DARK SIDE, WRONG SIDE
by Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli
Arab Times, Kuwait
June 23, 2005

By Ali Al-Baghli
Former Minister of Oil

The whole world was happy with the appointment of the first female minister in Kuwait. All the news agencies and TV channels highlighted this issue, as this is happening for the first time in Kuwait, which belongs to the undeveloped part of the world. Disputes on women's political rights raged for six years, after HH the Amir issued a decree to amend the Election Law. Powers of darkness and ignorance, which defiantly stood against this noble decision, were able to prevent the law from being passed by the Parliament on more than one occasion. After all this, Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah's government made up its mind and exerted great efforts to pass the law in the Parliament and prove how serious it was in appointing a woman as minister. Dr Masouma Al-Mubarak, who is now the Minister of Planning and Administrative Development, is highly qualified.

Although Dr Masouma has immense support, it has failed to convince the "dark powers," which are still refusing to improve and develop. We saw how some extremist MPs shout and scream in the Parliament when the new minister was about to take the oath in a bid to confuse her. The whole world saw them soiling the reputation of Kuwait. But the new minister said "although I didn't like the way they protested, I will not reject their opinion." Indicating the extremist MPs could have voiced their protests in a civilised manner, she said "they could have gone to the Constitutional Court or raised a question to the State Minister for Cabinet and National Assembly Affairs on this issue. Or they could have announced they will not cooperate with the Prime Minister, if they can." Yes, these MPs could have protested in a civilised manner. But we were not surprised when they protested in the way they did, because we know it is their habit to be on the wrong side.

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