Amir of decisiveness… and the prestige of the law

Abdul Rahman Al-Houti
Lawyer

The affirmation by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah — may God protect and preserve him — on numerous occasions and his directives to the new government to implement the laws firmly and equally on everyone, signal the beginning of the reform phase, and is evidence of the effective wisdom and insight of His Highness.

This wisdom is based on a great understanding and awareness that implementing laws without exceptions is the ideal beginning to pave the way for achieving the comprehensive renaissance that we have long awaited.

It is no secret that we have suffered for years from the consequences of filling leadership positions without fair standards. Therefore, an honest approach to applying laws to state institutions will lead to a decline in the influence of those climbing to top positions ahead of deserving qualified people who work their way up through merit and fair competition.

In this context, the government must realize that it faces a major task, represented by the urgent need to restructure its institutions and achieve job justice in its comprehensive sense in positions below leadership, and on the other hand, work to reconsider the issue of salaries and wages to bridge the clear gap between income growth and the inflation rate.

When the government implements what His Highness the Amir directed, namely to work to develop the human element, our young brothers who are preparing to graduate in the coming years will find a place for their ambitions and their aspirations for opportunities inside and outside government institutions.

However, here we do not encourage that the thinking of all graduates be limited to government or professional work. The field of entrepreneurship and small projects, although it needs many reforms, is one in which young nationals are encouraged to engage in.

In the field of discipline and public security, we find that the efforts of the Ministry of Interior to reduce negative phenomena are gradually bearing fruit, but we stress here the need for this to be done within the framework of the law and away from enthusiastic and impromptu decisions that may carry legal suspicions or lead to a violation of rights.

I also call on the Ministry of Public Works in particular, and all government institutions in general, to review their previous project contracts and strive to develop a legal formula for contracting upcoming government projects that addresses all legal loopholes that cause the loss of the state’s rights and funds.

The evidence in all of the above is that we are facing a new phase that calls for optimism regarding the correct beginnings of the path of reform through the approach of implementing laws and restoring their prestige, in a way that establishes in the souls of us, the people of this country, the hope for a better tomorrow for us and for the generations that will come after us.

Perhaps the government doing what it must do in implementation of the sublime reform approach, with direct follow-up and oversight from His Highness the Amir of the country, will enhance confidence that this stage will bring goodness, God willing, for all of us, and our dear country will reap its fruits soon, God willing.