كضمان للقروض التي تقابلها رهون عقارية، بحيث انها اصبحت لا تفي بسداد اصل الدين ولا فوائده، وذلك كله كان تحت امل من القطاع التجاري، والمالي، والمصرفي، لعوائد مشاريع اعادة بناء العراق، ومشاريعه التريليونية لسداد الديون المترتبة عليه، وقدر من دعم الاحتياطي العام للدولة عبر وزارة الخزانة العامة، والذي يقدر الآن بـ700 مليار دولار، تصرف من اموال دافعي الضرائب، مما ادخل الاقتصاد في مرحلة خطرة ومظلمة، التي يبقى ربما معها، المنقذ للنظام الاقتصادي، هو حماس وقوة النظام السياسي، في البقاء في الصدارة والتقدم العالمي، وتقديم الدعم اللازم بشكل عاجل.كما ان عدم القدرة على التحديد الدقيق لحجم الازمة المالية، وحجم المبالغ اللازمة للخروج من معضلة سبتمبر الاسود، تشكل تحديات كبرى للنظام الاقتصادي، خصوصا مع افلاس المؤسسة المالية الكبرى كليهمن براذرز وبيع بعض البنوك، وتأميم بعض مؤسسات الرهن والتأمين.ويبقى الحل الذي لا يوجد بديل ظاهر له، امام اخفاق الرقابة من السلطة التنفيذية هو تدخل الكونغرس، كحل مؤقت، لدعم القطاع المصرفي وانقاذه من السقوط بالهاوية، واعادة بناء الاقتصاد، مع العودة للتحالفات المالية التقليدية، المحلية والدولية، للخروج من الخمول والركود الاقتصادي، واعادة التطهير من تلك الاخطاء القاتلة والمدمرة في الوقت نفسه، بحلول الانقاذ غير المسبوقة، والتي فرضها الواقع، رغم مخالفتها اساسات الايديولوجية الاقتصادية الحرة، ولتجاوز الانتقادات القاسية بشأن القطبية الاقتصادية الواحدة، سواء من قبل آسيا، او العديد من الدول الاوروبية، التي تقف ضد الاقتصاد وفق النظرية الانغلوسكسونية.

لبيد عبدال

labeed@lalaw.kw

www.labeedabal.com

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=434213&date=03102008

‘Election cases should go to regular courts’

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 28:

A legal expert says electoral cases should be brought under the purview of regular courts and not the Constitutional Court as is the case now. Speaking to the Arab Times on Sunday, Labeed Abdal added that in many countries including France, Belgium, Egypt etc the Constitutional Court is tasked with rescinding unconstitutional laws. “It is not practical to refer a case such as vote recount to the Constitutional Court since there is tangible evidence available and as such the regular courts can handle the matter with facility.” “Under the regular court system, a candidate will get an opportunity to appeal his case unlike the present system wherein there is no provision in the law for an appeal. As a Constitutional expert, I had suggested in the past that in order to make the vote count process more efficient and transparent, the whole process needs to be overhauled.”
Replying to a question on to the establishment of the Election Commission recommended by some parliamentarians, he stressed that he does not sense the need for an Election Commission and that he has full faith in the judicial system of the country. Under the current system, he said, the Constitution does not have any provision for the Election Commission and there is a need for issuing a new law in order to adopt the system. Abdal went on to explain that present system also is as good as an election commission wherein the process involves judges and officials from the ministry of interior. Abdal observed that the Constitutional Court will accept petitions for vote recount only after thoroughly reviewing them.
Citing an example, Abdal added that a total of 33 candidates had filed a petition before the Constitutional Court seeking a recount and that only 2 cases were approved by the court. Both the candidates who sought a recount were declared winners by around 500-600 votes each. Abdal represented the Parliament Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi in the Constitutional Court. Abdal added that the authorities should also speed up the vote recount process, thereby issuing the verdict in the shortest time possible. “This will enable to avoid a lot of confusion as under the present system it takes about 3 to 4 months to reach a logical conclusion for a case. I think this can be brought down to 2 to 3 weeks.” Replying to a question whether the judges who were involved in the counting of votes at election booths can be sued by the two parliamentarians, he replied in the negative and was quick to add: “they are humans after all.”

By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo
Arab Times Staff

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/pagesdetails.asp?nid=22784&ccid=9

Back multi-faith culture

By Labeed Abdal
Lawyer

Arab Times News paper

KUWAIT was accused of setting obstacles in the path of those who practice religions other than Islam in recent media reports, including the annual US State Department report on religious freedom.The Kuwaiti Constitution includes international regulations aimed at protecting religious freedom, particularly Article 35 which states that “freedom of belief is absolute. The State protects freedom of religious practice in accordance with established customs provided it does not conflict with public policy or morals.” According to the explanatory notes of the Constitution, freedom of belief is absolute as long as it is done personally — between the person and his God. If the practice becomes public, it should be regulated by the authorities.
A mechanism to develop the multi-faith culture in the local community is required to ensure that people respect one’s freedom to practice his religion. Government, non-government, profit and non-profit organizations should all work together to promote interfaith tolerance, encourage a genuine dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims, eradicate misconceptions about Islam among those with other faiths, and support all efforts to guarantee peaceful coexistence of people with various religions.The establishment of a trusted authority is also essential as a decision-making body on how the local authorities regulate the practice of different religions to avoid contradictions in ‘fatwas’ issued through the Sharia Law, clarify misunderstandings, and rectify mistakes in the enforcement of the law.

labeed@lalaw.com,kw
http://labeedabdal.com

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/faqdetails.asp?faid=1135&faqid=14

Court boots 2 MPs, seats runners-up; Call to review voting procedures

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 17: The Constitutional Court Wednesday annulled the membership of two MPs who were elected to the Parliament in May 2008 because of discrepancies in vote count and replaced them with the runners-up who had challenged the results. The court ruled in favor of challenges by Askar Owayed Al-Enezi and Saadoun Hammad Al-Otaibi against Mubarak Mohammed Al-Walaan and Abdullah Medhi Al-Ajmi. After the verdict was issued, MP Otaibi told the Arab Times he had put all his trust in the Kuwaiti judiciary. He also said he was sure of winning the seat. “Since the beginning of the case, I was sure I polled 10,914 votes and held the eighth position in the Fifth Constituency,” said Otaibi. He added he had submitted to the court all the documents to prove he was the winner.
MP Askar Al-Enezi told the Arab Times he is grateful to God and for the Kuwaiti judiciary for this great victory. He added he fought for four months until he won back his rights. He was standing from the 4th Constituency. “We are all here at the request of this nation, whether at the National Assembly, the Municipal Council or any place in the State of Kuwait,” said Al-Enezi. Constitutional expert attorney Dr Mohammed Al-Muqate, who represented Al-Enezi in court, told the Arab Times this verdict is final. He added his client became Member of Parliament the moment the verdict was issued.“The National Assembly must soon hold an immediate special session to notify the MPs about the court’s verdict,” said Muqate, and added, “The two ‘new’ MPs must join the parliament and two ‘former’ MPs must vacate their places.”
The decision of the Constitutional Court with regards to the disqualification to the two MPs is final and cannot be contested, says another Constitutional expert.

