‘Shift from consumer to productive economy ... secure Kuwait future’
“KUWAIT and Venezuela are two oil states which fully depend on oil for their income. They have no plans to find a deal for it. They are two consumer rentier states that took in spending without taking into account the future in the negative change in oil prices. Therefore, Venezuela fell into economic bankruptcy because of the way its economy is managed because it is a rentier and consumer state and not a productive state, so the Venezuelan state was officially declared a failure,” columnist Hamed Al-Seif wrote for Annahar daily.
“Because Kuwait is currently moving in the same direction and takes the same approach as Venezuela, it must fall into the same Venezuelan trap by following the same thought and approach, and this is a late warning to avoid that. The state must bear the results of that destructive thought and approach and it is responsible for determining the direction for the future by becoming a failed state just like Venezuela, or mobilizing and correcting the path and approach which is the only option that must be taken if the state is alert to the country’s interest and its future.
“In order to avoid the devastating consequences that have befallen the Republic of Venezuela, we must put in place an integrated and rapid plan for all components of the Kuwaiti economy to transform it from a consumer to a productive economy by abandoning the rentier policy, that is to say depending on oil as the main source of income, and giving the private sector the opportunity to assume responsibility for economic matters in a serious manner through deliberate privatization, and making the state manage sovereign and supervisory matters only while the Kuwaiti and foreign private sector, jointly own and manage education, health, electricity and all service sectors, and bearing the burden of future education outcomes.
“As for what is happening in the state’s flabby management of most sectors, it is a dangerous matter that will lead to the collapse of the economy and make it difficult to solve the problem in the future.
“Therefore, countries are not measured by what they possess in terms of natural wealth but by what they possess in terms of educational output to manage the country’s economy and the biggest evidence is Japan, Singapore and Malaysia.
“These countries do not have natural resources, but have good administrations that love their homeland and plan for their future, so this is a wake-up call for us so that we do not fall into the Venezuela trap which corresponds to Kuwait’s current situation in mismanagement and following the consumer rather than the production system, so we want to apply the thoughtful and the scientific approach to correct our current situation and put us on the path necessary to save the country from the expected economic risks for the sake of the future of this good country.”
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“There is an eternal question that aroused human curiosity and entered a sterile Byzantine debate. It is useless to debate what came first the chicken or the egg although the answer to that question will neither benefit nor harm anyone, yet the debate continues indefinitely,” columnist Oweid Al-Salaili wrote for Al-Shahed daily.
“In Kuwait, sterile debate and theorizing are the predominant factors of Kuwaiti society especially debate and discussion in political matters. The reason for this is that the state and the people together are involved in politics in all aspects of social, economic, sports and educational life, and even in the religious and personal aspects, a situation that does not exist in world democracies.
“Since the National Assembly elections in early December 2020, the country has entered a political and legislative vacuum due to the raging conflict between the government and the MPs as a result of what happened during the election for Speaker of the National Assembly and the subsequent interrogation of the Prime Minister. As a result the government resigned and parliamentary life was disrupted, a decree was issued by the Amir to suspend the work of the National Assembly without the nation benefiting from that conflict in any way.
“The paralysis that afflicted political life in the country opened everyone’s appetite for theorizing and entering into the usual political debate. There was a lot of talk about who was responsible for this scenario.
“The MPs were divided into two groups, the first believed the government was responsible because of its position during the election of Speaker which saw Marzouq Al-Ghanem emerging victorious in contrast to the whims and tendencies of many MPs which ignited the conflict, while the other group – as the few believe - the rush of some deputies and their constant defiance of the state and the system is the fuel that made the government obsessed with fear and of their partisan and tribal orientations that are troubling the state and the neighboring countries of the region.
“The sterile debate and trading in accusations will continue and the MPgovernment struggle will continue with it. Unfortunately, even with the formation of the new government, and then the new government and its head will be overthrown, and we will witness early parliamentary elections and I expect that after the blessed month of Ramadan.
“Everyone should make preparations to run for the National Assembly elections and start putting up tents - if the Ministry of Health permits this. However, this is purely what I expect.”
“With the formation of the new Kuwaiti government that aims to serve the nation, citizens and residents feel the pervasive need related to the loss of a sense of joy and reassurance for internal reasons related to congestion and the collision between the government and the National Assembly and its reflection on the deterioration of services, the increase in administrative and financial corruption, and the disturbance of decisions to close places of entertainment and sports, travel and tourism, laxity in dealing with chronic problems, threats to suspend salaries, and the increase in suicides among bedoun and the list goes on and on,” Dr. Abd Al-Hadi Al-Saleh wrote for Al-Anba daily.
“Externally, the regional situation is ‘electrifying’ because of the dangers that overwhelm national development and peace in the Gulf region in particular, which has heightened concern for the future of the country and its future generations. Therefore, we need a government whose mission is to alleviate these negative feelings and address their causes.”
“Like everyone else, I follow the new US policy following the victory of the Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, and it is natural that we monitor the upcoming policy because for us the issue at heart is the Gulf as seen by US President Biden,” columnist Osama Safar wrote for Al-Rai daily.
“Focusing on freedoms in the Arab Gulf region, and the joy of (for those) in Kuwait that this matter will support the return of those who voluntarily chose to leave Kuwait and settle in Turkey, as they hope to pressure Kuwait for an unconditional return with amnesty that would enable them to run in the future elections of the National Assembly. I find this happy scenario for some completely misplaced!
“The new US policy in the region may appear to some as supportive of freedoms, but this is only the beginning, as it is expected to put pressure on the Arab Gulf states that reject normalization with the Israeli entity, so what will be the reaction of (those) who rejoiced with Biden’s decisions on freedoms?
“The matter is not that naive (not like us). Sometimes we raise the American flag in order to restore freedoms, and sometimes we burn the American flag in order to reject normalization.
“Today, and for the next four years, we will witness a clear impact of American policy in the Arab Gulf, and indeed the entire Arab region, and it is wrong to expect the United States of America to be a dove of peace. This is how I see the political scenario and the US president’s writing reads from his address and Biden (Payne) from the beginning!
“Incidentally, will the United States support Raghad Saddam Hussein in the new project for Iraq?”
The Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Brazil Nasser Al-Mutairi, on the behalf of GCC Ambassadors to the South American country, held a luncheon in honor of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Ernesto Araujo and senior officials of the Presidential Palace accompanied President Bolsonaro.
In a statement by Kuwait’s Ambassador Al-Mutairi, carried by KUNA, conveyed greetings from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the President of Brazil.
Ambassador Al-Mutairi affirmed the strong relations linking Kuwait and Brazil, adding that the State of Kuwait was keen on boosting ties through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), and the private sector.
On his part, President Bolsonaro commended the level of Brazilian and GCC relations, affirming that his country was keen on bolstering them on all possible levels. (KUNA)