English

Akram Miknas

Summit of Solidarity

I recently dedicated intensive and extensive attention to the proceedings of the Arab summit held in Jeddah. I delved into every speech and speaker. I closely observed the bilateral meetings on the side-lines, paying careful attention to subtle details such as facial expressions, gestures, handshakes, and even the way participants positioned themselves for group photographs

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?“Playing” politics – or “doing” politics

Let me take the opportunity to congratulate all of us. I believe that anywhere in the world, the National Day is an important occasion for uniting people across the divides of class, sect, ethnicity and ideology. This is something nobody should take for granted

In these difficult times, when the region and the world seem to have turned themselves upside-down and inside-out; those of us who live in such an oasis of stability need to occasionally be reminded of the blessings which we enjoy. If over the coming days we feel inclined to moan about the difficulty of our own lives, let’s just share a thought for the people of Aleppo, Mosul, Benghazi and Sanaa

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The media is only as lazy as we allow it to be

It can be intensely frustrating when the media dumbs down news stories for us. Do they doubt our ability to understand complex foreign affairs issues? – Or is it that the journalists themselves haven’t taken the time to properly get their heads around the issues

I am thinking in particular of news reports this week concerning the referendum in Italy and the presidential election in Austria. Watching the cable networks, it is perhaps a surprise to find that both of these different countries get lumped together for us within the same report. It’s even odder that news channels discuss these developments entirely in terms of Donald Trump and the British exit from the EU

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A lesson from Ibn Khaldoun

It is often very obvious that economists are not historians. Over previous decades economists took it for granted that if politicians left the markets alone, then the markets would continue to grow – presumably into infinity

Since the 2008 crash there’s been a more cautious attitude of the need for greater regulation and efforts to stimulate growth. However, there’s still an underlying complacency that – despite bumps in the road – growth is natural and inevitable

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A world of ungoverned spaces

We have lived through an era of strong nation states and clear borders; where failed states like Somalia were the exception not the rule. When Iraq invaded Kuwait, the “civilized” world united to restore Kuwait’s sovereignty. When Yugoslavia dissolved, it was simply a matter of time before successor states emerged and took their seats at the UN

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Rediscovering the Arab nation

When I consider the greatest dangers facing our world today, my primary worry is not with Islam and religion

Islam is much bigger than the tiny disputes between Sunni and Shia – or between Maliki, Shafi’i and perhaps Wahhabi – or even between “moderates” and “extremists”. My underlying fear is for the Arabs and for Arabism

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When dictatorship arises from democracy

Once upon a time, there was a nation which despite its great military might as a world power, had suffered humiliating setbacks overseas. Despite having been seen as an economic miracle in the recent past, citizens had experienced the psychological shock of unemployment, market collapse and runaway inflation. These traumatic events undermined confidence in political elites and the democratic process itself

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Where is the Arab world in the battle for Mosul

We watch reports about the fighting around Mosul as if these are events distantly removed from our lives. News bulletins focus on the Peshmerga, Iran-backed militias, US special forces and speculation about whether Turkey could get involved

But who knows or cares what the Arab position is; not least because there is no serious Arab stance on developments in Iraq

More where-is-the-arab-world-in-the-battle-for-mosul

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Recognition for Bahrain’s political system

I read with interest a recent Al-Wasat interview with Waad Secretary General Reza al-Mousawi which indicated that parts of the opposition no longer supported the principle of an elected Government. A day later – after a storm of criticism from his associates – I read Al-Mousawi’s clarification, which said that at the current time the priority should be “civil peace,” not trying to enforce radical political change

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Marketing hatred

As someone who has made a career out of advertising, I’m fascinated by the way that public opinion is shaped and attitudes are influenced. Thus, I’m very interested in why historically liberal nations like those of Western Europe have seen such a rapid recent rise in extreme right-wing movements and populist demagogues, a trend that we’ve also witnessed in the US and elsewhere

More.. marketing-hatred

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Defending Bahrain’s “family friendly” status

Bahrain has always scored very highly in global polls as a family-friendly destination where people enjoy coming to live and work. In fact, Bahrain usually comes top of the GCC and Arab world in such criteria. A recent survey by HSBC rated Bahrain as one of the top 10 countries for where expats prefer to live

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How productive are you

President Kennedy famously said: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country”

It is difficult to visualize that the work we do makes a tangible contribution to the success of our nation, but at the end of the day our national productivity is no more than the sum of all of our combined efforts

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Putting human rights in perspective

Nothing in the world makes me happier than another human being. I love people; good and bad. When they’re good, they fill me. When they’re bad, they instigate in me the desire to make them better. Therefore my appreciation and respect for human rights commissions is immense. What could be more praise-worthy than organizations dedicated to fighting for the rights of fellow human beings

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Road map for prosperity

The Crown Prince’s speech at the 2016 Bahrain Government Forum earlier this week came at an important moment for assessing where Bahrain’s economy is now; while setting out the road map for the way forward

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The surprise visitor

Not long ago the ruler of Dubai turned up for a surprise visit to a number of government ministries first thing in the morning. He was surprised and dismayed to arrive in the first office and find it deserted. However, the pattern continued and office after office which the Emir visited were all empty

Local Emirati newspapers published images of the Emir standing alone amidst dozens of empty desks. To add insult to injury, on the walls next to him was his own official photo looking down and inspecting this complete lack of activity in the great offices of state

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A source of national pride – Or shame

Before we get carried away with global warming, holes in the ozone layer and the green movement at a global level, I would like to make a plea that we give more attention to putting our own local Bahraini environment in order

As a nation of so many islands, the sea is central to everything we do. The sea is our great asset for fish stocks, tourism and trade – but it also risks being our greatest flaw, if we fail to look after and manage our sea waters and coastlines

More a-source-of-national-pride

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Cutting the baby in two

Muslims, Christians and Jews all look back to King Solomon as a model for wisdom and justice – and with good reason

We are told that two women once came before Solomon, both claiming that a baby was theirs. In the household from which they came, one infant had died and another remained healthy. Both women argued at length that the living baby was theirs

More.. Cutting the baby in two

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After the oil crisis: What next

We hear the GCC breath a collective sigh of relief as oil prices in recent months slowly move back in an upwards direction. The crisis is over

However, we know that this isn’t the full story. It’s clear that there’s no likelihood of oil going back to its early 2014 price levels and the consequences of the last two years have left our economy in a nervous and uncertain state

Here in Bahrain the Government weathered the crisis by subsidy reform and slashing wasteful spending, but also by borrowing to unprecedented levels

More After the oil crisis

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A mindset for failure

I frequently despair when I task an employee with doing something a bit different and they shrug their shoulders and say: “I’ll try, but I’m not a natural designer” or “I’m not a natural researcher”. In effect, already they’ve given me their excuse for failure and not putting their heart and soul into the project

I can distinctly remember a language teacher looking in frustration at my homework and saying: “It’s clear you’re not a natural linguist”. As a child we take these things to heart and don’t challenge them. Years later I found myself wondering why I had no self-belief when it came to learning languages and I realized that I could still hear the voices of these teachers in the back of my mind telling me what I couldn’t do

More A mindset for failure

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President Trump – A sobering prospect for the Arab world

Wherever we are in the world at the moment, it is impossible to avoid being bombarded with information about the US elections. Everything that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are doing and saying is exhaustively analyzed; every tiny flicker in the polls is seized on and evaluated in tedious detail

It feels that we know far more about what is going on in the US elections than we know about events in our own country. Yet these are elections happening in a faraway nation; we won’t be voting and there is no way we can affect the outcome

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Can Daesh be responsible for everything

Following the terrorist attack in Nice in southern France which killed 84 individuals, many French people took to the social media to ridicule Daesh’s claim that the perpetrator, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was “one of the soldiers of the Islamic State”. After all, how was a terrorist group based in Raqqa in Syria supposed to have contributed to an attack which consisted of driving a lorry into a crowd of people

On Twitter, French people jokingly made false claims of ISIS responsibility for France’s defeat in Euro 2016, for the emergence of Donald Trump and for Brexit; along with more frivolous claims like socks going missing from the washing machine

More Can Daesh be responsible for everything

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Whatever happened to five year plans

I recently asked an old colleague and fellow businessman whether he still made use of five year plans. He raised his eyes to the ceiling and said that he’d be lucky if he could cobble together a five week plan

Given the volatile state of affairs in the Middle East there is a tendency for the best strategies to be violently blown off course by major events

More Whatever happened to five year plans

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Knowing that we don’t know

I have a renewed admiration for journalists! Over the past year or more, one of the most challenging tasks of my week has been coming up with a 700-word article befitting of Al-Ayam newspaper

In many cases these articles are driven by events: When a dozen major news stories flash by in the course of a week it is impossible to discuss everything and I’m often in the frustrating position that I write an article on a Monday, and by the time I come to read the published piece on a Saturday events have moved on so fast that I’m left with a feeling of frustration at everything I could have included but never got a chance

More Knowing that we don’t know

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Nationalism in all but name

I spoke to many people who felt a rush of excitement about the announcement of the Saudi-Egypt project for a bridge between the two nations, which was unveiled during King Salman’s visit to Cairo this April. To many of us, the symbolic and practical implications go far beyond this being yet another mega-infrastructure project.

The understated announcements surrounding this enhanced relationship left everything to the imagination. There was no proclamation that this is the most massive resynchronization of the Arab nation in years – we were left to join the dots and reach our own conclusions.

More.. Nationalism in all but name

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A unified Arab strategy

It was a widespread belief among many of the early Zionist leaders like Chaim Weizmann and David Ben-Gurion that the only way for the Israeli state to survive amidst so many hostile neighbours was by dividing the Palestinian and Arab states up into tiny and weak cantons. If they could only know how successfully their vision would turn out today

God only knows how many statelets and micro-caliphates Syria and Iraq are divided up into today. Lebanon may not be territorially divided, but politically and socially, it is as divided as it’s ever been. As for the Palestinians – they’re all but forgotten by an Arab world consumed by its divisions and crises

More.. A unified Arab strategy

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When democracy votes against its own interests

What happens when in free and fair elections a majority of people vote for something which is manifestly against their own best interests?

Economists, politicians, academics and businessmen have spent the last month warning the British people that the consequences of the UK withdrawing from the EU will be catastrophic – and yet a majority of Britons have chosen to leave.

More When democracy votes against its own interests

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Separation between religion and politics

Allow me to be a lone voice in stating my belief that the closure of Al-Wefaq wasn’t directed against Al-Wefaq per se, rather this step can be seen in the context of wider moves to separate religion and politics – moves which didn’t even start in Bahrain

Across the whole region since around 2013 we have seen measures being taken against the Muslim Brotherhood and affiliated groups, as a political Islamic movement with transnational objectives and which has consistently made use of the mosque and pulpit for political gain. The UAE and Egypt have been particularly energetic in outlawing the movement and cracking down on prominent members

More.. Separation between religion and politics

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Religious revolutions always devour their creator

It has always been the case that those who try to exploit religion for political ends usually end up getting burnt by the inferno which they themselves ignited

Newly-declassified American documents disclose the extent of secret American negotiations with Ayatollah Khomeini while he was still in Paris, before sweeping to power in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The documents show that President Carter’s Administration had given up on the Shah and saw the best route to maintaining their influence was convincing the Shah’s military to accept the return of Khomeini, hoping that more moderate figures around him would allow for a smooth transition

More.. Religious revolutions always devour their creator

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Ignored at home – celebrated abroad

Why is it that some of our most incredibly talented and exceptional figures were only able to make a success of themselves after leaving the Arab world behind?

In a previous article I discussed Michel Temer, the son of Lebanese emigrants who has just been sworn in as President of Brazil. There are a range of other figures I could single out such as Carlos Slim Helu, the Mexican business magnate who has been rated as one of the richest men in the world – also of Lebanese descent.

More.. Ignored at home – celebrated abroad

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Rizq Allah ‘ala haik ayyam

As a result of the complex political crisis in Brazil, which led to the impeachment and suspension of President Dilma Rousseff – former Vice President Michel Temer last week was approved as Interim President of Brazil – one of the world’s largest developing economies.

Why should I care? Michel Temer’s ancestral home is Lebanon – from my maternal family’s home region of Al-Kura to be precise. Temer, a 75-year-old law professor, is proud of his origins and is a regular visitor to Lebanon and his family’s home village of Btaaboura, where he has a street named after him.

More.. Rizq Allah ‘ala haik ayyam

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Innovation for Bahrain’s tourism success

The tourism sector is currently one of the most exciting segments of the Bahrain economy to be working in. Indeed, last year hotels and restaurants constituted the fastest-growing sector of the economy – growing by 7.3% in 2015. Arrivals to the Kingdom also soared by 8% to around 14.5 million.

More Innovation for Bahrain’s tourism success

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?Celebrating or eliminating God’s diversity

I often despair of those who profess to be most devoted to their faith yet reject many of the most wondrous and distinctive aspects of God’s creation

We are blessed with a world which is rich and vibrant in its diversity of cultures, languages, beliefs and nations. There is nothing more distasteful than the belief that this infinite variety we see everywhere in our world and amongst the peoples who inhabit it, is simply a mistake which must be corrected

More Celebrating or eliminating God’s diversity

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Winning battles – Losing wars

We may wonder how in Afghanistan, Russia could win so many battles, but ultimately lose the war. Meanwhile in Vietnam, America dropped more bombs during 1967 than in all of World War II, destroying half of Vietnam’s rainforests and killing around 1.5 million Vietnamese. With a monthly war chest of $2 billion against one of the poorest nations on earth, this was one of the most asymmetrical wars in history. Yet the US lost because their overwhelming use of force united the whole Vietnamese nation against them.

More.. Winning battles – Losing wars

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Supporting reform and sidelining its dishonest opponents

I have always held our Justice Minister Khalid Bin-Ali Al Khalifa to be one of the most outstanding figures within Bahrain’s leadership. However, he recently grew in my estimation as he stood in front of Parliament patiently and articulately arguing to MPs why they should not vote against vital legislation for consolidating the rights of women in Bahrain.

More.. Supporting reform and sidelining its dishonest opponents

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Protecting democracy from itself

Let’s be very clear: Americans as a nation are not stupid. Or to put this another way: Americans don’t possess statistically higher levels of stupidity than many other nations!

So how do we explain Donald Trump? Someone with the articulacy and worldview of the average 14-year old; and who’s views most people around the world find completely distasteful – yet many fear will become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee – if not the next US President.

More.. Protecting democracy from itself

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Taking education seriously

Bahrain has the oldest public education system in the Arabian Gulf, with modern schools dating back to the early years of the twentieth century, along with being the first Gulf state to open girls’ schools.

Because Bahrain was first in the region to discover oil, it was also the first to invest heavily in education, giving Bahrain by the middle of the last century a highly progressive climate relative to its neighbours.

More.. Taking education seriously

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When the Church tries to capture the State

The year 1077 witnessed some of the most decisive events in the Middle Ages for dictating the balance of power in Europe.

This took the form of a superpower standoff between the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV and the Pope. Both believed themselves to be the mightiest figure in Europe with the power to appoint and dismiss officials and bishops as they pleased.

More.. When the Church tries to capture the State

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When oppressed minorities become the oppressors

It often strikes me that many of the most strident critics of Israeli policy are often Jews themselves; including both certain groups of ultra-Orthodox Jews who refuse to go to Israel because they reject the very principle of a Jewish state; and secular left-wing Israelis involved in documenting settlement expansion and speaking out about acts of violence by extremist settlers.

More.. When oppressed minorities become the oppressors

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Reclaiming Lebanon’s Arab identity

Over the past couple of weeks it has been constantly playing on my mind as to the rights and wrongs of GCC nations withdrawing financial support to Lebanon; particularly with these states taking clear steps to disengage themselves from Lebanon, including warnings to GCC nationals to leave.

Let’s be very clear, Lebanon has always been one of the brightest lights of the Arab world. For such a tiny state, it has played a central role in the region’s modern history; producing an astonishing array of philosophers, artists, poets, writers, musicians and many of the greatest and most creative minds of the region.

More.. Reclaiming Lebanon’s Arab identity

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Our primary loyalties

We have seen during the ongoing US elections the degree to which candidates are obsessed with absolute loyalty to their nation. Any candidate who was born or reared overseas, or whose statements of national devotion aren’t sufficiently passionate, finds their Americanos subject to question.

Anyone who goes further and declares admiration or affiliation for another country or nation can quickly find themselves being accused of being a traitor. Even Donald Trump quickly discovered that declaring his admiration for the leader of North Korea didn’t win him votes!

More.. Our primary loyalties

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Setting Parliament on the right path

We perhaps feel a collective sense of national shame when with each passing day the local press gleefully picks over the latest scandal facing our MPs; whether they are fighting amongst themselves, going to war against the Shura Council, legislating against tattoos or submitting proposals which even they must realize have no chance of implementation.

Now that picking holes in our MPs has become a national pastime, we should perhaps ask ourselves how and why we arrived at this situation. This is crucial given the central role we expect Parliament to play in His Majesty the King’s reform process.

More.. Setting Parliament on the right path

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Halting the brain drain

A recent study has shown that 95% of Arab students who study abroad do not return to their home countries after graduation. Yes, you did read that correctly – ninety-five percent! – Think for a moment what a shockingly high and damning statistic that is.

Should we blame our children for not wishing to return to the country and culture where they were born and raised?

More.. Halting the brain drain

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Poverty is the mother of invention

I firmly believe that those of us in society who are hungriest to succeed are those who know what it means to be hungry.

Many of the most driven entrepreneurs who I have come across in the private sector do not come from wealthy backgrounds; but seek prosperity and success because they have experienced the crushing grind of poverty.

More.. Poverty is the mother of invention

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Lesson from the Phoenicians

According to the great Greek historians – Herodotus, Pliny and Strabo – the original homeland of the Phoenician people was ancient Dilmun.

The fog of ancient history prevents us from knowing for certain how close these two peoples were, but I like to speculate that there were indeed intimate ties between these two great trading powers.

More Lesson from the Phoenicians

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!Tweet first – think later

The writer Mark Twain once observed that a lie can travel halfway around the world before truth has chance to put his boots on. In the age of social media, this is no exaggeration.

The unpredictable and unscrutinized nature of the social media has created an environment which entails high levels of responsibility from individual users in what they write. Unfortunately, there are vast differences in how people exercise that responsibility.

More.. Tweet first – think later!

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The Saudi beehive

From my office in Bahrain, I have always enjoyed watching developments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at close hand.

Few other states anywhere in the world enjoy similar levels of activity, as mighty cities, industrial zones and mega-projects arise out of nowhere. It is in this respect that Saudi Arabia frequently reminds me of the beehive.

More.. The Saudi beehive

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An Islamic Republic built on shaky foundations

In 2009 after an astonishing elections campaign, reformist candidate Mir-Hossain Mousavi looked set to win the Iranian presidential elections by a wide margin. We all know what happened next: The elections results were rigged; mass protests were bloodily suppressed and dozens of protestors were killed, imprisoned and subjected to torture

More An Islamic Republic built on shaky foundations

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?Who will our neighbours be in 2016

It has always been my practice to take an hour to reflect at the end of each year, looking back and looking forward into the year to come. If nothing else, this is time spent pondering both success and failure, in order to take valuable lessons forward into the New Year.

Looking back at the traumatic events which pummeled the region over the last twelve months gives me a renewed understanding of the Arabic expression “al-jar qabl al-dar” [the neighbour before the house].

More Who will our neighbours be in 2016

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Defending freedoms for Bahraini women

One of the central pillars of Bahrain’s international reputation is rooted in the Kingdom’s progressive attitude towards the empowerment of women.

Over the past 15 years His Majesty King Hamad has taken the nation a huge distance in entrusting women with strong roles in all areas of Bahrain’s society. This ambitious programme is rooted in King Hamad’s National Action Charter which views men and women as equal partners in taking this Kingdom forward.

More.. Defending freedoms for Bahraini women

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Preachers of hatred – in Syria & America

One of the first things a child learns when they begin to study science is that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

History and politics teach us that every action usually provokes an even stronger reaction. Witness – for example – the storm in a teacup between Turkey and Russia, in which a relatively minor incident provokes the two strongmen – Putin and Erdogan – to engage in an escalating trial of strength, which will ultimately damage both sides.

More.. Preachers of hatred – in Syria & America

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Condemning evil and promoting good

Hardly a day goes by at the moment without news of a terrorist attack in Europe, America, or closer to home. Many of these are claimed by individuals or entities linked to Daesh.

Such attacks are once again giving rise to claims from prominent figures who should know better, that all Muslims are terrorist sympathizers and that the Islamic faith is directly to blame for inspiring attacks.

More.. Condemning evil and promoting good

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Why I write

Over recent months, many friends have asked me – as a successful businessman and creative society member – why on earth are you involving yourself in politics?

They are of course responding to my regular articles appearing in Al-Ayam newspaper which first started appearing earlier this year, and which have been about anything from regional politics, to domestic issues, to the challenges facing the economy, to moral and social issues.

More.. Why I write

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Big decisions & their impact on the public

One thing you learn after spending many years making big decisions; is that even when you make the right decision, you also have to prepare for the negative consequences.

Politicians often refuse to publically recognize this: They implement measures which affect thousands of people and claim that everyone will be better off. In reality – for every far-reaching decision you make – there will inevitably be winners and losers.

Big decisions & their impact on the public

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What does Daish want?

Why has Daish repeatedly targeted Paris for its vicious and inhuman attacks? We’ve heard all the justifications about offensive cartoons and France’s involvement in bombing campaigns against Daish. But similar charges could be laid against almost any other Western nation.

More.. What does Daish want

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Rediscovering a lost identity

When the Lebanese Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk was recently in Bahrain, he gave an excellent presentation, which I attended, on the subject of the virtues of Arab identity.

Now, any reference to Arab identity and Arab nationalism initially sound horribly outdated, a throwback to the 1950s. We can’t approach the concept without immediately thinking of Gamal Abdel Nasser – both his meteoric rise, and the eclipsing of his regional standing after the disastrous Six Day War with Israel.

More.. Rediscovering a lost identity

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Peace makes money – wars cost money

Economists frequently tie themselves up in knots purveying different economic models for what allows countries to flourish. However, the number one prerequisite for allowing a country to prosper is so simple that it does not require economists to explain it to us – that is; the avoidance of conflict.

More.. Peace makes money

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!At work – but not working

It pains me to say this, but too often when I am looking to recruit high caliber staff, I am forced to look for candidates outside the GCC and the Arab world.

It isn’t that we don’t have the numbers. There are large numbers of young Bahrainis and Arabs with a broad range of qualifications filling up the jobs market.

A common mistake is the perception that this is all about pay levels; if we could just ensure that foreigners were given the same wages as locals, then unemployment would disappear – Sadly, this is wrong.

More.. At work – but not working!

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Empowering women for Bahrain’s economic prosperity

As employers in this country we fail to give enough thought and attention to what women have to offer in the workplace. By having a working-environment dominated by men, we rob ourselves of a whole spectrum of skill sets, ideas, attitudes and life experiences.

By having an office where 50% of the population is unrepresented, the business world loses out on the very perspectives which can help us succeed.

More.. Empowering women for Bahrain’s economic prosperity

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?Russia – friend or foe

There are many in the Gulf and Middle East region who have looked to Russia as a potential friend and ally – as a fellow oil producing nation; a counterweight to Western meddling; and a superpower which aspires to have a global role.

Yet despite this, time after time we find Russia adopting positions and taking sides which we as laymen struggle to comprehend and which raise questions about Russia’s intentions.

More.. Russia – friend or foe

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Embracing the choices we make – A recipe for success

A university professor once told me that life is a series of intersections, any of which we can decide to take. However, the majority of people never take such a decision in the first place. They continue going round and round on the roundabout of everyday life, not knowing which course to follow with their lives – and perhaps not giving it too much thought.

More.. Embracing the choices we make – A recipe for success

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Syria refugee crisis – brave leadership required

The confused and panicked reaction of various European nations to the Syrian refugee crisis brings to mind an image of headless chickens running about in all directions.

During my time spent in Europe over the summer, I was shocked by the hostile and often racist tenor of much of the media coverage of this issue. There was often an ability to distinguish between Syrians fleeing from unimaginable horrors; and economic migrants with completely different motivations and aspirations.

More Syria refugee crisis – brave leadership required

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Lessons for Bahrain from the Chinese stock market crisis

There were times over weeks where serious economic journalists were speculating about the collapse of global capitalism. The occasion for this of course was the spectacular plunge in the Chinese stock market, which caused panic in other markets around the world. We in Bahrain were also directly affected as these events led to yet another fall in the oil prices.

This is a painful illustration of how – whether we like it or not – we are all part of a globalized economy. It is also obvious that economies which try and isolate themselves cannot succeed. North Korea is perhaps the best example of how economic isolation leads to a chronically weak economy and dire living standards.

More Lessons for Bahrain from the Chinese stock market crisis

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?What has sustainability got to do with advertising

It is often taken for granted that the universe of advertising and marketing is value-free. This couldn’t be more wrong.

All advertising implicitly conveys some kind of value system, even if it is the fizzy drinks lowest-common-denominator of “Forget your problems, drink this and be happy”.

So when you advertise your product, you are also selling a worldview and influencing your customers accordingly. If much advertising conveys a consumerist, hedonistic ethos; can advertising also get across an environmentally sound and socially-responsible message without turning off its audience?

More.. What has sustainability got to do with advertising

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Talking to customers – Not talking at them

When I say that today we live in a global village I perhaps should apologize for stating an overused cliché. However, too often we fail to grasp the full implications of this.

Nothing is local in the age of the social media. A private event in the most remote location can be photographed and circulated around the world in seconds.

More.. Talking to customers

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?Carving up the budgetary cake – or investing for the future

At the time of the parliamentary elections in Bahrain late last year, it seemed that all candidates wanted to talk about was how they would provide windfall cash handouts to their constituents:

Wage rises, housing support, unemployment insurance, payments to those with special needs, retirement benefits, subsidies on basic goods, anti-inflation payments and a hundred other initiatives for handing out Government money to citizens.

More.. Carving up the budgetary cake

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Recognizing efforts to serve the public

I’ve always tended to be wary about dealing with government departments; having repeatedly come across the attitude that they are either too busy to give attention to my investment opportunities and project plans – or they simply can’t be bothered.

However, over the past six months I am pleased to report a massive change in my experiences of dealing with ministries. Allow me to give a few examples

More.. Recognizing efforts to serve the public

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Time to wake up

The parts of our body have a bewildering array of different functions. These various organs unite and work in harmony in order to combat a disease or foreign organism. This is very much the case when the body is struck by some form of cancer.

Terrorism resembles cancer in that it is generated from the body itself, but slowly destroys the body which has created it.

More.. Time to wake up

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Why revolutions fail

The early months after the 1789 French Revolution seemed like a great success. A new elected Parliament was in control, the upcoming French middle classes had an increasing say in the country’s affairs and the Declaration of the Rights of Man remains a key text for those studying the history of human rights.

However, the events of the years that followed turned France into a by-word for extremism, bloodshed, terror, regicide, despotism and political turmoil.

More.. Why revolutions fail

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Keeping politics in the family

We live in the age of political families and dynasties. In America in the 1960s there were the Kennedys; today we have the prospect that the next US election will be between a Clinton and a Bush. In Britain two Miliband brothers contested for leadership of the Labour party; in France there has been a bitter struggle between Jean-Marie Le Pen and his daughter for dominance of the far right. This trend is even more obvious in South Asia, where subsequent generations of the Bhutto and Gandhi family have been dominant in politics for decades.

More.. Keeping politics in the family

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Swimming with the tide – Why you should give it a try

Where does a lifetime of swimming against the current get you?

Usually a substantial distance in the opposite of the direction you wanted to travel!

Many of us are strong-minded and have no intention of being “part of the herd”. It is considered a desirable masculine trait to resist and fight against the prevailing current.

Personalities who turn the art of swimming against the tide into an end in itself are celebrated. Audiences applaud film heroes who take on the establishment. As if opposing authority is a virtue in itself.

More.. Swimming with the tide – Why you should give it a try

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Extremism breeds extremism

We are told that over 60 nations are part of the fight against ISIS and that they have conducted however-many-thousand airstrikes. This is supposed to give us confidence that ISIS will shortly be defeated. But ISIS operates according to very different rules and principles:

Newton’s third law of motion is that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. A restatement of that law with regard to Daish could perhaps be: Violence produces violence. Extremism produces extremism. Hatred gives rise to more hatred.

More.. Extremism breeds extremism

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Do we really want to turn the clocks back?

I would like to relate a story I heard about the late King Faisal. Sadly, I have never been able to confirm whether it is more than an urban legend, but I always found it too good a story to reject out of hand.

It is well known that there was uproar when King Faisal introduced television to Saudi Arabia in 1965. According to the tale I heard, a coalition of hardliners soon took matters into their own hands and tried to demolish a TV mast in Jeddah.

The King was informed of the disturbances and was understandably concerned at the outbreak of unrest. He summoned the trouble-makers from Jeddah to his new residence in Riyadh.

More.. Do we really want to turn the clocks back

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Protect Bahraini businesses from the evils of protectionism

It was refreshing to hear the statements made by his Excellency, the Industry and Trade Minister Zayid al-Zayani rejecting protectionism and preferential treatment for Bahraini businesses.

It is the easiest thing in the world for a Government to falsely support the business community with all kinds of subsidies, benefits and support. However, every time this approach has been adopted, anywhere in the world, the effect has been to kill local businesses with kindness. This is because such false support creates uncompetitive and fundamentally unprofitable businesses, which simply wither away when the going gets tough.

More.. Protect Bahraini businesses from the evils of protectionism

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Where do our loyalties lie?

When our backs are against the wall, we human beings tend to be essentially very selfish in our priorities: Our first thoughts are for the wellbeing of ourselves and our families – then our close friends and our immediate community. After that, we may spare a thought for our town – and only as a distant last place we consider our nation or wider regional identities.

Who are the people we identify with? Without doubt, we consider ourselves as close to those we share a history and a language with. In a wider sense, we also identify with those with who we share a religion and national heritage.

More.. Where do our loyalties lie

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The wisdom of change in Saudi Arabia

As conditions around us change with bewilderingly rapidity in our age of information technology, quality becomes ever more important than quantity. Thus, in contemporary warfare, it is less about the number of troops you have on the ground and more about the technology you have in place and the strategies to make best use of it.

In this context, it is manifestly obvious that Saudi Arabia has no hegemonic or territorial ambitions for intervening in Yemen or other regional states. It seeks to impose no ideology, vision or way of life.

More.. The wisdom of change in Saudi Arabia-

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How can the Formula 1 benefit you?

The Formula 1 is a hugely important event for Bahrain, taking into account both the economic benefits and the event’s role in showcasing Bahrain. The Grand Prix truly puts Bahrain on the map.

However, it still disappoints me that many Bahrainis don’t fully appreciate the significance of the Formula 1 and the festivities around the racing itself. This lack of recognition means that we are missing several tricks in fully exploiting this annual event to maximally serve our national interest –and our own private interests.

The Grand Prix, doesn’t just bring a large quantity of visitors – it brings in a high quality of international tourist. The stereotypical F1 tourist is wealthy, an experienced traveller, has discerning tastes when it comes to hotels, catering and leisure time and comes ready to spend their money.

More.. How can the Formula 1 benefit you

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Making our society work – a lesson from the lions

I remember being deeply affected by the story of the older male lion who leaves the pride after being deposed from his position by younger, stronger males. Once deposed, the lifespan of elderly lions can be very short; lacking the support of other lions for hunting; often sustaining wounds when coming into contact with other prides – and some simply making their way up the mountainside, establishing their home on a rocky outcrop and seeing out their remaining time.

Luckily for us, our society has a very different attitude towards our own elderly lions. We believe that those who have spent their lives working and raising their families have a right to a dignified retirement. Our own elderly are often seen as the most valued members of society for our experience, knowledge and wisdom. We can applaud the recent initiative of His Majesty the King for ensuring that elderly widows are equally prioritized for housing and services.

More.. Making our society work – a lesson from the lions

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Making our society work – a lesson from the bees

To me, the morning call from the Mosque of “Haya lil-falah” is an instruction for me to get out and make something of the day – to make each day a productive and successful encounter with the world – and to play a small part in helping make our nation progress.

Not enough people pick up on the fact that Islam is the religion of work and industry. I am told that the Quran uses the words fi’al and ‘amal (the Arabic words for work) a combined 469 times and the scriptures teach us that squandering time in unproductive and non-beneficial work is the manifestation of lack of faith and of unbelief. To use your time in productive work is nothing short of practicing your Muslim faith.

More.. Making our society work – a lesson from the bees

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Calling for public servants who really serve the public

Not a day goes past without us reading in the newspapers how the Government is prioritizing speeding up housing projects in order to provide affordable homes for Bahrainis. Citizens and politicians are all in agreement, the housing issue is our number one priority.

So what happens when I pick up the phone to speak to a ministry official for an appointment to discuss the implications of the new regulations for a large project I am proceeding with, to provide homes for over one thousand low income families?

More.. Calling for public servants who really serve the public

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Without diversity we cease to be a society

Let me start by asking readers to excuse me for being different and for my differing views. It sometimes feels that in our society today we need to take permission from the fundamentalist thought police who desire a veto over our thoughts, words and actions.

Let me take an example from nature: There are forests around the world where only a single kind of tree is cultivated for timber. Most other species cannot survive because of the lack of biodiversity, so the soil is barren and requires immense quantities of fertilizer to stave off biological collapse. What a mind-numbingly boring and repetitive environment this must be!

More.. Without diversity we cease to be a society

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Reject the brutal theocrats of Daish and chose life

Bahrain’s Crown Prince is right to challenge the lazy terminology of “war on terror”, which serves to obscure the shared objectives of confronting those who commit atrocities in the name of religion.

In his widely acclaimed speech at the IISS Manama Dialogue last year and once again in his Telegraph article, Prince Salman has passionately argued that we need to have a genuine understanding of the challenge we face, before we can hope to successfully defeat the so-called “Islamic State” and those who fabricate religious justifications for acts of savage barbarity.

More.. Reject the brutal theocrats of Daish and chose life

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