What Should We Expect?

With the race for elections at full steam these days, the electoral programs differ from one nominee to another. At one end of the spectrum, people talk about increasing salaries, subsidizing commodities and loan write-offs, others simply attach the incompetence of the government just to sound brave to the average person. At the other end, people talk about actual development projects and the challenges that await them, as well as the need to overcome these challenges in order to progress forward.

I agree that the Cost of Living in Kuwait has risen-thanks in part to the rising costs of energy-to the point where the average salaries that used to make ends meet just one year ago aren't cutting it anymore. I also agree that government subsidies should play a larger role in the development of the society, and I also agree that many Government-run services are in need of an overhaul. Something should be done to offset these shortcomings, but it should be something permanent and airtight, like a comprehensive development program, like updating the State's Educational system, or improving the infrastructure of Power and Water. It should not be a band-aid on an oozing wound, like loan write-offs or overnight salary hikes!


While I welcome the initiative, I think I can manage to make ends meet for a few more years until the economic situation improves to an extent where I wouldn't need to worry about my chidlren's future so much. I can sacrifice a few hours' of power blackout time while at the office for a year or two, if it means that for the next 25 years to come we'll be in the green, ditto for water, ditto for roads and new residential areas. I just can't tolerate living on a 'temporary measure' with auxiliary power generators working on diesel fuel, or being forced to purchase potable water from roaming water tankers for the rest of my life.

I need to know that whoever gets elected has the proper mindset to engage the Government in logical and practical dialogue towards the betterment of the society and it's future. I don't want to elect someone who will be bugging everyone to implement his or her own warped view of what a society "should" be or how it should follow his or her views or face a politically-damaging Parlimentary Questioning as a retaliation!

What gets me scratching my head is the utter contempt for the law when it comes to the primary elections of the tribal areas and the unofficial political parties. For one thing, people are breaking the law in order to become elected to enforce the law-which is a standing contradiction, no matter how you look at it!