30 ministries lack ministerial stability

This news has been read 175 times!

INTEGRITY and transparency are the themes of this stage that witnessed the birth of the second Kuwaiti state. For this reason, it is necessary to put the finger on the wound. The country has been witnessing mismanagement over the past four decades due to the instability of the ministerial position because of bickering and conflicts between the National Assembly and the Council of Ministers — when personal interests influenced the general demeanor of parliamentarians and ministers. This is in addition to the interference of stakeholders and influential people who made most if not all, governments live in a ‘fixed’ situation.

This was evident when no Cabinet was announced until this or when parliamentarians was content with the list depending on their interests. The announcement was halted when a lawmaker found that his interests were not addressed by this or that minister. All the State facilities never stabilized as a result of this. Every minister who comes hardly knows those working with him, and then he leaves the post. After that, someone else is appointed, as if ministerial work is a laboratory and ministers are testing tools. Within 33 years, 30 cabinets were formed, some of which did not last more than a month or two. This instability affected the overall situation in the country, especially development.

All governments and their programs focused on solving the housing crisis, but the proposed solution did not see the light because beneficiaries were pressing to obstruct it through their tools in the National Assembly. This is why the attempt to address the problems failed. This includes Minister Bader Al-Hamidi’s plan in 2004, which was based on vertical construction in residential cities, taking into account the Kuwaiti social environment. It was a realistic plan, which could only be denied by those who did not want to solve the perennial crisis; while some countries, especially the neighboring countries, implemented it and they succeeded. This is an example of the failure of development plans. The causes of this include firstly, the stakeholders who benefit from the real estate trade; and secondly, satisfying the voter who wants to build a four-story house in order to invest in rental housing.

Many of these people do not live in the country or want to build a palace and a large yard, although the family consists of five members only. The reason is envy, if not jealousy, of the neighbor. Thirdly, large costs are imposed on public finance as a result of long-term loans, which drain the State’s wealth. We have proposed more than once that Kuwait Credit Bank should guarantee its loans amounting to more than KD3 billion, borrow the same amount from banks, and build vertical housing cities. A lot of unexploited land can be used to solve the housing crisis which, without a doubt, is one of the crises caused by ministerial instability over the past decades. We have to mention as well the lack of diversification of sources of income, industrial development, food security, education, and health; while many sectors lack correct and stable management, in addition to parliamentary intervention, personal interests and random appointments that caused this backwardness. It takes several years to correct the defect.

Also, many laws must be amended; because they were enacted according to whims that did not take into account the interests of the country and its people, as well as to keep pace with neighboring countries. This is the task of the current Council of Ministers, which must work all the time and double its efforts. Today, with the new era, the stability that the country has begun to witness and the firm leadership decision reflect what the political leadership has set in mind to restore Kuwaiti pioneership and development. With stability in the ministerial position, all are hoping that the ministers will live up to the task and ambition of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for the good of Kuwait and its people.

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
[email protected]

This news has been read 175 times!