Rattlesnake Ridge      

 
      BFF

“An investigation into the bank accounts of several members of parliament has been expanded, it was reported yesterday. The politicians are under suspicion of possibly taking bribes. Dharar Al Asousi, the acting attorney general, said he would freeze the bank accounts of 14 of parliament’s 50 members yesterday, the daily Al Jarida reported, quoting unnamed sources…… The scandal began two weeks ago and could mean the Gulf’s most powerful parliament is heading into a crisis when it reconvenes after the summer recess next month. The report in Al Jarida estimated that the number of MPs embroiled in the scandal could rise to 20 as banks refer MPs’ accounts with suspicious transactions to the public prosecution… Ahmed Sadoun, a member of parliament’s Popular Action Bloc, has said the amount of money involved in the scandal is about 96 million Kuwaiti dinars (Dh1.28 billion)………Some Kuwaitis suspect the payments have been made by members of the royal family in a bid to secure support. Others have suggested that the source of the money is elsewhere…………”

There is something that is not kosher about this whole thing, and I mean it may not be what it looks like, (or it may). Suddenly depositing 96 million dinars (more than US $ 325 million) in a few accounts is a very stupid act. Anybody who knows anything about the country would know that such huge transfers cannot be kept secret, not in Kuwait, no way, no how. Unless it was intended to draw public attention.

Either someone in authority was stupid enough to do it, or someone else was clever enough to do it knowing that it will soon be news. That amount of money, if the reports are true, could only come from a government or some potentates with deep pockets. It can be domestic potentates or foreign potentates. Possibly very rich domestic potentates as part of a campaign for political power, part of an ongoing local political infighting within the elites. Or possibly a foreign government bent on interfering in the political life of the country. It can be a big ‘sisterly’ country or a big brotherly country, or it can be some other country. I can name one such government, but I won’t in order to protect the innocent. Now, what government (and its potentates) of what country in our region has such deep pockets and is able of spending money without supervision? I know of one, or maybe two.
Or maybe these guys won the Lottery and don’t know it yet.
Already this ‘report’ is being used for political purposes. Which makes me very suspicious indeed. But anything is possible in the watermelon politics on my Gulf.
Cheers
mhg


[email protected]