‘My trust in ‘two Ahmads’ to reveal with transparency meeting’s story’
“EVERY nation has its own symbols and every homeland also has its symbols,” columnist, former MP, former minister of social affairs and labor and former minister of communication Jassem Al-Oun wrote for Al-Qabas daily.
“Symbolism is a term or an adjective defining a representative or quasi-representative character of a current, thought, reality, or as linguists say ‘the symbol is the sign and what is inferred by it to the specific thing. Kuwait is my country, with a simple patch and a history rooted in its religion and Arab affiliation. Kuwait is full of symbols that reflect contradictory facts simply because there are nationalistic symbols in addition to symbols of corruption.
“My message today is addressed to two national symbols in this kind country, the ‘Ahmads’, the big brother and the dear colleague, the smiling and always laughing, Dr Ahmad Al-Khatib, and the dear brother and great stature, and my friend ‘Bu Abdulaziz’ Ahmad Al-Saadoun.
“These two prominent personalities have a great position in my heart, and we were brought together by friendship, fellowship and close knowledge for more than forty years, we agreed a lot and disagreed a lot, but with all affection, appreciation and respect, I did not hear or see from them except the honor of the disagreement, sincere action and the true dealing.
“Today is my message to these two poles that gave birth to this good land, so they emerged from the womb of the nation, and from under the mantle of the people who imitated them and for many times the honor of being represented and enabling them to speak in his name.
“The Kuwaiti arena, with all the social and information media, has ignited a strong rumor that there is a meeting between His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad – may God protect him and take care of him – and the two ‘Ahmads’ separately, and I am certain that this meeting took place in spite of strong secrecy and denial surrounding it.
“Despite my knowledge that any political system has its own calculations and assessments of matters and circumstances, the popular symbols dissolve from any account or benefit whenever it relates to the public interest or popular trust, so they meet, speak and debate on behalf of the people, whom they trust in their representation and presented them as spokesmen for them.
“But since these two meetings, despite the agitation in the political arena and the fire that burns in the hearts of the people, due to the amount of deviation in government administration and the poor selection of the public leaders in most cases, the silence is complete and only rumors are pouring oil over the fire.
“These meetings take place in the name of the nation and in the interest of the people of the nation, and they must be announced, in my opinion, and eventually mention the issues that were settled through during these meetings, particularly since we know that there are many public affairs and national issues.
“In this connection, we say some people have summarized the meeting by the topic of the brothers who are convicted by the court, but they are still living abroad, while others, have modified this meeting and attributed the same to the events which currently take place in the local arena as well as to the file of corruption which dominates the state’s joints to such an extent its symbols have reached to some senior officials, as such the valid laws are not applied on them.
“In this context, we say although these people have been exposed along with their crimes, they are still looting the public money, because they have dominated the latter overtly along with their followers from the senior corrupts those who are still working and are powerful.
“Meanwhile, some other people had construed the meeting in question, by saying that this was aimed at propounding a blanket national initiative. But really I don’t know why this meeting and the talk about it is a subject of speculation particularly since we know that the people and I am one of them put my trust in the ‘two Ahmads’ that is refined by experiences, confirmed by facts and established by days.
“Today, the authentic Kuwaiti people who have built you this position and imitated you (Al-Khateeb and AlSa’adoun) the popular leadership we are asking you to deal with it with absolute transparency. It may not be possible to declare in detail, but what is required is an explanation of the nature, foundations and related issues that were raised in the meeting.
“A follower of events and the amount of corruption and robbery of public money sees that the peaceful people of Kuwait throughout these years have reached a torrent, and their chests are burning over their homeland, and that they are sitting on the crater of a volcano, almost exploding, so beware of the anger of the wise people and love for this land.
“However, I am here swearing in the name of Almighty Allah, were it not for this people love to this land and their loyalty which still occupies their hearts towards its leadership, the local arena would have seen upheaval and the country would have witnessed severe consequences.”
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“The most stable years in Kuwait’s political history are those that follow consensual meetings that bring together rule with national forces, in which wisdom overcomes momentary emotions fueled by personal interests,” columnist Dahem Al-Qahtani wrote fro Al-Qabas daily.
“Consequently for this all Kuwaitis felt joy and optimism when two of Kuwait’s historical men recently met, His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad, and Dr Ahmed Al-Khatib, Vice-President of the Constituent Assembly and the former Speaker of the National Assembly Ahmad Al-Saadoun.
