Categories
Kuwait

What are you doing with your KD1000?

Four years ago I posted asking what you guys were going to do with the KD200 the government was giving everyone. Today I read the government is giving every Kuwaiti KD1000. That’s a bigger chunk of change so what are your plans for the thousand dinars?

Update: I just realized something. KD1000 x 1.12 million Kuwaitis = KD1,120,000,000 which = $3,964,601,780 which = the same price it cost to build Disneyland Paris. We could have had… Disneyland Kuwait!

253 replies on “What are you doing with your KD1000?”

New iPad 2, keep some for the iPhone 5. And god knows what I will do with the rest. God bless Kuwait! lol

i’d use that money for my education…

But i dont understand why they are giving away money to every kuwaiti citizen ??

emmmmm 1000 payment for bank …. for car …. aparmment …. house requarment…… kids… mobile subscription ……. house maid ….. but

ESCAPE ALL THIS AND travel to USA looooooolto have

peace of mind at least loool

That’s an easy one, tickets to London, go have the mushroom soup at Selfridges then get some cookies from Ben’s Cookies and finally have devils chocolate cake for dessert from Hummingbird. Then come back πŸ™‚

By Post Author

Seriously? but why? damn i was born here. i didn’t even get a penny till now:(
I still have to get my residence done every year.
I’m just the same, like the guy who came to kuwait last night. No difference. eventhough i was born here and spent almost 27years of my life here… no rights.. just the basic expat rights(labor law).

wish i ws born elsewhere…
but then iI’m so used to living here now…

congrats to all who’se cashin in πŸ˜‰

have fun y’all.

Kuwait isnt some spot you come to and cash in. No rights being justified by the government treating its own citizens in its own special way? Offcourse your not going to be treated like a Kuwaiti if your not. Its like saying oh i went to france, how come the governement isnt giving me free healthcare.

Iggnorant

The guy isn’t attacking anyone, no need to be rude. And you do get free medical health care if you just go to France. I’m studying in England, and I get free medical healthcare, and the same prescriptions that a UK citizen gets. In Kuwait, I wouldn’t get the same treatment. Oh, and I’ve been in the UK for less than 6 months.

If you’re gonna call someone ignorant,
A) Learn to spell it.
B) Learn what it means, cause you can’t use it in that context.

!!! live in uk plz
why KUWAIT plz tell me why??
many countries if u live or born there and u stayed for 50 years u won’t even let u to study in there government schools
why KUWAIT??
you don’t like it go back
you tell me why he stayed for 27 years don’t tell me he got used to it
if he don’t like it he have his own country to go back to…plzz

You are clearly deluded. If you work in the UK for 5 years, you become a citizen. If I had children right now, I could send them to government schools. Government school aren’t open to non-Kuwaitis in Kuwait. I’m not attacking Kuwait, it’s a country with it’s own laws and I respect that, but YOU Dalal, clearly have to read up before you run your mouth metl elmara elm6ala2a.

No, If you born in france you will get nationality even if your parents don’t have it…I can confirm

Sorry dude, you are bein too hard and hende denoting ignorance.

For starters, health care is not an asset, understand that, and should be free for all. Simple, get it.

Totally expensive medical coverage and the view of it as an asset is the North American perspective and is simply nonsense. It’s not a topic for “no money no honey” rule. Thankfully my home country provides free medical for all, no matter race, gender, nationality or religion. Even surgeries, and dental for crying out loud.

And LOTS of countries do nationalize you with full rights after staying/working legally for a certain amount of time. Examples are most of EU countries, and I’m not sure if all but mostly all American countries. So I do understand Ahmad point of view and there’s no need to be cross at him because what he said was polite and quite understandable.

Best wishes.

Karahana

you are sooo right really i’m Serious

if that what your home country provieds plz PLZ go back or go live in the mostly amarican countries

Ahamd, there’s no point of stating the obvious, that is the rule of the country, and you’ll have to accept it.
You’ll have to take action if you don’t want to stay like that. Immigrate if you can. it’s a Long, tough trip, but in the end, the rewards are so sweet.

Just think about it.

Is it true they are encouraging people to stay in country during Hala feb this year? Besides, why don’t they use the money to do something for Kuwait as a country ? Don’t Kuwait need better medical and infrastructure facilities to say the least.

Anyway enjoy what you got πŸ˜‰

Since there isn’t going to be any foam this year I think many people will decide to stay. Plus its the big 50 and 20 happening at the same time, this only happens once.

By Post Author

Yes they do! Fixing the sewage smell would be nice and healthy! But I’m sure traveling is more fun.

Since most Kuwaitis are in debt, the banks are going to freeze the money which will have to go to their salary account. Once all back payments are settled by the bank, the recipient will get the remainder, which is nothing.

So, you can think of this as cash infusion into the banking system, nothing more.

no , they won’t.
But , if that happens , you can go to the R.O. and they will return the money , because it is not attached to any debt By Law.

I worked at nbk , and faced these problems . so don’t worry , be happy πŸ™‚

axed-gamer

Think of it this way. If you’re in debt, your salary is already frozen up to 40%. You have two options: continue “as is” and enjoy the 1000 KD for a short while, or unfreeze your salary by paying up your debt and then enjoy your salary in full.

In the end it’s all the same. The money will end up in the bank either way. It’s just a matter of timing; now or later. Later will cost you more.

no , you can sue them .
i’ve seen it , and happened , the bank will return your money in no time if your at the branch, it’s not the 1st nor the 2nd time to happen .
on other , news enjoy your money.

The kind of answers on this blog post only reconfirm my disgust for these kind of handouts in a country that has a shameful minimum wage and labor standards. The best part is that dealing with the most vulnerable populations in the country is treated as a charity rather than a government obligation and duty by Kuwait(yes regardless of nationality) in accordance with its commitments before international human rights treaty bodies. What was it…in the words of Marie Antoinette? “Let them eat cake” spoken by the ill-fated Queen of France upon learning that the peasant majority that ran the country and upon which the royalty depended on had no bread with which to live on? Yeah, and what happened to her? I am seriously just waiting for the revolt to happen in Kuwait, its only a matter of time before people get fed up with the laziness and exploitation of Kuwaitis.

