‘Scourge of ‘imbalances’ and its consequences will affect everyone’
‘Politicization of Kuwaiti Society not healthy’
“FOLLOWING the latest statistics issued by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI), Al-Shall Economic Consultants, which specializes in offering financial and economic consulting services, published a set of important figures and ratios on the demographics in the State of Kuwait, which reflect the number of strategic imbalances which have been ongoing for decades,” columnist, Professor at Kuwait University’s Political Science Department and former MP Dr
wrote for Al-Jaridah Friday.
“The report stated the population in Kuwait at the end of 2015 had reached 4.239 million and only 30 percent of them are Kuwaitis, who make up 14 percent of the total workforce with 436 ,000 employees compared to 2.5 million foreign workers, which means Kuwaitis are a minority in their own country and not those who build it.
“This is not a call to snatch the livelihood of people. Kuwait is a home to expatriates of over 100 nationalities, which simply means that working and residing in Kuwait is a sign of good reputation, stability and security in this country, and perhaps this demographic that appeared with the oil boom and the beginning of political independence in Arab and Asian countries in particular, has contributed to the development of Kuwait.
“The requirements of globalization and its complexity do not allow the state to be isolated from the outside world or that we close our borders in the face of others.
“With the dawn of liberation, the government announced a strategy for re-structuring the balance in demographics and change its equation to 60 percent compared with 40 percent in favor of Kuwaitis in a decade, but after nearly three decades, we find that it was just a dream to be added to the illusions of those who are responsible for planning the future of the country and who are driven by backward thinking and loss of a sense of responsibility towards building a nation that has identity and objectives.
“The real problem does not exist in these contradictory proportions, despite the serious imbalances, but in the future perspective because the majority of foreign labor is marginal and does not add real value to the labor market, neither does it, to the development in urban, cultural and economic aspects.
“Another problem is ‘dependency’ on expatriates, and that is an undeniable reality. This certainly kills the spirit of ambition in preparing our future generations in vocational and professional specializations that are today the backbone of development, production and creativity.
“The constant and ongoing employment of Kuwaitis in administrative functions in all specializations will eventually lead to a serious problem in the future when we fail to employ an army of almost a million young people during the second half of this century.
“Unfortunately, this fact will not change, and as such credible and accurate statistics and reports issued by government agencies are no more than ink on paper, which has been passed unnoticed by senior officials.
“Worse of all, a lot of people are concerned about political ‘plays’ intentional or unintentional. We brag about ourselves and try to segregate those who are loyal from those who are not loyal and we go after the latter until we revoke their nationality, either on sectarian, tribal or ethnic grounds.
“The scourge of these imbalances and their consequences will include everyone without exception.”
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“Some believe that writing is no longer viable, and the advice is no longer acceptable even if it is cordial and true, I will prove this with crystal clear evidences,” columnist
wrote for Al-Rai daily. “In 2004 the McKinsey global company submitted its report to the Kuwaiti government, and one of the most important points included in this report was the low leadership level.
“Another point is the Minister of Planning sent some senior officers into retirement and dismissed others who had defaulted in the implementation of the development plan, as published in a local daily on March 8, 2016.
“Also in March 2016, the Chairman of the National Assembly’s Budgets and Final Accounts Committee MP Adnan Abdul-Samad requested the government to identify the work of 64 overlapping government agencies, indicating that the cost of government funding for those agencies amounted to about four billion dinars and recommended ending their mandate and their return to their original departments and ministries.
“The project of increasing fees has been delayed to April 12 because the government is not committed to submit the electricity and water law in due time. What do we understand from all this?
“Though McKinsey study was conducted in 2004, the Minister of Planning, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor announced that transferring the labor sector to the Public Authority of Manpower has not helped to facilitate the procedures, so one may ask: ‘What is next?’.
“We have been writing and talking about the e-government and benefits of computerization, however we still rely on the typists to type forms and complete the documents, wait in long queues and go from office to office.
“What we want exactly is mentioned in the McKinsey report of 2004 and other reports submitted by neutral bodies, nevertheless the government has not struck the correct note. The government cannot claim that it has played its role as it should be, and the evidence of this is the statement issued by the Minister of Planning and Development 12 years after delivery of the McKinsey report.
“It is surprising the minister discovered the low level of leaders after 12 years and I still remember what HH the Prime Minister said about the low level of leaders and nepotism.
“It is also weird for the government to insist to refer employees who have served 30 years and more to retirement; while at the same time appointing senior officers who have served the nation for more than 30 years but have no administrative experience in senior positio‘‘‘‘ns. This is not fair and this is an evidence of low level of leadership.”
“It is only in one’s imagination that a poisonous snake can be nurtured into changing its attitude. Likewise, Iran relies on sucking of blood due to which its digestive system will never accept fruits and vegetables,” Dr
wrote for Al-Seyassah daily.
“This is the same way the digestive system of a bed bug works, as it survives by sucking blood. What an evil way of life!
“Regarding the current reconciliatory effort of Iran with the GCC nations, Arab and Islamic countries to open a new page of relations, this initiative has come because the poisonous snake is passing through a bad situation. That snake has never changed its biological characteristics or the composition of its mindset and its stomach to make it survive on ‘cornflakes’. It is just temporarily agreeing to live on injection of negotiations to enhance the restoration of its bearing.
