Ahmed Al-Hilali
Makkah
It is the right of readers to seek every window that would take their voice to the decision-makers. Some readers have the opinion that my column “Nafida” or window highlights their hopes and aspirations and take them to the officials concerned.
I have a duty to respond to their letters that carry general but just demands that do not harm anybody or distort any national achievement or attack any faith or race. I would like to mention the content of some of these letters that I received from readers recently.
I am not the first among the columnists to present the hopes and views of readers through newspaper columns. Many other writers have done it before me. I would like to present the letters of only those readers who are known to me so that I can contact them for clarifications.
The first letter was from a well-known academic in Baha who complained about the Mandaq municipal chairman for refusing to raise the national flag on top of the highest mountain in the principality despite the governor’s approval.
The academic proposed the idea after he had seen most mountains in Turkey decorated with that country’s flag. I hope the municipal chairman would consider this just and noble request so long as it does not hurt any public or private interest.
The same reader has a different opinion on the Tihama Road that links the villages of Anaza, Jamajim and Nashm with other villages in the Qulwa region. The road was constructed spending millions of riyals. Before completing the work, the road was swept away by torrential floods.
This happened because the project engineers did not listen to the opinion of villagers and planned the road from the foot of the mountain. The engineers insisted on challenging nature and constructed the road through the middle of the valley. The contracting company has got its money but people of these villages still dream about that road.
I have written about a similar road issue before. Engineers constructed a road in Maraj village in Al-Laith through the middle of a valley ignoring the opinion of residents. The road did not last for long as it was destroyed completely by torrential floods.
This shows the failure of some engineers in reading nature and environment properly. Those who disparage and disrespect nature will not succeed as it will destroy their ambitions. I hope the Transport Ministry and municipalities would consider this important point while implementing road projects. They should not put millions of riyals and the interest of citizens in the hands of inefficient engineers. They should give priority to experienced and professional engineers. A committee of experts should study the preliminary plan before implementing the project.
There is another letter related to municipality. It is from the Raniya municipal council chairman who wanted to convey a complaint of Umluj residents, who demand the construction of a bridge over the Raniya valley to reach government officials, schools, colleges, hospitals and shopping centers safely and protect them from the hazards of torrential floods.
The Municipal and Rural Affairs Ministry has agreed to include the bridge in the next budget. A council member has presented a working paper on the same project. The chairman has stressed the need to construct the bridge immediately for the benefit of the people of Raniya.
The third letter was from a citizen addressing the education directors in Al-Laith and Adham. It was about the request of the people of Um Hatab and neighboring villages to open a secondary school. According to the writer, a number of applications have been sent to education officials in Al-Laith in this regard but they did not receive any reply.
Boys and girls find it difficult to reach secondary schools that are far off due to the rugged pathways, in addition to floods during the rainy season. People hope that the authorities would end the suffering of their children by opening a secondary school in their village. The letter also urged Adham municipality to asphalt roads in Um Hatab, Kufve and Milha and provide them with basic services.
The last letter is from an academic who questioned the discrimination by the authorities between students and teachers. He points out that a medical graduate receives a housing allowance of SR50,000 while his anatomy professor gets nothing and has to pay the house rent from his pocket. The writer requested the Education Ministry and universities to follow the example of King Khalid University in tackling the issue. He also inquired about the new university system after the Higher Education Ministry was merged with the Education Ministry. Universities are now awaiting the new system and new presidents.
Vigorous citizens are the real wealth and growth engine of any nation. Their main concern is security, followed by welfare. They want the authorities remove the obstacles in the way of progress and prosperity. All their demands are in public interest. I don’t have any doubt that officials share the same concern because they are also citizens in the first place. They are entrusted with a responsibility and they will return to their previous status as ordinary citizens once they accomplish their national duty.
