Fragile governments, constitutional vacuum continue

IT seems that powerlessness has become endemic to our executive body. Those who generate it every time seem not to surrender to the fait accompli that the country has been experiencing since November 2019.

It is as if the intention is to leave Kuwait to its fate – like a ship without a captain that can pull it out of the eye of the storm and lead it to safety. It seems there is no port looming on the horizon, but a delusion leading to political, constitutional and executive vacuum.

It is indeed a complex void such that whenever we leave a pit, we fall into another one that is deeper, and we wonder if this is the expression of love for the homeland, devotion to its service, and passion to advance it and preserve its stability.

For three years, we have been living under fragile governments that did not take any reliable decision. It seemed as if they had come to resign from their role, and acted in transitional capacity, until the ministerial position became just a benefit for the unemployed favored ones who were blessed with the boon of reaching the highest executive position in the administration.

We have lived with four governments, each of which gets “upset’’ and resigns as soon as a wind of challenge hits, as if what is required is not to bother the Cabinet mood and hold its members accountable, even if they do not work.

Is this the mentality with which states are run? Or is it a collective punishment for the people because they accepted such an administration, the president of which contented himself with his integrity?

We have had enough of this quality to reach the level of boredom. The duty of the official should be in this manner, but we are in the era of continuous corruption, which perhaps made us yearn for a person who has this quality.

This feature could have turned into general government behavior, but it was just a sign of the corruption in all institutions, which led to financial and economic decline, and stagnation in projects, despite having an arsenal of laws that was put in place to suppress freedom of opinion in the face of everyone who seeks to criticize from a position of concern for the homeland that we have no alternative to.

These opinion-gagging laws have sparked jail terms of a number of years against those who expressed their opinion, which reached a total of about 915, while the number of bloggers fleeing abroad exceeded 600 Kuwaitis. This is happening in a country that has been described throughout its existence as an oasis of freedom of opinion and expression, and made it a message of Arab cultural creativity, and an example of the lack of police pursuits.

All this is due to the lack of a brave official who has leadership qualities, and who is aware of when and how to make a decision. Nevertheless, instead of seeking the help of sincere advisors, people who are not even qualified to manage a grocery store were brought in to help the decision-maker. Things have thus been tailored in a manner that decisions that are taken are like patchwork for a torn dress.

All countries are led by individuals with distinguished abilities and who use experts with a sound opinion. This was the case in China, where the modern renaissance was triggered by an Iraqi advisor. Also, all neighboring Gulf countries are currently experiencing a great renaissance, but Kuwait is moving from one state of decline to another. All international classification institutions put us in the bottom of ranks, and alert us to our very uncomfortable situation.

If you find the desire for change and reform, the road becomes paved for overcoming the impossible, which should not be in the lexicon of countries, not to continue living under governments that feel their existence is transitional, and God forbid, if any disaster befalls the country, such governments will say this matter is under our expertise.

All of Kuwait must face the reality of its situation. It must have a senior administration that is capable of working to curb corruption. It only has to review the files in the courts to figure out to what extent our indifference and reliance has been on the personal reputation of the official.

Nonetheless, if integrity is not accompanied by audacity, courage and hardwork, it becomes a curse and a disaster for states.