An Idiot's Guide to Politics in Kuwait

Image taken from Arab Times Online

This post is actually a re-written article that I'd saved earlier, as part of my "Idiot's Guide To.." series, of which there's only been one article published so far (!). I hope you enjoy it as much as I've written it.

As with everyone else, I've watched closely the developments that took place since the Parliment was dissolved, all the vote-buying, tribal primaries, storming of the House Of Parliament, storming the Al Watan TV Headquarters, the scandals, etc., I followed every rotten political trick that was ever implemented in Kuwait during the last 12 months,  and here's my piece of mind:

Shutterbug: Recent Events In Pictures

During the last few months we've been seeing and hearing things that were so alien and uncommon to our recent history that some international observers named it the Arab Spring! We've had revolutions, Parliamentary fist fights (with the 'igal' no less!), public and unreserved exchange of personal and profane verbal attacks, scheming and plotting and secret deals made under the table, assassinations, in other words, the usual business of politics, I suppose.

I Hate To Say "I Told You So", But...

There you have it, not too long ago this afternoon HRH the Emir issued a Decree to assign Sh. Nasser Al Mohammed Al Sabah as the Prime Minister (for the seventh time!) and ordered him to form a new Government. To some, it's a surprise, but to many, me included, it isn't. In fact, it's more likely expected. So basically, the efforts of over 17 thousand petitioners has just been swept away with the prevailing dusty winds. So if this isn't the clearest, loudest message from a Head of State to his subjects, I don't know what is! To understand why some people prefer another PM one only needs to look into the activities of all his past governments.

Democracy is NOT Petitions & Demands

Over the past few days since the Kuwaiti Government resigned, everyone's been talking about the petition that's being prepared to be submitted to His Highness the Emir, asking him to choose a new Prime Minister instead of H.E. Nasser Al Mohammed. Someone who, according to the petition, comes to us with a new approach and a new light on the needs and demands of the state and it's people. Personally, I have not participated in this petition, nor do I support it, even though I support the organizers' decision to participate in this petition, as it is their constitutional and inviolable right to do so, come what may. Article 45 of the Kuwaiti Constitution clearly safeguards that right, and no one may question that right so long as it's part of the Constitution.

To that end, I believe that the petition is not much more than a PR stunt by the organizers to prove that they they control the masses, and will ultimately control the powers of the state. That's my own point of view, dark as it may seem, but mine nonetheless, based on past history and current events. Ironically, the same Constitution that gives the right to petition the government also gives the Emir the right to select whoever he sees fit, after the 'traditional' round of discussions and consultations, and that's stipulated in Article 56. So ultimately, and historically, it's Article 56 that takes precedence over Article 45, making the petition, in my humble opinion, a futile effort.

A Petition Center

However, and as I've discovered with my Twitter discussion with fellow Blogger Forza lately, futility is not in the Kuwaiti people's dictionary, since, despite this Constitutional anomaly, hundreds of people turned up to sign the petition, all of them calling for a new Prime Minister and a new approach to managing the government. Some of the MP's that are signatories of this petition have also been called to meet with His Highness the Emir, as part of his consultations, and were quite vocal in their desires to put their opinions through to him.

Admirable, I have to say, and very Democratic of 'us' to live in such an atmosphere of freedom and choice. However, the problem doesn't lie with the Petition itself, but with it's ultimate worth, and since any effort is evaluated by the impact it makes, I believe that, in light of Article 56, the Petition isn't worth the effort.

Some may argue that the Emir is not a public authority but the Head Of State, and therefore Article 45 does not apply, I call that 'nitpicking' myself, but since i'm not a lawyer, I can't say for certain whether this argument has merit. In any case, 'tradition' in Kuwait involves the Emir consulting many various figures, and given the nature of our social DNA, that can also mean that He may visit the Diwans, or even send 'feelers' to extrapolate their opinions quietly, as well as publicly meeting with MP's or Merchants or whatever. I'm sure that what we don't hear far outweighs what we do hear.