A revolution? Why would the Kuwaitis revolt? Oh you mean us expats, you want the expats to revolt against the Kuwaitis?

I am usually not a fan of the “if you don’t like it then leave” statement but I would think that if you hated Kuwait so much as to want to revolt, why don’t you just move to a better place? There is a difference between not liking whats going on and staying to try and fix it but a revolution isn’t fixing something plus you aren’t revolting in your own country. Say you do revolt and win, what then? You want an expat president running Kuwait?

By Post Author

hahah… i guess a revolution is a bit too extreme. Kuwaiti’s are lucky i say. govt does a lot for them.

but then i feel they should think a little more about the expats. Not that they should give citizenship or anything.. but then i know a lot of friends of my dad who are here for last 30-40 year. some well avove 60yrs of age. but then they still have to work just coz of residency.

they should give a serious thought about such people. atleast let them get their residency done without the requirement of a sponsor.

Saved me from all the typing. Or wasn’t I meant to say that since I shouldn’t be too lazy to type? oops, Victoria is going to revolt.

-P.s. Mark, everyone leaves but you stay. We need more people like you; just saying.

LOL! hun if u don’t like kuwait and ur fed up with it then leave sweetie! we get free medical , getting free food and money. if your country gives u that why are you still here? (maybe taxes hmm)
its ok to be jealous of our amir who cares about his people! and if you think there will be a revolution in Kuwait even ur grand grand grand kids wont c it! Unlike many country’s the Kuwaitis actually likes their rulers πŸ˜‰

The only reason the money has been given to every Kuwaiti citizen, is because of a problem to do with politics, and the Amir is giving it out as a gift because of all the damage caused. The man is generous, what’s your problem? and you’re dying to see a revolution in Kuwait? you can wait forever. YOU wanna be the first to revolt? then so be it. Many people commented against your little “thought” (that wasn’t needed, btw) on this generous gift from our Amir, and you don’t want them to stand hand by hand against you and your so called “revolution”? Seriously? LOL, we have backup πŸ˜‰

P.S. “let them eat cake” wasn’t spoken by Marie Antoinette, get your facts straight.
P.S.S. The title says “What are you doing with your KD 1000?” many expats actually DESERVE it, unlike you. Therefore, your comment is UTTERLY not appreciated, cus either way, you’re not getting KD1000 to tell us what you’re planning to do with them in the first place. alright?

… Just saying πŸ˜‰

Honey if you dont like kuwait leave it;* we wont miss you;) and may god bless kuwaitis we simply have a more sweeter ruler than wherever u come from;) go back to where you belong

*sigh*
Kuwaitis won’t do it , because there isn’t and critical reason to Revolt . Our income is higher , Unemployment rate is low , Most People are educated or civilized (mostly*ahem*) , yet , most importantly everyone Respects his highness .

if you compare these points to your example ( or Tunis for that matter) you will see that they do Lack these Features and merits .

Before Posting , please think.

It’s not surprising why bitter and jealous people always look forward for worst thing to happen. Not all Kuwaties are lazy, it’s the same that you will find Westerns, Asians etc. with this attitude. What differs them is that Kuwaities get more incentives and support from their government. Shameful minimum wage? Im sure the expats getting the 60kd or below minimum wage will not earn that money in their home country. If you’re not Kuwaiti and feels bad about this country then get your ass out. But you need whatever you’re getting from Kuwait. I am not a local but I respect and understand and don’t make any prejudice. I am getting a tax free salary. I can enjoy to use SUV without worrying the price of gas. My Kuwati neighbors respect me and my culture. The people of Kuwait loves and respect His Highness except for the few who are not originally Kuwaities and start to create trouble.

Kuwaitis have previleges that americans and europians only can dream of. ( like free health care ) The taxes of countries like germany, england etc are over 50 percent of their salaries, so for all those people who dont like the way this country is runned, their is a 1 way ticket out.

try and join one πŸ™‚

happily will send u back to your beloved country that it’s soooo lovley that u had to leave it nad live in another country that you hate πŸ™‚

Oh God no! I’m also against the stupid “If you don’t like it, GTFO”. Statement, but unfortunately your writing doesn’t make sense.

Why would the Kuwaitis revolt? Because they wanted KD2000 and only received KD1000? Come on!

If the expats revolt like Mark suggested, that will be called “An Occupation” not a “Revolution” since they will be holding a country that doesn’t belong to them.

Cool, so this time only its great to have more kids:) Kuwaitis should be happy for this blessing and stop nagging, go have fun and celebrate, its a beautiful gesture!

If only people knew why the 1000kd is going to be given, then clueless people wouldn’t be talking about a revolution :rolleyes:

I don’t agree with the commenter about revolution but for whatever reason the money has been given,there can a valid argument of it not being the best way to do whatever they want to do.

Every Kuwaiti is getting 1000 KD
Every new born baby is getting 1000 till first of FEB 2011

meanings todays new born kids are getting
2morrows new borns are getting
till the first of FEB

Nice.. well I’m going to lebanon in the holidays. does that mean I will find all kuwait in lebanon this holiday πŸ˜› god damn I should rent a car from now before it’s too late!

Every Kuwaiti citizen will be given 1000 KD because of the 50th anniversary since the independence. There’s nothing wrong with getting this money, the money comes from the oil and the government is sharing the money with the people. That’s why we have free health care and education, amongst other things. People who are not Kuwaiti should not feel angry or jealous because Kuwaiti’s are getting this money. We’re in our country and we’re grateful for everything we have! If you’re not happy about us getting this money or all the other things we get, for being a Kuwaiti, then go back to your country and ask your government to share their wealth with the people. I love my country and I am very grateful for being a Kuwaiti, il7amdila. We Kuwaitis are living the best life anyone can ask for. And we welcome all foreigners to work and live in our country, but please don’t interfere with Kuwaiti affairs. If you have anything negative to say. You’re a guest in our country and we expect you to be respectful about everything that goes on. If you don’t like it, then just leave.

