Take parliament debates to masses, media told

Arab parliamentarians have stressed the need for the media to publicise parliamentary debates and discussions.

The parliamentarians recently met in Algeria with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of Arab parliaments, said a Kuwaiti official who attended the conference.

Several recommendations were made at the conference, Abdul Latif Al Sagar, Kuwaiti Assistant Secretary-General of the Parliament Committee Affairs Department, told Gulf News.

"The conferees agreed that a youth parliamentarian club should be founded in every Arab country.

"The delegates wanted the media to focus on broadcasting parliament sessions in the Arab states," said Al Sagar.

He said the conferees also agreed that all Arab parliaments should have their own newspapers to effectively convey the discussions to the public.

The participants praised Kuwait's democracy, he said.

Kuwait was the first Gulf state to elect a legislative council in 1938. The Kuwaitis were also the first Gulf country to have a written constitution.

"Practice of democracy started in Kuwait in 1752 when the society agreed to crown the Sabah family as rulers of Kuwait through unanimity," Al Sagar said in his speech at the conference.

The writer is a journalist based in Kuwait