As an expatriate, I often wonder about how much time and effort we invest on working to positively contribute toward the socio-economic growth and development of Saudi Arabia — the country where we live and earn our living. From consulting experts in reputable publications to privately resorting to official authorities for redress, are we getting too bogged down in protecting our own rights and privileges and promoting our interests?
This is a magnanimous society accommodating seven million people of more than 35 different nationalities, remitting abroad about $2,500 million annually to substantially improve the prosperity of our respective families and national economies. Yet, each foreigner proudly retains his national identity, freely celebrates his national day, practices his cultural norms, speaks his own language, dresses in his native style if he wishes to and educates his children to his preference.
Let us accept that we owe a debt of honor to this society. This cannot just be confined to properly executing professional responsibilities in the organization or department where one works since, for professional performance, systems of accountability, reward and recognition are generally in place anyway and are implemented. The favor of improving one’s socio-economic situation needs to be returned to the society with equal nobility.
Like any other progressive and aspiring country of the world, Saudi Arabia has its own issues to address and problems to solve: preparing young Saudis for their role in society, tackling unemployment, improving the standard of education, lowering infant mortality, promoting exports and, last but not the least, reacting to the recent events of terrorism.
It is ironic that a rich country like Saudi Arabia with an annual gross income of more than $285 billion, should have an unemployment ratio as high as 25 percent. This country has probably one of the richest histories in science, technology, literature and economics. Young Saudis have to excel for the bright future of their country. Recent global events have re-emphasized the imperative of their working for and in their own country instead of searching their careers elsewhere in the world.
The expatriate community should support this process. Training young Saudis, helping their parents in career development, encouraging appointment and sustenance of job opportunities for them is an important role the expatriates can play. The present and upcoming generation of this country has to be made better and par excellent in meeting future challenges which shall be encountered to sustain a respectable place in the international community and for the socio-economic future of the country.
We, as expatriates, have reaped enough fruits of petro-dollars; it is now time to return the favor by helping in the long-term effort of building a more glorious Saudi Arabia, befitting the image of Islam of which this country is built upon.
The level of industrialization and export growth go hand in hand. Only half of the GDP is contributed through the industrial sector and the export-import ratio is about 2.8 to 1. The establishment of high-tech as well as consumer goods industries needs to be accelerated. Here again, expatriates can play their role in helping the process of industrialization through their professional participation and by training local youth in production, finance, marketing and general management.
With seven million expatriates living in this country, the enforcement of law and order cannot be allowed to rest exclusively on local population. May it be the enforcement of traffic rules and control of road accidents, or adherence to industrial laws, or control of terrorism, more than 20 percent of national populace — expatriates — have an equal responsibility to assist law enforcement agencies in effective performance of their duties.
In the current lethal wave of terrorism, if expatriates are being killed, local citizens comprising law enforcement agencies are also laying down their lives. Let us be alert and vigilant in ensuring security for all citizens; let us report suspicious movements of any individual who appears to be working against the law; let us adopt as many concrete measures as possible to protect our friends, our neighbors and our fellow citizens.
All of us — locals as well as expatriates — have to work together as one, galvanized, homogenous, invincible force in constructing a stronger, richer, happier and more prosperous Saudi Arabia.