1 Million citizens x 1,000 KD = 1 Billion KD = 3.5 Billion USD

The economy would have benefited greatly from such an investment say.. in Failaka?

Kuwait Investment Authority owns several foreign properties from Europe to US, Asia etc. the latest acquisition was a Giant French Company AREVA. There is also a construction to take place for the bridge connecting to Failaka, the extension of a bigger airport and sea port. On the otherhand, medical facilities with state of the art equipments is under construction in Mishref. The government has plans of recruiting the TopNotch medical consultants worldwide to serve the Kuwaiti people. All these investments are made for the FUND of theFUTURE GENERATION of KUWAIT(Taken care by Kuwait Investment Authority ). In case the country runs out of oil. By the way, I forgot to mention the thousands of hectares of ricefield and plantations acquired in Asia for Food Supply:)

maria, most of what you mentioned are overseas investments – which makes my point.. the local economy is getting a fraction of the developments that it deserves.

FYI, there is no planned bridge to connect Failaka.

Lol at the Disney land Kuwait update! Thank god that didn’t happen! You know what I mean look at how madint il tarfihiya is.

lol i know but still, imagine disneyland empty without long lines, that would be dinsneyland kuwait. I hate waiting hours in line for just a 30 second ride!

By Post Author

True True, imagine going on something like Space Mountain 10 times in the amount of time it takes to go once in Disney Paris. Ah that would be awesome.

haha i love the logo mark but the thing is, it will be shopping disneyland…if the 1000 kd. is for real (crossing my fingers) you’ll see all the malls and shops around here packed

DRUMS!!!! Also Im getting some video games and buying alot of things from amazon with the fastest shiping method!

I’m a Kuwaiti. I come from a very old Kuwaiti family and i love this country. But is there a way to reject this 1000 kd or is it going to go automatically into my account? Im refusing to take this money cuz i dont believe this is good. If u look at it on a wider scale. Kuwaitis before the oil were very productive and they were the best merchants, they lived in a country that had no water and still managed to survive. thats not all they also managed to make it the leading market in this region or only market (at the time). then came the oil which was a blessing. but we didnt use it wisely and turn this productive and highly energetic population into a lazy worthless one. Kuwaitis invented the boom before the oil. what did they invent after? giving money away like this sends out a bad message! its like saying here take this 1000kd cuz u were so good at doing nothing. thats instead of spending it on education that we lack so badly, we are educating people that sitting down and doing nothing is the way to go. listen to all the Kuwaitis on this blog taking about the ex-pats in such an arrogant way thinking that they r jealous. Kuwaitis are becoming so full of them selfs when a lot are just empty inside. These ex-pats left there countries family and friends to work here and do most of the jobs that Kuwaitis r too stuck up to do. they work hard. I think we Kuwaitis should be jealous of them not the other way round. But that still doesn’t mean ex-pats could bad mouth Kuwaitis they should respect them no matter what since the are in our country. I refuse to take this 1000 and if someone knows how i could not take it please tell me how

hmmm…give it o chairty , make something afyid il country , afyid il islam?
Kuwait gives u the tool (money, education..etc) its u who decides how to use it
and besides if u reject this money its like rejecting a gift for ur dad and as part of and old Kuwaiti family you know hathii moo 6eb3na πŸ˜‰
use it well

your words make sense, we lack so much sophistication and culture we once had

if you really don’t want to accept the money ask mark to hold a raffle on the 248am blog!

I am also Kuwaiti and while I appreciate the extra oil cash (as far as I am concerned if they won’t use it to improve the country then they might as well hand it out to everyone instead of keeping it to themselves) I fully agree with your sentiment about what the country was and what it’s heading to. I am not even that old πŸ™‚

Give it to someone who it will really make a difference for, such as the lady with the underbite Mark has posted about today.

saving up to go to system of a down in the summer (Paris, Germany, and the UK) πŸ™‚
or to paris to see my dearest friend in spring πŸ™‚

For all you whiners, this money is not from the government’s coffers, its from the Amir himself. Its not like Kuwait can’t “spare” the change. The country’s budget is running in a constant surplus for the better part of the past 5 years.

All the government projects are still going on. If you want to know what they are, I can provide your with the renderings. Here is but a few:

1. Kuwait University City (all colleges to be redesigned a rebuilt as a self sustaining education city)

2. Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Hospital in South Surra (it was, the largest project – by value – ever awarded in Kuwait).

3. The revamping of the airport.

So there are projects in the pipeline that are on going, its not like the government has stopped developing or expanding; like all things in government, it takes lots of time and has to appease a lot of egos (and pockets).

PS – I’m not Kuwaiti.

Burhan,

You should not lump critics as whiners, that is an improper way to tackle the discussion.

As for the projects that you mentioned, is it enough to build shiny university structures without the proper educational reform?

How many trust the public health sector over the private one and how will a new medical building change the current state of services without a massive improvement in medical staff/systems?

The airport is now only being revamped, it is being exaggeratedly expanded – why? Is Kuwait expecting to become a regional hub competing with Dubai, Doha and Manama.. and what is being done to bring more business/visitors?

Some of the projects that have been stalled for the past few years and still waiting to be implemented are – in no particular order:

1. The 4th refinery project
2. DOW Petrochemical project
3. Bubyan Port
4. Failaka Island
5. Metro
6. Railway network
7. Renewable Energies
8. 8th Ring Road
9. Proper Waste Management Sites
10. Various BOT projects: industrial zones, logistics parks, etc

NO, it should not take that much time (+10 Years) to develop projects, look at KSA, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.. they do not take “lots of time” to implement their vision.

Things were going in the right direction when a dispute rose on how to “finance” the projects and the recent momentum fizzled once again. The country has been losing opportunities for the past decade.

ps: You don’t have to be Kuwaiti to comment on the topic.

