Abu Ammad... and the Approval!
On the sidelines of Al-Nahar newspaper’s event yesterday, celebrating its twentieth anniversary, the publication has maintained, under the guidance of its owners, a steadfast compass pointing in one direction: not east or west, but entirely devoted to Kuwait, its people, and its wise leadership, represented by His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad (may God protect him), his heir apparent Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, and the government administration in place.
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Before the event, Mr. Jawad Al-Buhamseen spoke about the experiences of the 1950s and 1960s in the coastal resort of Bou Hamdoun in Lebanon, where several prominent Kuwaiti merchants, such as Ahmed Able, Hamoud Al-Anjari, Hussein Maki Jumaa, Mishari Al-Zaid, Abdulwahab Al-Eisa, and others, would gather. They had a shop on the main street of the resort, which they considered an unofficial branch of the Kuwait Stock Exchange. The buying and selling of Kuwaiti shares—this being the most important aspect from which we should draw lessons and insights, highlighting the ethics and integrity of Kuwaiti people and merchants—was based on trust and the magical word “A’tehad” (I pledge), a term specifically used in Kuwait. As Mr. Al-Buhamseen notes, no trader ever broke his word, whether the share price subsequently rose or fell. He added that merchants from other countries were often astonished and asked about the secret behind relying solely on the word “A’tehad,” which is never broken and is honored by Kuwaiti merchants. These ethics have endured, God willing, to this day among men in this important sector, unaffected by the impurities and un-Kuwaiti ethics that later plagued this sector and others.
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Final points:
1. The truth that must be acknowledged is that the founder of Al-Nahar newspaper, Mr. Jawad Al-Buhamseen, is a visionary in matters of investment and development. While ordinary people see only scattered yellow sand and deserts, Abu Imad sees projects, constructions, and investment opportunities that provide employment for hundreds and thousands. He is a major investor in his country and deserves nothing but gratitude and praise for his efforts. May God multiply such individuals.
2. During last Friday’s weekly lunch in Binader, one of the attendees, a prominent public figure, praised Mr. Jawad Al-Buhamseen. In turn, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Badr recounted his experience, along with other doctors, with Al-Buhamseen. They had rented offices for their clinics in one of his complexes, which he had decided to convert into a hotel. Dr. Al-Badr said, “We expected an eviction notice or harassment, but Al-Buhamseen visited us, reassured us, and said he would relocate our clinics to another complex he owns in a better location, at the same rent. He would also transfer their licenses and phone numbers to the new clinics, ensuring that the new week would begin only after their move was complete.” He added that he does not believe any other property owner would make such an effort.
