Mohamed Khudhari Make no mistake that as Saudis and residents of this great country we are very pleased and happy with the commitment made by the government in driving the country to pole position in the world, and the billions that has and will be spent on projects in the country. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has come a long way in its 83 years, and transformed itself from a desert state to a modern and a major international player. But times have changed and we must adapt too, such that we can drive forward with prosperity. It's evident that government's budgets have on occasion been spent on projects that have not yielded the expected results. It's also evident that there is a gap in planning coordination, collaboration and communications between stakeholders. We need to address these. In order for a diversified growth in the Kingdom, monopolies in the major sectors, especially in construction contracts should go. The same applies in electricity, water, airlines, communications and the list goes on. We must take immediate actions now to open up and free the market and transform the Kingdom from a country with one seller and many buyers, to a country that promotes fair and equitable competition, in which only the best play. I get a small twitch and mixed feelings when new projects are announced with billions in budget. And I wonder how implementation will end up. Are we as a nation ready to manage such projects, does the relevant ministries have the expertise in managing such large-scale ventures. And my answer tend to be no. Some might argue, why? But here is the reason why? Let's take an example where, let's say SR500 million is awarded to a transportation project. The budget goes to the relevant ministry, which has full responsibility of delivering the project. Across the world and historically most of the daily work carried out by a ministry is administrative, the same routine daily tasks are repeated. So it has been in the last 83 years. They lack project management experience. And often believe general management experience is sufficient qualification to manage billions worth of key projects. So what's their answer? Let's hire a consultant firm and again it's the wrong move, simply because an international consultant would not understand the country's culture, history, requirements and challenges. I also believe the public sector has an open check by asking for more money from the government to complete their projects. If you compare this to the private sector — where projects are managed closely by specially skilled project managers as budget is limited and managers are held accountable — there's a vast difference in execution of the projects. If it wasn't for the continued support of the government to cover and re-invest in these projects, this country would not be the country it is today. But oil resources cannot last forever. Having mentioned the above, the way forward is simply by having one unified process among all the government agencies. This move is to introduce better quality control at every stage, and follow it up by investing in our graduates to become efficient project mangers in all fields. The centralizing procedure combined with true training and development would pave the way for a better future. Add to this mix accountability then there's a winning formula. Unleashing the youth is my motto. And if we are not ready or lack knowledge, well let's roll up our sleeves and build within. If we meet life honestly, we will grow through past experiences and make our country a better place for everybody. May the Almighty Allah continue His blessings and provide us prosperity. Happy National Day KSA.