“At this juncture, it is necessary to reiterate that Iran can never change its biological characteristic of sucking blood to which it is addicted. The word “addiction”, according to Quran, is applicable in theory on Iran and its consolidation activities. Those who are in charge of that country’s administration in the region and are encouraging it are blinded. Bye for now.”
“The Cabinet has approved the proposed increase in the electricity and water charges for Kuwaitis and expatriates to cover the budget deficit arising from the crashing oil price,”
wrote for Aljarida daily.
“The increase is over 200 percent of the current charges, such that the government will now get a minimum of KD 1.5 billion from Kuwaitis and expatriates if the current revenue stands at around KD 500 million. This is how the government has decided to overcome the budget deficit.
“Speaking in a clearer term, the government expects us to face the budget deficit and guarantee fiscal stability that is linked to the falling oil prices, over which we do not have any control, since it is exposed to rise and fall without any decision from us.
“There is no doubt that there must be a clear cut plan and mechanism for realistic implementation in a way that can fix the crack in the foundation by straightening government’s attitude. If that plan is implemented correctly, then it is possible to talk about responsibility of citizens towards the solution.”
“In the last decade of the past century, I became a witness in a court case concerning an Iranian shop owner who violated the law on the use of a public space,” columnist Dr
wrote for Al-Rai daily. “Despite the fact that the Kuwait Municipality issued a warning to the Iranian regarding the violation, he went on to build another structure, and this time, his case was referred to the prosecution and then to the court.
“The judge imposed hefty fine on him as he had been warned earlier, although the Iranian protested against the laws in Kuwait, where a law issued on a Sunday is changed on Thursday.
“It will be unfortunate if the public believes in such things regardless of the veracity of the law. Nonetheless, one of the strangest issues I have witnessed is the way laws are changed in this country.
“The reason could be the frequent change in officials, since every new official wants to leave an impression, thus, the unnecessary change in laws is common and many are suffering due to this phenomenon.”
“Politicization of our society these days is a strange phenomenon that we are not used to in Kuwait,”
wrote for Al-Rai daily. “Those who follow Kuwaiti affairs will notice that this phenomenon is so widespread that politics is the top interest of citizens every day. All components of the society follow political affairs regardless of these jobs, ranks or social positions. Diwaniyas have turned into venues for public talk shows; political arguments take place even in official departments.
“It is important to figure out whether the prevalence of this phenomenon is healthy or not. In my opinion, it is not healthy as it negatively impacts the progress of the society and hinders creativity of different specializations such that people involved in science, technology or sports waste a lot of their time and efforts discussing politics which is actually not their business.
“If we study the western societies, we will notice that the people there do give politics as much interest as we do. People have varied interests and each individual focuses their efforts on building a profession based on their interests. This is why those societies have been making progress while ours has been deteriorating.
“A Syrian friend of mine once told me that he went to the Syrian Embassy in Kuwait to vote for one of the Syrian presidential candidates in an election that took place before the year 2011. He saw two ballot boxes, one on the left and other on the right. He was informed that those who desire to vote for Bashar Al-Assad should place their ballots on the right box and for others on the left box.
“He indicated that the family members of those who placed their ballots in the left box would be referred to the nearest branch of the Syrian Intelligence. In order to avoid such a situation, my friend said he wrote “I do not vote for Bashar” on a paper and put it in the right box.
“Those who hear the fans of Bashar Al-Assad say the Syrian people can decide their destiny through democratic elections must realize that these are not like the American and western elections but are just the embassy elections.”
“Reports and researches indicate that Kuwait is ranked fourth in the world in terms of traffic congestion, while the cost incurred due to congestion, accidents, noise and environment pollution is estimated at $4 billion per year,” columnist retired Lieutenant General wrote for Al-Anba daily.
“Personally, I think the cost is more than $4 billion, especially when we add injuries caused by accidents considering the treatment cost is usually high and the healing process takes a long time.
“Looking at Kuwait’s population, there is a small group of expatriates who own at least two cars, compared to citizens who own more than three cars each and about 11,057 GCC nationals who own 68,814 cars — an average of 6.2 cars per individual.
“To reduce traffic congestion, various suggestions have presented but they are yet to see the light, such as the construction of metro transportation system, upgrading road network, changing work timings for government and private sectors, and most important of all, strict implementation of the law. Solutions on the table seem expensive to implement at the moment, but it will be largely beneficial in the long run.”
“In the midst of tension that Kuwait is currently witnessing due to many horrific developments around us, in addition to the economic crisis brought about by the sharp oil price decline and fear of the rationalization measures of the government, the importance of spreading awareness in this regard and hope for finding appropriate solutions should not be disregarded,” columnist wrote for Al-Qabas daily.
“The country is also in the midst of ideological threats by extremists taking into consideration every Kuwaiti dinar that is not spent in the right place and importance of its activity as far as the society is concerned. Add to this the government’s inability to present a well-studied and strong plan which will rescue us from the economic crisis, made worse by parliamentary failures such as the recent lack of quorum that led to suspension of discussions on the Bedoun issue.
“Amid all these anxieties and stress, some parliamentary voices are calling on the minister of education and higher education to implement the Segregation Bill, which stipulates separation of boys and girls in campus. It is a shame because the move is tantamount to indirectly accusing our children and their parents of immorality.”
“Nonetheless, we support the minister and all his efforts. For those who think that segregation is the most important aspect of our life as a society, they should think again and start looking into more pressing issues which affect our country more than the issue of separating boys and girls in campuses.”
— Compiled by Ahmad Shazli