Speaking to the Arab Times, Labeed Abdal said that the two disqualified MPs will be asked to step down with immediate effect and that the Speaker of the Parliament will hold a special session to conduct a swearing in ceremony for the two newly-declared winners. “This not something unprecedented in the history of Kuwait and we have had many such cases wherein lost candidates have been declared winners following a recount ordered by the Constitutional Court.” “The two winners cannot assume their roles unless they are sworn in and this expected to happen soon.”He said that if any candidate wishes to contest the elections results, then he has to do within a certain time-frame and that normally it takes about 3-4 months for the Constitutional Court to issue a verdict in cases involving recount.

Refuting speculation that the verdict will have a negative impact on the electoral process as a whole, Al-Otaibi pointed out “contrary to these allegations, I believe the ruling has rectified an actual error.” He also underscored the need to amend the Elections Law, regulate electoral procedures, and appoint an independent judge who will stay in the committee for 24 hours to oversee the counting process. He said female representatives should work only until 8:00 pm and they will be replaced by men to continue the counting of votes.
Al-Otaibi affirmed he will take his oath as MP on Oct 21, unless an emergency session is held for this purpose prior to the opening of the next legislative round. On the other hand, MP Mohammed Hayef Al-Mutairi emphasized the need for accuracy in the electoral process to avoid the recurrence of mistakes that can be exploited in the future. “If this is a human error, the authorities should verify it to identify the causes, since it involves a very sensitive issue that led to the disqualification of MPs Mubarak Mohammed Al-Waalan and Abdullah Medhi Al-Ajmi, who were replaced by Al-Otaibi and Askar Owayed Al-Enezi. This is the first time in the history of the National Assembly, which might prompt the public to doubt the judicial system,” Al-Mutairi argued. He also underlined the importance of carefully analyzing the issue and identify reasons behind the error to bring the public’s trust back to Kuwait’s judicial system.
Meanwhile, Secretary General of the National Assembly Allam Al-Kandari commended the decision of the Constitutional Court, indicating this is normal and similar to what happened in the previous elections under the 25 constituency system between former MP Khalid Al-Adwa and Al-Otaibi, but this time the period was longer and the issue has affected both parties. Expressing his willingness to support calls for the amendment of vote counting procedures, Al-Kandari admitted there were flaws found in the existing vote count mechanism, hence, the need for a new system to protect the rights of all candidates. He clarified Al-Enezi and Al-Otaibi are not official members of the Parliament until they take their oath on Oct 21 or earlier if an agreement is reached to hold an emergency session for this purpose. In the meantime, Al-Enezi applauded the Constitutional Court for ruling in his favor and declaring him a winner in the Fourth Constituency, replacing Al-Walaan. He also reiterated his trust in the integrity and transparency of Kuwaiti courts.
Moreover, Speaker of the Parliament Jassem AL-Khorafi welcomed Al-Enezi and Al-Otaibi to the National Assembly and expressed his appreciation for the court’s efforts to reach a final decision on the issue. Representing the Fourth Constituency, Al-Enezi vowed to do his best to live up to the expectations and wishes of his voters. He reiterated that he would work hard to implement his platform and election promises regarding bedoun (stateless people), housing, unemployment, Kuwaiti women’s rights and education. The new member of parliament stressed the importance of cooperation between both legislative and executive authorities for the sake of the nation and citizens.
By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo, Dahlia Kholaif, Abubakar A. Ibrahim and Moamen Al-Masri

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pagesdetails.asp?nid=22393&ccid=9

