IT is always easy to point fingers at the government and absolve citizens of responsibility for the current state of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy. But the truth is, citizens bear a huge share of the blame. For years, people have been grumbling and complaining but they kept electing the worst representatives to parliament for decades. Despite being responsible for legislative reform, these MPs consistently opposed reforms, including any attempt to adjust electricity and water tariffs. There is no doubt that previous governments failed to deal with the widespread corruption that had taken root in all state institutions, including the Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy. The ministry, in particular, was heavily involved in appointing unqualified individuals to sensitive and important technical positions based on tribal, sectarian, or familial affiliations. The ministry also played a dangerous role in shaping a culture where citizens were never taught how to value their country’s resources, protect the environment, or use electricity and water responsibly. Based on my knowledge of Minister Subaih Al-Mukhaizeem’s accomplishments, I believe he is the right person to lead this struggling ministry at this critical stage. He now carries the responsibility of reforming an institution that most of his predecessors, with all due respect to them, were unable to fix. The Council of Ministers must support Minister Al-Mukhaizeem in carrying out his challenging mission, which can be summarized as follows:
1. Dismiss the majority, if not all, of those currently holding senior positions. I have personally dealt with many of them, and they exemplify incompetence, lack of merit, and insufficient experience.
2. Review the entire system for tender awards and procurement processes in the ministry.
3. Establish specialized local and international companies to generate and sell electricity to specific industrial, commercial, or even residential sectors.
4. Impose strict penalties for electricity and water theft, and for water misuse by using it to wash cars or sidewalks.
5. Eliminate customs duties on all electricity and water saving products, replace traditional light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs, install smart control systems such as motion sensors and automatic lighting controls, reduce customs duties on high efficiency electrical appliances with an “A+” energy rating, and promote the use of water-saving technologies like low-flow shower heads, flow restrictors, and water recycling systems for nondrinking purposes.
6. Encourage the use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power by offering financial and tax incentives to individuals and businesses.
7. Introduce mandatory laws and regulations to curb excessive resource consumption and support the implementation of sustainable construction standards.
8. Monitor the operations of mineral water bottling and distribution companies.
9. Impose usage fees on swimming pool owners, including individuals, sports clubs, companies, hotels, and chalets.
10. Issue strict directives to all ministries and government agencies to turn off all unnecessary electrical devices and systems after official working hours.
11. Provide clear guidelines to mosque imams to ensure air conditioning and lighting are turned off when not in use, particularly outside prayer times. Imams should also promote awareness among worshipers about conserving electricity and water, alongside delivering religious sermons.
12. Organizing awareness campaigns to educate citizens on the importance of preserving natural resources and the negative impacts of waste.
13. Integrate sustainability and resource conservation concepts into school curricula at all educational levels.
14. Most importantly, conduct a comprehensive review of electricity and water pricing for individuals, companies, and factories, apply a tiered pricing system based on consumption levels, and ensure that low-income individuals are not adversely affected.
15. Enforce immediate online monthly payment of electricity and water bills, which is expected to have a direct positive impact on reducing consumption and preserving state resources.
By Ahmad alsarraf email: [email protected]