Kuwaiti finance minister ready to face parliament questioning
Kuwait, Local, 7/8/1997

Kuwaiti finance minister Nasser Al Rawdhan was quoted on July 7 as saying he was ready for questioning by three parliament deputies who have accused him of wasting public money.

"I have read (the questions) carefully and I have all the answers," al-Rawdhan told the independent Al Qabas daily. He added, "I would like to say that I work in the daylight and I have nothing to hide or cover up."

The questioning is scheduled for July 8 in the national assembly, or parliament, but the minister can seek a two-week postponement.

If the legislators are not satisfied with the answers, they can try to impeach al-Rawdhan, who has served as finance minister since shortly after Kuwait's 1991 liberation from a seven-month Iraqi occupation. But a vote of no confidence is unlikely to succeed, because the 50 member house elected in October has a strong pro-government slant.

The allegations were brought by two independent lawmakers and a member of the liberal opposition. They charge that al-Rawdhan "needlessly wasted state money" and failed to "collect money owed to the government."

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