FAR REMOVED from the maniacal madness of the Western Province or the barren isolation of the Central Province of this country rests the Eastern Province on the Arabian Gulf.
On a recent extended visit to this area after an absence of many years, I had to admit to myself that I was impressed with what I saw. “Could this be the Saudi Arabia I live in?” I frequently wondered during my time there. My impressions ran through the course of everyday existence; from the seemingly orderly behavior of its inhabitants to the relatively smooth functioning of bureaucracy that I had witnessed.
Were it not so noticeable or different to what I witness here in Jeddah daily, I would not have bothered writing about it at all. But after taking stock of my daily routine in this unpredictable and often frustrating environment we call Jeddah, the relative calm and orderliness of Dhahran, Dammam, and Alkhobar do indeed merit recognition.
Beginning with some of my interactions with the locals in the area, rarely a cheery and non-intrusive bunch would one encounter in other parts of this country. On the few times I lost my bearings or got my directions misplaced, there was always someone willing to point me in the right direction.
Most of the denizens appeared to respect the space of their neighbors, and nowhere did I notice those downright rude and glaring gazes one often gets so used to here. Women carried themselves with a relaxed demeanor in public places, at shopping malls, and on the Corniche without any affront or incident to their presence.
The cities appeared relatively cleaner, a sharp contrast to the mounting decay of the city usually referred to as the “bride of the Red Sea”; a bride perhaps but increasingly worn out beyond her years!
The roads were easy to navigate, and came across as being well planned and laid out. And respect for traffic laws, although not perfect, was far more palatable than the behavior on Jeddah roads. And if indeed there were the occasional road warriors, it was quickly pointed out to me that these miscreants were most likely visitors from the inner regions.
The Corniche must have been planned by a compassionate and selfless city planner, for it afforded access to all, be they young or old, rich or poor. There was none of the monstrosity of avaricious construction that blocks the sea front, a sight increasingly prevalent along our western shores. And not content to leave it at that, grassy parks and pedestrian walkways have been added for the comfort of visitors. At every few hundred meters, I noticed Jungle Jims for the little ones, and proper toilet facilities evenly spaced out for when nature calls.
The debris and construction obstacles in neighborhoods, a sight so prevalent here, were a rarity there. Tough municipal laws ensure that all building activity be confined to within the perimeter of the site, with enclosures all around! One would be hard pressed to find an empty lot used as a dumping ground for trash and other refuse.
Even in the remoteness of Al-Jubail, the Royal Commission has done a splendid job with the planning of the region, including recreation facilities for its inhabitants and districts allocated for industries. The inhabitants appeared to respect their neighborhoods, for I did not see anyone rolling down the window of a moving vehicle and decorating the street with his trash.
On the bureaucratic front, public sector employees were at their desks on time, and transactions seemed to run in an orderly fashion, a sharp contrast to the chaos we have become so accustomed to here.
Perhaps the corporate colonization of the region by the early settlers in ARAMCO has much to do with this phenomenon as well as in other aspects. And while it is far from perfect, it affords one solace to think that it is headed in that direction.
If indeed Jeddah is to remain in serious contention of attracting visitors from near and afar, it may pay in the long run to send our municipality members to the Eastern Province for some basic lessons in City Planning 101.
And were it not for family ties, I could have perhaps preserved my sanity years ago by simply avoiding this mania altogether and moving there. I wonder if it is a bit too late now?
— Published 13 July 2002