The Ordinary Citizen and the Pressures of Life...!

For the third time, I return to writing about the struggles of the ordinary Kuwaiti citizen, having previously addressed in several articles the issues of rising prices, declining purchasing power, and increasing living costs. Today, I return because nothing fundamental has changed, and because the citizen no longer needs more statements and promises, but rather genuine decisions that he can feel in his daily life. Since the outbreak of regional and international wars and crises, the citizen has been bearing economic consequences for which he was not responsible. Prices have risen, food and services have become more expensive, and obligations have doubled, while salaries and pensions have remained unable to keep pace with this increase. The problem is no longer limited to low-income individuals; it has extended to the middle class, which is now facing mounting living pressures from loans, installments, family obligations, and education and healthcare expenses. We have spoken extensively about inflation, written about consumer protection, and called for a review of economic policies, but we do not want these demands to turn into mere seasonal rhetoric or temporary measures akin to painkillers that relieve suffering for a few hours, only for the citizen to face the same crisis again. We do not need economic anesthesia; we need a real cure that addresses the root causes of the problem. While some Gulf states are taking measures to support their citizens and alleviate living costs—including initiatives witnessed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—the question remains: Where is the Kuwaiti initiative that directly addresses the citizen’s needs? With the holy month of Ramadan approaching, the time is no longer suitable for more committees and studies. What is required is an exceptional government decision that includes direct financial support for families, a review of pensions and salaries, an expansion of subsidies for basic goods, and action against unjustified price hikes. However, responsibility does not rest solely with the government. The Kuwaiti private sector, which has achieved profits and growth thanks to the local economic environment and consumer confidence, is now called upon to launch a genuine national initiative that goes beyond promotional advertising and seasonal contributions. Large companies, cooperative societies, and commercial institutions can also launch initiatives to reduce prices of basic goods and provide subsidized food baskets for families before Ramadan, away from media spectacles that do not translate into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives. Social responsibility is not measured by the size of advertisements, but by the real impact left on society. We do not call for the distribution of funds without study, nor for jeopardizing public finances, but for a clear and fair policy that places the citizen at the forefront of priorities, links support to actual need, and ensures its sustainability. We have written, warned, and demanded more than once, and today we repeat it for the third time: enough promises, enough temporary solutions, enough economic painkillers. We want a clear government decision before Ramadan, and a serious national initiative from the private sector that restores to the citizen some of his ability to cope with life’s burdens. The ordinary citizen does not want to hear how rich we are; he wants to feel that his country’s wealth is reflected in his livelihood, dignity, and family stability.