Abdul Aziz Al-SuwayedAl-Riyadh
Until a few years ago, it was only the man on the street who talked about such serious issues as the scarcity of water and the need for tapping other resources. Now it is the turn of ministers and senior government officials to raise the alarm.
Just recently, Water and Electricity Minister Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi described the water situation in the Gulf region as critical. Based on the minister’s assessment, the water problem in the Kingdom should look even more serious than it does.
In the past ministers used their influence and clout to ban the publication of what were often described as “fabrications” involving sensitive issues. And even now, there are some who do all they can to prevent the publication of news pertaining to certain issues. Those who do so should be made aware that if the issues continue to be ignored, we are on the road to genuine catastrophe.
Some officials continue to play down the importance of various issues when the issues find their way to the press. Instead of working to solve the problems, the officials demand the press focus on “constructive criticism.” This is an elusive expression whose meaning many, including me, remain ignorant of.
In the past, an illiterate woman carried a tin container and walked long distances to fetch water for her family; she knew very well how serious the problem was but was willing to endure hardships in order to bring water to her family. Women who had never attended school, let alone graduated with a doctorate from a Western university, were fully aware of the problem while for years, our officials seemed unaware and incapable of admitting and then addressing the problem. They were excellent when it came to issuing flowery statements, full of ornate grammatical constructions but devoid of meaning. Never in those days — when there were funds for everything — did any of those officials make long-term plans or implement projects.
What happened to all the promises we heard? And what about the sea of underground water we were told the country sits on?
We have now reached the point at which the largest producer of desalinated water in the world has still not mastered the desalination technology. By now Saudi Arabia should have become a net exporter of this technology as well as and exporter of the expertise that runs and manages the desalination industry.
Instead, we continued to import machines and operate them using remote control while at the same time claiming to have acquired the most advanced technology.
In a desert country such as ours, we continue to lack genuine water research centers. Why bother to establish centers if it is so easy to invite any foreign company to conduct the required studies and research? In a desert country like ours blessed with virtually 12 months of uninterrupted sunshine, there are no research centers for solar energy.
The minister of water and electricity may be very subtly preparing us psychologically for an increase in our water bills. To a large extent the problem lies in the failure of government agencies who did not address the water problem when they could have. Now they want the solution to be made at the consumers’ expense.
- Arab News From the Local Press 3 July 2003
