Syrian held for US, Western Serena, Li ease killing Indian embassies on into Madrid security guards9 alert11 in Yemen quarter-finals43 Max 40º Min 24º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16160- Friday, May 9, 2014 SpeakerSpeaker visitsvisits AvenuesAvenues despitedespite controversycontroversy SEE PAGE 8 Local FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014 Scribbler’s Notebook By Jamie Etheridge A question for Kuwait its role as the pioneer in the Gulf and inevitably fell behind its ommendations and proposals of every single step Kuwait
[email protected] neighbors. should take - from reducing subsidies to implementing income Today, playing catch-up has become less important than taxes to streamlining bureaucracy - sitting on the shelves of uch has been said about the need to diversify Kuwait’s reaching a national consensus on what exactly Kuwait hopes to government offices. But what do the people want? Are hous- income away from oil, to reduce the number of expatri- become. Should economic development and greater openness ing and new schools, hospitals and roads enough? And is there M define the next 20 years? Should Kuwait wean itself off foreign any kind of agreement among the various segments and sec- ates and prepare the young generations for the future that is to come. There is nearly daily talk of how to fight corrup- labor - even if it means slimming down the private sector and tors of Kuwait society? It seems there are a lot of different tion and how to reform the system so that Kuwait may attract then growing a leaner, more localized economy? Should Kuwait visions of what Kuwait should be and little room for compro- more foreign investment, develop its economy and more easily open the door to foreign ownership of businesses and more mise.