IF we cannot completely eradicate poverty, at least we can reduce its impact on poor citizens. We can mitigate the sufferings of impoverished people, who are mostly low-income citizens. Among others, poor people include retirees and the beneficiaries of social security assistance. We can give them priority in public services, particularly in the health and education sectors. There are long lists of people waiting to be treated in government hospitals. The service is provided based on the criterion of first-come first-serve basis or, at best, by wasta (nepotism). We should give priority in treatment to the low-income citizens because wealthy people can always look for medical treatment at private hospitals or abroad. Then comes education. I know that many students from poor families were not accepted by government schools. Admission to these schools should be given first to the sons and daughters of the low-income citizens. These children should also be given priority in the scholarship program under which Saudi men and women are sent abroad for higher education. The rich citizens can always send their sons and daughters to Europe or America for education at their own expense. This is impossible for poor citizens; therefore their children should be the first to be considered for the scholarships. We now come to air tickets. Poor citizens should be charged half the fare. They should not be asked to pay more than 50 percent of the ticket price. Lastly, the government should cancel its subsidies on all commodities. The rich people are not in need of the subsidized commodities, especially fuel. The poor, on the other hand, can be issued smart cards to obtain commodities, including fuel, at half price. It is needless to say that in all these services, priority should first be given to the old and disabled. If we can do this, it is shameful not to go for it.
