JEDDAH: Some employees of the Jeddah municipality do not approve of the municipality’s seeking the help of academics to streamline municipal works.
While those who support the employees argue that academics are useful because they perceive issues on the basis of scientific principles, the critics say academics are far removed from reality and always rely on theory, often suggesting solutions without considering practical difficulties.
Makkah Mayor Osama Bar, who favors benefiting from experienced academics, told Arab News that the success of cooperation with an academic depended on the skill of that academic in solving problems.
“There are academics who always find ideal solutions for issues while some others are not so successful. There is no doubt that the teaming of academics with theoretical expertise with municipal employees with practical experience will lead to success.”
On the other hand, Zia Al-Osmani, faculty member at the College of Engineering at King Abdul Aziz University, who worked as director of follow-up and director of markets in Jeddah municipality for three years, told Arab News, that he left his job in the municipality because of the routine nature of the work and the lack of time for development. Most of his time, he said, was taken up by meetings and telephone calls. “The work of academics should be complementary to the works of regular municipality employees,” he said.
However, several municipal engineers disapproved of the idea of academics interfering in their work.
They resent the move by the Jeddah municipality to get academics’ cooperation for the implementation of various projects. The municipal engineers believe that their role would be diminished if academic engineers are allowed to work with them.
