Saudi Society & Public Life
Saudi Vision 2030 Through The Eyes of An Average Abu Abdullah
First published in LinkedIn on May 3, 2017. Read it on the original site.
Now, people who have heard of Saudi Vision 2030, please hear me out. To tell me that my colleagues who work for the government are going to be a world class workforce creating an internationally competitive economy is a bit too much for me to digest. The 2 hours workload per day, the Fool (beans) and tamees breakfast, the “come back tomorrow” record which sounds like Microsoft’s universal solution to everything “please restart” …all of that…will disappear?!
Not just that, the Saudi Media is drawing a sweet rosy image of me taking my wife and kids for outdoor activities in Riyadh (other than discovering new restaurants and cafes), can you imagine?!!
Even if I believe all of that, am I supposed to believe that Saudi ministers will be held accountable for their performance in front of the public? in a country where we describe someone who walks and talks like he is untouchable by saying: he is acting like a Minister !!
Surprisingly, YES !! My colleagues who work for the government are starting to learn new habits, like working for 8 hours a day and being questioned for deliverables. Some of the most talented Saudis I know have already been hired by the government, either directly or through international consulting houses working for the government.
Surprisingly, YES !! I took my 5 years old son to a Monster Trucks Show a couple of months ago IN RIYADH. Unfortunately, we missed a comedy play we were planning to attend this month IN RIYADH. Not to mention that my wife would probably kill me if she knew how much I paid for a Piano Concert ticket that took place here IN RIYADH last month.
Surprisingly, YES !! not only Saudi ministers are setting down in front of the Press to present and answer to their performance, but the top of the pyramid him self (H.R.H Prince Mohammad Bin Salman) is right there in front of 30 million Saudis presenting with full transparency the Saudi government’s plans, accountabilities and challenges. Nothing to hide, no topics are off-limit, the amount of confidence and determination in his words were literally inspiring.
Will we achieve EVERYTHING we aim for in Vision 2030? I don’t know, probably, like in all visions, no one actually does. But what I (an average Saudi) is positive about is that we have started running toward achieving our vision in a pace that I never thought it was even possible before, a pace that makes me eagerly wait for year 2030.
