I’ve wanted to kick myself on countless occasions for not keeping a record of proposals floated by various ministries and public service organizations for the welfare of their citizenry but somehow end up a few feet short of the black hole.
But some issues keep cropping up repeatedly. And then I catch myself wondering where those meaningful plans met their end. One of those issues that remain a burning question is what has been done since the tragic fire at the girls’ school in Makkah.
I pass by several schools daily, and from the looks of things there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of increased fire safety or conforming to obvious safety codes. Most schools remain a fire hazard, and notwithstanding a brief flurry of activity immediately after that horrible fire, safety seems to have been relegated to the back burner, so to speak.
Another item that crops up from time to time is the teaching of English in primary schools. What has been done since this proposal came up a couple of years ago? Is it a shortage of teachers, of decent school buildings, or something else that is preventing this issue from bearing fruit?
And last summer’s power failures in various regions? What happened, and who was held accountable? I know committees were rapidly set up when the mess became too large to sweep under the carpet, but what since? Shall we expect the same during the upcoming summer months?
Or the specific public sector responsible for a cleaner and healthier environment and their never-ending grappling with the issue of rainwater and sewage disposal. Are they re-inventing a more efficient wheel here?
What about the revision of the citizenship laws, a proposal that has been bouncing around for some time?
There are countless numbers of Saudis and expatriates who are morally grieved by the existing laws, and welcomed with relief the initiative by the Ministry of the Interior to re-examine the existing laws. It was subsequently referred to the Shoura Council, but then what? A lot of affected people remain waiting and wondering.
And what about the proposal to implement physical education in girls’ schools? With the pros and cons being appraised back and forth in our media, it soon appeared to be another victim of the black hole. Seems I heard some time back that it was being addressed in the Shoura Council, but has anybody heard anything new since? Well, the proposals just seem to move ponderously slowly on their way to being evaluated or implemented.
An expat once told me: “Tariq, you guys are the worst planners. You are not actors, but reactors.” I had to agree with him. Only when ponderous bureaucrats are ceremoniously granted the expeditious boot shall we see the fission required to get things moving in the right direction.
