Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Several Saudis have complained that there is chaos at the Passports Department's Center at Abragh Al-Raghama. They called on authorities to take urgent steps to extend services to those who visit the center in a proper and just manner. Meanwhile, an official source at the Jeddah Passports Department blamed the chaos at the center on the lack of cooperation from people arriving at the center. He said most of the people are violating the rules and do not adhere to the queue system. He said officials would take strict action against unscrupulous agents who want to make lucrative profits from the ongoing process to correct the work and residency status of illegal foreigners. The center is tasked with legalizing the status of workers such as transferring sponsorship, changing professions and similar other services. Some unscrupulous traders are cashing in on the huge rush at the center, according to the citizens. These people exploit the arrangements made by the Passports Department to take a token and record their names on the register on a first come first serve basis, well before the office opens at 7.30 a.m. These agents maintain a thriving business by recording the names of those who arrive at the center early in the morning on the pretext of helping the department officials. Hadi Asiri, a citizen, said these agents, who start coming as early as 3 a.m., record the names of those who need to be served by the Jawazat officials. They manage to ensure that the names of those who pay them cash are the first to be served, said Asiri. “These guys charge up to SR500 to those who want to be served early without having to stand in long queues.” Asiri said he could not complete his paperwork even though he turned up for four days in a row at the center. He said that there are other agents who come and take a token and then sell them on the black market for SR300 to SR500 each. There were also complaints that some people try to get a good place in the queue by pushing weaker people out of the way. Abdullah Junaid, another citizen, said there are insufficient toilets or drinking water facilities at the center, where hundreds of people have to wait for hours under the scorching sun. Ahmad Abdu, a disabled man, said he was unable to get the procedures done to change his profession due to the long queue. Another citizen complained that the Abragh Al-Raghama center is too small to accommodate the large number of people who throng there to correct their status, especially as the July 3 deadline is fast approaching. Mansour Al-Sulami said it is a terrible experience to wait for several hours under the hot sun in a congested building that can accommodate only up to 200 people.