The Late Sh. Abdulla Al Salem
receiving the Constitution

Let's also not forget that HH the Emir has a family as well, and that this family has produced many viable leaders and managers who have their aspirations and dreams of becoming Prime Ministers, much like the rest of Kuwait. It comes as no surprise that they too may be susceptible to polarization much like the rest of the Kuwaiti society, and may form unofficial power groups who may support this candidate or that. HH the Emir must also address this part of the equation when selecting a new Prime Minister as well. Such has been our way of life for more than 50 years of Democracy. Having said that, nowhere in the Constitution does it state that the Prime Minister 'must' be selected from the Ruling Family, so there may be a Constitutional loophole that could allow a non-Al Sabah to be elected into the office of the PM, but so fare there has been no precedence.

To that, many are now expressing their desire to have a Prime Minister that would be selected from among the masses, and not necessarily from the Ruling family. Now, I have a problem with that, not because I support the Ruling family or the PM, but because I support the Constitution, as well as it's revision. To have a Prime Minister be selected from the masses, one must first consider the dynamics of this step. For a Democracy to function properly, the majority's decision must be respected by the Minority, while the Minority's decisions are respected and safeguarded. In order to have this 'majority-minority' balance, political parties must be represented in Parliament, officially and transparently. By definition, that means that the establishment of Political Parties must commence, and when they reach parliament, the present and elect from amongst themselves whom they see fit to take up the office of the Prime Minister.

Imagine this Guy being
a Prime Minister?

Practically, that means the ICM, or Hadas, becomes an official Political Party, as does the NDA, or the Liberals, the Popular Action Bloc and all others. Once in office, each select a candidate from among them. So Hadas selects Jem'aan Al Herbish, for example, and the NDA selects Saleh Al Mulla and the PAB selects Al Sa'doun and so on, and whoever receives the majority of votes in Parliament gets to be the Prime Minister.

The next step is for the PM to construct his Cabinet of Ministers. If he was from Hadas, it stands to reason that that majority (if not all) of his cabinet will be from Hadas, including the Minister of Interior, Defense, Economy, etc...Sure, there may be concessions to this party and that over some of the seats in Government, or even exclusive reservations to specific Political Parties for some of them, but in general, the overall approach of that wholly-elected Government would be in line with the general Politics of the party that gained the most votes. And selecting the new Ministers would not be based on skills & experience, but on political clout and favortism. Not that it's not happening now, but imaging if it happened across ALL ministries!?

Case in Point; Today's Alwatan reports that the Minister of Communications is about to reward over 50% of the Ministry's staff for excellent services, while at the same time, today's Al Qabas ran a story the depicts gross (and almost criminal) misuse of Government Property! I'll have to assume that this reward comes amid political pressures and back-room dealings between HADAS and the Popular Action Bloc, or some other group! It'll be this way as well if Kuwait has open and public political parties, only then, it'll be more open!

Dr. Mohammed Al Busairy
Minister of Communications

That, to me, is a 'nightmare' scenario and for very good reasons, too lengthy to discuss in this post (I've blogged about this before), but I'm sure you get the idea. Nevertheless, I'm for it, especially if adequate checks and balances are in effect.

Grim as it may sound, this is the price of Democracy; In order to be 'Democratic' you must endure the bitter as well as the sweet. But it's not a complete mess. With this structure in effect, you'll see a more visible role for the Political Parties, you'll have more exposure to their political mindset, and you'll eventually be more aware of their agendas and affiliations. The good will separate itself from the not-so-good, and socio-political polarization will finally become something to be celebrated, not feared.

However, for all this to take place, it must be built from the ground up, and in the right place, the Parliament. My gripe with the recent petition is not it's legality, but it's method. Instead of the people petitioning the Government, the people should petition the MP's who represent them in Government. We should pressure them into effecting many changes in the Constitution that would enable us to select a PM from the masses, by passing the required laws and bills 'in Parliament', not in it's front yard. That's why we elected them in the first place, to speak in our name and to cater to our demands. If any of them was worth his or her salt, they would take this petition and discuss it in Parliament, not simply sign it.

