‘Saudis alert to corona spread’

‘World must thank leadership’

“THE Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques invited the leaders of the G20 Summit to hold a virtual summit to discuss the Corona pandemic, as they represent leaders of all continents, and they represent countries that together make up about 80% of the global economic output, two thirds of the world’s population and three quarters of the volume of world trade, and since they represent the major countries in the world must bear the responsibility to face this catastrophe,” columnist Dr Abdulmohsen Hamada wrote for AlJarida daily.

“The Saudi king invited the leaders of the group to meet in his capacity as the head of state that currently holds the presidency of the group. Indeed, the summit was held on Thursday, March 26, remotely due to the circumstances that left behind this pandemic.

“Anyway, all of the G20 member states, represented by their leaders, had issued a unified statement that concentrated on how to contain this epidemic and avert its impacts against the global economy. Not just that, the G20 leaders, in a communiqué took a decision to pump $5 trillion to restore the confidence in the global economy and protect such a confidence by the necessary growth.

“Likewise, they pledged to maintain the freedom of international trade in addition to the restoration of the situations that were prevalent prior to the spread of corona virus.

“Meanwhile, we have observed that the item related to the health care actually was given more concern and this was evident through the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the expansion of its tasks in addition to supporting the fund to encounter this virus and encourage researches to find a drug or vaccine for dealing with the virus.

“The world should thank the Saudi leadership that is alert to the gravity of this epidemic on humanity, and urged the world’s leaders to take responsibility towards it, and demanded that they cooperate to confront it and rid the world of its evils, and we, as Arabs and Muslims, should be proud of the positive role that the Kingdom has played in facing this crisis, as it has proven to the world the ability of the Arab leadership to manage crises in the best and most successful way.

“At a time when the world is busy facing the most serious crisis faced after the Second World War, we found Houthi, an agent of Iran, at the instigation of the Tehran mullahs, announces that they are ready to release a Saudi pilot and four Saudi officers and soldiers taken prisoner in exchange for Saudi Arabia accepting the release of Hamas detainees from its prisons.

“For his part, one of Hamas leaders, Mahmoud AlZahhar, has appreciated the Houthi initiative in question, and thanked the Houthis. Likewise, the leader of Hezbollah militias Hassan Nasrallah has appreciated the initiative in question and this proves that the Houthis and those who may support their suspicious initiative that the small shall remain small and will not rise to the level of events.

“In this context, we would like hereby to point that the entire world knows that the Palestinian cause surfaced seventy years ago and the Arabs especially Egypt and the Gulf states have provided much financial and military aid to this issue, while the mullahs’ state has provided nothing but traded in that issue by holding conferences, raising false slogans, and encouraging the Palestinian divisions.

“I do not know the opinion of the Saudi government regarding this mean initiative, but it is clear from this suspicious initiative by the Iranian agent that he wants to trade the Palestinian issue, as there is no relationship between the release of prisoners of war in exchange for prisoners sentenced in criminal cases, because the Hamas prisoners, as we understood, were arrested for collecting funds for the movement without permission from the competent authorities, and they have been tried for that, and this is a procedure that any country takes.”

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Dr Hamada

“Behind the curtain of “coronavirus”, a great and clandestine war, namely the war of oil, is currently taking place. Oil lost fifty percent of its value in two months, but this collapse did not draw the attention of anybody because people are currently busy following up the coronavirus pandemic development”, Adnan Abdullah Al-Othman wrote for Al-Qabas daily.

“In a recent conversation with a banker, he asked about the impacts of oil collapse on the economy of Kuwait. I told him his question is relevant because the darkness of the epidemic will vanish soon, and the global economies will witness a burning sunrise.

“Based on my own analysis in consideration of certain aspects, such a drop in the oil prices will serve the global economy on a short term basis, especially with China representing the first stirring factor of the global economy, let alone that it is China that had been extremely damaged by the halting of its economy wheel as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Also, because China is the biggest consumer of energy in the world, the cheap price of oil will help reactivate its economy as well as the global economy.

“On the other hand, the drop in the oil prices has actually directed a fatal blow to the rock oil sector, which OPEC considers as uncontrollable. Also, this type of oil is used to be boomed only by the increase of the oil prices, which means this oil represents the biggest danger and the sole rival for the oil-producing countries.

“In this regard, the American President Donald Trump was unable to conceal his happiness about filling the American strategic oil storage with the cheap oil.

“However, the most important question here is What about the pertinent reflection on our Gulf economies? In this regard, the Gulf countries except for the State of Kuwait started diversifying the sources of their income many years ago but Kuwait is still going slowly in that direction.

“Given the above, the relevant Gulf countries will be in a position to endure the outcomes of the oil war for many years, but the State of Kuwait, based on the declared figures, will be able to remain steadfast more than any other Gulf country in view of the profits to be made from its foreign investments. Also, Kuwait is free of any foreign debts, which means the performance of its budget will not be impacted.”

“Most countries have opened the treasure boxes of their central banks and pumped money into the economy to combat the economic effects of the spread of coronavirus. Majority of the countries are trying to come up with creative economic remedies to face the recession caused by the global health crisis in all countries without exception”, columnist Adel Abdullah Al-Mutairi wrote for Al-Anba daily.

