Oil: A Blessing or a Curse - Essay Example

Unarguably, oil pours in wealth for Kuwait, and the wealth it generates has adverse consequences on the values and behavior of our citizenry that can lead to the destruction of Kuwait’s competitiveness.

Kuwaitis’ yearly income per individual is around $40,000 to more than $100,000, which is considered high. Citizens do not worry about taxes, employment, health care, and education. People can afford to not work and this has adverse effects on our values and behaviors. Kuwaitis expect money without working hard for it. In addition, they would rather work in the public sector that can assure them high salaries with much less effort than the private sector. This weakens the private sector business in Kuwait.

Mr. Mohammad Al-Sanousi, former minister of Information, said in an interview, he laid off around 600 employees who do not even come to work. He also said, they constitute a heavy burden on the government’s budget. Citizens become more interested in prestigious jobs so Kuwait is forced to import foreign workers to fill the gap in the labor force. In the end, Kuwait will find itself with an unbalanced economical situation. Certainly, there are those ambitious Kuwaitis who work hard and do care about Kuwait’s economy. Their efforts are not enough if the government is not doing its part. Kuwaitis want to see the wise spending and management of wealth because the way it is being used negatively affects our chances today and most importantly in the future.

In Norway, when they first discovered oil, the government did not sit on their good fortune. They pondered what to do next, identifying all possible consequences they may face when they exhausted their oil, and how it will affect their domestic industry. As a result, they were able to achieve a stable economy even after they reach the point of a very low amount of oil production. If the Norwegians can do it, so can we.

As Dr. John Hayes says, the fish stinks from the head. Government should start the reform era by redesigning its strategy regarding oil production. They also should increase the interest in the industrial sector, by motivating citizens and businessmen and offering them attractive incentives. Moreover, the Kuwaiti government must upgrade its educational system especially by hiring highly trained teachers not just to enable the acquisition of top-notch knowledge but also to change values and behaviors.

Individuals must also do their part. They should take it upon themselves to go back to their strong moral values in addition to learning ideal principles such as good work ethic.