Two fresh faces as Kuwait appoints new cabinet

Kuwait City: Kuwait finally got its new Cabinet but it had no new faces with the exception of the ministers of health and transportation.

The Cabinet, the fifth headed by Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah, took the customary constitutional oath before the Emir, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah yesterday.

The lineup of the new Cabinet mostly included old faces with the same portfolios.

Among the major changes was the appointment of Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammad Al Sabah as caretaker oil minister.

Kuwait got a new health minister, MP Rodhan Al Rodhan, and a new transportation minister, Nabeel Bin Salamah. The Emir asked the former prime minister to return to his position and form a new Cabinet after Shaikh Nasser's resignation last Nov-ember.

He had stepped down in protest over attempts by three Islamist MPs to question him on allegations of mismanagement of public funds. "We have been waiting for more than three months to see a new Cabinet and then find out the only changes were replacing three ministers.

"This is not a good sign of cooperating with the Parliament," MP Dhaifllah Bu Ramia said yesterday.

Ministries positions

- MP Rodhan Al Rodhan appointed as new health minister

- Nabeel Bin Salamah is thenew transportation minister

- Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammad Al Sabah appointed caretaker oil minister