‘No subletting without permission of owner’; Tenant, landlord’s rights detailed

‘No subletting without permission of owner’; Tenant, landlord’s rights detailed
KUWAIT CITY, Sept 15: In case of a dispute between the landlord and the tenant over rent, certain factors are taken into consideration by the court to ascertain whether the rent warrants a hike or not. These factors include: the prevalent rent of similar properties, size, quality, architectural finish etc, says a Kuwaiti lawyer, Labeed Abdal. After the tenancy contract is concluded, the landlord must hand over the property in good condition, and if the tenant discovers any defects that are unacceptable to him, then he can have the contract cancelled and claim compensation.
In an exclusive interview with the Arab Times on Sunday, Abdal talked about various aspects of the Tenancy Law.
Q: What matters does the Kuwait Tenancy Law regulate? A: This law covers the rental of residential flats, houses, buildings, land for storage use, offices, warehouses etc.
Q: What are the obligations of the landlord?A: The tenancy contract obligates the owner of the property to entrust his property, subject to the tenancy contract which must specify the rented property, including the rent for a specified or unspecified period of time without any obstructions.
Q: What standards are applied to estimate the rent increase, especially if a dispute arises between the landlord and the tenant?A: In event of a dispute between the landlord and the tenant regarding rent, certain factors are taken into consideration by the court to decide whether the rent should be increased or not. These factors include: the prevalent rent of similar properties, size, quality, architectural finish etc.
Q: What procedures are followed with regards to the rent contract?A: All tenancy contracts must be written; old unwritten contracts are governed by rules and regulations prevalent at the time of the verbal contract. This can be proven by witnesses or receipts in event of a disagreement over the rent.
Q: What would be the solution if there is a dispute between many tenants for one premise?In such a situation, the court accords priority to the first tenant provided he has a proven contract date preceding all others. The rest can seek compensation in the court if they have valid grounds.
Q: What happens if a tenant receives defective rented property?A: After the tenancy contract is concluded, the owner must hand over the property in good condition, and if the tenant discovers any defects that are unacceptable to him, then he can have the contract cancelled and claim compensation.
Q: How does the Tenancy Law regulate the issue of maintenance?A: A landlord must do maintenance to the rented property at appropriate times (during holidays, vacations etc). If he does not undertake this responsibility, then the tenant has the right to seek court permission to do so, and incur the reasonable costs on the owner. Suppose if the owner affirms that maintenance costs are inflated, then the judge has the right to adjust the figure in such a way as not to overcharge the owner while the rest is borne by the tenant. If the tenant does not accept to pay, then he can ask the judge to cancel the contract. Also the judge will take into account the rent amount and duration of stay in the premise regarding compensation.
Q: How does the law regulate the necessary repairs? And what if the tenant suffers any damages in the process?A: A tenant cannot refuse the owner to carry out any repairs or maintenance, or renovation, but the tenant can claim compensation or demand reduction of rent if he suffers any damages while the repairs are being done. The tenant can also have the contract terminated. Nonetheless the tenant and the owner can add fresh terms in the contract.
Q: What is the tenant’s obligation regarding the rent and how is it governed by the law?A: The rent must be paid at the beginning of every month, or as agreed. In case of any disagreement with owner for whatever reason, the rent must be deposited in the Execution Department of the Justice Palace or Courts within 20 days from the date of rent payment. This should be done after the tenant officially offers the rent to owner and he refuses to accept the same. The Execution Department then informs the owner regarding the deposit within 5 days. But if the owner accepts the money deposited in Execution Department for 2 consecutive times, then the tenant can deposit further rents in the Execution Department. Also the tenant can pay the rent directly to the owner any time, if the owner agrees to receive the same and gives him the receipt.
Q: Is it possible to withdraw the rental money from the Execution Department?A: A tenant cannot withdraw the money once he deposits it with the Execution Department unless he gets a court ruling to this effect, or permission from the landlord.
Q: When is it possible to amend the rent in the contract?A: It is legally possible to amend the amount of rent after 5 years, or lapse of contract period if the contract is valid for more than 5 years, bearing in mind the rent value of similar property. It should be noted that the rental hike should not exceed 100 per cent.
Q: What are the limits set for any structural changes in the property if the tenant wishes to do it?A: The tenant should not effect any structural changes to the property, and if he does, then the owner has the right to ask the tenant to restore it to its original condition.
Q: What are the obligations of the tenant in the rent contract?The tenant must take good care of the property he uses; he should maintain it properly (sanitary fittings, paints, doors, electrical fittings, etc) unless the agreement between owner and tenant dictates otherwise, or the owner willingly does that.
Q: What are the other obligations?A: The tenant is responsible for any abuse of the property; any damage suffered to the property while he/she is occupying it is their sole responsibility. The tenant should not sublet the property or part of it, unless permitted by the owner.
Q: How does the Tenancy Law regulate subletting?Subletting can only be done with the approval of the landlord. If the tenant has taken permission to sublet the property or part of it, and after some time leaves the property, then the rent relation between owner and tenant will be transferred to the one who rented the entire property from the tenant.
Q: What if the subletting is done without permission of the owner?A: In case of subletting parts of the property, the owner has the right to ask the tenant, who sublet parts of the property without the consent of owner to vacate the property and this can be done by a court order, thereby allowing the landlord to claim damages if there were any.
Q: What happens if the landlord sells the property?A: In case the owner sells his property to another party, and if the tenant knows of the sale, then he should pay the rent to the new owner, and the tenancy contract with the previous owner will be considered effective till a new one is drawn by the new owner without affecting the period of time needed to amend the rent (5 years).
Naturally the new owner should inform the tenant about the change of ownership; if he fails to do so, and the tenant pays the rent to the previous owner, then the new owner must claim his money from the previous owner. But if he proves beyond doubt that the tenant knew about the sale of the property and yet paid the previous owner, then he can claim the rent from the tenant regardless of what the tenant paid to the previous owner. Also if the new owner is not known to the tenant, then the latter can deposit the rent in the Execution Department.
Q: What action can a new landlord take if he discovers that the rent contracts are fraudulent?A: If the new owner discovers that the tenancy contract between the old owner and the tenant is fraudulent, then the tenancy contract will be considered null and void and the landlord can file a complaint and can claim full compensation.
Q: When is the tenancy contract considered terminated?A: The tenancy contract is considered terminated on the day of termination indicated in the contract; but if the tenant stays in the property without any objection from the owner, the tenancy contract is considered renewed for the same period of occupancy indicated in the contract.
Q: How can the rent contract be terminated by the concerned parties?A: If the landlord wants to terminate the contract, or the tenant wants to vacate the property then notification must be sent to the party concerned:A notification to vacate within 15 days for the rent periods not exceeding 3 months; a notification to vacate within 2 months for rent periods exceeding 6 months. In the tenancy contract, if there is a clause that stipulates a certain period for vacating the property, then this period should be upheld. All notifications to vacate the property must be written and officially handed over to the party concerned.
Q: When can the landlord ask the tenant to vacate the property?A: A landlord can ask his tenants to vacate the property only in the following cases: 1. If the tenant delayed in paying rent (being absent or away from country is not an excuse).2. If the tenant sublets part of the property without prior approval of the owner.3. If the tenant has breached the contract in any manner (effected changes to the property, or used property for other purposes than declared etc).4. If the tenant of a commercial property closes the property for over 6 months without a reasonable excuse, even if he was regular with the payment of the rent. 5. If the property becomes unfit for occupancy, or the owner has gotten official permit to demolish it.6. If the owner wants to demolish the property for the following reasons:After 25 years of building it. If the municipality grants him an extension of area for building wherein he can demolish and rebuild a bigger structure. Vacation of property becomes effective after the owner informs the tenant that he acquired all the necessary permits to demolish and rebuild. He should rebuild within 6 months from the date of getting the permits, otherwise the vacating tenant can reoccupy the property and demand necessary compensation.7. If the landlord wants to build an additional floor to the rented building, and to do so requires evacuation of tenants, then the owner should start construction within six months form the date of getting permits, otherwise the tenants have the right to reoccupy property or demand compensation.8 If the owner decides to add a floor to the rented building without demanding the tenants to vacate, construction should not affect the tenants; if it does, then tenants can abrogate the contract or seek rent reduction.9. If the owner or one of his close relatives needs to use the property, but he does not do so within a period of 6 months, and does not present a reasonable excuse, then the tenant has the right to ask for compensation.10. If the rented property is part of owner’s residence and he wants to use it for himself, or his close relatives (son, cousin, uncle), or his dependents and this must be proven in the court and can only happen if it is the only property of the owner.11. If a commercial property (stores, shops, offices etc) is owned by a minor whose legal guardian rented it, when minor attains legal age (major), he can demand his property to be vacated for him to use it within 6 months from vacating the property; otherwise the tenant can reoccupy the property or demand compensation.12. If the property was used for commercial purposes or to practice a certain trade or profession, and the tenant was deported by court order or by Ministry of Interior administrative order.
Q: Will the tenant be compensated in the above mentioned situations?A: In certain cases (para 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) the judge has the right to grant the tenant a period of 6 months to vacate the property without paying rent or any compensation to the owner. If the judge gives a period to vacate less than six months, then the rest should be compensated to the tenant by an amount equivalent to rent for the remaining period.Regarding compensating the tenant when the owner decides to demolish in accordance with cases 6 & 7 indicated above as follows:If the period granted by the court or landlord for vacating the property is less than six months, then the owner must compensate the tenant for the rest of period to complete 6 months, and if the tenant has been occupying the property in accordance with agreement for more than 6 years, he is entitled to the above compensation in addition to the amount equivalent to 6 month’s rent.The tenancy contract is not terminated if the owner or tenant dies, but tenant’s inheritors or family can demand termination of contract.
Q: Assuming the contract is terminated, then what would be the obligation of the tenant?A: When the tenancy contract is terminated for whatever reason, it is imperative that the tenant should leave the property in good condition as he received it, but if he stays in the property after termination of contract and without permission from the owner, then the owner can double charge him for the period of overstay.
Also, it goes without saying that the owner can get an eviction order from court if there is a legitimate reason to do so. Damages resulting from natural causes are not considered the tenant’s responsibility.Labeed Abdal is the owner and founder of a law firm named after himself.

