O Crown Prince, kindly ask: What have we done to our country?

This news has been read 24642 times!

A COUNTRY cannot rise without a firm will and belief of its leaders on the extent of their responsibilities, which necessitates the ability to take decisions.

That is why not all the legacies of the presidents, for example, of the United States of America are remembered in history. For instance, George Washington is still considered a milestone as the founder of the modern state. Despite many years apart, Abraham Lincoln managed to find a place for himself in history as a unifier of the country after the civil war was brought to an end. Franklin Roosevelt was known to be the most serving president in the office, and one of the most prominent leaders in world history. As it was believed that his departure would leave a great vacuum in the government, Harry Truman succeeded him and managed to bring victory for the USA in the World War by eliminating the “Japanese evil” at the time.

In the Arab world too, there are leaders whose periods of rule produced pivotal moments in the history of their countries, such as King Abdulaziz bin Saud, the unifier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the igniter of its course. His sons took after him in continuing to build on its foundations.

Likewise, Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah made Kuwait an oasis of stability while the world around it was awash with conflicts and wars.

The difference between the builders of the civilizations of their countries and those who sow the seeds of their failure is the ability to realize the interest of the country, and not create false glory for the leader.

The determination of the leader is the one that turns a problem into an opportunity for creativity in leadership. Kuwait is one of these countries that sometimes goes through difficult circumstances as a result of mismanagement according to the mood of the leadership and the style of governance.

Today, as per the procedures of the political leadership and the vigorous follow-up of His Highness the Crown Prince, who is entrusted by His Highness the Amir with managing public affairs, there are many files that have been resolved or are on the way to being addressed.

However, diversifying sources of income and studying the education sector, which has reached awful stages, remain the most important challenges that need to be addressed permanently, besides weaning off from oil, as we depend on it for 90 percent of our spending.

This means that in a few years, we will, without any doubt, be faced with complex financial challenges due to the global expansion of alternative energy.

These days, some may laugh at the saying that Kuwaitis, if they continue in this manner, will become immigrant workers in the world.

This is because the saying: “All is well” controls the financial and economic behavior in the absence of a realistic vision to confront global developments and to avoid absolute dependence on oil.

One of the most important steps to be taken is to immediately start abolishing the unfruitful laws that caused the closure of the country, encourage investments both locally and abroad, motivating Kuwaitis to work, and getting rid of the complexity in them of what the government provides us with.

The rule established by the late US President John F. Kennedy in 1961 in one of his speeches –  “Do not ask what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country” – must be taken into account, as this is what the leaders of the new era should say to Kuwaitis.

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah

Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

This news has been read 24642 times!