I am a regular visitor to the Jeddah Passport Department as I do not like to ask others to do those chores for me. My going there allows me to see for myself and to have a clear picture of what is — and what is not — going on there. Whoever wants to write on a subject, I feel, should be able to base his opinions on personal experience.

For 30 years I have dealt with the passport authorities and consider myself a close follower of its activities. The changes experienced by this vital public institution over the past years are impressive. In earlier times, it took three full days to finalize one piece of paper work, whether issuing an iqama (residence permit) or exit visa. People endured great discomfort waiting in long lines under the blazing sun. Not only that, you might end up being told the file containing your papers, including passports and other vital documents, had been lost.

The service has been greatly improved with the department undergoing major transformations in the days of the former head, Gen. Asaad Abdul Kareem Al-Fareeh who is now the director general of public security. The time for finalizing paperwork has been drastically cut, to the relief of all. I wish the directors who followed Gen. Al-Fareeh had maintained the same standards and perhaps gone even further in improving service. To the disappointment of many, this did not happen. I regret having to use such blunt language but I intend no harm. As humans, we all err.

A few days ago I went to the department for an exit visa for one of my employees. The first thing that strikes a visitor is the lack of parking space. Once inside, I found an unpleasant scene — the first-come-first-served rule is nowhere to be seen. It is up to you to push your way to the window where the duty officer is seated. When I reached the window, I was told to go to another office in the basement to provide the required information. A long queue was waiting for me there. Some people were standing; others were sitting and the line was barely moving. A number of the officers were in an adjacent room, eating breakfast and chatting while members of the public were waiting to be served and attended to.

My time was limited and I had other things to do in other places. What could I do? The solution of course lies in the wasta — the friend who can pull strings and get things done for you. I began to search for someone who might be able to help. A gentleman who noticed my distress approached me and offered to help. And the job was soon completed. I gave a sigh of relief and left. That of course was only me — all the others remained, at the mercy of the employees. Imagine if you had to go through such an experience in the summer when both temperatures and tempers are high.

Surely it is long past time when we should have competent and qualified personnel running the department. I don’t think the country is short of this commodity.

Arab News From the Local Press 27 January 2003