Gulf | Bahrain
Minister criticised for lavishing 'undue praise'
A prominent Bahraini columnist has accused a government minister of flouting Bahraini mores by uttering "ludicrous praise reminiscent of the Saddam Hussain coterie".
- By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:00 March 1, 2006
Manama: A prominent Bahraini columnist has accused a government minister of flouting Bahraini mores by uttering "ludicrous praise reminiscent of the Saddam Hussain coterie".
Writing in Al Watan newspaper, Sawsan Al Shair on Monday savaged the local media and officials for competing to heap the most lavish praise on the dedication by His Majesty King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa of a fountain off the Manama coast to the people of Bahrain.
She singled out Works and Housing Minister Fahmy Al Jowder for "using terms that gave us the impression that he was not talking about a fountain, but rather about a spiritual massage apparatus."
The 123-metre-high fountain was opened on Saturday at an official ceremony attended by six ministers and senior officials.
Precious gift
"The fountain will be an outstanding landmark in Bahrain, particularly that it is a precious gift from a beloved king to a cherished people; it is a gift from a king who spares no efforts for the sake of his country's prosperity and his people's bliss and who uses the full potential to achieve the citizens best days as he has promised them," Al Jowder, one of Bahrain's most successful architects, said at the inauguration site.
Sawsan said such statements were "alien to Bahraini traditions and character, and never were part of the fibre between us and the Royal Family and we do not want them to be. We want our relations to remain pure, filled with compassion and void of self-serving interests."
The columnist said she attended meetings where King Hamad told the press to avoid describing his initiatives to assist the needy as "acts of generosity".
"I also heard statements addressed to King Hamad that would have meant torture or death if they had been said to another leader. Yet, he listened to them patiently and tolerantly. This attitude deserves our deep respect and profound gratitude, unlike flattery statements that are instinctively rejected by Bahrainis who do know that the fountain will not bring happiness," Sawsan wrote.
Direct contact between Bahrain's people and leaders is frequent through majlises and during private and public events.
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