‘Experts must tackle expats issue’
‘Need to curtail demographic imbalance’
“IN recent years, many accusations have been hurled at the expatriates in Kuwait, most notably that they are the cause of the grave imbalance in the demographics, and that the numbers of some communities have swelled to alarming numbers, especially when considering the continued influx of people from these countries to Kuwait. We should know the reasons before criticism and work to hold those responsible accountable for the situation,” columnist Mishari Al-Matraka wrote for Al-Jarida daily.
“Some also accused the expatriates of being responsible for some problems such as severe traffic congestion on the streets, commercial and entertainment venues, and monopolizing services provided by the government hospitals and healthcare centers, which benefit them more than the Kuwaitis.
“They are also accused of being behind odd social and moral crimes that were not known in the Kuwaiti society, not to mention that they are competing with citizens for their ‘livelihood’ through their control of many jobs in vital government agencies and their total domination of the private sector, when a large number of Kuwaitis are looking for employment, although they possess the capabilities that qualify them to replace the expatriates and perform the tasks of these jobs and succeed in them so priority should be given to the citizens of the country.
“On the other hand, many expatriates see that they are subjected to injustice and restrictions and that they are targeted by some deputies and officials who accuse them, and demand more restrictions on them, and repeated demands are made to deport them from the country for reasons that expatriates deem frail, such as aging and committing traffic violations and non-renewal of labor and identification documents and working for others rather than their sponsors who have recruited them although it is common knowledge that most of them are victims of visa traffickers what is called in some circles as ‘free visa’ for which they pay huge sums of money just to enter Kuwait, with no jobs guaranteed, but once they land in the country of humanity they realize contrary to what they had been promised and were easy prey for visa traders (or victims of human trafficking).
“Some of these expatriates form part of the marginal labor and ineffective elements that the state cannot benefit from, but they become a burden on society, while the permanent residents are exposed to the crisis of fixed salaries and increasing fees for some services in health and schools, which puts them under psychological and nervous pressure affecting their productivity and incompetence at work.
“Between the method of downplaying the problems caused by expatriates to the Kuwaiti society adopted by some and desperately defending them, and the method of intimidation or exaggeration practiced by some, especially those who seek electoral and popular gains, put forward proposals that include all expatriates without exception, and hold them responsible for all the misfortunes that occur in the country.
“We find a contradiction in assessing this sensitive issue, we see no perceptions or solutions by the government other than talk about substitution and replacement while opening the ‘door wide’ to the phantom companies and visa traders to bring more marginal labor which is a ticking time bomb that threatens the security and safety of Kuwait, and harms Kuwait’s reputation at the international level and is accused of human trafficking and abusing expatriates.
“Expatriates exist in all countries but in a codified manner that does not threaten the demographic structure of society, nor does it take away the rights of their citizens in jobs and services as the case in our country.
“The issue therefore needs to be judiciously balanced and not to be left to the amateurs, those with narrow visions and special interests, but to be placed in the hands of specialists and research centers that provide practical solutions so that the expatriates do not oppress us nor we oppress them.”
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“The Turkish invasion of the eastern Euphrates of Syria, which is planned to be 35 km deep and 480 km long – and far from the alleged gains to be achieved by Turkey – is the starting point where the division of Arab countries will happen before a new Middle East emerges, which the West sees as the only means to ensure the coexistence of the divided Arab countries and ensures a permanent peace between each other on one hand with and Israel on the other,” columnist Ali Al-Huwail wrote for Al-Anba daily.
“A peace that guarantees the dependence of the economies of the new countries on their integration among them whether Turkey is mandated by secret agreements with the United States to play this role in favor of the partition project or it is the intersection of the interests of the two countries. From a divided Syria, the giant demon of sectarian conflicts will bring blood and destruction in a ‘creative chaos’ that sweeps the countries of the region and ends up dividing them into the small states of the new Middle East.
“Bernard Lewis, the British-Jewish oriental professor, said in response to a question by President George W. Bush on why the Arabs hated him and his country despite the help and assistance they offer them? Arabs and Muslims are corrupt and anarchists and will export waves of violence and terrorism to the world if they are not controlled by re-occupation and division of their countries.
“President Bush was impressed by Lewis’ interpretation of Arab hatred of him and America, and after offering him maps of the division of Arab states, Bush was quick to appoint him as an adviser to the Department of Defense to participate in the development of partition plans.
“The American Colonel Ralph Peters wrote in his book ‘Never Quit the Fight’ and in his collection of essays ‘Blood borders: How a better Middle East Would Look’ included his maps of the New Middle East which says that the Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) oppressed the minorities in the region (Shiites, Druze, Baluch, Kurds and others), so these states must be re-divided and fairness must be given to minorities, and division cannot take place without a sea of blood and with millions killed and displaced. This should not deter us from our project.
“The partition of Iraq and Syria and the American boycott imposed on Iran will be the cause of igniting Gulf bloody conflicts in the Gulf. The Iranian regime in an attempt to get out of its predicament may resort to invading or direct attack on one of the Gulf countries to rush the US war against Tehran.
“He added that this Iranian adventure will ignite the Gulf’s diverse ethnic races even loyalties among ideologically extremist groups, and the Gulf will enter into sectarian disputes between sympathizers of Iran and its enemy, and will soon develop into a civil war, i.e., the alleged creative chaos that ends with the division and integration of the countries of the region into new entities, thus the majority will be destroyed in the name of fairness to the minority.
“This in fact goes in line with America’s future need for a harmonious Middle East and with its strategy to regain its glory and the power of its economy threatened by China building an alliance with the Russian Federation.”