Labeed@lalaw.com.kw
http://www.labeedabdal.com

By Francis A. Clifford CardozoArab Times Staff

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/pagesdetails.asp?nid=22277&ccid=9

انقلاب إداري

انقلاب إداري
كتب لبيد عبدال :
يبقى رئيس مجلس الوزراء والوزراء، وفق احكام الدستور، مسؤولين عن اعمالهم الوزارية امام مجلس الامة، في شأن كل الامور الداخلة في اختصاصاتهم.هذا الامر في حقيقته وواقعه، يقتضي الوقوف صفا واحداً من قبل طاقم الوزارة خلف الوزير، في شأن أي سؤال، او استجواب، او تحقيق برلماني يقدم له، او لرئيسه في مجلس الامة، وذلك من حيث تزويده بالبيانات والمعلومات اللازمة للرد والاستعداد لمواجهة وسائل الرقابة البرلمانية.ورغم ان الوزير في وزارته هو القائد الاداري الاعلى لاعمال الوزارة، فان مسؤوليته تبقى سياسية امام البرلمان، عن اي خلل او اعوجاج اداري يقع في وزارته، ويشكل انحرافا عن واجبه في خدمة الناس، وتحقيق المصلحة العامة.ورغم ان الدستور يكفل لاعضاء مجلس الامة الحق في الرقابة على اعمال الحكومة، فإنه في المقابل يكفل للحكومة الحق الكامل بالدفاع عن وجهة نظرها، وتقديم ما لديها من اسانيد وادلة تبرر موقفها، او قراراتها.وقد اثبت الواقع أنه في الكثير من الاستجوابات والمساءلات السياسية الاخيرة كان حق الحكومة بالدفاع عن نفسها قد اعتراه الكثير من الشوائب والاضطرابات، التي تكاد توصف بالانقلاب الاداري، اذ اصبح الموظف في الادارة منقلبا اداريا على وزارته، وبدلا من قيامه بدعم موقف الوزير في ما يتعرض له من مساءلة سياسية، فإنه يقوم بدور عكسي، عند قيامه بتسريب المعلومات والمستندات، وبالمخالفة لواجباته الادارية، ضد الوزير، او حتى رئيس مجلس الوزراء، وتحقيق مآرب ومنافع شخصية في خضم صراع القوى السياسية، ولعبة الكتل التجارية المتسيسة. وامام ندرة التضامن الوزاري في الكويت، الذي يكون مطلوبا في جله عند حالات المساءلة السياسية، ووجود الانقلاب الاداري المذكو داخل الوزارة، فإنه لا يبقى امام الوزير سوى مواجهة مطرقة مجلس الامة، او سندان مجلس الوزراء، وبالتالي تحمل نتائج تلك الهوة السحيقة في ما بين ما هو كائن وما يجب ان يكون، على الاخص ما بين واجب فريق الوزارة بصد الهجوم والمحافظة على خطة الدفاع، وواقع حال الاختراق والتسلل الداخلي للوزارة، الذي لا يحتاج المرء معه الى كثير عناء، لكشف آثاره السلبية في ضعضعة موقف الوزير سياسيا، وبالتالي اسقاطه

وتوابعه، مع كل ما يترتب على ذلك من آثار.

لبيد عبدال

labeed@lalaw.kw

www.labeedabdal.com

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=430146&date=23082008

واجب حماية الأرواح

واجب حماية الأرواح
كتب لبيد عبدال :
ان حملة استخدام جهاز الرد من دون حمل السماعة في السيارة، وكذلك ربط حزام الامان من الوسائل المهمة للتقليل من فقد الارواح التي تسقط في حرب الشوارع المستمرة، والتي تزهق على ارضها الآلاف من الابرياء، خلال ثوان معدودات من فقد التركيز والانتباه اثناء القيادة، ومن ثم وقوع الحوادث الاليمة التي تحصد الاخضر واليابس، خاصة عند الاخذ في الاعتبار ما اكدته منظمة الصحة العالمية عبر موقعها الالكتروني، من ان الدهس والقتل اللذين يقعان بسبب حوادث السيارات، يعدان من ابرز اسباب الوفاة، الى جانب الامراض الاخرى القاتلة كالسرطان والقلب وغيرهما.ولهذا، فالامل يبقى كبيراً ان تستمر الحملات والرسائل الاعلامية بالصحافة، والراديو، والتلفزيون، والانترنت، للتوعية العامة لكل الاجيال وبلغات متعددة، تغطي جمهور المواطنين، وكذلك المقيمين، الذين هم في تزايد مستمر، وذلك ليس فقط بشأن ربط حزام الامان، او عدم استخدام الهاتف النقال اثناء القيادة، بل اضافة الى ذلك ضرورة التزام قادة المركبات باحترام خطوط المشاة، وتمكينهم من العبور بسلام من خلال مزيد من برامج التوعية، ووجود مزيد من رجال الشرطة لمراقبة الطرق، والتواجد عند الممرات الرئيسية بواسطة شرطة الادارة العامة للمرور.اذ يبقى تواجد رجال الشرطة، بالزي الرسمي ليس فقط سبيلا لتنظيم المرور وحفظ الامن، وانما يعد ايضا وجها وطنيا وحضاريا للدولة الموجودة، والجميلة، والمنظمة.

