Once again, we go to the polls to elect who will represent us in the National Assembly. This election is different from the previous ones, as most of the candidates do not have anything new to offer or promise. The government has already issued populist laws and administrative decisions, the latest of which was allowing fifty-three activities to be licensed to operate without the condition of having a headquarters or office, which allows the citizen to stay at home and start a brokerage office in a small extension inside his house. Frankly, I was shocked when I read about these activities. There are licenses for activities for which I do not know how they will work. For the first time, I saw licenses for teaching children to ride bicycles or consulting in astronomy and space from the roof of a house. Of course, there was a decision prior to that decision, which was to allow the granting of social allowances and labor subsidies to those who engage in these activities, and the matter became clear, as if the government was telling some of those who do not want to work on a regular basis, “Do not apply to work in the government; just stay at home, and you will receive an estimated amount for those licenses.” By doing so, the government dodges two bullets, thus relieving job pressure on the state in addition to being a popular gain and also encouraging those who are serious about their work. If all the National Assembly’s representatives agreed and united, they would not be able to compete with the government on the populist front. But what will happen to our residential areas and their transformation into offices after they have become investment buildings? Their answer is “No problem, and it will be taken care of”. The problem here is not with the decision but with the implementation mechanism and the chaos and manipulation that will accompany it. For example, the issue of “food truck” licenses filled the country, and most of it was rented to Asian labor to work on it. Going back to our cold and sometimes unjustified elections, I try to extrapolate their results and the future of the relationship between the two authorities, but with my humble analysis. I believe that the next period will be more difficult and complicated, and I sincerely hope that I am wrong in this belief. As some of the National Assembly’s representatives are politicians, they are coming back and competing with those who are wiser politically than them. Those will be positioned in the opposition chairs, and their relationship with the government will not be the minimum to move the wheel of development. So if we want to get out of this dark tunnel, then we have a few days that we can change the course of history and bring to the National Assembly the strong, honest, and moderate representative, as well as the one who fears Allah in their action towards this country, those who are moving away from family, sectarian, and tribal fanaticism, those of honesty and modesty, and are ready to extend the hand of cooperation to the government, as without this cooperation, no government will be able to achieve success, and everyone knows this. So that our speech is not dispatched and far from reality, even if it is necessary, why do we not elect the best from the family, the best from the tribe, and the best from the sect? For your information, many of the candidates are highly qualified, deserve to represent the country, and need our support. My speech was part of a separate dialogue with more than one friend, and from the different spectrums of our society, no one should be surprised that I found the same answer: “There is no benefit from all this; we have become bored.” This is, in fact, a dangerous thing when we reach that conviction, for this is our homeland, and we, the Kuwaitis, should not get bored or weary, as it is said. If this article is published before the elections, then it is a final call for citizens to choose who represents their country, and if it is published after that, I congratulate those who succeeded and wish success to those who were not fortunate. We all ask our wise government to have more patience and accept the benefits and drawbacks of democracy as they are, for those are the rules of the game and everyone must abide by them and adhere to the approach of reform no matter what that costs you, for this is our homeland and you are its guardians and hope! In my name and in the name of my grandchildren, fans of Kuwait Sport Club, I extend my warmest congratulations and blessings to the fans of Kuwait Club for its well-deserved victory in the football league and for snatching the title of leader, thus becoming the dean and chief of Kuwaiti football. Many thanks to those in charge of managing this great edifice, and thanks to all the players, coaches, and administrators of the team; you brought joy and happiness to our hearts.
Stay safe.