“Kuwait has not witnessed a massive urban renaissance for decades. I took a quick tour of Kuwait’s southern border (Nuwaiseeb) through Wafra, Sabah AlAhmad, Al-Khiran and the huge bridges that take you from the Sheraton Roundabout to your destination in the north, east and west of Kuwait. If it happened elsewhere, it would be known far and wide”, Ibrahim Al- Nughaemish wrote for Al-Anba daily. “Since the period of urban renaissance, Kuwait has not even witnessed anything similar to what is happening now in terms of construction of several international museums at the site of Abdullah Al-Salem School, the ministries, the modern airport under construction, and the passenger terminal T4, as well as the construction of a number of hospitals such as the Amiri Hospital and Jahra Hospital, and the development of Mubarak and Al-Adan Hospitals.
“Since then, Kuwait has a garden “Shaheed Park” that has decided to be the lung of Kuwait through which it breathes fresh air, and extends from the First Ring Road to Ministry of Information, and built as per the latest planning standards.
“We rejoice over the return of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad safe and sound from his therapeutic journey. We must recall the achievements of His Highness the Amir and how he put luminous fingerprints in the country.
“He did not forget the youth, but was one of the most prominent supporters of the development of a ministry for them. He approved the inauguration of a KD 2 billion fund for small projects to support and encourage their involvement in the business that has always been part and parcel of the people of Kuwait.
“If we exclude the era of building modern Kuwait during the time of the late Abdullah Al-Salem and the enjoyment of the country in the golden age of the 1970s and 1980s, the current era has added a new brick to our country. It is the enormous urban renaissance and building of the largest modern infrastructure that we see in the era of the Amir of Urban Renaissance.”
“I would like to congratulate a number of MPs and their secretaries for receiving several privileges including allocation of housing and industrial plots, real-estates, and supervisory jobs for them and their relatives and friends; while the role of citizens is limited to “following” them on social media and giving them “likes” sometimes”, Abdulaziz Khuraibet wrote for Al-Shahed daily. “Sometimes citizens, due to fear of facing legal questioning, hide behind fake accounts to express their dissatisfaction. They enquire about dreams, promises and legislations, and ask about what happened to services and where the MPs are.
“Dreams and ambitions of citizens have turned into nightmares. Some citizens lost a lot of weight not because they have adopted a healthy lifestyle but because they suffer from chronic diseases, lack of housing and good salary, and bad services.
“On the other hand, citizens with limited income silently watch the wealth of some MPs and their secretaries growing until the latter become millionaires. Some MPs have arranged offices with 24-hours service but they never meet the citizens. Instead, they appoint employees to meet the citizens on their behalf. It seems the MPs are too busy to meet the voters who helped them reach the green chairs.
“Social media frequently circulates photographs of the luxurious properties of some MPs including huge companies, palaces and other advantages. The truth is that we are responsible for such results. Those MPs climbed on the shoulders of voters using fake promises and false programs to achieve their own goals at the expense of the citizens.
“I suggest that MPs should declare their assets and wealth before they reach the Parliament. This matter is really serious and needs to be tackled with full transparency. People have lost their trust in those who claim to be committed to honesty and honor but are not concerned about the citizens’ interests.”
“His Highness the Amir has returned to the country from the United States of America where he underwent some medical checkups. The joy and jubilation that the people of Kuwait felt reflect the emotional depth that His Highness the Amir enjoys in the hearts of the people of Kuwait,” Abdulaziz Al-Kandari wrote for Al-Rai daily.
“The return of His Highness the Amir to the country represents the return of hope, as he represents the symbol of wisdom and safety for the region due to his personality, which is characterized by political sagacity and foresight that has taught us to always bet on dialogue and diplomacy when overcoming internal and external challenges and problems.
“His Highness the Amir is the father of all. He has never shut his door on the face on anyone. He deals with challenges with patience, wisdom and tolerance.
“He plays a major role in mending relations between those in conflict; the testimony to that is the efforts exerted to end the GCC crisis. His record in humanitarian work is impeccable, hence, many in this world pray for him and his wellbeing… Welcome back our leader.”
“On the eastern side of the State of Kuwait, there are several islands that are beloved to us. They play the role of a security belt for this country. These islands are: Failaka, Boubyan, Maskan, Warba, Ouha, Umm Al-Maradem, Um Al-Naml, Kubbar, and Qarooh”, Muhammad Saoud
Yousef Al-Bader wrote for Al-Qabas daily. “The Boubyan Island is considered as the biggest island of Kuwait. There are vital projects being executed in some of these islands as part of the current developmental plan of the government.
“The Failaka Island is an historic island that dates back to the era of the Alexander the Great. To this date, there are ancient monuments that date back to the Bronze Age, let alone the coral reefs that need to be preserved.
“We hope the concerned authorities will preserve the historic aspects of our islands and also give more attention to utilizing these islands for developmental purposes as well as for enhancing security in order to ensure more security, safety and peace for our beloved country.”
“His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad has returned to the country from the United States of American under divine protection and safety after successful medical examinations”, Abdulrahman Al-Awwad wrote for Al-Sabah daily.
“This peaceful return has restored the spirit of Kuwait and its citizens as well as everybody else who reside in this pure territory. They saw with their eyes the father beaming with a smile full of sound health and wellness. Kuwait is really blessed to witness the arrival of the healthy Amir and leader of renaissance. On this occasion, we are delighted, and pray Allah Almighty may sustain the health and wellness of the Amir to continue with his good work within the region and international community.
“The patriotic feeling that enveloped the country upon his arrival was reflected on social media, showing the kind of cordial relationship between the leader and his people. Kuwaitis thronged out en masse to receive their leader who arrived safe in a manner that captured the renewal of the pledge of allegiance to the great leader.”