‘Time ripe for diversifying economy’

‘Need to boost livestock, dairy products’

“THE crisis caused by the corona epidemic has revealed a lot of imbalances and shortcomings in many countries regarding the healthcare system or in terms of food security, which are some of the most important aspects in the continuity of the lives of societies and individuals, especially in light of some countries preventing export of some of their food products, and stopping transportation between countries, and other things that threaten the food security of non-food producing countries,” columnist Dr Hamad Muhammad Al-Matar wrote for Al-Qabas daily.

“In this regard, Kuwait must take a number of measures to reach a kind of self-sufficiency in the food sector and raise the amount of agricultural products that can be produced in Kuwait, in addition to strategic investment in countries that produce crops such as wheat, rice, etc.

“In other words, this crisis constitutes an opportunity to study the local market needs of agricultural products and determine the annual quantities required and then lay down plans for local agricultural production and coordination with farm owners to grow these crops, with the necessity of contracting in advance to purchase these products.

“However, the same manner can be followed in terms of studying the needs of livestock in the local market and eventually define the quantity that might be required annually with livestock production farms and fish farming.

“Also, this crisis has demonstrated the strength and efficiency of public sector institutions working in the food sector such as the flour mill company; therefore this company must be supported and developed so that it has the capacity and industrial and technological infrastructure to supply the local market with more food products, and transform it from a company that produces bread and products based on flour industry and some products to an integrated food industries company, and to introduce more goods into its list of products, including the construction of factories for these new products.

“This is in addition to paying attention to industrial food production, at the expense of manufacturing and entertainment industries, etc., and setting up specialized factories for this production and encouraging the private sector to build and support these factories, such as canning factories available for crops in order to benefit from the abundance of production of these crops in their seasons, and freezing vegetables and frozen crops.

“Apart from the above, we call for building plants for livestock products such as the dairy industry and its derivatives in addition to the manufacturing and the packing of the various types of meats as well as manufacturing canning and packing different types of fish as well as the other types of food industries and this of course, shall lead us to subsidize and develop the agricultural produce for the local market.”

Also:

Dr Al-Matar

“In light of the crisis of the COVID-19 virus and the global pandemic caused by it affecting all countries, rumors spread in these circumstances promoted fear, dread and psychological instability,” columnist and attorney Riyadh Al-Sanea’a wrote for Annahar daily.

“Perhaps the most prominent rumor, that justified the humanitarian truce taken by the Arab coalition led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against the Houthi coup against the legitimacy in Yemen by surrendering, or that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have militias fighting against the legitimate government. These ridiculous rumors refute themselves and justify their naivety and are considered a media war directed by money in order to justify the Houthi coup against legitimacy and whoever supports it.

“In this context, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Yemen, Muhammad Al Jaber, announced that the initiative aims for a two-week ceasefire in response to supporting efforts to confront the corona pandemic in Yemen and a meeting between the Yemeni government and the Houthis and a military team from the coalition to discuss proposals for a permanent ceasefire in Yemen and confidence-building steps.

“In this context, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports the brotherly Yemeni people economically, relief and health to confront the corona virus, and for this, it allocated 500 million dollars to the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen, including 25 million dollars to combat the virus in Yemen.

“Meanwhile, we say that as a result of the efforts of the Arab coalition and the United Nations, a ceasefire came into effect last Thursday in all regions of Yemen in response to appeals aimed at preventing the outbreak of the Corona virus in this country, which revived hopes for an end to the war that has been going on for nearly five years and which threatens millions with starvation.

“In return, the Houthi leadership has not yet announced whether the group aligned with Iran will follow the example of the coalition in what may be the first major breakthrough in peace efforts since late 2018. The movement controls the capital, Sana’a, and some of the major urban centers in the country.

“Meanwhile, one may refer that the Houthi movement dominate the Yemeni capital Sana’a and some other major populated areas in Yemen. But the Arab Coalition in turn said that this measure aims at facilitating the discussions patronized by the United Nations envoy Martin Griffith for achieving a permanent ceasefire in Yemen and eventually taking necessary resolutions to supporting the same due to many reasons including preventing the spread of corona virus in Yemen.”

“This pandemic did not reveal issues and files we were unaware of, as it exposed how indifferent the consecutive governments have been. These governments did not even bear the least responsibility to manage the affairs of the country and the people, starting with the Bedouns issue, then the residency file, forged Kuwaiti nationality, fake academic degrees, and lastly, the mafia that dominates popular markets and imported agricultural products – vegetables and fruits. The mafia of expatriates!” columnist Saoud Al-Samakah wrote for Al-Seyassah daily.

“These files were not exposed by the corona pandemic. They exist and have accumulated due to the policy of indifference that restricted governmental decisions.

“This restriction has expanded until it became an institution with its own rules, laws, royalties, limits and employees on all levels. They receive rewards from the mafia establishment aside from the government salary.

“Otherwise, how can it take root? It has become a reality, open day and night. Its owners choose to play on Kuwaiti land cheerfully and confidently despite the fact that their action is illegal and contravenes even the simplest laws.

