Kuwait govt's 5-year plan rests on ideas far from nationalism 

(MENAFN - Arab Times) MPs should reconsider the five-year plan, which the government intends to present for discussion in the next legislative term, especially since it rests on ideas far from nationalism or any form of development, Khaled Al-Hajri, Chairman of the Green Line Environment Group, said Wedn-esday.

"If the Parliament approves the current form of the government's five-year plan, it will definitely hinder efforts to ensure a bright future for Kuwait. The government has not taken into consideration the harmful effects of its plan on the environment," Al-Hajri argued.

Al-Hajri revealed the group analyzed the five-year plan and discovered the government's intention to hand over the resources and energy of Kuwait to the private sector without considering the interests of the nation and its people. He said the government has also ignored the need to preserve natural resources and ensure the safety of the people in Kuwait and their right to equal opportunities.

Claiming the five-year plan hampers national security, Al-Hajri disclosed his group has agreed to discuss the negative effects of the plan with the concerned MPs. He asserted the plan has no stipulation on the environmental problems of the country as it merely gives a general idea about the environmental situation. The government has also failed to present ways to improve the environment and handle environmental disasters, he added.

Report

Al-Khalid affirmed the group has finalized a comprehensive report, which includes the following points: the environmental groups and authorities in Kuwait lack the facilities needed for minimum environmental work. These environmental jobs include monitoring the pollution level, pointing out new environmental problems, and knowing the threats and challenges posed by these environmental problems. "Why did we establish an environmental institution even if we lack the required knowledge and facilities to determine the extent and results of environmental pollution?" Al-Hajri asked.

The second point is Kuwait's lack of updated environmental reports to identify the normal environmental status and the effect of the environmental situation in neighboring countries to Kuwait. "Most of the environmental problems in Kuwait came from outside. Therefore, we have to identify the magnitude of pollution from outside compared to what we have locally," Al-Hajri suggested.

The third point is Kuwait's lack of environmental awareness campaigns to inform the public about the effects of pollution on their health and environment. Al-Hajri believes such campaigns will help in prioritizing public health and safety, in addition to forcing the concerned authorities to come up with a suitable environmental plan.

"Another important factor is the compensation for environmental damages caused by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait from the Iraqi government. We have not used this compensation properly although we are suffering from the leakage of oil into our seas. The group warns against presentation of the five-year plan in its current form as it would only hinder development and destroy our environment," Al-Hajri concluded.

By Rena Sadeghi