DAMMAM: Prince Muhammad Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of the Eastern Province, stressed Sunday that there is no room for tardiness and negligence in providing services to citizens. Speaking at a meeting he chaired with directors of sectors that provide services to citizens and expatriates, Prince Muhammad underlined the importance of implementing King Abdullah's directives to provide the highest standards of service. Prince Muhammad stressed the concern of King Abdullah, the Crown Prince and the Second Deputy Premier that all sectors must facilitate procedures for citizens and provide them with the best services so they can live good lives and contribute to the region's development. “We all have a great trust to bear before Allah and our rulers in serving citizens and we have to shoulder this trust, each in his position and within his jurisdiction,” he said. “The state provides all potentials and capabilities and allocates budgets for the sake of decent lives for citizens and in order to uplift and develop the region in all fields.” The wide-ranging meeting addressed several sectors and the required improvements needed for sound planning, said Prince Muhammad, who called on officials to listen to the people who have concerns. He said all administrations ought to hold daily meetings with petitioners to listen to their opinions, complaints and observations and quickly find solutions to their problems. While government officials bear considerable responsibilities, there is also a need to stimulate the private sector to execute more development projects in the area, Prince Muhammad said. Officials discussed the need to provide top-quality health services to citizens, stimulate the health centers' roles and ensure that it is easy to make appointments, Prince Muhammad said. In another health-related matter, the meeting touched on the need to intensify health departments' inspections of restaurants and food shops to ensure that they meet hygiene standards, and the need to punish violators. Officials also discussed water and electricity projects and the need to connect services to the new districts and to develop a clear plan to prevent power outages during the summer and water supply cut-offs in some governorates and villages, said Prince Muhammad. He mentioned the villages of Al-Ahsa and some districts of Hafr Al-Batin and Al-Ne'airiah governorates as being among those where improvements are required. The meeting also addressed intensifying security patrols in residential districts and on main streets and beaches, along with the need to monitor traffic violators and execute the appropriate penalties, Prince Muhammad said. Prince Muhammad called on the relevant agencies to quickly attend to accidents and respond to citizens who report them.