Add 1st ring road to the list. It’s supposed to be done over a year ago. I pass there constantly and there’s no change at all.

i think this is normal, its awesome but it shouldnt be seen as a waste of money. For those who say that this money could have been used on improving kuwait and all the stuff around kuwait: be aware that an entire new city is being built, Silk City, and it’s ‘plans’ seem perfect for kuwait. more space for more business for more jobs for expats and non expats. more space so that this over-populated mess can spread out.

btw just another thing. Mark: funny how you say there should be a disneyland here? i always thought that they should have one because we have soooooooooo much empty desert space, enough money to turn that desert into a walkable and enjoyable park. And we are centrally located in the arab world. Someone should really really try making a DISNEYLAND ARABIA!

BAM,

Silk City is an inflated project that does not meet reality.

As of today, office space supply far outweighs demand in the central business district, which companies are going to rent space in the newly planned city?

Damn Phoenix, I wouldn’t want to go into a business debate with you, I would crap my pants right there!

Wait… how exactly do we receive this money? Does it go directly into our bank accounts or do we go to the banks and get it in cash or what?

To Kuwaiti ….. I am an expat living in Kuwait. I think it’s nice to get a bonus like 1000kd but was refreshingly surprised at your comments. I have met so many smart Kuwaitis who just waste their intelligence by letting expats do all the work. The imagination in your children is dying. It was a Childs dream to go to the moon, to drive a horseless carriage (car) etc.

What I’m trying to say is don’t sell yourself short for the gift of 1000kd. You all are worth so much more. Go out and get it!

Back to your point…. Although your stand is admirable, I say take your money as someone less deserving than you will probably steal it! Take it and give it to these poor maids etc if you can’t bare to spend it!

loooool ur funny!

i can’t imagine Disney Land kuwait ;p

i think everyone should take 500 KD and give to the ministry of education so that they could spend that money on making the classes look like proper classes, use technology in schools, etc. It doesn’t have to come from the gov’t, it can come from the ppl.

I’ve seen public schools in other countries (the states;p) all i can say is that there are no similarities, we are soooo behind in education. I say this coz I’m a patriot, I want the best for my country.

coz I’m sick of people complaining about the schools…Change is in ur hands

If n e 1 is willing to do this I’m the 1st one in

I have no idea what the process is but if any one has an idea on where to go other than the ministry of education, reply;p

lol its never about the money! ministry of education doesn’t lack money.. it lacks proper planning and most of all, implementation.

We can’t change ppl (unfortunately) ;s

soooo the solution is….. Revolution?

Why can’t kuwaiti interior designers and architects come together o collect that money and offer kuwait a plan for the schools?

(not every1 desserves the money)
I’m q8i btw and I don’t mind spending the money for the benefit of my country

Because unfortunately every major (and even some minor) projects must pass through government sectors and such before approval. That’s where it gets messed up. There’s nothing wrong with Kuwaiti designers/engineers/etc.

Disneyland Kuwait hahahaha that’s funny here in Kuwait no way sir they got shaab park and it’s the worest entertainment city I ever seen plus no thanks even if they go for it will never visit are you kidding

Redecorate my flat or spend some on canvas and paint , work on some pieces of art^_^ another option is , saving them for a rainy day:p

Lol I like the Disneyland Kuwait photoshop haha where dreams come true… I would spend the money on allOt of games and game consoles

Seriously , Kuwaitis are damn Lucky ! and even the expats shud be as they are giving 1000 KD to each Kuwaiti where as the Cool Expats are getting a Week Holiday πŸ™‚

I just meant you could invest that money and make more – apologies for any offence – it was not intended.

Happy spending/saving with your gift. Once again mabrook to all! What a great way to start 2011!

hahaha πŸ™‚ nice one Gulf Bank! πŸ™‚
I have to say it is a generous offer from the Kuwaiti government to it’s people and I am a big fan of “if you don’t like it then there are plenty of other options” I can’t think of any reason for ANYONE to be somewhere they hate UNLESS you are under 18 and HAVE to live with your parents!! in which case get over it! So I do agree – its nice to see how a government can share its wealth with its people and I think others should learn from it – I have never seen a citizen as proud as a Kuwaiti!

But having said that I do agree with the commenter “kuwaiti” as a government if there are obvious flaws – it would make sense to pump them money it that

or maybe reduce the generous gift and pump money into more longterm vision (education/medicine/non oil related income)

So yes – people that are complaining – key learnings to take back to your country!!! πŸ™‚
Wouldnt you rather have cash in your bank account than I dunno getting free condoms πŸ˜› (they must cost the British and American governments a lot) ok before anyone attacks – I am humouring the situation – GOOD FOR YOU KUWAIT! πŸ™‚

maybe all the kuwaiti’s should pool in the money together and buy a tropical island to make up for the desert we are in!.. So its free vacations all through out the year!!! :-).. 4 Billion USD should suffice !

If there is a God in heaven, then I know that a country that does this, but doesnt protect the lives and well being of its poorest inhabitants will surely be punished. Bread and water and cramped conditions for the labourers, working in deathly summer heat. I would applaud this payout if it was in turn matched by the compassion of the country’s citizens.

But of all the Kuwaitis ive met in my life, im thinking about 10 percent deserve this. Yes we know not all kuwaitis are lazy, spoilt, filthy rich – but a culture is not dictated by its good minorities – only by its majority.

I have some comments about some of the replies:

1- About the free medical insurance in England: I’ve been studying in London and Manchester for 3 years and their GP (General practitioner SUCKS!) I always take my 6 months old to a private hospital instead since the doctors have no idea how to examine a patient! Our ‘mostaw9if’ in Kuwait is a hundred times better!

2- If you’ve been working in Kuwait for 30-40 yrs then you’re eligible to get a Kuwaiti nationality. So why not get one instead of whining!

3- If the 1000KD was for both citizens and residents then you’ll not be writing bad stuff about Kuwait. Am I not right?

4- The 1000 is a once in a lifetime gift, it’s not like a monthly salary! how on earth is it encouraging laziness?!!!

