A report recently appeared in a local paper that the Ministry of Finance and National Economy was planning to spend more than SR3.4 million on building new branch offices for the ministry in the tiny provinces of Al-Hawta, Al-Kharj and Al-Zulfi. The projects, which will be completed over a period of 12 months, include administrative offices, guest houses, parking lots, gardens and other facilities — all following the latest architectural designs.
Reading through the report, I began asking myself what justification the ministry has for spending so lavishly on buildings that, in the end, are small branches of no real importance? And this spending is taking place at a time when all of us are being asked to tighten out belts! How many rented school buildings are there in the Kingdom? How many rented health centers, police stations, civil defense centers?
Do we here in Saudi Arabia have a list of priorities on which first things come first? If yes, then how can we possibly justify spending large sums on unnecessary projects while, at the same time, we pay hundreds of millions in rent for government offices? What services or benefits — if any — are the ministry going to provide through those new branch offices?
Even if we assume there are benefits, wouldn’t it be better if the money were spent on education, heath, security or other public services? One could go on asking questions but what is sure is that we are faced with a puzzle that needs to be solved.
As far as I know, the most that any branch of that particular ministry does is pay social compensation and grants to beneficiaries — something that could easily be done through banks. By the way, how many projects for more schools and health centers have so far been rejected by the ministry because of a lack of funds?
Ministers and other government officials should know before the state budget is published the amounts required by their departments and the nature of projects on which the money would be spent.
The branches the ministry intends to build for itself in three small provinces may only serve as monuments, attracting pupils and patients on their way to rented schools and rented health centers. The buildings should immediately be built but as schools and health centers. Otherwise, the whole project should be shelved. Please, show some respect for people’s minds and intelligence!
Arab News From the Local Press<> 10 March 2003