And if, for some reason, the Government opposes this change, the MP's should use their Constitutional tools to remove the opposition. Remember, the Government only holds 1/3 of the house, with the remaining 2/3's residing with the MP's, or 'us, the people'. The fact that the only tool in their possession is the power of interpellation and Parliamentary questioning is no excuse; they could form a unified front in parliament and force the Government to accede to their demands, which are also ours by proxy

Kuwaiti Parliament

OK, so many MP's have been accused of backing the government at every turn, and as a result, the Parliament may not come to a consensus or even a simple majority. Here we, the people, exercise our Constitutional rights to NOT VOTE FOR THESE PEOPLE AGAIN!

And herein lies the dilemma, since we're so inclined, as a people, to vote for whoever graces us with their presence in our Diwans, or fixes it so that our requirements from the Government Ministries are completed, we've grown accustomed to the fact that we'll vote for whoever owes us a favor! With effective Political Parties in full view of everyone, and (hopefully) properly-distributed electoral district system, we would eventually be able to vote for the right representative, and not the most helpful, and hopefully on our way towards a true and honest Democracy. At worst, things remain as they are, and the Emir would still be able to exercise his Constitutional rights, despite public opinion.

So, there it is. That's why I believe that the recent petition drive was a 'stupid' event, given the presence of alternative routes, and the need for prerequisites for it to work effectively. But please don't be fooled into believing that just because it's in the Constitution it's still Democratic, or that it'll see the light anytime soon. Mark my words, WHOEVER promised you that is playing you for your votes and toying with your emotions, for reasons that may range from gaining political clout to settling scores to simply flexing their muscles, but certainly not to effect change, and especially not overnight! It's a stupid concept to think so, not just vain or idealistic.

Then again, I reiterate what I tweeted earlier, 'Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups'.

It's Still A Democracy, People!

Image Credit: Nino Jose Heredia/Gulf News

I understand how some people may be emotionally attached to the MOI's latest attempt at implementing the Law. No society would accept the use of force against it, democratic or otherwise. Along with images and videos of Police attacking civilians, it sounds like the Government is trying to oppress the masses and cover up the truth, and that infuriates even the coldest of blood.

But a vital point is missing from all these facts; The Law was broken, and the law-breakers did not bother to allow cooler heads to prevail either!

The Law is the Law for both MP and Citizen

HH The Emir,
Sh. Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah

I do not condone, nor encourage violence of any kind, especially when it comes to politics, but what happened last night was a 'no choice' situation by all accounts. I won't go into the details, nor post any pictures, as there are many of both in today's newspapers and blogs, so it's quite easy to dig them up, especially when they're plastered all over the front pages of Kuwaiti newspapers, and even made it to the BBC!

However, according to the step-by-step account of the Alqabas newspaper, what triggered last night's attack by the Security Forces was Al Herbish's wanton disregard for HH The Emir's order pertinent to public congregations and political speeches, pure and simple! But that's not the whole story.

Al Juwaihel Beaten by Mob: The Demise of Kuwait's Democracy.

Last night, at a Speech rally at MP Ahmed Al Sa'adoun's residence in Khaldiya, whereupon around 500 people gathered to hear speeches made by over 22 MP's who have refused the Kuwaiti Government's political tricks lately, former candidate Mohammed Al Juwaihel was beaten by over 40 people until he was knocked unconscious.

Apparently, as the newspapers reported, MP Musallem Al Barrak was having his turn in giving a speech when Al Juwaihel got up and 'spat' at the large screen that was displaying the rally to the gatherers outside. At that point, some people around the man got into an argument which turned into a fist fight that lasted for ten minutes. the Rally's organizers-and later, the police, intervened to stop the attackers, but by that time, Al Juwaihel was knocked unconscious. 

Hayefism at it's best!!

I cannot begin to describe the disgust I felt when I read that MP Hayef tried to 'intervene' in the release of a wanted criminal with convictions that would make Teabag from "Prison Break" shiver in disgust! (A clarification my Hayef himself was printed yesterday) What disgusted me even more was an attempt by former MP, currently columnist, Mubarak Alduwailah, defending this so called Member of Parliament in today's newspaper, referring to him as "The Framed MP"...

