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The biggest crane in the world fell, killing and injuring people whose destiny was to be in the spot while praying and praising God the Almighty, and those people who will be resurrected in afterlife heeding to God's call, and so we hope. The massive crane that fell not only left behind shocked citizen and residents but also so many questions and inquiries. We are wondering how the incident would affect the Binladin company, the company that since the days of the Kingdom's founder Abdul Aziz, may God bless his soul, continued to pave the roads, connect the Kingdom's cities, and execute the biggest projects for the government. The citizens did not praise Binladin company for the strength and durability of its projects and roads and airports since it started executing the projects, yet the company became a standard measure that people used to qualify other projects such that it has become ingrained in our Saudi culture to compare each and every bridge, fence, tower, and building with those executed by Binladin company. It has been decades since Binladin Company has been part of the building process of our precious country. Establishing its name first, Binladin became the sole choice for major projects most of the times, especially when the great leader Mohamed Binladin succeeded in building the Al Hada Road. The late King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz had this vision in assigning Binladin with all the governmental projects to build a strong Saudi Arabian company that can build projects for the government and under the government's supervision, helping the government dispense the foreign companies that used to impose their conditions and views on the state. Binladin Company is the only one that helped in building projects in the three mosques, and thus forming a great name that all the Muslims in the world appreciate and acknowledge every time they set foot in the land of the two Holy Mosques. And I bear witness to history in saying that Mohamed Binladin, may God bless his soul, has executed the projects for Al-Aqsa Mosque campus below the actual costs only to gain this unequaled honor, and this is the truth. Setting emotions aside, the government has chosen Binladin Company to execute the two holy mosques projects and the historical expansion was an honor that hundreds of contractors and groups sought, yet only Binladin Company won this honor, and to say the truth the company has “maintained our pride in front of those who visited the Two Holy Mosques.” The governments by embracing the companies of their own citizens, set an example that through this the governments help in building their countries and executing major projects. I remember when Egypt followed the same track through supporting Othman Ahmed Othman Company, and many other major countries have done the same, and until today the governments support certain national companies and assign them with their projects. Surely, this catastrophe of the death of 111 pilgrims was unspeakable, especially when we learn that this crane belonged to the company with the honorable record, Binladin. Yes, it is a grievous incident that cannot pass without reckoning and holding into account those who are responsible for it, and that is the exact thing that the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, may God keep him safe, did. Instantly investigations started and the updates and details of the probe was declared quickly, followed by the decisions of the royal court to hold Binladin Company accountable for the fall of the crane. Today, and after many days since the fall of the crane, it is not for me neither for anyone to spread their absolute predictions and accusations against a huge entity such as Binladin. The company that spent decades of time serving the Two Holy Mosques attracting the most skilled engineers must be capable due to major projects they have executed. Even if the investigations results showed that it was the company's mistake, the responsibility does not lie only on Binladin. Saying this does not belittle the worth of those who passed under the weight of the crane, and those martyrs should never be put in comparison to what Binladin Company did throughout history. I am surprised at the speed at which many are predicting the company's demise. Why some of us insist on seeking rumors, rushing to judgment and spreading suspicions? Or does this practice go as the old saying “when the camel falls the knives gather around it” is the real justification behind the reaction of some people reading and interpreting the incident? Destroying such an entity that the government spent a huge effort throughout years to establish dedicating huge amounts of money and time, taking the company to a level that makes it an equal competitor with international companies, really would be a huge strategic mistake. All I am saying is that we miss this concept of the standard security and safety in all our private governmental projects, although they must be the main standards in managing and executing projects. Also, we must take in consideration that many things which lie out of our hands can happen like climate changes, heavy rains, strong winds, tornadoes and other things, so we should believe in fate and destiny, after doing all what we can of course. I trust that our government will regard Binladin Company as it is its own son, to blame and punish him for his own favor, and after that everything goes back to its normal course, of course after setting certain measures and standards that prevents this incident from happening again - God forbid. This is my vision concerning a company that traveled to the three mosques and built major projects for our precious country, using the best of the best delivering to us an outcome that no other company can ever match.