7- To the guy who wants to reject the 1000KD. I’m sure you don’t need them, unlike some Kuwaitis who really do to pay some bills, that’s why you’re rejecting them.

6- Btw there are news about an additional 500KD from Sheikh Salem Al-Ali (I guess that was his name) so ‘mootaw fi ‘3ei6’kom!’

7- as I said before, I’ve been studying in the UK for 3 years and every day I love Kuwait more. No taxes, no stupid/expensive fees (on parking, O2 emission, TV license, university/school fees, expensive car insurance, expensive petrol) I honestly pity the British citizens. 3mar ya Kuwait!

I don’t agree with the comments here who are “upset” that Kuwaitis are getting the 1000 KD…no one would be complaining if it was our countries giving us this money.

I just have one comment..who ever said that you could get a Kuwaiti nationality after living here for 30/40 years? My family has been here for 50…no nationality in sight. My family has worked for over 40 years and served here. I know families in the same position. Where did you hear of this “rule”? No one would be “whining” if it was as simple as you make it seem.

It’s one of the rules for application for citizenship. Many people are awarded citizenship yearly, it just takes a really long time to get approved (sometimes wasta), and can seem like a small amount because of the large number of immigrants Western countries accept on a yearly basis.
Ask your parents, they will tell you.

I did ask, we applied 20 years ago and 10 years ago and till now, nothing. I think they have hit the 60 year mark in this country. They cannot call any other place home yet soon they might have to leave.

I know this is off-topic, but maybe they’re doing something wrong. Is there a specific place they have to go to/something they have to do??

Unfortunately, there are also several “unwritten rules” that I can only say are unfair but complicated. Factors are taken into account as a result of Kuwait’s history with immigration and the actions of certain individuals. It is openly known that some of the most influential expats in the country will not be granted citizenship because of these same unwritten rules and the implications it would hold on the political scene if they were.

1000 thumbs up…one of my good friends (lebanese) used to complain about how bored she feels in kuwait…now she lives in london, and complains constantly..she says she finally realized how GREAT kuwait is…ee walla 3amar ya kuwait..

PS: just a correction, the verse is: “Ω…ΩˆΨͺوا Ψ¨ΨΊΩŠΨΈΩƒΩ…” not Ω…ΩˆΨͺوا في ΨΊΩŠΨΈΩƒΩ…..

Are you serous?! Why build a disney land when clearly no one even goes to the entertainment city in kuwait? It would be just a waste of time, money, and space. I would agree if they used the money for something else, like building new high-tech machines to help find cures for diseases like cancer, AIDS or even HIV. But anything else, i would say no

Typical! Every Kuwaiti kid will spend it on phones or cameras. Every Kuwaiti teenager will spend it on his car. Every Kuwaiti parent will take their family to a holiday and every expat will envy Kuwaitis πŸ™‚

this will all happen in 2011 but what will happen 10 or 20yrs from now? will there still be oil? will the government give out 2000KD?

We call a scorching waterless baren desert home, so can the expats please give us a break with all this negative sentiments about hoe bad they feel for being left out!!!

God gives some and takes some, and we have oil/money instead of water/green, and it won’t even last long. So let us enjoy this blessing and quit wining.

lol from some of the comments its like the Amir is taking 1000kd from your bank accounts. If you are worrying about the poor working conditions of expats/workers, donate some of that money to charities or give them out to street cleaners and sanitation workers. seriously, be thankful, because no other country comes to mind thats leader gives away $3,964,601,780 to every citizen.

hai.
is there a formal source that states this men7a? please link me if you know of any news source.
cheers!

Mark, you should update this post, because Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah said he will also give another 500kd to every citizen.

Yeah, same here. Everyone is talking about it, but no confirmation. They say that the news will be published on the news soon πŸ™‚ Let’s see )

This is really a blessing. Since the end of last year I’ve been racking my brains in order to find a way to pay for my school fees. Alhamdulilah. I can now finally sleep at night.

please can anyone tell me about how many holidays there gonna be for feb i heard it will be 9 days

4B$ could:
1. Solve the electricity problems of Kuwait
2. Extend the rivers from Iraq to give natural water and perhaps more greenery around the country. A nice lake wouldn’t look bad either.
3. A Tram or monorail system to connect the coastal cities to the capital and cut traffic
4. Renovate the Airport and make it a world class Airport that a country like Kuwait deserves.

But in Reality: I really wanna know how many of the 1.2 Million people will use the money to buy a new iPhone or iPad. its interesting.

Hush fadibou!

You should not provide constructive feedback in order not to be labeled as “jealous”, “whiner” or “unhappy”..

And because one should automatically assume that if you got the same amount of money you would spend it on shopping or travel, you are not supposed to ask about spending/saving habits nor about economic development.

/sarcasm

I’m buying an iPhone 4 for me and my wife, an iPad for us and the remaining will be on standby πŸ™‚

in my country from my salary ,the governement take like 40% in taxes.

so good for them ,they give 1000kd gift to their own people.

i wish my gov. make such gesture to my people πŸ™‚

be sure, this 4 billions dollars are like pocket money for kuwaiti gov. πŸ™‚

they don’t invest where they should —- this is another problem πŸ™‚

i’m giving all of mine to charity i’m sure there are people that need it alot more than i do.

Use the money to help speed up all these slow moving projects! What about that subway system they are going to put in? the drainage and streets they are putting in infront of our place could use the money for more man power and equipment. The new elevated traffic circle they are building on Fahaheel Expressway. More parking at the freakin airport would be nice! OR USE IT TO BUY THE ALCOHOL TO GET THIS COUNTRY JUMP STARTED ON THE LIFTING OF THE ALCOHOL BAN!

Im not Kuwaiti, but I am going to take 10,000 KD of my own money, invest it in the Kuwait markets. Im sure a sudden infusion of $3.6B dollars into the local economy will boost my investment.

In conclusion, I think it would be a safe bet to buy shares in Apple since everyone here will be buying both an iPad and an iPhone.

By Post Author

Not with Steven Jobs announcing hes on sick leave lol. Stocks seem to have dropped after that announcement. If that guy dies Apple might have a serious problem on there hands.