My Take on the Al Fadhala Issue

First off, let me be clear: Getting thrown into prison for stating one's own opinion in a Democracy is wrong, wrong, wrong! It shouldn't' have happened, neither to Khalid nor Mohammed A. Aljasem, nor Juwaihel nor Al Baghdadi, nor anyone else. Furthermore, since opinions are as abundant as certain body parts of the human anatomy, it makes no sense to draft and issue laws that punish people for speaking their minds. In fact, political system that illogically and aimlessly pursue the Law to punish the people have been proven to fail and, eventually fall, badly.

Ministries Cplx Veg Market

I had to visit the Ministries Complex this morning, and this is what I found, exactly opposite the main entrance, in full view of every passer-by, including police!

Long live Kuwait, the future Financial Hub!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Opinions & Response to the "Hayef" Doctrine

Effects of MP Hayef's latest vocal attempts at using logic (which suspiciously resemble those made by a can of beans negotiating their way through a Cow's digestive system) have been strong, to say the least. Skimming through today's newspapers alone, I found many articles & opinions that are against this recent attempt by the MP at dehumanizing and patronizing the Kuwaiti Society. I choose these words deliberately, since a human is representative of 'free will', the elimination of which  would ultimately reduce the average human to an automaton, unwillingly obeying rules & laws without question or opinion. I also mentioned 'patronizing' because, when all else failed, MP Hayef is attempting to either force his issues or otherwise force his will onto the mass, in a very clear attempt at reigning in it's freedoms and rights.

Hayef's at it again!!

Here's another wonderful idea; Forget the Economic Crisis, forget the rising deficit & unemployment & continuous disintegration of basic services. Mohammed Hayef finds it appropriate to ask for the opinion of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs as to the interpretation of 'appropriate' dress code for women!

For those of you who don't know the implications of this apparently curious move,

The People Have Spoken!

While I am saddened that my personal favorite, Mr. Abdulla Al Nibari, was not lucky enough to make the first 10 positions, I was elated to find my other personal favorites, Aseel Al Awadhi and Masouma Al Mubarak, have not only made the list, but have reached the highest of positions within their electoral constituency. Nevertheless, Kuwait has voted four women into office today!

Other constituencies have not had much change within them, some lout-mouth MP's are still in office, some Islamicist MP's are still in office, some benign MP's are still in office, etc.. In fact, one may say that, in many constituencies, the faces changed, but the personalities remain the same.

Regardless, Kuwait has spoken. Change was needed and change was forthcoming, and now it's happened. For the first time in Kuwait's history, Kuwait will have not one female MP, but FOUR, all together. We now hvae a truly equal democracy, even though - already - some loudmouth Islamicist MP's are claiming that the Government was behind the female MP's success.

Come what may, change has happened, out efforts have been fruitful. There is a chance after all, let's hope this change is fruitful as well.

Vote with Caution, You're Voting for Your Future!

May 16th is just a few days away, this is when I will be voting for my representative that will be speaking in my name to the government. I took interest in many of those new TV channels and newspapers to see what options are available to me, just in case my initial choices are clouded. Apparently, many, of not all of the candidates speak (or shout!) about the same issues:

-Education

-Economy

-Social Development

-Loan write-offs

So I tried to filter them down into groups:

-Independants: They have their own agenda and their own reasons

-Liberals: They have a case to make, but very few followers

-Islamicists: Their agenda is dictated by their own interpretations of their religion

-Tribalists: They want to scoop up Kuwait's wealth in order to catch up with Kuwait's Merchant Families

-Fortune-Seekers: They just want to be paid off and get their 2 months' vacation.

The independants want to make a difference, but don't have the right backing, so they gradually veer towards one or more of the other group.

The Liberals assume to absorb all factions of society, but their views are in direct contradiction (deliberately so in some cases) with those of the other groups, namely the Islamicists.

The Islamicists, depending on whether they're Shiite or Sunni, are an obvious choice to their followers, but depend mostly on their ethnicity (Arab-Persian), and may at times collaborate with others from the Independants or the Liberals.

