58 December 2011 BTM ‘activists’ (for instance, those seeking the abolition of slavery) and ‘disadvantaged’ minorities. Across much of the Western world today, we are seeing a reaffirmation of the political awareness of that middle class, with a string of demonstrations against an increasingly austere economic outlook. This indicates the status quo is out of sync in relation to the generation of personal wealth, an issue over which the middle class has traditionally held very strong views. A local perspective was offered by the chairman of the UAEbased Emaar Group, Mohamed Ali Alabbar, in an interview with Sky News earlier this year. “.. people in this region (The Middle East and North Africa), I don’t think are interested in democracy, [they] want a decent quality of life, homes for their families, good education, good health care and a decent job with the ability to dream of a better life.” It’s a view that might not resonate uniformly across generations and with those outside the region, but Alabbar does explain the trade-off when aspirations are not met. The second key element behind reforms at the time was a more competitive political process, through two more clearly defined political parties — the Conservatives and the Liberals. The National Unity Gathering, to the extent that it eventually transforms itself into a political society, offers the prospect of a different competitive political environment within the Kingdom. Perhaps against its will, and probably in part responsible for the ‘headache’ experienced by many this year, the middle class in the Kingdom has become more politically aware — and active — than has previously been the case. Everywhere you go around town, people are talking ‘politics’ in a way never envisoned before. In a sense this should not be something over which we should feel ‘depressed’; it is something to be proud of, and about which we should feel good. A maturing of the political process, through which all nations pass on the ‘democracy’ road, should give us confidence that a more plural system will reflect people’s aspirations and is more likely to be both sustainable and successful. One marker on any democratic timeline for which the Kingdom can take great pride is the rights it affords to women. It took around 300 years for women to get the right to vote in the UK; in Bahrain this right was given on day one, when constitutional reforms were enacted at the beginning of this century. Equally, in municipal elections, all property owners, irrespective of nationality, are allowed to vote and to have a say over the charges/taxes they are required to pay. Much as we might not like it, we live in a world of on-line immediacy where time is often not seen as an option. We have no option but to move on but at least we can do that in the knowledge that the experiences of 2011 have delivered a greater sense sense of responsibility towards both ourselves and the society in which we live that we can carry into 2012. In our annual review pages this year, we take a look at a couple of the major sectors within the local economy, how they contribute to our economic well-being and what we can expect to see in the coming years ahead. annualreview xxxxx Our mental health has taken a beating bystanderthismonth Emma Radek Coffee Morning Emma Radek hosted a coffee morning for a number of friends at her residence in Zinj Wafa, Hans & Emma Radek Allison, Hans, Roland & Anita Eskindar & Hans Sophie & Susanna Nawaf, Hans & Mathews Jerry, Tik, Esky, Emma & Betty Mesu & Masty Fitsum & Letti Netsy & Frey Marta Helen & Maria Marietta, Esky, Beverly, Claude, Malika, Emma & Heaven
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