KUWAIT CITY, April 28: His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, in an interview with German national newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) Tuesday, pointed out lapses in the Kuwaiti National Assembly with such a strong passion for the first time. He directly expressed disappointment of citizens at the poor performance of the legislature with regards to the future of the country. He said the MPs are not satisfied with the series of grilling inquests, while some of them have never taken a cue from his previous messages. The Amir’s statement has been generating a series of questions in the minds of Kuwaitis. They followed up the story through the Internet and SMS messages prior to its publication in local dailies. They analyzed every sentence to share experiences and identify the direction of the incoming wind. They viewed all aspects concerning legal institutions thoroughly, because it was a message from the so-called ‘leader of all authorities’.

Is the current situation similar to what happened in 1986 when the difficult option became inevitable? Did the speech signify a strong and final warning to the concerned individuals to focus on issues of national importance rather than engaging in trivial political discussions? Answers may be numerous, considering the divergent views, but it is glaring that citizens have lost patience in terms of the MPs showing the right direction without any further delay, in order to ease the political burden on the national economy, the consequences of which might affect all sectors.

The Amiri speech was not limited to the National Assembly, as it covered various aspects of the local political arena. The legislature has become more powerful than the government due to the political activity that has been going on for almost two decades. Tribal and sectarian fanaticism has led to constitutional violations in political activities, pitching the government against some segments of the society. The action has produced representatives for these segments, which have been using a political dictionary that contain words strong enough to divide the society. Some people thought clashes and violations against the Constitution can make them heroes. The reality is this situation is dragging the country into a major disaster whose nature can’t be detected except through daily experiences. The unhealthy situation of the country is the outcome of this scenario. According to some political gladiators, the lawmakers have been trying to satisfy the populace through quick decisions which pacify feelings but are illogical.

Failure to agree on major national issues is not a mere reference point in the press statement of the Amir, because whoever knows the deep inference will realize the level of loss due to political intrigues and there is no alternative to effective actions. This is the only way to avoid the worst situation, which might impede efforts to revive Monday diwaniyas due to unbearable expenses on citizens who are the ultimate beneficiaries of intrigues.
In a situation in which the government lays down the development plan and approves projects, while the National Assembly rejects them despite the poor performance of the health, education, economic and services sectors, the populace remains victims of propagandas by consumer politicians. It is pertinent to ask whether we are ready to accept difficult alternatives like drinking from a sour cup and moving towards a disturbing political terrain. Those who put the country into this situation should correct lapses in behavior and allow the nation to improve its legal system, as well as rescue the development plan from political maneuvers.

The proposed amendment of the Constitution, which surfaced recently, is not a mere point of discussion, since the positions have been identified long ago. Some politicians want the situation to remain the same, since they have been benefiting immensely from it, so they have never considered the populace who elected the lawmakers.
In as much as the Parliament has disappointed the citizens and wasted a golden opportunity, the wise intervention should prevail. People who capitalize on emotions of the populace use national language to achieve personal goals and impede development, especially after the truth was revealed.
Some political entities believe the implementation of Article 174 of the Constitution is on the way. The Amir clearly indicated this position during his interview with the German newspaper. This is part of his prerogatives, which nobody dares to question. There is a solution as long as there is diagnosis, but it appears the Amir wants to strike at the right time and in an appropriate manner. This clearly reflects his intention to come out with a procedure to ease the burden of the people and address numerous difficulties that they have been facing for a long period.