The Tribalists will ally themselves with either another tribe or a Sunni Islamic faction for more votes, and not much else, but with the promise of collaboration within the Parliament, feeble as it may be.

The Fortune-Seekers are just there to make noise (and a few KD's for their summer vacation) and scatter real votes around.

I listened to all of these groups' speakers, (nearly all, I can't stand some of them!) and concluded that they're all depending on people like me to vote for them, because once they get voted into office, they have the power to bring down an entire government...imagine the power?!

This is the power that I possess as a registered voter, the power to bring down a government by proxy....think about this for a second, and remember that not too far south there are governments that have been in office for years and decades, stealing, plundering and jailing (and killing!) with no remorse and no retention.

I, for one, do not want to give this power to someone just because he picked up the phone and gave me a job, or expedited my son's scholarship or even convinved a bank to loan me a bunch of money to plunder away, and then ask him to pressure the government to write it off! 

I want to give it to a candidate that knows about the heavy weight of it's responsibility, someone that can do something to stop the government from passing a bill that would destroy my economy for years to come. 

While I sometimes refrain from endorsing anyone or any particular group, I make no secret of the fact that Islamicists and Tribalists are off my list! Their views are in direct conflict with those that I have, and indeed of a true Democracy, since their agenda-by it's very nature-imposes restrictions on how I think and how I live my life. Which brings me to the Independants and the Liberals.

Now, here are a bunch of people I can relate to: They have an agenda of social development, they are fully aware (and have a proven track record) of the resonsibilites pertinent to running a country in the 21st Century, they let me go about my business, and they move to uphold the constutition as it is and regard it as a sacred document-not to be amended to suite anyone's agenda, and they leave me to my own choice as to how I practice my religion, live my life and educate my kids.  

That, to me, is a true Democracy, I hope and pray that I'm right. I have the power to vote them into office, and as the saying goes, "With Power comes Responsibility". I therefore am responsible for the choices I make, and Pray to God that I would be able to fathom this responsibility on May 16th. 

What about you?

Fashionable Rudeness

This joker actually had the balls to accuse the incumbent Prime Minister - yet again - of being unfit to hold the position presented to him by the Emir, immediately after being released from the CID, where he spend the better part of a week there for saying the same thing in the first place!

Apparently, some Tribal MP's think that their consitituents will see this rudeness and belligerence crap as an act of courage and bravery; By buggering and bad-mouthing the government, and it's ministers, and especially the ruling family, they belive it'll win them some political points that add up during the elections.

The sad thing is, some of the constituents actually do believe this to be true, they're that gullible!

So, I'm guessing this joker, and others like him, are setting a precedent for others to follow suite in order to win more votes!

Bravo for the Ministry of Interior for applying the Law where & when it's needed, but apparently it's not enough to deter these jokers from controlling their brain farts....

It's like these people suddenly forgotten that, form the day the're born to the day they're buried, the government takes care of their most essential needs, be it health, education, social security, state security, subsidized food & living essentials, the works! It's the same government that these jokers are blasting and accusing of corruption. Now this government is trying to control them by making examples of the most loudspoken jokers of them all, but so far its not working.

My explanation is that these inbreds have become too interwoven into Kuwait's political & economic system that simply uprooting them and kicking them back to where they came from back in the '60's and '70's just wouldn't be feasible anymore.

Such a shame, Kuwaiti Democracy promised to be a good thing, now it's just for the history books...

19th June 1961 and 11th November 1962

19th June 1962 is when Kuwait became a formally independant country, nearly everybody knows this fact, as it is part of the curriculum of the History of Kuwait.

11th November 1962 is when the Kuwaiti Constitution was ratified by the late Sh. Abdulla Al Salem Al Sabah.

Ironically, a very small percentage of Kuwait's population actually knows the meaning behind this date.

On the other hand, this same demographic can tell you whether 2009 is a leap year or not, when did Sh. Sabah Al Ahmed took the countries Emirship, when St. Valentine's Day is, when Christmas will be, etc. etc...and possibly why February 25 and 26 are considered National Holidays.

