WHEN the National Assembly opened in 2022, the government announced that there would be an undercover agent to uncover the negligence, bribery, and other matters that obstruct the work of official authorities. On that day, citizens applauded with joy over this step, which was considered the beginning of a serious and radical administrative reform process.
Despite the presence of many oversight bodies in the country, totaling about 19, corruption still pervades state institutions. It is now believed that the undercover agent needs an undercover observer over him.
In this regard, there is a story circulating in some countries of the Levant about the governor of one of the provinces during the Ottoman era. When prices rose in the country, he appointed a group of undercover cops whom he called “Shalitiyah”. They worked to monitor the prices set by merchants in the Levant.
However, after a short period, the governor discovered that prices had further increased, and that the cops were taking bribes from merchants. He therefore appointed observers to the Shalitiyah, and they were called “Sarsariyya”. However, they turned out to be more greedy than the Shalitiyah, and ended up being referred as “Akhu Shalitiyah”, which means “Brother of Shalitiyah”.
This matter seems to have reached Kuwait, as the undercover agents have either disappeared from the scene, or have begun exploiting their work for their own interests. That is why there are shameful scandals every day involving corruption that have reached the bone because those chosen for this mission cannot break away from the tribal, sectarian, or regional cloak.
The “power of pride” that is widespread in Kuwait does not build institutions, but rather transforms them into farms. If a minister or director comes with his pals and makes them decision-makers, how will reform be achieved?
Decision-makers in all countries seek the help of competent and honorable experts who do not flatter anyone, and do not work for their interests. They put all the facts before the officials, even if they harm their own interests, because they are entrusted with the supreme interests of the state and the destinies of the people.
The official hears all opinions that contradict his point of view before those that support them, in order to reach the right decision, and not as happens in Kuwait where the government issues a decision today and cancels it tomorrow.
An example of this is the issue of loans. Although it is a popular agenda, parliamentarians try to benefit from them electorally while the government hesitates in its decision. This is owing to the existence of some who agree with the idea, and others who disagree and allow the depressed citizens not to benefit from the loan, as well as the housing cities, which have become a bazaar for everyone who wants to benefit and get rich from the suffering of citizens.
We have said this many times and for a very long time - resolving this issue requires a decision similar to what neighboring countries did, which have managed to close this file forever.
When hesitation controls the executive decision-maker, the state becomes paralyzed. For this reason, institutions fall into a state of confusion as a result of the absence of decision-making and the lack of a reliable governmental vision.
This is why everything is disrupted, and the market for slogans, which neither nourishes nor avails hunger, flourishes.
Hence, the undercover agent has become just a slogan launched at a time in order to entertain people or to divert attention from what is happening in state institutions where corruption has become widespread to the extent that it has become difficult to handle, and there is no longer the possibility of reform except through a painful surgical operation.
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
