Zaki Abu Alsaud Alsharq Many of us have seen the YouTube clip of the long lines in front of the Passport Department's main office in Riyadh on Aug. 1. The video, which was widely circulated on social networking websites, showed how people were desperate to enter the building before the Passport Department shut down for Eid. Alsharq newspaper also published pictures of similar overcrowding at the passport office building in Khamis Mushayt. I would not be the least bit surprised if a similar scenario was repeated in other cities but there was no one to document it because the person who was supposed to record the crowds with his phone was too busy trying to get inside. I am not going to dispute the fact that these people are at fault for overcrowding. It is their fault that they let their travel documents expire and only decided to renew them in the last minute. It is obvious that such people do not plan ahead. The Passport Department had achieved a lot of progress. It has managed to improve services rendered to the general population and significantly shorten certain procedures. However, this does not mean that it is not partly responsible for what happened before Eid. It needs to think of new ways to prevent similar situations from recurring. For example, the Passport Department cannot keep issuing new passports from departments in the main cities or one main center. If this continues to happen, then we will keep witnessing overcrowding each time there is a lengthy public holiday. The department generates a lot of money from issuing and renewing passports throughout the year. So, why hasn't it established a research center and tasked it with finding ways to streamline procedures and improve services? It should get rid of bureaucratic red tape and start providing online services and expand its branches throughout the Kingdom. Saudis escape the Kingdom each time there is a holiday, whether short or long. This is not something new. All those who are able to travel abroad, will pack their bags and hop on the first plane out of the Kingdom. The Passport Department should be ready to deal with this scenario. I am not surprised that the situation is even worse at border entry points where thousands of cars line up to leave the Kingdom. Domestic tourism has thus far failed to convince Saudis that there is a viable alternative to traveling abroad. Despite efforts by officials at the tourism department and festivals to get people excited about domestic tourism, we have a long way to go and, in the meantime, we will continue to see large crowds in front of Passport Department branches.