In my opinion, this date should be considered another National Holiday, as it is ( or should be) regarded as the Birthday of Democracy in Kuwait, so far the most successful Democracy in the Arab World, and very little people know this fact. Expanding further, not many Kuwaitis know that Kuwait is the Middle East's most successful experiment in a Constitutional Monarchy.

In fact, and as a result of this Democracy, Kuwait ranks First among all the Arab countries (Second to Israel among all Middle East) in terms of Freedom of Speech, as represented by over 15 daily newspapers, over 5 State and Private Satellite TV stations, and around 10 radio stations, of which only 3 or 4 are state-run. With this freedom of speech, it is safe to assume that Kuwait is also one of the very few countries in the World where one can sleep at night without worrying about midnight visitors from the Government. How many Arab Nationals can say the same thing about their own system of Government?

Best of the worst, you may ask? Ok, but we're only around 50 years old, and as far as Democracies go, that's still a young age. The question is, when did it all start, and how?

The "how" part has been investigated and discussed in almost every election campaign, as well as nearly every politics-related blog out there. I'm more concerned here about the "when" part, since, in order to understand the present and prepare for the future, we need to learn from the past. Our past began way back before 1962, and was practices in the smallest of ways due to the small size of the popluation. However, this practice was finally approved and promulgated in '62, and understanding how and why is only half the story, the other half is 'when and by whom'. Only then can we understand the importance of our votes as we approach any elections. 

For what it's worth, and at the very least, I suggest we consider observing both June 19 and November 11 as National events,  similar to the U.S.'s Constitution Day, in order that we may instill a sense of awareness around these dates and their significances to our history, along the lines of both the National Day and Liberation Day celebrations. Emphasis can be given to all segments of Kuwait's society on the importance of this event; Seminars, conferences, shopping mall stands, the works.

If anything is missing from our young democracy and our new generation, it's that important sense of responsibility towards our Political system of government. We are a small nation of free-minded thinkers, and over the course of the years, we have proven to be the last resort for the persecuted and the prejudiced. We need to understand how Kuwait came to be the political system it is in so that we may better understand - and hopefully, amend to our advantage - this political system in a way that would be fair and equal to all it's inhabitants.

 

Elections '09: Thinking Out Loud

What defines a 'good' candidate? Is it someone who can make miracles for his constituents from within the Ministries Complex? Or is it someone who can win against the Government in a shouting match? Or is it someone who can successfully make small but evelasting changes to Kuwait's social & economic DNA towards the realization of tribal or political ends?

Actually, some would say that a 'good' candidate is someone who had made some positive achievements, or whose stand on certain issues are 'admirable', or even someone who did not waste time in helping out his constituents in getting jobs or overseas medical treatment or scholarships for their kids or something. 

But that's during or after a Parliament...what about during elections?

In my humble opinion, a 'good' candidate is someone who portrays himself-through his words-as a leader and a visionary. It's someone who is able to identify and provide practical solutions-however simplistic-to a running or upcoming problem or crisis. It's someone who is able to accurately gauge Kuwait's needs (not just the Kuwaiti Individual) and presents a reformation program to address these needs.

Kuwait needs a revamped educational program, a well-supplied health care system, a sound economic plan, a practical social development plan, since it's only when these issues are addressed correctly can we turn towards addressing the individual needs, such as job security, family planning, housing, etc.

Thinking out loud, I believe that an ideal candidate is someone who;

-Calls for prioritizing educational reforms as opposed to segregating classrooms.

-Promotes the Government Stimulus plan, not free cash handouts

-Provides practical alternatives to Oil as the country's source of income and energy, and not it's further utilization.

-Understands the theories behind 'Socialism' and 'Capitalism', and can employ these theories in his speeches and programs.

-Is, by nature, pragmatic, not a politician.

-Is not related in any way to a tribal or  religiously-inspired political movement

If we find any candidates that fit this description, we've got ourselves some winners! F

Fingers Crossed!

