publish time

10/01/2024

publish time

10/01/2024

Ahmed-Al-Sarraf

Our governments are commonly characterized as "rational," yet in our current circumstances, it would be more advantageous for them to embody "agility." Similar to a human being, a government operates optimally when agile -- free from excess weight, flexible, and capable of swift movements.

Agility facilitates quick navigation through challenges, optimal decision-making, and adaptability. However, in my observation, our governments have often leaned towards a cumbersome structure, symbolized by extensive powers that dominate all state affairs.

This heavyweight system has resulted in a failure to achieve goals due to an overwhelming number of tasks and powers. The government is burdened with managing numerous ministries, agencies, councils, bodies, and companies, leading to a failure to make vital decisions or the improper execution of temporary measures that become permanent.

The excessive expansion of government agencies is driven by the desire of many individuals to create entities for their associates to manage. Examples of this abound, such as the establishment of a Roads Authority with unprecedented powers that were later frozen by the Minister of Public Works.

The creation of redundant organizations, like a catering company and the Kuwait Flour Mills Company, deviates from their core functions, and the need for a Ministry of Information and a news agency is questionable in the current era.

The government's ownership and management of lands for various purposes, control of sectors such as electricity, water, and telecommunications, and involvement in the education and medical sectors are areas where the government's focus could be better directed.

There are numerous questions surrounding these practices, and it is essential for the government to reconsider its role, focusing on facilitating commercial activities, monitoring performance, preventing exploitation, enacting systems, issuing laws, and legislating in collaboration with the Council.

Streamlining the government apparatus and transferring certain responsibilities to the private sector, which has demonstrated competence, would contribute to creating a more agile and efficient government. Addressing these issues will be crucial for the success and effectiveness of the next government.

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By Ahmad alsarraf