Brother Lafi Al-Subaie, in his capacity as Assistant Undersecretary for the Press, Publishing and Publications Sector, issued a circular at the end of 2024 directed to all owners of artistic production, advertising and publicity licenses and to all hotels, albeit indirectly, which included the following strict instructions:
-- Do not film any work unless you have obtained a license to produce the text and convert it into a visual and audio work.
-- Putting the artist’s name on the artwork as it appears on the civil ID or passport, without addition or modification.
-- It is not permissible to hold singing and musical concerts unless a permit to hold the concert is obtained from the competent authorities in the country.
I honestly fail to understand the wisdom or purpose behind this circular, especially considering its vagueness. It will only burden employees in these departments with the ministry’s inefficient bureaucracy, for no apparent reason.
Additionally, it’s said that this decision stemmed from a complaint filed by a lawyer (!!) on behalf of a Kuwaiti family, requesting that the names of those involved in artistic works be disclosed according to their civil ID or passport, while prohibiting the use of stage names.
This request is fundamentally illogical ! Should another family, for example, be allowed to file a complaint through another lawyer, demanding that their children’s stage names be acknowledged and ‘covered up’ in advertisements for artistic works?
What the ministry is demanding makes no sense. Thousands of artistes around the world -- Kuwaiti, Arab and international -- have stage names that have been famous for decades. These names have not diminished their value or led to any moral or financial corruption.
We have seen examples like Gharib Al-Shatti, Shadi Al-Khaleej, Abdul Latif Al-Kuwaiti, Mahmoud Al-Kuwaiti, Saleh Al-Kuwaiti, Umm Al-Aliwi and many others.
Your decision, dear Brother Lafi, seems to hinder any innocent artistic, touristic, or entertainment activity.
It contradicts even the simplest decisions made by the Council of Ministers, which were recently issued to encourage domestic tourism, establish more entertainment projects, promote tourist attractions, facilitate the entry of visitors, leverage the successes of the 26th Gulf Championship and prepare for upcoming national celebrations and the ‘Ya Hala’ shopping festival, among other events.
How can these bureaucratic demands align with the government's efforts to encourage openness and entertainment?
The fundamental principle in such matters should be permissibility. Any individual or entity that violates this will be subject to penalties under the applicable laws.
However, asking hundreds of organizations to submit thousands of letters seeking approval and waiting for the ministry’s review -- while restricting events like concerts and performances, especially in hotels -- creates unnecessary barriers. These demands are a waste of time and resources, unnecessary for the ministry’s operations.
Continuing to impose them suggests we haven’t learned from the lessons of the 26th Gulf Cup, where openness and facilitation were key to the happiness of hundreds of thousands of people.
We sincerely hope that this decision is canceled and that we can move forward on the right path, just like other countries. Those who break the law should be held accountable. It’s time to end the isolation and rigidity -- our patience is running thin.
e-mail: [email protected]