The Idiot's Guide to Voting in Kuwait

Now that our parliment has been dissolved, we can breath some relief, and remain hopeful of positive change yet to come. Now's our chance as a people to look beyond the BS and clearly identify who could be our proper and true representative to the government of our country.

Since the 2008 elections I've been blogging about such topics as who to vote for, what to expect from a candidate, what to expect from an MP, what happens when Democracy takes a second seat to personal gains, all towards relieving my frustrations - as a registered voter - at those who continually defy and defame Kuwait's society and democratic principles, beginning with social values, going through the Kuwaiti Constitution, and all the way to personal morales and principles-in that order of importance. I mention that intentionally in order to highlight a very important point:

The Kuwaiti Constitution is a reflection of Kuwaiti Morals, values and principles, it was an unwritten gentlemen's agreement between the families that established Kuwait as a center of commerce and their leaders, and remained this way until it was written and ratified as a full and comprehensive constitution on November 11th 1962. This is how it should be thought of, and this is how it should be preserved, in it's spirit, not just it's letter.

This means that, all things considered, the Kuwaiti Constitution is the Kuwaiti Identity, to deny it or modify it is to admit that the Kuwaiti Identity has changed. Therefore, by derivation, this means that to respond to calls to change the constitution is to admit that the society that this constitution regulates has already changed. If this holds true to those that seek to establish a Sharia-based constitution, then it is an admission that Kuwait's establishers erred, and as a result, all the freedoms and rules of justice and equality that were written in this constitution are, by association, all wrong.

These are the same rights and freedoms that such people like the Ummah Party, the ICM and the Salafists are enjoying: freedom of speech, expression, assembly, social security, religious practice, judicial impariality, the list goes on. Ironically, these are the same freedoms and liberties that they are asking to change and improve upon, but with a twist; Improvements should be in line with Islamic Sharia...or to be exact, their own interpretation of Islamic Sharia.

So who'se to say that the ICM are right, or the Ummah Party or the Salafists, or the National Islamic Alliance or Al Meethaq, or even the Democratic Alliance, for that matter?

I DO!

And so do you, and every other registered voter, we all have a a right to say who'se right or wrong. We all have a right to choose whoever among them to be our speakers. This is our given right, as free people, and as mandated by the constitution that was ratified by Kuwait's elders nearly 60 years ago, and observed and respected by their forefathers much older than that!

With this power, we can develop or destroy our country and everything else we stand for, not the Government. It is our power of choice that arms us against all threats, foreign and domestic, to our constitution and our country, and with this power we are required to choose who among us is best fit to represent our voices of concern and change.

But with power comes responsibility!

We are responsible to be weary and mindful of all that is within our hands, from powers and right to responsibilities and commitments. We are responsible for choosing who to elect based on sound, clear signs, first among them is the candidate's loaylty to Kuwait and NOTHING else, no political party, nor any religion, sect, creed or tribe. We must choose our candidates based on tangible results, and Developmental action plans, not promises of loan write-offs and increasing salaries!

What we don't need is;

1-A candidate who speaks in the language of Sharia, but in actual fact, is proven to benefit from non-sharia sources of income.

2-A Party that is calling to change our way of life!

3-A candidate who, right on the eve of a new elections period, decides to issue statements calling for some municipal improvements, when he should have called for them years ago!

4-An MP that suspects other MP's loyalties based on illegally-obtained evidence!

5-An MP that threatens a yet-uncreated Government right after the previous one resigned in order to propel his image as a defender!

...and that's just for starters!

What we need is someone that can create our vision into a reality, and is able to do so, politically, educationally and socially. Anything else is rubbish...food for thought.

Don´t vote for Al Wa´alaan!

Back in September 2007, I blogged about an article published by the Kuwait Times, about the shooting of a Korean labourer by a juvenile Kuwaiti youth. In today´s Al Nahar newspaper, it´s been reported that one of Mubarak Al Wa´alaan´s kids, or something, was playing around with his rifle, when he accidentally shot & killed the poor Korean worker, near the central prison complex.

