JEDDAH, 30 October 2003 — Al-Eqtisadiah, a sister publication of Arab News, said yesterday that it had added a new indicator called “belly” to measure “economic growth” driven by excessive consumption in the Kingdom during Ramadan.
When Ramadan started on Monday, “we added a new indicator — belly — to measure economic growth in this holy month,” wrote the Arabic newspaper.
“It may be a joke — denoting the rise in the consumption of food and drink accompanied by a decline in the level of activity — but we’d better take it seriously,” it said in an editorial.
While retailers are entitled to seek to increase their sales in Ramadan, and citizens have the right to buy and stuff themselves, “we should find a way of limiting our tendency for excessive consumption and try to develop an economic culture.”
Saudis are apparently unable to get rid of their habit of showing off and imitating others, especially when it comes to throwing lavish iftar banquets during a month that is supposed to be a time of modesty and compassion, the paper said.
This is precisely because they lack an economic culture, “which would turn us into a people with an economic sense, spending according to our needs and putting our money into worthy pursuits,” such as helping needy compatriots.
