I would like to highlight the construction of two huge air-conditioned pedestrian bridges with escalators to cross from Dasma to Mansuriya and vice versa.
This is an addition to the misfortunes brought about by our irrational governments with the support of some members of our national assemblies whose debts have been bought by tens of millions, without a single drop of sweat from them!
Several questions amazed me. First, the residents of the two areas — Mansuriya and Dasma — are Kuwaitis who go from one area to another by car. Were these bridges built for our expatriate brothers, who are in the same condition, from Bneid Al-Gar — where thousands of expatriates live — to Dasma and vice versa?
I also noticed that no bridge is separated from the other by more than 150 meters. Without justification; the first huge bridge is located at the Dasma exit, crossing Cairo Street to Mansuriya. The second bridge is located at the entrance of Dasma, behind the Kuwait Teachers Association headquarters and the villas neighborhood for Kuwaitis, crossing the Mansouriya Petrol Station!!
When I met one of my engineer friends by chance who owns a well-known engineering office, I discussed this issue with him. He said the decision to build these bridges is governed by the principle of utilizing, nothing but utilizing.
“Who will erect these huge bridges? The contracting and construction company that is satisfied with the project, in addition to a supply company which will provide the bridges with escalators. These contractors and company owners are friends or partners of the main contractor’s agent. He agreed with them and some of the Rashida employees regarding this unjustified exchange!
If only the rational government and its employees thought a bit rationally, the bridges would have built where they are urgently needed. Nothing is more urgent than the bridge that Al-Rashida does not want to build —the bridge connecting Fahd Al-Salem Street from the bus stops of three public transport companies to the opposite side. This is used daily by thousands of the poor working class who are threatened with being run over by speeding cars, because they do not see pedestrians due to the buses which are sometimes parked in two lanes, thereby, blocking the view of motorists.
By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli
Former Minister of Oil
