KUWAIT: A proposal to dole out KD5,000 to every Kuwait citizen drew mixed reactions from various sections of the Kuwaiti society. While some were too happy to hear about it, many voiced their concern. A number of Kuwaiti MPs co-authored the bill that calls upon the government to grant every Kuwaiti citizen KD5,000 in addition to KD300 per month to every unemployed Kuwaiti woman.
The proposal stipulates that low-income Kuwaitis will greatly benefit from the grant. If just one third of Kuwaiti population was given this grant, it would cost the government at least KD4 billion. Dr Hajjaj Bukhudoor, an economist and professor at Kuwait University said the proposal is the weakest bill ever to be presented by a few newly elected MPs. "These people (MPs) are poisoning the country. They are helpless and very unprofessional.
They cannot perform their duty well or formulate better regulations for the country but propose a law that is ridiculous and appalling," he said. Bukhudoor noted that the newly elected MPs who propose to grant such handme- downs are not performing well themselves and could deliver no results ever since they were elected as MPs. "This is what they can do. They want to add poison to honey.
They are a disgrace to the people of Kuwait and they are damaging our economy. They want to inflate the cost of living which can be very expensive to all," he added. Another government official, who did not want to be named, said if Kuwaiti people were just thinking of today, then they should accept the money from the state's coffers, but if they worry about the future, then they should have another thought coming. "If people are to live only today, spend everything you have and stay happy. But the reality is that it is not about us only, it is about the future of our country, the future of our next generation. Look at Kuwait now and compare it to its neighbors. We are not the envy of others because we have poor infrastructure.
Few buildings came up and little development happened during the last decades. This is not about us today, this is about the Kuwait of future," he told the Kuwait Times. A Kuwaiti office worker also commented that if Kuwait was to focus on new development, it could not only help itself but can also contribute to the global economy. "Some countries are dying for liquid cash to develop their countries, and many of them borrow money from World Bank and IMF just to improve their infrastructure but here in Kuwait, we have money, ready cash, but this is how these non-performing MPs think how to spend it. We should use our money to develop our country, create the best infrastructure, improve our roads and the services in the ministries and do something for the welfare of all the people," the female employee said. But many would love to receive the amount, believing that otherwise it would be pocketed by few corrupt officials. "I think it is okay to distribute money to us rather than it being robbed by a few corrupt officials. Perhaps with such an amount, I will be able to start a small business. In that case, I will thank them for it," a pro-dole man told this reporter. Another young Kuwaiti college student said he would love to spend the amount, if granted, to fund a trip abroad. "I would like to go to some place I have never visited. So, the amount is most welcome. I need money in my bank," he said.
There were others who were doubtful if the proposal would ever fructify. "We do not have a government that is so 'stupid, shallow minded' that it would grant citizens whatever they wish. It has to be properly studied and should be based on the needs or priorities rather than just on the wishes of a bunch of people." Kuwait government already distributed KD1,000 to every citizen and gave two years worth of free food during the 50th celebration of the National Day, 20th year of Liberation, and the fifth anniversary of HH the Amir's ascension to power in 2011. The proposals to write-off debt were denied long time back although such proposals are now being resurrected in the new parliament. Kuwait had also granted some unemployment allowances to its citizens and additional salaries to Kuwaitis working in the private sector as part of Kuwait's Social Security Program.
© Kuwait Times 2013
