Kuwait's New Cultural Center is a Success!

Sh. Jaber Al Ahmed Cultural Center

Seven days ago I had the privilege of watching the inaugural  ceremony of Kuwait's latest cultural achievement; the Sh. Jaber Al Ahmed Cultural Center, encompassing an Opera house (a first in Kuwait) and a number of other related facilities which - I imagine - will be of immense benefit to the local Performing Arts movement.

Kuwait Airways and the World

A few members of my family are, or have been, employees of Kuwait Airways, and as a consequence, I've been privy to some of the perks of being related to an airline employee in the past (special treatment discounted tickets, etc..), but that was a different time, and the airline world was quite a different one as well. 

Back then, Kuwait Airways 'loaned' some of their aircraft to the likes of Emirates and Gulf Air, the quality and skills of Kuwait Airways' Engineers (real engineers, not licensed mechanics, although even they were quite proficient) were neck-to-neck with the most intelligent and successful people in the industry - it was that good, and it was the '90's...before the Iraqi Occupation.

10 Years Later: Iraq & Kuwait

Image source:AFP

I've noticed quite a lot of hype over the Western Media about the 10th Anniversary of the US-led Invasion of Iraq (and Arab media, who of course copy-and-paste all current events from the Western Media, as they usually do!).

"U.S.-Led Invasion"! Think about it....

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:

Kuwait's Ministry of Unhealth

I took my 4 year old to have her regular vaccination shots the other day, as per the Ministry of Health's schedule that was handed to me after her birth. We first drove to the Faiha clinic, as usual for all the previous vaccinations, only to be told that the schedule's changed and now they only do vaccinations on mornings!

WHY??? I don't know.

So I drove to Adailiya's Al Sager Clinic, and asked where to go for children vaccinations, and sure enough, it was there, on the first floor at the Preventative Health department, and I was directed to the first floor, pulled a number and waited patiently.

Anti-Semitism and the US State Dept.

Here's a thought: How do you control how and what people think about you? You make the world's only surviving superpower to impose restrictions on everyone in the world about how you're perceived, under the pretense of 'Human Rights'! And then use that report to justify any possible future economic sanctions or even military action.

The US State Department, in it's wisdom, has apparently instructed it's embassies worldwide to publish a Human Rights 'report card' on each mission's website pertinent to the country it's in. It has references to Freedoms of Speech, Women's Rights, Children's rights, Political reforms, etc... All well and 'democratic' of them, until you come across the sub-heading "Anti-Semitism", that caught my attention!

Ranting on...

I was discussing Kuwaiti Blogs a while back with a friend of mine, and apparently, I'm not 'in' with the rest of the bloggers out there. I was asked why I wasn't a participant in any of the latest Blog events that were sponsored by the local Mobile Service Providers that are just pouring money into the feeble concept of 'I'm better than the rest', and showering everyone with 

All due respect to all bloggers, wherever and whoever they may be, but

Hayefism At It's Worst!

A while back I blogged about MP Hayef''s disgusting track record, as an MP and as a human being. Today, however, he's taken his anti-moderation antics to a whole new level. This so-called MP, and man of faith, has called for the religious leaders to 'consider sanctioning the death of the Syrian Ambassador in Kuwait'.

Internet Caps In Kuwait

I cant say much more than what's been said by Marzouq & Caffeinated on this issue, except that I'm as disgusted with this entire affair as they are, and probably even more so. i wont' get into my own activities, or how they're all rendered useless by the capping and the new FAP's, except that, for the money I'm paying, I'm being ripped off, and this ripoff is being sanctioned by the MOC.

I will also say that this state of affairs will not go on for long. Eventually, the government will capitulate, the ISP's will eventually grow up and face their responsibilities, and we will eventually be able to finally have affordable, price-perfect internet services in Kuwait.

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'.

Why Bahrain Matters

The latest developments in Bahrain are as painful to me as the Iraqi Invasion, and quite frankly, everyone else in Kuwait, but not for the same reasons. Many back the legitimate government of Bahrain, and many others support the Rioters-again for various reasons. I'll be explaining my position in this post, and it will be a long one.

