Arab Times

Where everyone does whatever they want!!?

- By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli Former Minister of Oil Email: ali-albaghli@hotmail.com

IN THE seventies, we enjoyed watching the comedy series of Duraid Lahham in the role of Ghawwar, and other Syrian comedians. The title of the series was “Sah Al-Noom (Wake Up)” or “District ‘Everyone Does Whatever They Want.’” The latter title stuck in my mind for a very long time.

Due to our legislator­s and civil servants, our beloved Kuwait has become, in the past and the present, a district or a country where everyone does whatever they want. This means people do as they wish without being deterred or afraid of the law, government, right or wrong.

One of the esteemed readers informed me about the scenes in “Kuwait where everyone does whatever they want.”

The first scene is widespread in the country and the government is aware of it. A senior labor official was invited to the television program, “Layali Al-Kuwait.” The broadcaste­r interviewe­d this official who came to the labor and manpower sector through parachute; which means he has no idea about the work at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. We are not here to talk about that although the topic is related.

The broadcaste­r, Ghada Razouqi, asked this official about the legal action taken against landlords of private houses which were transforme­d into academic institutio­ns without obtaining licenses from the concerned authoritie­s such as the Interior and Social Affairs ministries.

The high level official’s response was that he cannot do anything because the houses used for such activities are private. He said those who are concerned should inform the Interior Ministry and that he (Social Affairs Ministry) has no authority over them.

The second scene in “Kuwait everyone does whatever they want” comes in the form of a letter about women from the Philippine­s who offer certain services per hour, and that these services have been handed over to their sisters in humanity from Sri Lanka.

Majority of these Filipinas are now studying nursing in apartments in one of the districts which falls under Fahaheel and Ahmadi. They study nursing sciences in these apartments within a short period. In their country, such a course takes five years

to complete; but it takes only five months here in our beloved country.

Upon completion of the five-month course, the nurses receive accredited certificat­es from recognized institutio­ns in the Philippine­s, including certificat­es (diploma) in nursing and natural therapy.

The letter alleges Filipino officials are running these institutio­ns are, together with local government officials and members of the Parliament. Those who completed the course were employed as nurses in our Health Ministry which is ‘napping’ these days and pays high salaries.

A portion of these salaries goes to those involved in this racket from both countries. The victim here is the citizen who is at the mercy of medical malpractic­es in the hands of fake nurses.

The news says this is the reason why responsibi­lity over manpower from the Philippine­s was handed over to the Ministry of Social Affairs from the Ministry of Interior which is another entity suffering from fake citizenshi­p, chaotic traffic, spread of narcotics and violence among the youths, and other emerging disasters.

All this is happening in the agreement with the wisely guided government’s officials when the issue concerning the Filipino labor force was raised several months ago. This is why we did not see any punitive measures taken against the elements of this labor force for committing such violations.

Will you blame us if Kuwait becomes, God forbid, country ‘everyone does whatever they want’ due to the government-parliament inaction!!?

 ??  ?? Al-Baghli
Al-Baghli

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