Mabrook to all Kuwaitis…

This is indeed a royal gift (Whateva intentions behind)

There is always a two side of a coin. Same way there are some pros and cons in this situation.

As we can see from the above comments, most of the Kuwaitis Love Kuwait… but don’t want to stay here..
They just want money and fly to UK, US, blah blah..

I mean 10days holidays and 1000 kd each family member certainly will not help in holding people here during Hala Feb.
What about Kuwait, what about business here, economy… Business is going down.. sales are dropping.

What I mean is.. people who are blessed with such a gift.. Use it here in Kuwait in your own country ….
And that way directly or indirectly it will help Expats too.

There are lots to discuss on this matter.. 1 thing for sure is how this gift should be given.

like they should gift this during Hala Feb.

Anyways Enjoy the gift people.
Somebody should track the sales of Blackberry and Iphone4 during this period.

i didnt see TOO many hateful expat replies here..im glad…thats a good change!

yeah i dont think giving away 1 billion kd like this is the greatest way to spend a 1 billion kd..however, the budget for the “development plan” has already been set and if this billion is not gonna be missed…then ya sure..why not…take ur woman to an expensive dinner then surprise her with a nice bracelet..

if ur worried about the inflation…just crank up interest rates to decrease demand on loans and that will bring back the money supply back to equalibrium….i know..im a genius

Oh dear is all I can say. I am ashamed that no-one has said that they will invest the money for thier child’s future, or for those who don’t have children, use it to pay off debt or make a payment of some sort. Spend, spend, spend is all that we think of and yet there are so many other things that can be done with this money that will help for a better future.
Gulf Bank – thanks for the encouragement!

I got no children and I got no debts (you wouldn’t have debts and payments if you spend wisely and not get loans for everything) so I’m gonna just save some up and use the rest for charity πŸ™‚

Why not concider some of the money goes to charity.. After all we’re goin to be asked about what we did with this gift.. at least 20 kd to charity out of the 1000 won’t hurt πŸ˜‰

My PhD starts 1st of February, though I am a Kuwaiti citizen and I have excellent grades in my previous studies, I could not find a single scholarship!

So…

With that 1000 KD, I’ll buy a return plane airplane ticket to Edinburgh, book a student accommodation for 1 month, and hopefully have some money left to cover my expenses during that one month.

thanks, but its only a matter of time till the university realize i’m unable to pay for my tuition fees and then they send me back home!

4 billions USD could be used to get at least 400,000 poor arabs and muslims married by give each couple a 20,000 USD. millions of arabs cannot afford marriage expenses.

What? If they are too poor to get married then don’t you think they are better off not getting married in the first place? How are they going to support their family and children with only 20K USD? What about school fees not to mention housing, food, medication and many other expenses in life? Or are their children going to grow up poor and uneducated as well?
Islam says that marriage is for those who are ABLE. if you are unable, then it’s best to NOT get married.

And how is it the Amir’s responsibility to give these 400,000 Arabs money for marriage??

The Amir is giving a gift to his people, why not appreciate the gesture and stop saying how he should give it to others? Let our own countries take care of us first!!

400,000 huh? that would be at least 800,000 new Arabs, who will raise Saddam’s and Yaser Arafat’s pictures, and cheer with their names, hmmm, 800,000 new burdens, hmmm, without Kuwait there would be no Ghazza, without Kuwait there would be no power in most of the so-called Arab world, without Kuwait there would be no charity, without Kuwait there would be no progress in most of GCC countries. Kuwait has the highest numbers of preachers in the Islamic world and still producing more and more, and the least number of people who commit suicide (why?!) coz we know more about our religion more than any other country in the world, so we know if that’s will do any good to our religion, we’ll be the first to do it, but thank you.
Would you say that to your president if he did the same (to donate that to some Arabs)? you can’t, do you know why? first he won’t do that, second you’re not liberated enough to argue…

in the end, my respect to all the EDUCATED Arabs in Kuwait and around the globe, either Muslims or non-Muslims. Peace!

I don’t deny this is a great news and I humbly thank his highness for his kind act.. But I beLieve he should also included the sons of the Kuwaiti women married to non Kuwaiti … Why deprive those kids from the happiness of this celebration why aren’t they treated equal to kuwaities ??? It breaks my heart that my kids are not included and the Kuwaiti man married to non Kuwaiti get to have it all !!!! How fair is that??? I’m not being materialistic I’m only thinking it’s not fair to not give the sons of Kuwaiti woman …

Wouldn’t a countrywide free high speed wi-fi network make more than just 1.12 million people happy?
It would be cheaper than $4billion and the benifits will last longer.
Then the mobile companies and ISPs would be the only whiners…

ur assuming all people have the same kind of aspirations…many people are happy with the good ol’ ADSL to which they pay a little over 200 kd a year

GREAT! More money to fill the sick heartless void in most Kuwaitis with more bags, more Abercrombie, more cars, and just more CRAP.

Whoever this money is coming from, be it the Amir or whoever – couldn’t they have celebrated 50 years with something a little more humbling than just shoving money down our throats? How about a real big cultural celebration/festival that would attract people from all over the Gulf? That would be so ridiculously AWESOME.

I’m a born-and-raised Kuwaiti, but this really makes me sick. This money could have been used towards charity or funding public education and health systems in Kuwait. Or building a real cultural center. The list goes on.. Have you read the sickening and lame jokes that have been circulating the past few days?

Seriously, Kuwait, WAKE UP. You joke about money that you pretend you don’t need, but half of you need to use this 1000 KD to pay off your debts. Living lives you can’t afford and laughing at people who are really in need. SICKENING!

I miss the days when Kuwait was all about progession and proactivity; when the Kuwaiti youth was so prolific and filled with boundless energy and creativity. We stopped REALLY developing and all of a sudden these cupcake businesses start trickling in like poison.