“Corona did not uncover these ‘calamities,’ it only lifted the cover from them and removed the blur from us, which made us feel as citizens and government. It is assumed by the severity of neglecting national responsibility towards the country and its present and future generations due to our neglect of these files, one of which has become a time bomb that explodes and detonates the country’s situation.”

“Biological, microbial or bacterial warfare means deliberate use of germs, viruses and other microbes as weapons to spread epidemics among people, animals and plants. It falls under the category of mass destruction,” Jassem Mohammad Al-Tunaib wrote for AlAnba daily.

“Ebola, SARS and now the coronavirus are all animal-based viruses that have passed from animals to human beings. The new virus seems to have emerged from a meat market in Wuhan area. Initial reports say it could have come from live snakes.

“It is clear that the world today has become so frightening that there are scientific mafia institutions and researches aiming to collect trillions of money by enriching deadly viruses and launching them to infect millions and kill many. When an announcement is made about the discovery of vaccine or treatment to such epidemics, countries rush to buy it for protecting their people.

“The Justice and Development Organization for the Middle East and North Africa accused international pharmaceutical companies with secret laboratories of being responsible for the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in China, and had warned of its spread around the world.

“In a report, the organization stressed, “There are international pharmaceutical companies that have secret laboratories for creating diseases. They are responsible for the spread of coronavirus in China, in order to reap billions of dollars in the production of drugs for fighting this virus which has spread throughout the world’.

“Some believe there are ‘lobbies’ for manufacturing of viruses and for amplification of the disease in the media, just like there are ‘lobbies’ and money bags that create conflicts and wars in the world to sell weapons. This was seen previously in cases of mad cow, SARS, avian and swine flu diseases, and anthrax. Eventually, the cure was sold for thousands of dollars. This became a trade in which innocent people are paying the price.

“What is happening around us is a war in the full sense of the word. The demons of mankind are relying on this to control the whole world and manipulate the souls of people, through the cheap game of death for humanity in order for groups or countries to survive on the blood of people and their lives, just to make millions and billions without the slightest pity, mercy or humanity!

“It is an ugly and dirty game of death that we see in various forms, No regard is shown for human beings who have the right to a free and dignified life. Mercenary wars, militias and groups are created for sordid goals that destroy civilizations and descendants. Epidemics and malignant diseases emerge from their laboratories for sinister purposes, spreading to animals and trees, and eventually killing people.

“I don’t know what happened to human beings. They are killing one another through evil schemes, and are paying billions for the success and interests of their goals, with a handful of people and institutions dominating the economies of nations.

“All are intrigues and represent a game devoid of principles of morality, religion, humanity and common sense. They listen only to their desires and pleasures, making it the platform for forcing people to either practice the game of death in every calamity experienced by humans, or be a victim of those conspiracies and intrigues until the world becomes terrified of its death at any time.

“Today, countries will search for a cure for this deadly disease, with billions of funds in the service of vile institutions that seek to win human lives. The destruction of people has become a reality that the entire universe must pay attention to.

“A report indicates that it has been noticed that a human catastrophe occurs every hundred years. In 1720, the French city of Marseille was struck by a great plague. In 1820, cholera struck Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, claiming the lives of more than 100,000 people. In 1920, the Spanish flu emerged, killing more than 100 million people. And in 2020, the nightmare of coronavirus hit China, which isolated provinces the size of large countries. May God Almighty protect us from these epidemics, and stop their evil.”

“The world has sustained great losses in all aspects, including life, economic, political, social and others, while many have lost their source of income, with the suspension of education at all levels,” columnist Jassem Al-Tanib wrote for Al-Anba daily.

“Statistics indicate that financial losses could reach about USD 100 trillion among the countries hardly hit by the pandemic, from the economic and investment point of view. As for human aspect, large numbers of deaths have been recorded and the infection rate around the world has exceed 1.5 million, whereas recent figures, according to health experts, show that the pandemic continues to spread.

“We received inspiring words from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed that lightened the path of the Kuwaiti government led by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled and members of his government in addressing this pandemic. The words came through as an embodiment of the spirit of solidarity and compassion that characterize Kuwaiti society from ancient times.

“HH the Amir said: Today, the world is witness to a difficult period of its history, dominated by anxiety, turmoil and the struggle to survive, and most of the countries suffer unenviable political, economic and social conditions.

“We in our Kuwaiti society are not isolated from what is going on in other countries but the help of Almighty Allah is with us. Thanks to the solidity, faith and sincerity of our great people, we will overcome this crisis and problems. We thank Allah that our country is an oasis of love, security and prosperity.

“HH the Amir concluded: Therefore, we must continue working for the well-being of our country, tracing the footsteps of our good ancestors who laid the foundations of our dear homeland and raised the rules of its revival. The present as he composed among the hearts of the people of Kuwait in the past is at trial, and it is the duty of loyalty to this homeland to present these heroic sons of Kuwait with what the national duty dictates to them in the preservation and protection of our Kuwait, our people and those who reside on this precious land.”

— Compiled by Zaki Taleb