I did not take refuge

I have not been unfair to our government—may God protect it—when I criticize some of its decisions, given the errors evident in past experiences. Moreover, retracting a flawed decision is no disgrace, nor should it be held against the government when it consults the views of relevant stakeholders and experts on matters where the government lacks knowledge of the outcomes of its decisions. Therefore, we hope it will not rush into decisions without considering their potential negatives and the resulting harms and losses to citizens.

I am referring here to the first decision, which prohibits the sale, transfer, and assignment of government-owned lands, such as farms and livestock enclosures (jawakhir), among others. Economic activity and its dynamics are partly dependent on buying and selling in general. There is no difference between government lands and private lands in terms of sale, provided that the contracts include conditions obligating the lessee to use the land for its designated purpose, or allowing the state to reclaim it if any contract terms are violated. Both the seller and buyer of state lands, like those of private lands, will use the land for the same purpose. It should be noted that the state benefits from the annual rent and from the value of the transfer upon sale. Therefore, we urge the government to reconsider its decision and allow sales and transfers to revitalize the economy, at least in this regard.

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As for the second decision, it will also result in damages and losses for livestock owners after the relocation of sheep and camels to sites that are partly unsuitable for grazing, far from services and from the owners’ residences, thereby exposing the animals to theft. Additionally, the prices of feed will rise to more than double. Due to the lack of sufficient space between enclosures, sheep will suffer from the spread of disease, affecting our animal wealth, which we must preserve. It should be noted that one of the most essential needs of sheep is to graze and roam freely, meaning they feed on God’s natural bounty and move their legs freely to walk. This is not available at the new sites. Even the available feed does not exceed fifty bags, and those who do not have enough must wait two weeks, forcing them to rent a vehicle—an additional cost added to their new expenses. May God assist them. We ask the government, with gratitude, to show compassion to this segment of its citizens and to re-examine its decision after hearing the views of some of them, in order to reach a solution that satisfies livestock owners on the one hand and meets the government’s security and regulatory objectives on the other.

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We congratulate the Kuwaiti people and Kuwait’s distinguished son, Ali Al-Obaidli, and his family on this achievement, represented by his winning the Grand Prize after defeating astronomers and astrophotographers around the world. This victory was achieved only through God’s grace, followed by this hero’s efforts over years of sleepless nights and hard work, until he fulfilled his aspirations, praise be to God. Just as he raised his country’s flag in international forums, it is the responsibility of his country’s officials to honor him both materially and morally.

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Some people have heads that only the barber benefits from.

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O God, protect Kuwait, its people, and its leadership from all evil and harm.