‘Major decisions by top officials vital to save the boat destined to sink’
“THE matter is serious, and you are the captains of the nation’s boat and those responsible for it before God, history, and people and there are people screaming and shouting, whatever their names, claiming that our future and the future of our homeland are in their hands and no one else,” columnist Sami Abdul Latif Al-Nisf wrote for Annahar daily.
“The boat of our homeland, which has been subjected to harms and disasters many times in the past – unlike our neighbors -- and survived either at a huge financial cost, as in the case of the stock exchange (Manakh) catastrophe, or at a great cost in lives, blood and wealth, as in the case of the invasion of the year1990.
“We can no longer bear other shocks or disasters, which will be this time much greater than all our previous tragedies because if we do not take precautions for the upcoming catastrophe and change the direction of the boat, we will sink to the bottom and nobody will help us out.
“Every amazing and positive achievement that happened in the past in Kuwait or later in the Gulf was the result of the direction, wisdom, and determination of the political leaders in the countries concerned and not the legislative councils and those with partisan orientations.
“Therefore, what is required is to tie the hands of our extremists, ISIS and Qandharis, and to look at what happened to the countries in which they took the decision and destroyed them with internal and external wars and the affairs ended with extreme poverty, ignorance, and the emigration of their people. Is this what we want as a future for us?!
“The world around us is changing, and oil, which constituted and is the only source of wealth for us – unlike the Gulf countries and the other world -- has passed and the countdown has begun, and none of us thinks of alternatives except for empty slogans such as Kuwait, the financial center while a living reality is quite the opposite.
“A European economist friend whom I met in Egypt recently coming from Kuwait tells me that entry and visa procedures are getting more and more stringent, and that he lived in one of Kuwait’s most famous hotels and was the “only guest” in the hotel.
“He added that he used to bring chocolate from his European country, which is famous for it, as gifts to friends, but the customs authorities are not only, they are repulsive in Kuwait, as they insist on stopping him and opening his bags and taking out the boxes and opening them as indiscriminately, which makes it inappropriate to present them as gifts to friends.
“He truly wonders at what is happening in Kuwait and where its boat is heading, which we believe is destined to sink if it is not saved by major decisions of senior officials before it is too late.”
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“As soon as some people’s eyes fall on the phrase scientific research, they stop reading the article. There is a lack of awareness among many citizens of our country of the importance of scientific research and its relationship to improving their lives,” Dr. Khaled Ahmed Al-Saleh wrote for Al-Rai daily.
“Recently, a special session was held in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah, and health ministers from the Cooperation Council, including the Kuwaiti Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi to discuss the need of our region for a reference center for cancer research.
“The meeting was part of the fifth joint Gulf Cancer Conference in the GCC countries, which was held in Sharjah from November 21 to 23.
“Cancer diseases are of the chronic diseases that have become the focus of great concern in most countries of the world, especially since we, as doctors, are still far from knowing their direct causes. We are still looking for more risk factors for these diseases, so that we may succeed in stopping their spread.
“There is a clear deficiency in the field of scientific research in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Although they are classified as high-income countries, we spend less than one percent on scientific research.
“In Kuwait, we spend 0.59 percent, and the UAE spends 0.6 percent, and other Gulf countries are close to this percentage or even less, and of course all these percentages are below the internationally accepted level.
“The United States spends 2.84 percent of its national income on research, which is more than 168 billion dollars, and Japan spends 3.2 percent of its national income, which is about 130 billion. As for Israel, which is in the Middle East, it spends about 4.95 percent of its income on scientific research and publishes a number of annual research equivalent to 30,000 scientific papers per million people, compared to the entire Arab world that publishing about 1,700 scientific papers per million people.
“The number of our research cadres in our Arab world, including the Gulf Cooperation Council countries is very humble while the number of scientists in the United States exceeds 3,500 scientists per million people, and in Europe it reaches 2,400 scientists per million people while in our Arab world does not exceed 360, yes, three hundred and sixty scientists per million people.
“The challenges are many, but this time is different. When a Gulf country takes over this file and is led by a man known for his love of knowledge, the image must change.” “Everyone was glued to the television screens, watching the most important sporting event in the world held in the area between our backs and a dear spot in our region,” columnist Dr Moudi Al-Hamoud wrote for
Al-Qabas daily.
“The beloved State of Qatar dazzled the world with a beautiful opening and fulfilled its promise to host the 2022 World Cup. Thus, it achieved a difficult ‘creativity equation’ that combined political will and efficiency of the administration entrusted with such a daunting task. The opening ceremony was completed with skill and perfection, gaining the praise of the whole world including the international news agencies.
“Qatar hosted millions of people of all races, sects, religions and interests on its land and stadiums. Thank you, Qatar. You brought joy and optimism to our Arab region, which has been overwhelmed by discord and disagreement. Before Qatar, the United Arab Emirates hosted Expo 2020, while Saudi Arabia opened the doors of civilization, hope and development to its children and people of the region.
“In Kuwait, many of our politicians are still digging through the files of the past to keep us updated with their so-called ‘old and new’. A certain amendment aims to strike the remaining pillars of the civil State. It shall leave the door wide open for amending the Constitution, even if the extent and impact of such amendment are unpredictable.” “I will not hide a secret from you -- that the Kuwaiti citizen is preoccupied with a certain question,” columnist Abdulrahman Al-Awad wrote for Al-Sabah daily.
“The citizen pauses for a long time before answering this question. He then responds, saying he wants to improve his condition, seek help to ease his life burdens, regulate prices, educate his children and maintain health. The summary of the answer includes the basics, strategies, short-term and long-term plans, and a work program that identifies priorities and tackles immediate demands.
“All that we have mentioned so far mean the MPs must put these demands in their minds. They have to start planning by helping the government and cooperating with it in adopting strategic plans that contribute to the well-being of the citizen and generate new job opportunities for him.
“Parliamentary participation has two aspects -- first is legislation addressing challenges and difficulties in the implementation of major projects, and second is the presentation of constructive ideas after conducting a thorough study.”