ضوء وظل:لا يمكن تجاهل الدور المهم والمشرق لرجل الشرطة السيد محمد بلال منصور، المتواجد دائما لتنظيم المرور على شارع دمشق، بين منطقتي السرة وقرطبة، وكذلك في منطقة الجابرية قرب دوار مستشفى هادي، لما يقوم به من عمل مميز في كل عام، خصوصاً في وقت العودة الى المدارس.

لبيد عبدال

labeed@lalaw.com.kw

http://www.labeedabdal.com/

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=427202&date=23082008

‘Lack of Cyber laws makes it impossible to fight Net crimes’

‘Lack of Cyber laws makes it impossible to fight Net crimes’

KUWAIT CITY : Internet-related crimes are on the rise in Kuwait and the lack of Cyber laws makes it impossible to tackle such fraudulent practices, says a Kuwaiti lawyer. Speaking to the Arab Times on Wednesday, Labeed Abdal added that hackers are increasingly targeting Kuwait and many other countries, knowing full well that they can get away with their crimes. He went on to explain that some people send abusive emails to settle personal scores and that the law enforcement agencies are unable to act on such matters due to non-existence of Cyber laws, “which must be in tune with the latest changes in the Internet domain.”
Citing an example, he said, recently a woman approached a police station to file complaint with regards to a derogatory email but the police refused to entertain her complaint. “In such a scenario, we cannot blame the security authorities. There is an exigent need to establish what can be called as Cyber Police which will enable to monitor online activities, besides tracking down the source of abusive emails. In other words, the police will only register a complaint provided a person admits to his or her crime, thereby referring the case to prosecution.”
Confess“Supposing a person refuses to confess to his crime, then it becomes impossible for the authorities to register a complaint for the simple reason that they do not posses the required know-how and equipment to track down the source of an email, especially if the sender uses only his initials or if the mail is anonymous,” he added. Asked to comment on the decision of some prosecutors to draft a law with regards to Internet crimes, Abdal said he was unable to comment on the issue as he was yet to see the contents of the draft, which must be submitted to the parliament before being reviewed by the legislative committee.
Stressing that many unsolicited emails were originating from Africa, particularly from Nigeria, Abdal noted that one Kuwaiti lady was recently duped by some unscrupulous elements after she fell prey to a fraudulent email.He observed that the lady was sent an email indicating that she had won $ 50 million and — as a first step towards claiming the prize money — she was required to send lottery organizers a certain fee in order to set in motion her paperwork. Abdal added that the unsuspecting victim was initially asked to send KD 150 and that the amount was to be sent to a person in the UK.
“When she sent the money, she was told that the money was insufficient and was asked to remit an additional KD 300. Moreover, she sent the money through a medium which makes it impossible to ascertain the identity of the receiver. She was later invited to the UK to collect her prize money.” “When she reached the UK, a certain George got in touch with her and took her to a shabby restaurant and she was told that the award ceremony would be kept low profile. She was then asked to fork out additional money towards certain other procedures.” He said that the lady continued to pay money until the amount reached KD 15,000 and that the woman nearly spent over two months in the UK.
Loan“Fed up with the dilly dallying, she returned to Kuwait. The sad thing is that the lady took loan from a bank to pay the fraudster with the aim of bagging the prize money. Though, she was issued receipts by the fraudsters, they are only in the form of computer print-outs. I am now coordinating with the authorities in the UK to track down the source of the email.” Had there been a Cyber Cell in Kuwait, then it would have helped in determining the source of the said email, he added. Abdal said that some fraudsters are using emails whose validity does not exceed more than a month, thereby making it impossible for the concerned authorities to identify the source.
“One of my female clients was being targeted by some people who tampered with her images making her look obscene and her pictures were being circulated in chatrooms. When we got to the bottom of the case, we found out that her obscene images were being circulated through an email account which was valid only for 30 days.” Commenting on blogging, he said some people in Kuwait are misusing the medium and that he supports freedom of speech provided it is regulated. “Sometimes it becomes paramount to prosecute bloggers, especially if they indulge in character assassination.”

By Francis A. Clifford CardozoArab Times Staff



http://www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pagesdetails.asp?nid=21784&ccid=9

حرب الخليج والانتخابات الأميركية

حرب الخليج والانتخابات الأميركية

كتب لبيد عبدال :


تبقى لا تنفصل اوضاع الحرب والسلام في منطقة الخليج ــ حيث مصادر النفط والطاقة ــ عن الانتخابات الاميركية، اذ ان درجة اشتعال الحرب، او التهديد بضرب ايران، مسألتان حاسمتان وفاصلتان في تبرير واقناع الشعب الاميركي بالرئيس المنتظر، وتحديد الاختيار المناسب للمرحلة المقبلة، وبأي درجة سيكون عليها من الاستعداد، للتعامل مع هذه المنطقة المهمة، والملتهبة في الوقت نفسه.
فقد اكدت الاستطلاعات الاخيرة في الولايات المتحدة الاميركية، ان اهم الفوارق بين المرشح الجمهوري ماكين والمرشح الديموقراطي اوباما، هو عنصر الخبرة، والتي تميز بها المرشح الاول عن الثاني، والذي حاول بزيارته الاخيرة للعراق وافغانستان، اظهار بعض المعرفة بهما، باعتبارهما من القضايا المهمة التي تأخذ حيزا كبيراً على خارطة السياسية الخارجية الاميركية في الوقت الحاضر، مع محاولة مضاعفة جهوده اخيراً لاقناع ناخبيه بقضايا الاقتصاد، والصحة، والعودة معه إلى عصر الرئيس السابق كلينتون.
ويبدو ان المزيد من التصعيد والتهديد بالحرب الى دون حد اي حرب حقيقية، سوف يكون العنصر الفاعل، نحو اقناع جمهور الناخبين، بالحزب والرئيس القادم للحكم، خاصة ممن لم يحددوا اختيارهم بعد، ويظل يجمعهم الوقوف صفاً واحداً مع القيادة ومسيرة الجيش، في المسائل المتعلقة بالامن القومي، وضرورة استقرار مصادر النفط للشتاءالمقبل، مما يدعونا إلى القول إن الحزب الجمهوري سوف يكون اكثر حظوة، امام فقاعة المرحلة الاوباماوية، التي تميزت بالعديد من التقلبات في الهوية، والدين، واهتزاز الرؤية، وبشكل خاص في مستقبل وضع هذه المنطقة، وما بها من تحديات ومصالح استراتيجية واقتصادية مهمة على الصعيدين الاقليمي والدولي.

