Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef … ‘A horse is known through its rider’

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UNDOUBTEDLY, the speech of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Acting Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef highlighted a number of issues that have been waiting a long time to be tackled.

His rationality, especially with regard to opening up the country, highlights the huge loss the country incurred because it was closed down. This begs us to ask: “Why are we closing down Kuwait? For whose interest?”

In an interview with the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef said, “When family members and visitors were prohibited, Kuwait lost a significant number of experiences. We became a country that expels experiences. Whoever wants to visit Kuwait is welcome.”

This man lived through the problem even when he was outside the ministerial position. Therefore he realized that the solution was to open the country and benefit from everyone, including the violators, whose numbers have become about 130,000 as a result of the stringent controls and lack of solutions.

Giving violators the room to remedy their status means reducing the security burden firstly, and secondly, facilitating the use of the existing labor force in the country, which will automatically reduce the wages that have reached very high levels.

A craftsman who used to earn KD 15 daily now gets KD 35 to KD 40, and the worker now gets KD 20. All of this has increased the costs in all projects.

Job stability is an important factor for the renaissance of any country. The country needs to revitalize most of its sectors, especially the industrial sector, which suffers from a major defect as a result of the impromptu decisions that hinder its progress. Therefore, His Highness the Prime Minister must work to resolve this issue and prevent what could be termed as oppression over the industrialists.

If there is an actual intention to advance the country, then the demographic composition cannot be used as an excuse, given that the millions of expatriates in the Emirates are the ones who built its cities, likewise Saudi Arabia.

Qatar has a population of 2.9 million people, but the rate of Qataris among them is 14 percent. There is no demographic problem, because the correct understanding is that these people come to work, and they are the ones who advance the country.

On the other hand, we in Kuwait have been living on slogans and being a laughing stock in this matter for ten years. In fact, one of the stupid decisions in a bid to amend the demography was the one that prevents a person over the age of 60 years from renewing his residency. Through that foolish decision, Kuwait lost a significant number of experiences.

Therefore, in order to complete the plan to open the country, this decision must be abolished, along with the sponsorship system (Kafala). This would allow the violators and other residents to deal directly with the state, instead of turning to a human trafficker who inflicts torture on them and increases the security and social burdens.

The country suffers from paralysis due to the absence of a peaceful economic vision, which was confirmed by the decline in the quality of the Kuwaiti economy over the past decade by 21 places. About 25 percent of the GDP comes from rents, and the rest from oil. We are living in a bubble at all levels, and it is time for us to get out of it.

For this reason, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef’s words represented a window of hope that was opened to eliminate the traces of uncalculated adventures that have controlled the country for the past two decades. He deserves appreciation and gratitude for his efforts.

Regardless of all that, we still say – This is not enough, as more is required for Kuwait to rise from its decline.

Nonetheless, irrespective of the case, when the approach is realistic, and the person in charge knows where the flaw lies, he will go directly to the right solution. Accordingly the proverb applies to Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef: “A horse is known through its rider.” People’s qualities are only known through experience.

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah

Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

This news has been read 1413 times!