Top Kuwait Finance Officials Quit to Protest Ministry Revamp
Top Kuwait Finance Officials Quit to Protest Ministry Reshuffle
(Bloomberg) -- The No. 2 official in Kuwait’s Ministry of Finance and five senior colleagues resigned to protest a reshuffle of almost all key ministerial posts, alleging the revamp wasn’t based on merit, according to a copy of their resignation letter.
The ministry said in a Twitter post that it had accepted the resignations in the public interest, without commenting on the claims made by the six officials.
Saleh Al-Sarawi, effectively the deputy minister, and five assistant undersecretaries wrote they were quitting due to the unprecedented “placing of self interest above good performance.” Appointees lacked suitable expertise for their new positions, they said.
The officials also hit out at attempts to push “unfeasible high-cost projects, without taking into consideration the difficulties and circumstances” public finances are facing.
Kuwait is facing the highest budget deficit in its history, brought on by the drop in oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic.
A standoff between the elected parliament and an administration whose prime minister is appointed by the emir has led to policy gridlock. Lawmakers have thwarted plans to reallocate state handouts and blocked proposals to issue debt. Finance Minister Barak Al-Sheetan is the fourth person to hold the post in as many years.
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