لبيد عبدال

labeed@lalaw.com.kw
www.labeedabdal.com

http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=425750&date=23082008

Call to curb credit card fraud

KUWAIT CITY : A well-known Kuwaiti lawyer has expressed concern over the rise in credit card fraud cases in Kuwait and has called for enacting tough laws to combat the crime. Speaking to the Arab Times on Wednesday, Labeed Abdal said that hackers are increasingly targeting popular online shopping websites and that many Kuwaiti citizens have fallen prey to this practice. Recently, he said, an employee of a bank outside Kuwait — stole clients’ details of credit cards and — sold these to international criminal gangs which then went on an online shopping spree and illegally debited the bills to accounts of some credit card holders in Kuwait.

“The hackers bought a number of items online, including: jewels, perfumes, cell phones etc. The lack of legislation pertaining to Internet crimes makes it difficult for Kuwait to fight such practices and hackers are taking advantage of this in a big way,” Abdal explained. Abdal is a Constitutional expert, who has represented the Speaker of the Parliament, Jassem Al-Khorafi in the Constitutional Court. “We need to establish Cyber Police Cell to monitor online activities and unless this happens it will be very difficult to fight the problem. The Cyber Police Units should also work in tandem with other countries to track down people who commit crime in Kuwaiti cyber domain,” he added. “Tracking down online frauds needs comprehensive knowledge in knowing the source of the email and which network it came from; so as to identify the person behind it. The Cyber Police can help prevent or minimize the flow of fraudulent emails which are sometimes used to disrupt personal computers and networks,” he added.

Abdal added that prosecutors have started receiving cases from victims of credit card fraud and are also working with international agencies to bring to justice people involved in hacking and other online crimes. “We also need active cooperation from fraud victims.” Citing another example, Abdal said that a person hacked into the online account of a bank in Kuwait and was successfully able to transfer a large amount of money to his account, even as the latter was nabbed by the authorities because he left behind ‘footprints.’ Referring to another kind of fraud, he said many people in Kuwait have been receiving fraud emails in the name of well-known local banks indicating that their account needs to be updated.

“The fraudster then calls upon the victims to fill out an e-form involving his or her bank account. Once the necessary information is provided by the user, the hackers then hack into their accounts.” Abdal added that millions of such emails are being sent daily and that receivers should exercise caution, even as they should contact the bank to check on the veracity of a mail if it arouses their suspicions.

By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo
Arab Times Staff


http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/pagesdetails.asp?nid=21494&ccid=9

الحرب على الانترنت

الحرب على الانترنت

كتب لبيد عبدال :


يتناول القانون الدولي تحديد صور الحرب الدولية، والتي اما ان تكون بصورة اعتداء غير مشروع، وهو ما يسمى في هذه الحالة الحرب العدوانية، وتكون من خلال انتهاك الحدود ونهب الثروات من قبل دولة ضد اخرى، او ان تكون حربا مشروعة، حيث تقوم على الدفاع الشرعي ضد اي اعتداء من دولة على الاخرى، مع بقاء القاسم المشترك في كلتا الحالتين، هو ان طرفي هذه الحرب هما الدول.
ومع التطور التكنولوجي السريع، كما ونوعا، وقيام الكثير من مصالح الافراد والدول على وسط الانترنت، باعتباره وسطا الكترونيا افتراضيا قائما على الشبكة العنكبوتية، التي تشمل تعاملات الافراد، كما في المسائل المالية والتجارية ونتاج الملكية الفكرية بشكل عام، وتشمل كذلك امورا تخص ادارة الدولة، حيث تساهم بحصة كبيرة على هذا الوسط ايضا، من خلال ممارسة عملها وخدماتها وحفظ معلوماتها، وتشكيل حكومات الكترونية تغطي كل خدماتها الوزارية ومؤسساتها ولكن على شبكة الانترنت.
هذا التطور في كيان الدولة لم يخل من تطور حتى في مفهوم الحرب ايضا، حيث نشأت ما تسمى الحرب على الانترنت، والتي تستخدم كفضاء الكتروني تقع عليها الحرب الالكترونية، فيضاف الى التفوق التقليدي، الذي حسم العديد من الحروب العالمية سابقا، تفوق الكتروني الآن، ويكمن في عمل اسناد لكل تحركات الدولة المهاجمة بوسائل الحرب التقليدية، كالهجوم البري والجوي والبحري، والى جانبهم الهجوم الالكتروني، فالاخير يمكن ان يحقق نتائج كبيرة في كسب الحرب ويتم من خلال دعم اي هجوم تقليدي بالهجوم الالكتروني، فالاخير يمكن ان يحقق نتائج كبيرة في كسب الحرب، ويتم من خلال دعم اي هجوم تقليدي بالهجوم الالكتروني، بملايين الرسائل الالكترونية من الجهاز المهاجم، على الموقع الحكومي المستهدف، ويشمل المواقع الالكترونية لوزارات الدفاع والأمن والاعلام والرقابة وغيرها، وبالتالي يتم غزوها من خلال تفجيرها واختراقها الكترونيا، وتشتيت البيانات وتبديد المعلومات المخزنة فيها، والتي كان يمكن ان تستخدم اثناء الحرب ضد الطرف الآخر، وقد تشل او تعطل حركته، وهو ما يؤكد اهمية الاهتمام بهذا التفوق الالكتروني، تقنيا وعسكريا، وكذلك في نطاق التشريعات الدولية التي يجب ان تنظم قواعد تلك الحرب، وذلك لتحقيق نتائج حاسمة في النتيجة النهائية لهذه الحرب الجديدة بين الغالب والمغلوب، وكذلك ترسيخ قواعد المسؤولية القانونية الدولية، عند القيام بتلك الحرب بصورها غير المشروعة والمدمرة.

