Oh leadership ... ‘deaf, deaf, deaf’

WHEN parliaments get dissolved nine times in 22 years, this is a clear indication that it is time to bury this democracy and accept condolences.

As a country, we cannot live in this situation for two decades without any significant achievements. We cannot be proud of something that does not exist with us. This is due to the fact that the right situation is for democracy to be a catalyst for the achievement and development of society, instead of paralyzing the country all these years.

All over the world, parliaments complete their legislative terms, after which the stage is assessed. If there are any obstacles that the authority and the legislative and executive institutions face, they work on fixing them before calling for elections.

However, when the age of the parliament is less than two years, this means that there is a defect in the method used, and that a misconception of democracy has occurred. Therefore, it is necessary to search for the cause of the disease and treat it, or else it would definitely lead to the systematic destruction of Kuwait if the situation remains the same.

What is the fault of the citizens for enduring this suffering when they see the world around them while they are standing still? Why do they have to endure all these fabricated crises? After all that, is it right to say that “Kuwait is different”?

Since the liberation of Kuwait until today, we have not seen any industrial achievement that ensures the minimum requirements for what the people need. We have also not worked to secure the minimum level of food security or ensure the presence of pharmaceutical industries.

Therefore, we did not exaggerate when we said that even toilet paper has to be imported from abroad. We seem satisfied with just a single source of income, which is oil. We have started repeating like parrots the phrase “building Kuwait” while everyone is working to destroy it.

We did not always look for the best. We did not seek to become like Switzerland, Sweden, or even the neighboring Gulf countries that preceded us by many light years. We instead looked at those who are lower than us in terms of development.

We seem happy to compete with Afghanistan in underdevelopment, and Lebanon and Iraq in corruption.

Is it possible to build development in this manner? Or should we get rid of this mentality and work to eradicate the corruption that is pervasive in all institutions?

Is it possible that a country like Kuwait with all its infrastructure for hospitals and health centers spent USD 17 billion for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, while the most populated countries spent about USD 5 billion? None of those in Kuwait who committed the crime of plundering public money during the pandemic were held accountable. They instead returned to their homes to enjoy what they plundered.

Were the previous governments held accountable for negligence in all projects in which fraud was proven? Did they strike the hands of merchants who played with the people’s livelihood, and imposed on governments and parliaments not to approve any projects that conflict with their interests?

Is it conceivable that a country that has such financial capabilities and vast areas cannot grow a part of what it eats due to refusal by importers?

Is it reasonable that there is a crisis with every government formation, and some of them are born dead either because of the objection of some MPs or due to the poor selection of the prime minister-designate?

How many ministers fell before taking the oath, or were dismissed due to their unmanageable corruption? How many officials have been accused of poor performance and corruption, and tried for that?

For years, the majority in this nation has been warning about the deterioration of the economic situation, the expected global economic crises, and their consequences for Kuwait. Have we worked to protect the national wealth, or has everyone actively sought to take their share of the public money pie and smuggle it abroad?

Despite all this, no one is moving a finger. There is no government that is able to continue. In fact, it seems as if those who cry out in pain over what Kuwait is going through are doing so in vain because no one is listening; no one is hearing… Deaf, deaf, deaf, and this is the bitter truth.