“As a researcher in political science, and as a writer and journalist who followed political events in Kuwait on a daily basis for 28 years, during which I worked as a parliamentary editor, I have not witnessed any political stability without the political parties’ desire to agree on certain decisions that are required by the true public interest of the country.
“And I noticed that the power of governance increases and is more influential when it decides to accord with the national political forces, opposition or independent, and it noticed at the same time and to the same degree that the political forces and personalities, who raise the slogans of reform, cannot achieve any major political and reform goal without compatibility with the government.
“However, the reason in both cases is that the Kuwaiti political system was based, since its inception on the idea of consensus in issuing a decision through the Shura Council (consultation), and later through the modern Shura Council or democracy with its Kuwaiti dress and without this consensus, political crises often continues.
“There are groups that live around the executive and legislative institutions, and they exist around the national political forces, that may aim to create an atmosphere of discord between the two parties so that these corrupt groups can achieve their goals and their own interests by playing fueling roles that are paid for.
“Unfortunately, when things depart from the usual political and constitutional frameworks, we find these opportunistic groups controlling the course of affairs and have the final word, which is what made the political crises in Kuwait suddenly transform from being ordinary political disputes, to political and security confrontations in which the country is consumed and people are exhausted who eventually project the relevant opportunists as reformers, heroes and the protectors of the ruling regime or the protector of the national opposition.
“As a matter of fact, the State of Kuwait as a country is mostly governed by the social and the political concord as such the task of constitutional vehicles will be confined to the management of the natural political struggle through an acceptable and balanced manner.”
“The entire world marked the 10th annual World Pharmacists Day on Sept 25 under the slogan, ‘Transforming Global Health’. This is an opportunity to enhance the role of pharmacists in improving health by providing a variety of health services in their communities, in cooperation with their colleagues in various medical specializations,” columnist Dr. Sara Salah Abdullah Al-Ghanim wrote for Al-Anba daily.
“The pharmaceutical profession is an ingrained vocation with a long history, but it is not properly exploited within our health system. During the ‘coronavirus’ pandemic, attention was drawn to this profession in general, and the pharmaceutical industry in particular. Society began to realize the magnitude of medical sciences and the role of a pharmacist.
“Until recently, obtaining supplies of medicines was taken for granted, but the matter turned around at the beginning of the pandemic. This was no longer a simple matter, as it rather moved to the difficulty field after the sudden closure of countries internally and externally.
“The sudden shock confused the patients and all societies. Governmental and private pharmacies were crowded with auditors, while some countries suffered from shortage of medicines. We can imagine the scope of the drug tragedy in the world that led to an unexpected crisis in the global medical sector.
“Several countries were forced to legalize the use and disbursement of drugs internally and exporting them, which drew big question marks about the expected shortage and how to provide quantities that fit the needs of the health sector.
“In the absence of an approved treatment for the virus, pharmacists working in the pharmaceutical supply chain and drug control played a major role in managing any potential drug or lack of drugs, serious in working proactively to lay down a realistic plan to use the current resources wisely while preparing to cope with the increasing burden of cases or emergency scenarios.”
“Yes, the ‘corona’ epidemic caused losses – money and lives. Losses were incurred, some of which were not compensated, such as the precious souls that we lost because of the epidemic. On the other hand, it opened a hole for us in the wall of a world which we are not part of,” columnist Saoud Al-Samakah wrote for Al-Seyassah daily.
“This wall revealed a fire hiding under the ashes, wreaking havoc among us. Their security officials took on enormous tasks and positions, and we thought of them well – whether the current or former officials. If not directly, they are remote partners, along with those who are falsely called ‘celebrities’.
“Before ‘corona’, we did not feel that we, the citizens, constitute only 30 percent of the population in our country, and the rest are expatriates. Majority of these expatriates are marginal workers, or on temporary visit that became permanent as time went by. Others joined a family and some came from countries whose citizens are forbidden to enter Kuwait.
“Before ‘corona’, we did not hear about money laundering operations of the magnitude exposed by the ‘corona’ crisis. We did not hear about visa trading of the magnitude exposed during the pandemic. No one would have imagined that those involved are representatives of the people, senior employees, security leaders, and even the so-called ‘social media’ celebrities.
“In brief, ‘corona’ exposed the hidden, and lifted the cover of grave crimes committed against Kuwait – a nation and society.”