labeed@lalaw.com.kw
www.labeedabdal.com


http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Article.aspx?id=423831&date=23082008

Culture of tolerance must be promoted

Culture of tolerance must be promoted

Kuwaiti youth are actively engaged in the political affairs of the country as candidates largely depend on them to attract young voters and push their manifestos, says Labeed Abdal. Abdal believes the political blocs in Kuwait are as good as parties for they are well organized and they have managed to influence the Kuwaiti political spectrum in a big way. The Constitution of Kuwait does not prevent the formation of political parties as the parliament has to get the necessary laws passed to establish parties, thereby organizing the membership and the funding, he adds. Abdal spoke to the Arab Times on a range of issues, including visa trafficking, Guantanamo prisoners, Kuwaiti judicial system, among others.
Q: What are some of the socio-economic changes that Kuwait has experienced post-liberation?A: Liberating Iraq from the clutches of Saddam Hussein was one of the most important developments to have taken place in the region, thereby removing a major hurdle in the path of Kuwait and this, in turn, boosted its stability and security.Kuwait in particular, and the Gulf in general, should capitalize on the high oil prices and create a conducive environment to attract foreign investment, besides carrying out economic and social reforms for more openness.
Q: Should Kuwait stick to the five constituency system as there is a general belief that the system has bolstered tribal and sectarian leanings. How do you view this issue?A: The five constituency system encouraged many candidates to hold tribal primaries and I strongly believe that there is an exigent need to review the system by the concerned authorities. As we saw in the recent elections, voters in certain constituencies cast their ballot based on tribal or sectarian affiliations and as some new constituencies became bigger — this to some extent — reduced the influence of candidates on voters.
Q: The lack of political parties in Kuwait has been decried by many political experts with some even suggesting that it will vitiate Kuwait’s democracy in the future.A: I believe the political blocs in Kuwait are as good as parties for they are well organized and they have managed to influence the Kuwaiti political spectrum in a big way. Additionally, the Constitution of Kuwait does not prevent establishment of political parties as the parliament has to get the necessary laws passed to establish political parties, thereby organizing the membership and the funding.
Q: Many candidates in the recent elections launched online campaigns to woo young voters. There is a general belief that the approach of the Kuwaiti youth towards the last election was lackadaisical. A: I beg to differ on this issue. I believe Kuwaiti youth are actively engaged in the political affairs of the country and this was seen in the recent elections as candidates largely depended on youth to attract young voters and introduce them of their manifestos. Moreover, some candidates targeted the Internet-savvy youth by advertising their candidacy on YouTube and Facebook, besides linking their websites to many sites of newspapers and TV Channels in Kuwait.
Q: How do you expound the political direction of Kuwait?A: There is a greater need for liaison between the government and the parliament, especially to realize the Amir’s vision of transforming Kuwait into a financial centre. This will call for paying more attention to “certain internal developments” because Kuwait tends to lack tolerance towards other cultures. We need to respect and understand other cultures, besides promoting peace and harmony.
Furthermore, we should shun radicalism and foster diversity, especially if we are to become a financial hub whereby we need to carry out legal and administrative reforms to fulfill the requirements of the United Nations & human rights organizations. There should be a balance between scrutinizing the labor-force in Kuwait and practicing human rights. We suffered human rights’ violations during the Iraqi invasion. However, recovering from the invasion does not mean that we forget to respect others. In other words, we should bestow on others the same blessings that were bestowed on us, especially if we are looking at better future filled with prosperity, equality and freedom for all.
Q: There are different theories doing rounds with regards to lack of synergy between the government and the parliament…why is the word synergy elusive in the parliament?A: One of the major hurdles facing our parliamentary system is that the ministers are not voted to office, instead they are appointed by the prime minister. Herein lies the problem. When the government puts its program before the parliament; this often leads to confrontation for both sides have their own set of agendas and priorities. In short, this will require more constitutional reforms to prevent old disputes between the executive and the legislative bodies.
Q: Do you think some parliamentary seats should be reserved for women candidates?A: Kuwaiti women candidates faced the same challenges in the last election as women candidates experience elsewhere in the world. The questions that were uppermost on everybody’s mind included: Would men vote for women candidates? And what percentage of votes would women get from their counterparts?I believe women candidates will require more backing from the political groups and the allocation of the quota system should be eschewed for it is unconstitutional. In other words, it amounts to discrimination simply because it contradicts the very principle of equality between men and women candidates.
Q: How can Kuwait regain its past glory, especially on the economic front? A: Transforming Kuwait into a financial hub entails many factors such as legislative reforms, which should encompass new laws needed to attract foreign investors. This includes the PPP law (Private Public Partnership law) that will help regulate the partnership between the private and public sectors. We also need more advanced privatization laws and IT laws, which comprise Internet crimes.Also, the administrative bureaucracy should be eliminated with more focus on e-governance. This system in question is available in some government offices. In a nutshell, e-governance should be developed further to cut the red-tape, especially for new investors.On the other hand, we must promote a culture of tolerance as it is very important to respect other nations’ beliefs without which investors will face unnecessary restrictions and this will prompt them to look elsewhere.
Q: What are some of the challenges faced by foreign investors?A: Kuwait is not a new player on the global business circuit but the need of the hour is to have greater transparency with regards to business laws and bylaws, thereby focusing on the application of the international trade agreements that offer foreign investors a bigger space on the playing field.
Q: Many Kuwaiti students go overseas for higher studies. Do you think this trend can be reversed by the ministry of education?A: More trust needs to be reposed in the younger generation and we must switch back to co-education as was the case since the establishment of Kuwait University in 1966. Also, more public and private universities must be established with more emphasis on higher education such as Masters and PhD Programs. We should also increase the number of scholarships and exchange programs to promote the interaction between Kuwait and other cultures and civilizations.
