WE have started hearing a cacophony of noise calling for corrupt and illegal practices that go against our society's culture and values, in order to help government employees adjust with the fall in their income due to cut in allowances and other financial benefits. There have been desperate calls from some quarters that government employees should adopt various illegal methods to increase their income to compensate the cancellation of allowances announced by the government as part of austerity measures following a steep decline in oil prices. These kinds of thoughts and ideas reflect our lack of trust and integrity. This is a call for financial and administrative corruption. We have to double our efforts to stop such corruption practices and confront public sector employees who engage in or promote financial and administrative corruption in order to protect our society's values, integrity and uprightness. Such a popular move was essential to achieve the objectives of new changes and resolutions initiated by the government to offset budget deficit and achieve a new dynamism in activities of government departments and agencies. We have to take things positively instead of grumbling and expressing discontent and anger as a result of a decrease in income, which will surely affect different groups of employees and thus the country's economic cycle. At the same time we should not discard our Islamic and social values and personal convictions and the love of our nation when we lose some of our allowances and financial benefits, influenced by Satanic thoughts and justifications that we have to compensate the lost allowances by adopting illegal methods and corrupt practices to make quick money. Is the cancellation of allowances a justification to change our work ethics? I don't know how many of our employees depend only on their monthly salaries? Many of them will be engaging in other activities to increase their income, even before the new government decisions. However, those employees who do not have any shops or do not run any business on behalf of their wives and children would be the worst affected by the austerity measures. Nobody should wait for a model to deal with changes. We need to understand the present economic situation of the country and adapt with it in a realistic manner. In my opinion the recent decisions give us a new opportunity, opening a new dawn for having wider transparency in the affairs of our country, including the new traffic and visa rules and fees. These new regulations and regulations will have their expected results only when all government officials understand the present difficult situation clearly and adapt with it positively. There are certain employees who still enjoy blue oud at the expense of the ministry or department. They also take a free cup of coffee in the morning and use the official phone to contact friends and relatives as well as children and servants and other employees who work for them and their families. This history does not augur well with our present economic situation. On the other hand, government officials must shoulder their responsibilities without putting unnecessary restrictions and hurdles on people who approach them for various services, in the name of austerity or economization. Let's work and pray together for a brighter future.