*sigh* I don’t want the KD 1000. The Amir can keep it.

give it charity for God”s sake… stop all the negativity… and have more respect for the Amir please! “The Amir can keep it” .. it is a present, and its up to you to do something productive with it or not! so go to these places that you want to make better and donate it to them! ekh so negative!

7abeebti, “The Amir can keep it” is in no way disrespectful. I didn’t curse him or say anything wrong. Don’t tell me how I can or can’t express myself.

I’ve been reading all of your replies and you seem so very defensive in every one, dalal. What’s the matter? Got your eye on that Versace bag?

I WILL donate my KD 1000 to charity. At least then I know it’s going somewhere. But if I had a choice, I wouldn’t take it.

Go get an education and learn how to spell and how to hold a proper argument before bashing everyone on here with an opinion. Oh wait, our education system isn’t so great in this country. I forgot. *sigh*

the money is coming directly from the Amir’s pocket, and not from the country’s budget…u say ur a “born and raised” kuwaiti? u obviously werent “raised” very well…”the Amir can keep it”????? if u were a man, use that tone to the amir’s face…or to any kuwaiti’s face for that matter..

el hailigy ethel 6ool 3omra hailigy

WOW. Spoken like a true hailigi!

I’m not even gonna waste time replying to your comment. You are everything that is wrong with this country.

you shouldn’t give up the money. you should give up ur nationality to someone who actually deserves it. you’re rude, whoa, sounds cool, right?

if u had any proper thing to say u wouldnt have spared it..ur “holier than thou” attitude doesnt suit u, u need to have some manners to back it up with..and a person who doesnt even respect the Amir, sure as hell has no manners at all…”born and raised”….what a joke..yal hailigy

you are the First Kuwaiti i like ! you are a man dude ! love your last statement “I I don’t want the KD 1000. The Amir can keep it” I salute you ! and hey nice and Creative name Pink Elephant ! do you have a Blog !

ur just jealous…and if i find out who u r, u can bet ur life on it: ur gonna be deported =)

Kuwait ain’t gonna give me any money because i am an Indian so please do not post like these Post’s because it makes me Jealous !

I love Pink Elephant!

I have relatives who were here back in the day when the Amir of Kuwait gave KD20 for every Kuwaiti born, and KD10 for every foreign one.

My only question is why must expats, who are here to WORK, and as a result of their work Kuwait advances and progresses, made to feel like second class citizens?

Which minister was it who said if I am giving money to my son, why must I give money to the servant?

The expats do not need hand-outs, we live very well within our means, and are blessed to be working here.

What we do need, is not to be treated as servants by a vast majority of the populace.

jealous much?

(allah ya7fithna min i3yoonkom!)

and not the majority treat people like servants! YOU make people treat you how you want to be treated! plus servants are humans too and are treated with utmost respect!

(allah ya7fith il kuwait oo ahal il kuwait ya rab,,,,, ya deera ma mithlich deera)

“utmost respect”

check out any newspaper you want, go back a few months, count how many “servants” commit suicide.

go to the Philippine embassy and see the women claiming asylum there from abuse by their “sponsors”.

then come and say utmost respect.

LOL YOU ARE SO OBLIVIOUS!!!!!!!! COME OUT OF YOUR FREAKIN’ BUBBLE, CHILD!!!!!!!! “UTMOST RESPECT”???

My mind is blown. Seriously.

Mind. Blown.

second class citizens?? they are NOT citizens at all!!! and expats get paid salaries for their work..thank u very much..
and if u cant even quote the minister who u say called expats “servants”, how do we even know u didnt distort what he actually said??

STOP WHINING

i dont think u realize, that u dont have a point..

“second class citizens”…that was a good laugh..thanks =)

I agree with Alexa. Except for the second class citizens. Kuwaitis have classes among their citizens. The expats are way under that, but I understood what Alexa was trying to say.

ur not way under..ur not way over..ur not in the same dimension..dude, what is wrong with u people..u guys are expats, not citizens in any way shape or form

is that supposed to make me feel bad?? lol..yuba my name is Hani Al-Zaid..u can check for urself what “class” of citizen i am…either way..point being, u r NOT a citizen..u have no right comparing urself to “second class citizens” to begin with…unless u carry the kuwaiti nationality..u r merely an EXPAT..nothing wrong with that..

OK, first, when you came here, you came to work not to accept any charity, so if there’s anyone who should pay you, it should be the company you’re working for. Second, guys, come on, there’s something right about what she/he said, what you’d you do if there’s no one sweeping and cleaning the streets? if there’s no one to pump gas into girls’ cars? if there’s no one to restore the old roads? it’s either we all do that or respect what they’re doing. Ya’ny you have to be fair to at least saying that.
Let’s love and respect each other so we could live a peaceful life.

Respect to all of ya! Peace!

@ Pink Elephant : ” How about a real big cultural celebration/festival that would attract people from all over the Gulf? ”

Thats what I am talking about…

In Many countires… The Army… Navy .. police they all take participate in celebrating National Day.. like parade.. I have never seen such a thing..

Only having Kuwait flags on some roads.. and Ahmadi garden lighting…. thats it.. nothing else..

I am expecting something .. something extra for this Hala Feb

Walla, it’s heartbreaking. Remember our parades in the 80’s? Now Liberation/National Day “celebrations” are an excuse for crazy children to pose as threats for peoples’ safety. Water balloons filled with Nair or pee, foam cans, litter, noise pollution; it’s a disaster.

America’s 4th of July celebrations are a real sight to see – fireworks, great food, families getting together and REALLY appreciating and celebrating America’s history and pastimes.

I would love to see a big week-long festival take place with traditional dances, historical exhibitions, Kuwaiti food fairs, and other events that will make it a real experience and a great way to celebrate how far we’ve come as a country.

I hate the fact that these fiascos on the street force me to stay home when I should be enjoying Kuwait’s holiday and celebrating too. I guess everyone has a different perspective when it comes to celebrating.

i heard a rumor that the holidays will be 10 days; is that also for kuwaiti’s only or do we all get to take a break and enjoy the celebration?

a fast answer would be great; coz we got tickets to book πŸ™‚

I myself am from Kuwait, but I’ve lived 6-7 years away from Kuwait the entire period. While I was in Australia, such bonuses are very common, the entire 20 million population used to get 2000 USD allowances, gifts and bonuses every year or two. The last bonus if I recall correctly was a 4000 USD baby bonus, a gift given to each baby born to an Australian couple, and thats only 1 type of bonus.