“Domestic quarantine policies for the population and disruption of institutions are necessary measures to protect society. As confirmed by majority of the health studies, such necessary health measures will reflect on the economic activities, where production will stop, along with continued financial obligations towards banks and their employees. Also, these employees and the labor force in general have financial obligations to banks and mortgages or rents, in addition to necessary livelihood expenses.

“Considering the financial chain, countries cannot deal with it except by pumping financial liquidity in the form of temporary exemptions or short-term soft loans for companies. This is in addition to grants and aid for members of the society until the health crisis subsides.

“In this regard, news from China brings glad tidings in terms of the health aspect. There is a decline in the number of patients with coronavirus, while there is no new infection in some days.

“However, what about the Chinese economic news as it is one of the major industrialized countries in the world, or as some like to call it, the ‘the factory of the world’? Some studies suggest that a significant number of the people in China have liquidity which lasts for a month for necessary living expenses. Some have liquidity which will last for not more than three months, so most countries are trying to take urgent economic measures including the United States.

“The European countries suffering under the weight of corona are doing the same. Also in Kuwait, the government is trying to approve an economic package to counter the effects of corona crisis, which may include exemptions or postponing government fees or premiums, in addition to what was announced by the Kuwait Banks Association that banks will postpone the monthly deduction of loans for a period of six months.

“Finally, everyone is trying to help the population face the health crisis and the temporary interruption of financial resources for many individuals and institutions. Unfortunately, this is the economic scene during the implementation of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

“Experts expect the global economic scene to be in recession after the decline of the coronavirus. This recession will be more severe than the global financial crisis in 2008.”

“Owners of the non-economic paper still demand, in this difficult circumstance that the State is passing through, to take KD20 billion — equivalent to $60 billion - from the State’s general reserve to compensate them for their alleged losses. If it is impossible to withdraw from the reserve, then from the Generations Fund or obligate the State to borrow,” Saud AlSamakah wrote for Al-Seyassah daily.

“These owners of the paper may have seen American and European companies demanding for their governments’ compensation, so they took the same path! The owners of American and European companies dug rock from small projects and fought a bitter struggle, until they moved these companies to this level of progress and beneficial productivity. The American and European companies pay the State an upward tax that reaches fictional amounts. Other than this, they manage national labor that relieve the State from the burdens of salaries and wages, which also cost them fictional sums. As for you, owners of the paper, what do you pay the State in exchange for what you take?

“Land to set up your projects is free and most of your workers are non-Kuwaitis. You prefer it over patriotism, because it is cheaper and it is not registered with the social insurance system, so you do not pay taxes and do not stand with the State in times of adversity. The invasion came, the country was liberated and it lost hundreds of billions, and you turned your backs on it without any of you contributing to painting even a school wall!

“The wound of the State is bleeding because of this dangerous health condition that pervades the world whose end has no impact in the short term. Therefore, its social, security and health costs are open, because no one knows the extent of it.

“Above this suffering and the pain that the State is enduring, you come with all the opportunism and greed that your yellow paper brings. You asked the State to provide you in this hour of hardship, and before the distress unfolds.

“The vision becomes clear, you ask for KD20 billion at a time you must put at the disposal of the State all your capabilities to help it, in recognition of the fact that all this financial empire that is in your hands today is basically due to the blessing of Allah and mercy of the State.

“Hence, we - I believe we are the largest segment of the Kuwaiti people - are asking the government in this difficult circumstances to reject this yellow paper outright without any thought.”

“Rumors concerning the coronavirus outbreak has increased and even worsened in the recent period, contributing to the spread of fake accounts on social media platforms such as Twitter as well as some unlicensed news accounts”, Abdulrahman Al-Awwad wrote for Al-Sabah daily.

“The latest of such rumors was an accusation against Ministry of Foreign Affairs of supporting an MP in evacuating citizens who were trapped overseas. The MP and all concerned with the matter had denied this rumor.

“The problem is that, despite the denial and the presentation of lists of the names of those evacuated from overseas, this rumor continues to circulate on social media.

“In the recent days, Kuwait has been subjected to a huge number of rumors that are aimed at shaking the stability and security of the country. This definitely has an impact on all aspects related to the State and the State’s sectors, and weakens the economy.”

“Kuwait won the admiration of the world for its distinguished governmental management and the hands of its people in combatting coronavirus to curb its spread among one million citizens and almost three millions expatriates living on its land,” columnist Professor Dr Bahija Bahbhani wrote for AlQabas daily.

“The Kuwaiti genie was launched by heads of various teams to protect the country and people from this fatal epidemic. This genie is on the frontline facing and fighting this enemy to protect the citizens and expatriates.

“Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah, in cooperation with the ministries of Foregin Affairs, Interior and Commerce, exerted tremendous efforts to protect the life of citizens in and outside the country, as well as the life of expatriates.

“They have been working day and night, up to the extent of endangering their lives to protect the country, citizens and expatriates.”

– Compiled by Zaki Taleb