FEROZ KHAN This great Kingdom was born 83 years ago with unity, prosperity, security, fraternity, and a healthy society being some of the noble ideals its edifice rested on. Year by year, the state ensured that these ideals became stronger and more deeply rooted. And I am sure it was not easy. Good healthcare, decent educational facilities, well paying jobs, world-class infrastructure and a secure society have been provided to citizens and residents alike in Saudi Arabia. But what have we done in return? What have we given back to this nation? We need to ask ourselves if we measure up to the dedication, devotion, discipline and civic sense required of us. Love for our community and society should be one of our top priorities. Let us think of this country as our home and the people in it like our extended family. Then automatically comes compassion and empathy, and then devotion to the society that sustains us and safeguards us becomes a second nature. Our service and duty to it should be paramount to us. On the contrary, we keep complaining and griping that we do not get this or we do not have that, and we seldom think the other way round. We need to keep challenging ourselves in different ways so that we can give back to this great country what it consistently gives to us. As John F. Kennedy famously said: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” And this was the norm in our society in years gone by. Today, unfortunately, it is just folklore. However, if we look at some modern day societies, they are successful and strong because of their amazing contributions of money and mind. Time and talent are shared and offered to the community apart from monetary contributions. Slowly and surely, the devotion and dedication of people have strengthened and secured their communities and countries. But alas, we neither offer time nor talent, nor money nor mastery. We keep it all for ourselves, or what little we may have. We only seek and do not share. The government is spending billions to provide us with a good lifestyle and a healthy future. Excellent opportunities and infrastructure in the form of good schools, universities, road networks, public transport platforms, parks, and pavements are provided. Let us resolve to use them and maintain them diligently. When others can, why not us? Saudi Arabia is a blessed country and we who are living here are privileged. According to Ministry of Finance figures, an enormous and expansionary budget of SR 820 billion has been set aside for 2013. SR 204 billion has been earmarked for education, SR100 billion has been set aside for health and social affairs, and SR 65 billion will be spent on infrastructure development among other budget expenditures. Let us resolve to make it incumbent on us to make every riyal spent on us count. For instance, of the SR 100 billion spent on healthcare, let us resolve to strive and produce from among us 100 world-class doctors and surgeons every year. Of the over SR 200 billion spent on education, let us resolve to produce from among us at least 200 top scholars and scientists every year, writing and delivering 200 papers on their intellectual and scientific breakthroughs. Of the SR 65 billion spent on infrastructure, let us resolve to make our cities amongst the top cities of the world. Great societies were born out of great discipline and diligence. For us to be one, we need to discipline ourselves. Let us resolve to start in a small way, like keeping our neighborhoods clean, saving water and energy in our homes, schools and offices, standing in queues and obeying traffic rules, etc. As a community we are one of the highest consumers of water and energy in the world due to our extravagant and ignorant lifestyles. Let us resolve to make it our duty to use water and energy both wisely and economically. If we do not, the authorities should raise the tariffs and reward those who are careful in their usage of these resources. Parks become one big garbage dump on a weekend. People picnic and pollute parks by throwing their plastic and paper bags all over the place. We do not clean up after ourselves or seem to care about others who may want to use the facilities. Let us resolve to develop a strong civic sense and to revive and reinforce the sense of patriotism. Let us resolve to strengthen the sense of loyalty, community and fraternity among us. Let us resolve to make this great country stronger and more secure and successful. Let us resolve to be the best citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia, and of the world. — The writer is an aviation and hospitality specialist who has resided in Saudi Arabia for almost two decades and has made it his second home.
