Return Kuwait as 'Pearl of the Gulf'

Meshari Al-Nayef, Saad Al-Mutairi and Meshaal Bader

KUWAIT: "What do citizens want from the coming parliament?" With this question in mind, Kuwait Times interviewed a number of citizens at various electoral campaign headquarters to learn about their expectations for the coming parliament. Many citizens agreed the most urgent issues are housing, education, traffic, employment and developing Kuwait to make it once again the 'Pearl of the Gulf'.

Housing

Meshari Al-Nayef said the new parliament has to work on resolving the housing problem and provide enough land to build more housing units. "We have an abundance of empty land and are only living on 10 percent of Kuwait's total area," he underlined, pointing out that not owning their own homes is a nightmare haunting most citizens, who still live with their parents or in rented apartments.

Unemployment

Saad Al-Mutairi said the coming parliament and its lawmakers will have to work on resolving the problem of unemployment and find enough job opportunities for young men and women who have obtained university degrees and have been waiting for employment for more than two years. Murtairi also called for providing equal chances and preventing wasta in employment.

Development

Meshaal Bader said that the coming parliament will have to give due care to development in order to restore Kuwait's leadership in the region. Abdullah Al-Sour stressed that developing education was the most urgent issue and it should be prioritized. He also urged the coming parliament to protect state funds, find alternative sources of national income, stop overburdening citizens and boost foreign investments.

Youth

Turki Mohammed said the coming parliament will have to pay more attention to the youth by developing their skills and preparing them to assume leadership roles in various ministries and government establishments. Mohammed also expressed hope of resolving the problem of traffic congestions on various roads.

None of the citizens spoken to expressed excessive concerns about the role of expatriates in Kuwait, their numbers or the problems created by their presence.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi