Through Chidi Emmanuel
As the UAE strikes to a Western-style Saturday-Sunday weekend, some Kuwaitis and expats shared their perspectives over the hot building. While some authorized this shift, others voiced their sturdy objections to the Saturday-Sunday weekend. In an try to handle its edge over emerging regional competition, UAE on Tuesday shattered norms as soon as once more because it modified the Friday-Saturday weekend to Saturday-Sunday, in keeping with the remainder of the arena. With the most recent transfer, UAE broke ranks with the remainder of the GCC nations because it seeks to draw international investments and spice up its tourism sector. As a part of the reforms, the federal government additionally decreased its legitimate operating week to four-and-a-half days, in order that govt staff can end at midday on Fridays.
The wonder announcement surprised many of us, who really feel it is going to for sure have an effect on their Friday prayers. Despite the fact that the adjustments had been best mandated for the ones within the public sector and public colleges, analysts be expecting personal firms to practice go well with. “This can be a welcome building. It brings the United Arab Emirates in keeping with the remainder of the arena. I want and hope Kuwait follows go well with,” Nasser Ahmed, a Kuwaiti pupil, instructed Kuwait Occasions.
In 2007, UAE was once the primary to transport from a Thursday-Friday weekend, and then different Gulf nations adopted go well with. However for Mohammad, an Egyptian trainer, Friday is a “no-go house”. “Converting from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday shall be onerous on account of our (Muslim) Friday prayers. UAE would possibly do it on account of the funding, business and tourism sectors, however Kuwait would possibly now not,” he mentioned.
Abdulaziz, a sociology pupil at Kuwait College, explored the social side of it. “Converting to a Saturday-Sunday weekend could be unpopular right here. Kuwaiti households want to assemble on Fridays. It will have an effect on the sociocultural cloth of our society,” he argued, as his pals nodded in settlement.
Whilst some weighed the commercial calculations at the back of the Saturday-Sunday weekend, others explored the spiritual perspective. “Emiratis had been environment the tempo over time. They began the Friday-Saturday weekend 14 years in the past. It labored completely neatly for them and different GCC nations that adopted; I believe this Saturday-Sunday weekend will paintings effective too. The arena is changing into a world village, so there’s want for readjustments,” Esther Eze, an expat trainer, instructed Kuwait Occasions.
Ashanti Shakria, an American industry guide, mentioned the Saturday-Sunday weekend may have a massively certain have an effect on. “A Saturday-Sunday shift will align Kuwait to the remainder of the arena. Identical to the opposite portions of the arena, we can now have Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as operating days. This reform will for sure draw in and bolster overseas investments. It is going to do away with the weekend hole, thus permitting extra industry and trade of business with the arena economic system. Extra so, it is going to be a large aid for American youngsters, who don’t seem to be used to going to college on Sundays,” she mentioned.
However, Chris Ode checked out it with a Christian viewpoint. “No less than we can be privileged to conform and obey some of the 10 commandments – stay the Sabbath day (Sunday) holy. We actually omit our Sunday church products and services. A Saturday-Sunday weekend will indisputably spice up our Christian religion,” he mentioned as he entered a church in Kuwait Town.
