I am writing with regard to the article"Enough said about expats, what about ‘The Violating Sponsor'?!" (May 26), by Somayya Jabarti. This is a very courageous article which hits the nail right on the head. But will it make any difference? Unfortunately, I think not, because the concerned people in the Ministry of Labor and other ministries already know the truth but have neither the will nor courage to do the right thing. Many of them are beneficiaries of the sponsorship business and it is much easier to just nab and deport an expat without even a trial than to change the system. Unless a serious effort is made at the highest levels, nothing is going to change. Azhar, Online response
II. I never heard or came across the term "wasta" until I came to teach in Saudi Arabia. Wasta seems to have become institutionalized and is the creaming off of the resources of people by a few which in turn creates a culture of poverty for the many. The violating sponsors come under the banner of greed and arrogance. The institutions in this country need overall reform. If we do not challenge the root cause of the problem, institutionalized wasta will prevail and continue to feed upon the poor. Ramon Mohamed, Online response