Let me begin by first mentioning that had it been any other GCC country (besides Kuwait) these riots wouldn't even exist, since they're mostly managed by predominantly Shiite and/or Old School Baathist Bahrainis. I'm not just referring to the recent events, I'm also referring to the events that preceded Bahrain's conversion into a Monarchy back in the late 1990's and 1980's. What many don't remember (or fail to admit) is that only in Bahrain did we see a head of state visit with the opposition figures any chance he gets, or travels to the UK in order to meet with them and invite them to participate in Bahrain's Democratic process.

Crazy Politics: What If 'Dubya' Was Right?

The George W. Bush Administration

Back in 2001,Al Qaida made a hero of a weird, senseless American President called George W. Bush, or 'Dubya' by his people (XXXXXX by others!). His spontaneous reply to one of the hecklers who wasn't listening to him clearly from among the ruins of the destroyed World Trade Center, made him larger than life to many distraught American citizens who, before that moment, were questioning whether they made the right choice in voting for this man.

Of course, that feeling was more pronounced when he and his administration decided to invade Afghanistan, something that was short-sighted and painfully expensive in many ways than one can discuss. But they did it, and without a sound, clear exit strategy, they're still doing it. Al Qaida in Afghanistan is reduced to a fraction of what it was before 2001. Globally, it's got a loud bark, and many people hear it, but it's muzzled and 'so far' tied to a lamp post, far away from mainstream civility. 

Hosni Mubarak To Me

The recent unrest in Egypt has caused a stir among the Kuwaitis who hadn't had the chance to experience the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait, or who have simply forgotten what it felt to be a country under occupation and a people in a diaspora. Many chant to the tunes of the Egyptian man on the street who is demanding Hosni Mubarak to resign and leave Egypt, going so far as to label him as a Dictator and a murderer. Now, I'm no apologist to Mr Mubarak, nor do I agree with his insistence in keeping Martial Law in effect for all these years. Furthermore, quite frankly, it's none of my business what he does in his country, despite my opinions. 

Kuwaiti Orphanages turned into Brothels?!

I didn't expect this to be my first post for the year 2011, but after what I've read in today's Al Qabas newspaper, I couldn't help myself, not in the least! It's nothing to do with Politics, (for a change) although ti should! In fact, no one within the political circles of Kuwait, neither MP nor Minister nor even an under-secretary, ever mentioned this shameful and blasphemous misuse of power and funds that goes on right under Kuwait's Ministry of Labor & Social Affairs, and I'll also assume in collusion with it, since many things that are allegedly happening don't happen without official  sanction.

Egypt Uncovers Israeli Spy Ring

I was on my usual daily routine of reading the papers when I found, in today's  Aljarida Newspaper, full coverage of an uncovered Israeli spy ring in Egypt. Apparently, the Israeli Intelligence managed to recruit, train and control an Egyptian University Professor, who in turn recruited up to 31 telecom engineers, established a Telecom business, and eventually managed to build quite a large and effective network. This network spanned Egypt, Sudan and Saudi Arabia, and in my own opinion, Lebanon as well. (Link1, Link2), as the techniques employed in Egypt were more or less the same as those used in this latest operation, even though the Lebanon operation was exposed 6 months ago :)

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.

Terrorism for Kids in Kuwait

I was walking in one of the streets of Downtown Kuwait City earlier tonight looking to get a toy for my kid. I walked into one of those shops that sell bicylces and other kids stuff, and I vividly remember those old days when I would ask to be driven to the Al Waleed store or the 'Kids R Us' ripoff from the US's "Toy's R Us" brand during Eid festivities. 

So there I was, enjoying myself reminiscing about what had happened to all those Lego sets and model cars I used to buy with my Eid money, when my eye caught the toy pictured below. I suddenly felt a rush of anger and disgust at what had happened to our world today, when people, responsible men and women, would carelessly allow such items of vile disgust to be sold as 'toys' to our young children!