I have three issues with this case:

1. How is it that a kid was left to shoot at anything unsupervised and unchecked?
2. How did Al Wa´alaan appeal the First Court´s ruling with a straight face??
3. Why was the Court´s ONLY ruling a KD 1´000 fine???

What´s REALLY ironic is comparing this issue with his own Objectives and Principles, as stated on his website, notably:

• Actions to fight financial and administrative corruption in state institutions
• Attention to youth (!) and activating the role of the state in support of youth & sports
• Attention to the people in the Security apparatus towards reducing the spread of corruption and enforcement of law
• Resolutely defend the morals & principles of Society

This is the same guy who filed a lawsuite in the Kuwaiti Courts about vote-rigging during the 2008 elections, and caused a stir by threatening to attend the first session of the new parliament as an elected MP, and backed down the night before the session took place.

I think I´ll be creating a journal of objectionalble MP candidates from now on!

Useful thoughts for Useless People.

If you were one of those registered voters who didn't vote in 2008, or realized that you'dvoted for the wrong people, then you're as useless as MP Mohammed Hayef's Questions to the Prime Minister! It's very easy for the potential voters to get lost among all the statements and actions of the current and future Candidates, so I decided to shed some light on some of the issues that we, as voters, should be hearing from the Candidates in the upcoming elections:

1. Housing: Calls to allocate adequate residential areas for Kuwaiti families, reducing the waiting time from 15 years to 5 max. Advantage: Productive society
2. Employment: Calls to employ more skilled and educated people in both the private and government sector, and to 'enhance' the currently employed workforce with more skill sets, reducing bureaucracy and increasing efficiency. Advantage: Professional workforce.
3. Updating Government salaries: More and more people are asking for special allowances in accordance with the nature of their jobs; Judges, Engineers, Firemen, etc...by increasing the minimum salaries to compensate for cost of living, the government would have a more streamlined balance sheet, and reduce the cost of 'Social Allowance' benefits. Advantage: Lower operating costs for the Government
4. Education: Calls to update the Kuwaiti Educational system in line with the existing plan laid out by Ms. Nouriya Al Sabeeh and give it time to mature. Advantage: A brighter student community.
5. Higher Education: Calls to revoke previously-awarded accreditation to shady and questionable universities & colleges overseas, thereby reducing the corrupted rubbish they throw back at us! Advantage: A more enlightened and educated workforce.
6. Health: Calls to renovate all the existing Hospitals, and proceed with building 4 new ones within 3-4 years. Advantage: A Healthier society & more job opportunities.
7. Economy: Calls for extreme measures with long-lasting solutions to combat the current financial crisis, not a band-aid! Also, calls for an oversight & legislative body with executive authority to regulate the KSE. Advantage: Better resource allocation, gradual economic sustainability.
8. Stateless: Calls to deny the Kuwaiti Nationality to those that do not meet the minimum requirements, and to offer residency permits to the rest, while restricting their activities based on educational qualifications and worth to society. Advantage: Less cannon fodder to the opportunists.
9. Women in Leadership: Calls to encourage skilled women to take up leadership positions within the government. Advantage: Utilizing untapped skillsets within the workforce.
10. Security: Calls to closely monitor and scrutinize the internal security of the country by establishing a system of checks & balances that would off-set the misuse of 'Wasta' in issuing Kuwaiti Nationalities. Advantage: A more stable government & society (in many ways!)

At the same time, one should be suspicious of those that call for the following:

1. Loan write-offs, buyouts, reductions
2. Segregation of sexes in educational and work areas
3. Implementation of religious jurisprudence in all affairs of state
4. Stopping the removal of Diwaniyas & other unlicensed structures
5. Increasing employment in government and private sectors without a career path
6. Increasing allowances over and above basic salaries
7. Nationalization of all Bedoon on "humanitarian grounds"!
8. Amending the constitution to include such issues as the enforcement of Sharia as the 'only' source of legislation, and the limitation of executive and/or oversight powers of the MP's.
9. Public attacks on members of the government and ruling family
10. Shouting off about everything and basically saying nothing new!

I could go on.....but I think you get the idea.