Expats are expats, and citizens are citizens. This is purely a Kuwaiti matter, and its a gift given to each Kuwaiti individual and I respect that. every kuwaiti of every class can get these bonuses and gifts, and its not the first of its kind.

Please stop telling people how this money is spent, this is the Amir giving his people the money and not the government. How can a government give people its money, thats like people giving themselves money which is a joke, given that we already have a solid social security system going on.

Ethics of Gifts:
1- Cant be sold
2- Cant be returned
3- Can be re-gifted to someone if you want too.

For the person asking for celebrations? What the hell man, far out, we already have Hala Feb set, and most police/army graduations/celebrations and demonstrations occur that very day. Help yourself and locate the remote somewhere behind the sofa and find KTV1, as ironic as this may be, but it will show you clearly what the country and its people are handling this day.

Give me one good reason why expats should get this, they shouldnt, they aren’t people of the country, each head has an expiry date on his visa, and god knows if they contribute or not to the wellfare of everybody living in Kuwait. I myself couldnt get any of the bonuses while being in Brissie simply because I was not Australian neither considered one, sorry to burst the bubble, but expats in kuwait have it soooooooo much better than any other country in the world.

Things I couldnt get because I wasnt Australian:
1- 50% of the apartments I applied for, my application was thrown away because it mentioned something about being overseas.
2- No social security program what so ever.
3- Cannot lease any item, cannot apply for a friggin credit card. No land leases, car lease, nothing.
4- Not every clinic/hospital will deal with you, your papers or any of the financial help they provide (installments, medicare etc..)

Go figure!

Thank u for ur post…isnt it funny how some expats complain about being treated as “second class CITIZENS”????? i dont know what idiot told them they were CITIZENS at all!!!!
i wish every expat here would have the balls to say which country they come from so i can tell them how expats are treated in THEIR countries!!

Mark you really set off a firestorm here, and don’t tell me you didn’t know what you were doing πŸ˜‰

I’m 100% Kuwaiti born and raised and I’m with Pink Elephant all the way

A new airport would’ve been great as it is sorely and desperately needed… oh wait, they built that ugly dome shaped thing for the VVVVIPs… ok then, job done.

I usually have an idea before I post but this one has completely blown my expectations. This is what I love about the Internet, it’s random.

By Post Author

Yehs Mark… . those kinds of parade or even on the national level.. I understand if all the people are not allowed for security reasons.. but there should be some celebration… Clean celebrations…

Last year when we went to Ahmadi Garden.. we loackd our doors. but some kids jump and sit on the car hood.. n sayin open da door we will spray and you can go.. imagine we open da door.. they spray all over and than we just came back…

Well.. no complain with Kuwait..Alhamdolilah we are earning our living very well in Kuwait.. and very thankfull..

ohh this is going off topic… lets get on the track…

So if a person has 5 kids so he will get 7000kd …

woowww.. ..Do you think those pepole will keep money for their kids ..

Disneyland.. ya serious talk…

The place should be Failaka .. I have read here somewhere of bulding a bridge.. would love to ride on tht… and a good cruize service.. so people can enjoy a ship ride.. before disnyland too..

Love the Concept

First of all I would like to thank our Amir for this generous gift but I only have one suggestion to make and that the kuwaiti mothers should get the 1000kd for every kuwaiti child (without a bank account) instead of the money going to the father. Its only fare that mothers get the cash after dealing with pregnancy pain, child birth horror, strech marks, mood swings, diaper changing, restless sleepless nights, etc. dam now i feel guilty, wana give my mama a hug
Love u mom πŸ™

Ok, so if this was the case, my wife who is an expat would have received nothing, I would have received nothing, Apple stocks would still go up, and the 1st Ring Road would still be delayed.

Wow. I didn’t expect all this fuss. The Amir gave you the money, spend it wisely. There’s no need for anyone to say “we could’ve had this or that with this money.” Do you think the Amir doesn’t have more money? Of course he does! If he wanted to build a new airport, he would’ve ordered that! But this was a gift from him to the citizens. Maybe we’ll have a new airport or a proper healthcare system soon.

Pink elephant took the words right out of every aware citizen’s mouth! Accepting that money doesn’t feel right. It’s just proving to everybody that we’re a spoiled good for nothing nation.

That 1000KD could go a long way for some Kuwaitis. For example those who are struggling to pay their bills or those who are saving up and paying for their own education. Sure it may just be an extra luxury to many in the population, but for some of us it’s a lifesaver.

Although I do think that the education and healthcare systems need to improve and that a lot of materialism is present in our society, I’m just relieved that I can finally make the deadline for my school fees without the help of my parents.

if ur a productive member of the society, no gift in the world will make u feel unworthy…so if receiving the Amir’s gift makes u feel that way u should reassess ur situation..
Pink elephant is an ill mannered person who spoke inappropriately about the Amir..so NO, he/she did not take the words out of every aware citizens mouth..he/she took the words out of every hailigy’s mouth

im planning on buying a ” full best every thing computer ” with super kick ass chair and everything but i heared DHL will double there shipping price πŸ™

People consider yourself lucky and do some good with that money. Give atleast a fraction of it for charity, there are a lot of people in this world who struggles to feed their family.
A little help will make a big difference.

I dont know how accept that money when I havent earned it.

u dont have to accept it, give it all to charity if ur kuwaiti…if ur not kuwaiti, then like Dalal said, “jealous much”?

I agree with ‘snowflake’….sorry to say but you are so right.

As a group of Kuwaiti mothers we greatly appreciate this gift from our Amir and most of my friends and i will use this KD 1000 to pay school fees! Wonder where my children’s gift will end up?

WebVue best Website Development Lebanon