Q: Calls are growing for the grilling of the education minister. Don’t you feel that it will be a big setback for the education sector if she steps down from her post?A: Kuwait needs to adopt a modern approach with regards to its curricula with strong emphasis on e-learning. Besides this, the classrooms should be well-equipped. We need to adopt co-education policy at least up to the higher education. Regrettably, the education sector is riddled with mismanagement and no one seems to be blowing the whistle. Take the issue of degree validation, the ministry of education has been dragging its feet on the said issue and as a result highly qualified professionals are leaving en masse. The ministry of education has some incompetent officials at the helm of affairs and unless the ministry replaces them, things will continue to deteriorate. Many top professionals in various fields have expressed discontentment owing to the undue delay in the degree validation process, which under normal circumstances should take less time and effort.The Kuwaiti embassies abroad can also help to speed up the validation process by regularly following up the paperwork with the concerned universities. I raised this issue with the authorities at the Education Ministry but regrettably no action was initiated. I have now approached some parliamentarians who have promised to look into the matter, even as the education minister is expected to be grilled over issues mentioned above.
Q: Kuwait has come under fire for its handling of the labour demonstrations with some suggesting that the human rights situation in the country is deteriorating … Do you agree with this?A: The labour issue has been simmering for a long time but the government failed to act on numerous occasions and the result being that things took an ugly turn. I believe that the deported Bangladeshi workers, who were allegedly involved in violent demonstrations, got a raw deal. The workers in question should have been provided fair justice by way of offering them defense counsel. The unlawful deportations tainted Kuwait’s image on the international arena even as it was appalling to see workers being deported without having full legal review of their situation. Another thing is that the authorities should have provided the workers their dues before deporting them. Respecting and defending human rights has been part and parcel of our culture and it must be invariably promoted by the media, the schools, the mosques and all government agencies.The Constitution of Kuwait includes many articles that regulate justice and equality before the law and this must be implemented strictly both for Kuwaitis and expatriates.
Q: Is the government doing enough to combat human trafficking?A: There is a draft law pertaining to human trafficking which the parliament should get passed to stamp out the unscrupulous practice. At a time when labour issues are taking center stage, there is no better time to get the said draft law passed and it will help to surmount many labour-related problems. There are certain groups involved in visa trafficking and the government should take tough action against them to set a precedent. The government must take swift measures to put an end to the suffering of many marginal laborers. Had the government tackled the problems of workers in an efficient manner, things would have not come to such a pass. There is also an imperative need for victims of visa trafficking to cooperate with Kuwaiti authorities so that this problem can be tackled in an effective way. The victims can also address their problems through their respective embassies, which should also monitor the role of the manpower recruiting agencies in their countries. I believe the authorities should also establish a network to gather information pertaining to visa trafficking. Moreover, the ministry of social affairs should step up inspections of establishments and cancel commercial licenses of firms which are unable to provide the employment history of their workers.
Q: Some Asians arrested during recent raids in Hasawi and elsewhere were reportedly deported without being given a trial. A: I strongly believe that any accusation must be backed by evidence and every defendant must be given a fair trial. I am of the view that Kuwaiti laws treat everyone equally … laborers who face problems with their sponsors can always move the courts to get their rights.
Q: What are your views on the issue of the Bedoun?A: The Bedoun issue is not of much significance to Kuwait only, as the word itself implies “Stateless”. The term in question was coined after the two World Wars. People whose countries were defeated during the two wars lost their nationality and thus became stateless.What we must do now is to facilitate procedures to provide the Bedoun residency, free medical care, education until their problems are resolved.
Q: Kuwait is a wealthy country but the health sector does not seem to be very healthy in terms of services provided by the hospitals. A: Health care in Kuwait needs more attention, in terms of quality and equality.The public hospitals must improve their level of services, especially at a time when the government coffers are overflowing owing to the high oil prices. Some of these funds must be used to improve health care services in the country. There is also need for modernization of hospitals, besides hiring experienced doctors, nurses and advanced equipment. Advanced medical equipment will help doctors provide better medical care.We need to establish cooperation pacts with international hospitals to exchange expertise by way of training Kuwaiti doctors.
Q: Some of the Kuwait prisoners are still languishing in Guantanamo? Don’t you feel it is time for them to be released?A: The Guantanamo prison came into existence following the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent war on terrorism.The suspects were not prisoners of war but considered militant combatants, especially when the attacks were not during an ordinary war and for that reason their conditions were not governed by the Geneva Convention which regulates the international rules for treating the POWs.Talking about the solutions, I think international efforts must go back to the main and simple principles of justice, where any defendant must be arraigned in a court of law to review his or her situation and all countries must promote a legal balance between the security /intelligence measures and judicial review. The war on terror should not be an open door policy for sometimes illegal measures might be applied and this may lead to long and illegal detention of the suspects.
Q: How efficient is the Kuwaiti judicial system? Do cases fester in the courts? A: The Kuwaiti court system is considered moderate with regards to the speed of the judicial process. For instance, a murder case in Kuwait will reach a final judgment within two years, while in other countries it might take as long as 15 years. Therefore, the Kuwaiti judicial system makes more impact in what is called the public deterrence. In other words, punishment must have a positive effect in relation to preventing other criminals from perpetrating crime knowing that the punishment is swift and severe. Also in commercial matters, local and international companies have equal rights in relation to bringing their disputes to the local courts. We are certain that the Kuwaiti law treats everyone equally. As for the family laws, Kuwaiti courts also implement foreign laws if a situation demands.
Q: Can you touch on some of the challenges faced by lawyers in Kuwait?A: At the Kuwait Bar Association (KBA) we tackle all legal challenges faced by lawyers in Kuwait. The government even refers some laws to KBA for review and comments. There is a tremendous unity among lawyers in Kuwait and we confront all challenges by offering a united front. Moreover, the Law Revision Committee at KBA has rendered assistance in reforming the Tax Law of Kuwait and making smaller tax deductions for the foreign companies and intensive follow-up of the needed reforms for the business, investments and labor laws.Also as lawyers, we are always there to legally assist new investors to establish their firms, thereby contributing to their efforts in accomplishing their goals in entering the GCC countries in particular and the Middle East in general.
Q: What is the role of Kuwait Bar Association?A: Kuwait Bar Association is one of the oldest in the GCC countries and was established in 1963 with just ten members. Today, there are about 1,500 members. We have established committees in various domains such as Civil Laws Revision Committee, Criminal Law Revision Committee, Human Rights Committee, Cultural Committee, IP Committee, WTO Committee, the Constitutional Rights Committee, Court Procedures Committee, Media Committee, among others. At KBA, we are highly committed to all international legal issues and work in harmony with the judicial authorities in Kuwait.


By Francis A. Clifford CardozoArab Times Staff